Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Political Science > Midterm 1 > Flashcards

Midterm 1 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Homeland Security

A

Government response after 9/11 created by Bush Administration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Size of Government

A

Enormous institution effecting every aspect of an American’s daily life

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Political Efficacy

A

Belief citizens can affect government

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Citizenship

A

Informed, political

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Government

A

Formal institutions and procedures through which a land and its people are ruled

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Constitutional Government

A

Limits placed on government

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Politics

A

Conflicts and struggles over leadership, struggles, and policies of governments

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Direct Democracy

A

People vote directly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Representative Democracy

A

Representatives vote for the people

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

American Values

A

Not always upheld by the government (like Slavery)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Liberty

A

Complete freedom from governmental control (based on limited government)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Bill of Rights

A

First 10 Amendments of Constitution demanded by Antifederalists who were weary of new Constitution; there was a price for ratification

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

“One person, one vote”

A

Political equality

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Declaration of Independence

A

1776: remarkable, philosophical document for its time as it asserted people have “unalienable rights” that could not be abridged by government

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Shay’s rebellion

A

1787: Goal to help poor farmers in Western Massachusetts; prevent court from repossessing debt-ridden lands; showed how weak the gov’t was under AofC so this served as a focal point for the Constitutional Convention

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

The Great Comprimise

A

Settled debate about representation during the constitutional convention in 1787 (Big vs small states) and resulted in a bicameral legislative branch, giving small states representation in the Senate and big states representation based on population in the House of Representatives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Bicameralism

A

Two Chambers or Houses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Checks and Balances

A

Mechanisms through which each branch of gov’t influences other branches activities so that no branch becomes too powerful (Pres veto Congress)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Separation of Powers

A

Division of gov’tl power among several institutions that must cooperate in decision-making; Framers employed this (& Federalism) to Constitution

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Senatorial Reelection

A

Every 2 years, 1/3 of Senate members’ terms expire & get replaced. Staggered terms protect Senate from popular pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Three Branches of Government

A

Legislative, Executive, Judicial

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Supremacy Clause

A

Constitution and Federal laws are superior to state laws; Article VI Congress “Law of the Land”

23
Q

Federalists/Antifederalists

A

Federalists: Support Constitution, strong nat’l gov’t, and fear tyranny from popular majority
Antifederalists: Oppose Constitution; state gov’t, alternatives to Constitution

24
Q

Federalism

A

National gov’t shares power with lower levels of gov’t by a constitution

25
Q

10th Amendment

A

“Reserved powers” Serves to limit central gov’t by reserving powers for states

26
Q

Concurrent Powers

A

Powers shared by federal government to regulate trade & currency (like taxes)

27
Q

Full Faith & Credit Clause

A

Requires states to honor the public acts, records, and judicial decisions that take place in another state (like gay marriage)

28
Q

American Federalism

A

Contributed to political stability & longevity of government by allowing many policy decisions to be made by states!

29
Q

Great Depression

A

Most influential in the rise of a more active government through federal relief and work programs

30
Q

Supreme Court’s Interpretation of Federalism

A

Power to the states [through process of devolution] & limitation of federal power

31
Q

Cooperative Federalism

A

Replacing Dual federalism with national & state & cooperation

32
Q

Regulated Federalism

A

With increased funding, federal government demanded higher standards & stricter uses for funds

33
Q

Devolution

A

Transferring responsibility from federal government to state and local government; Led to new Federalism; Popular in 1970s

34
Q

“Incorporation” of Bill of Rights to the States

A

Protections in Bill of Rights applied to states using 14th Amendment

35
Q

Fourteenth Amendment

A

Constitutional basis for nationalizing Bill of Rights; forced states to abide by Bill of Rights

36
Q

The Establishment Clause

A

1st Amendment “wall of separation“ between church and state

37
Q

Strict Scrutiny

A

Places a heavy burden of proof on the government if it seeks to regulate or restrict speech to show that the law in question is constitutional

38
Q

Political Speech

A

The most consistently protected form of speech; Protected unless it leads to immediate harm

39
Q

Clear and Present Danger test

A

Test to determine whether speech is protected or unprotected, based on its capacity to present a “clear and present danger’ to society

40
Q

17 Expressed powers including these 4

A

lay and collect taxes
borrow money
regulate commerce
declare & conduct a war

41
Q

5 groups that conflicted over issues of taxation, trade, commerce

A 
New England merchants
Southern planters
Royalists
Shopkeepers, artisans, laborers
Small farmers
42
Q

Substantive liberties

A

Limits on WHAT gov’t has the power to do

43
Q

Procedural liberites

A

Limits in HOW gov’t is supposed to act

44
Q

Civil liberties

A

Areas at personal freedom that gov’ts are constrained from interfering

45
Q

Affirmative action

A

Gov’t policies or programs that seek to address past discrimination by providing them access to educational & employment opportunities

46
Q

Speech with limited protection

A 
Libel & Slander
Obscenity & pornography
Fighting words
Commercial speech
Public school children
47
Q

De jure

A

Legally enforced practices “by law”

48
Q

De facto

A

Practices that occur even when there is no legal enforcement “by fact”

49
Q

Speech plus

A

Speech accompanied by conduct sit-ins, picketing, demonstrations

50
Q

Exclusionary rule

A

Ability of courts to exclude evidence obtained in violation of 14th amendment

51
Q

Ex post facto law

A

Laws that declare an action to be illegal after it has been committed

52
Q

Due process of law

A

The right of every citizen against arbitrary action by national or state gov’ts

53
Q

Necessary & proper clause

A

Implied powers

Political Science (4 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions