test 1 vocab Flashcards
Accomodationists
supporters of government non-preferential accommodation of religion
advanced industrial democracy
a system in which a democratic government government allows citizens a considerable amount of personal freedom and maintains a free-market (though still usually regulated) economy
affirmative action
a policy of creating opportunities for certain groups as a substantive remedy for past discrimination
anarchy
the absence of government and laws
anti-federalists
advocates of states rights who opposed the constitution
articles of confederation
the first constitution of the US (1777) creating an association of states with weak central government
asylum
protection or sanctuary, especially from political persecution
authoritarian capitalism
a system in which the state allows people economic freedom but maintains stringent social regulations to limit non-economic behavior
authoritarian governments
systems in which the state holds all power over the social order
authority
power that is recognized as legitimate
bad tendency test
rule used by the courts that allows speech to be punished if it leads to punishable actions
bicameral legislature
legislature with two chambers
Bill of Rights
a summary of citizen rights guaranteed and protected by a government
added to the constitution as its first 10 amendments in order to achieve ratification
Bills of Attainder
laws under which specific persons or groups are detained and sentenced without trial
black codes
a series of laws in the post-Civil War South designed to restrict the rights of former slaves before the passage of the 14th and 15th amendments
Block grants
federal funds provided for a broad purpose, unrestricted by detailed requirements and regulations
boycott
refusal to buy certain goods or services as a way to protest policy or force political reform
capitalist economy
an economic system in which the market determines production, distribution, and price decisions, and property is privately owned
categorical grant
federal funds provided for a specific purpose, restricted by detailed instructions, regulations, and compliance standards
checks and balances
the principle that allows each branch of government to exercise some form of control over the others
citizens
members of a political community with both rights and responsibilities
civil liberties
individual freedoms guaranteed to the people primarily by the Bill of Rights
civil rights
citizenship rights guaranteed to the people (primarily in the 13th, 14th, 15th, 19th, and 26th amendments) and protected by the government
clear and present danger test
rule used by the courts that allows language to be regulated only if it presents an immediate and urgent danger
common sense
1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine that persuaded many Americans to support the Revolutionary cause
communist democracy
a utopian system in which property is communally owned and all decisions are made democratically
communitarians
those who favor a strong, substantive government role in the economy and the social order in order so that their vision of a community of equals may be realized
compelling state interest
a fundamental state purpose, which must be shown before the law can limit some freedoms or treat some groups of people differently
concurrent powers
powers that are shared by both the federal and state governments
confederal system
a government in which local units hold all the power
confederation
a government in which independent states unite for common purpose but retain their own sovereignty
Connecticut compromise
bicameral legislation
house representation based on population
equal representation in the Senate
unitary executive
conservatives
people who generally favor limited government and are cautious about change
constitution
the rules that establish a government
constitutional convention
the assembly of 55 delegates in the summer of 1787 to recast the Articles of Confederation
the result was the US Constitution
cooperative federalism (marble cake federalism)
the federal system under which the national and state governments share responsibilities for most domestic policy areas
de facto discrimination
discrimination that is the result not of law but rather of tradition and habit
de jure discrimination
discrimination arising from or supported by the law
Declaration of Independence
the political document that dissolved the colonial ties between the US and Britain
democracy
government that vests power in the people
devolution
the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states
Dillons Rule
municipalities derive power from state so state must give permission to do things
divine right of kings
the principle that earthly rulers receive their authority from God
dual federalism (layer cake federalism)
the federal system under which the national and state governments are responsible for separate policy areas
due process of the law
guarantee that laws will be fair and reasonable and that citizens suspected of breaking the law will be treated fairly
economic conservatives
those who favor a strictly procedural government role in the economy and the social order
economic liberals
those who favor an expanded government role in the economy but a limited role in the social order
economics
production and distribution of a society’s material resources and services
electoral college
an intermediary body that elects the president
elite democracy
a theory of democracy that limits the citizens’ role to choosing among competing leaders
enumerated powers of Congress
congressional powers specifically named in the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8)
Equal Rights Amendment
constitutional amendment passed by Congress but never ratified that would have banned discrimination on the basis of gender
establishment clause
The first amendment guarantee that the government will not create and support an official state church
ex post facto laws
laws that criminalize an action after it occurs
exclusionary rule
rule created by the Supreme Court that evidence seized illegally may not be used to obtained a conviction
executive
the branch of government responsible for putting laws into effect
factions
groups of citizens united by some common passion or interest and opposed to the rights of other citizens or to the interest of the whole community
federalism
a political system in which power is divided between the central and regional units
The Federalist Papers
a series of essays written to built support for ratification of the Constitution
federalists
supports of the Constitution who favored a strong central government
feudalism
a social system in which a rigid social and political hierarchy was based on the ownership of land
Fiscal federalism (policy)
economic policy in which government regulates the economy through its powers to tax and spend
fighting words
speech intended to incite violence
free exercise clause
the first amendment guarantee that citizens may freely engage in the religious activities of their choice
freedom of assembly
the right of the people to gather peacefully and to petition government
government
a system or an organization for exercising authority over a body of people
grandfather clauses
provisions exempting from voting restrictions the descendants of those able to vote in 1867
habeas corpus
the right of an accused person to be brought before a judge and informed the charges and evidence against him or her
ideologies
sets of beliefs about politics and society that help people make sense of their world
immigrants
citizens or subjects of one country who move to another country to live or work
imminent lawless action test
rule used by the courts that restricts speech only if it is aimed at producing or is likely to produce imminent lawless action
incorporation
Supreme Court action making the protections of Bill of Rights applicable to the states
individualism
belief that what is good for society is based on what is good for individuals
individualism
belief that what is good for society is based on what is good for individuals
institutions
organizations in which governmental power is exercised
intermediate standard of review
standard of review used by the court to evaluate laws that make a quasi- suspect classification
intermediate standard of review
standard of review used by the court to evaluate laws that make a quasi- suspect classification
Jim Crow laws
southern laws designed to circumvent the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments and to deny blacks rights on bases other than race
judicial power
the power to interpret laws and judge whether a law has been broken
judicial review
power of the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of laws
laissez-faire capitalism
an economic system in which the market makes all decisions and the government plays no role
legislative supremacy
an alternative to judicial review, the acceptance of legislative acts as the final law of the land
legislature
the body of government that makes laws
legitimate
accepted as “right” or proper
Lemon test
three-pronged rule used by the courts to determine whether the establishment clause is violated
libel
written defamation of character
liberals
people who generally favor government action and view change as progress
libertarians
those who favor a limited government role in any sphere
literacy tests
tests requiring reading or comprehension skills as a qualification for voting
Miller test
rule used by the courts in which the definition of obscenity must be based on local standards
minimum rationality test
standard of review used by the Court to evaluate laws that make a nonsuspect classification
naturalization
the legal process of acquiring citizenship for someone who has not acquired it by birth
necessary and proper clause
constitutional authorization for Congress to make any law required to carry out its powers
New Jersey Plan
a proposal at the Constitutional Convention that congressional representation be equal favoring the small states
nullification
declaration by a state that federal law is void within its borders
parliamentary system
government in which the executive is chosen by the legislature from among its members and the two branches are merged
police power
the ability of the government to protect its citizens and maintain social order
political correctness
the idea that language shapes behavior and therefore should be regulated to control its social effects
political culture
the broad pattern of ideas, beliefs, and values about citizens and government held by a population
politics
who gets what, when, and how; a process of determining how power and resources are distributed in a society without recourse to violence
poll taxes
taxes levied as a qualification for voting
popular sovereignty
the concept that the citizens are the ultimate source of political power
popular tyranny
the unrestrained power of the people
power
the ability to get other people to do what you want
presidential system
government in which the executive is chosen independently of the legislature and the two branches are separate
prior restraint
censorship of or punishment for the expression of ideas before the ideas are printed or spoken
procedural guarantees
government assurance that the rules will work smoothly and treat everyone fairly with no promise of particular outcomes
racism
institutionalized power inequalities in society based on the perception of racial differences
ratification
the process through which a proposal is formally approved and adopted by vote
reconstruction
the period following the Civil War during which the federal government took action to rebuild the south
refugees
individuals who flee an area or a country because of persecution on the basis of race, nationality, religion, group membership, or political opinion
regulated capitalism
a market in which the government intervenes to protect rights and make procedural guarantees
republic
a government in which decisions are made through representatives of the people
rules
directives that specify how resources will be distributed or what procedures govern collective activity
sedition
speech that criticizes the government
segregation
the practice and policy of separating races
selective incorporation
incorporation of rights on a case-by-case basis
separation of powers
the institutional arrangement that assigns judicial, executive, and legislative powers to different persons or groups, thereby limiting the powers of each
separationists
supporters of a “wall of separation” between the church and state
sexual harassment
unwelcome sexual speech or behavior that creates a hostile work environment
slavery
the ownership, for forced labor, of one people by another
social conservatives
those who endorse limited government control of the economy but considerable government intervention to realize a traditional social order; based on religious values and hierarchy rather than equality
social contract
the notion that society is based on an agreement between government and the governed in which people agree to give up some rights in exchange for the protection of others
social democracy
a hybrid system combining a capitalist economy and a government that supports equality
social liberals
those who facor a greaeter control of the economy and the social order to bring about greater equality and to regulate the effects of progress
social order
the way we organize and live our collective lives
socialist economy
an economic system in which the state determines production, distribution, and price decisions and property is government owned
strict scrutiny
a heightened standard of review used by the Supreme court to assess the constitutionality of laws that limit some freedoms or that make a suspect classification
subjects
individiuals who are obliggated to submit to a government authority against which they have no rights
substantive guarantee
government assurance of particular outcomes or results
supremacy clause
constitutional declaration that the Constitution and laws made under its provisions are the supreme law of the land
