Unit 4: Civics and Political Participation Flashcards
Civil Trial Definition
a trial that occurs to settle a legal dispute between two parties
Conscription Definition
the process by which a government raises a military force by requiring people to serve under penalty of law
Criminal Trial Definition
a trial where the government has brought charges against a person that accuses them of breaking a law
Excise Tax Definition
a tax that is paid on certain goods, services, or activities to discourage their purchase or cover costs of production
Grand Jury Definition
a jury used to determine if there is enough evidence to charge a person with a crime
Income Tax Definition
a tax that is paid based on the amount of money that a person earns
Payroll Tax Definition
a percentage of wages, salary, and tips paid to a taxing authority; a tax paid on wages and salaries but not on investment income
Property Tax Definition
a tax that is assessed based on the value of property that a person owns
Rule of Law Definition
the idea that all people in the society are bound by the law
Sales Tax Definition
a tax that is paid based on the value of goods and services purchased
Subpoena Definition
an order issued by a court that commands a person named on the subpoena to appear and testify
Trial Jury Definition
the jury that determines if a criminal defendant is guilty in a criminal case or which side wins in a civil case
Civic Responsibility Definition
an action U.S. citizens perform to support a democratic society
General Election Definition
an election used to determine who will be elected to public office
Initiative Petition Definition
a process by which citizens can make public policy by circulating a petition, gaining an appropriate number of signatures, and then forcing a vote on a specific question or proposition
Nominee Definition
a person chosen to represent a political party at a general election
Primary Election definition
an election used to determine who will represent each political party at the general election
Recall Election Definition
an election used to remove a person from office before the end of their term
Referendum Definition
a process in which a state legislature or city council writes and submits a proposed law to the voters for their approval; a general vote by citizens on a single political question
Right to Petition Definition
the ability to contact government officials and express your views without fear of retaliation
Civic Virtue Definition
a set of standard moral behaviors for citizens to uphold by putting community needs ahead of individual needs
Civic Competence Definition
knowledgeable in the social and political aspects of a democratic government in order to fully participate in civic life
Civic Disposition Definition
being active in democratic practices while respecting the thoughts and beliefs of others
Egalitarianism Definition
the equal nature of people within American society
Free Enterprise Definition
the idea that people have the freedom to pursue their own economic goals without government interference
Patriotism Definition
a love for America and a respect for its institutions as well as the people that represent them
Political Tolerance Definition
the willingness to accept different beliefs and ideologies and allow those different beliefs a protected platform of expression
Civil Society Definition
a civil society creates institutions dedicated to furthering the public good, or benefits to society, by working with government and business interests
Interest Group Definition
a well-organized group of people with a shared identifying interest that attempts to influence the legislative process
Legal Governance Definition
seeks to address the needs and interests of the civil society institution by harnessing existing laws or applying pressure to create new laws
Network Governance Definition
addresses economic concerns of a local and national civil society institution by seeking laws that govern business practices
Nongovernmental Organization Definition
a voluntary institution that operates independent of government or business and seeks the advancement of a social goal or public good
Private Governance Definition
a partnership between community, national, or international businesses addressing civil society concerns
Campaign Definition
an organized effort toward a coordinated goal of electing someone to a public office
Constituent Services Definition
offices or staff members who are affiliated with state and federal elected officials to help voters in their districts and states address problems and concerns they may have with matters related to public policy
Petition Definition
a written request to take action, typically signed by many people, to a local government agency or public official
Battleground States Definition
states where the outcome in a presidential election is much more competitive and either candidate has a reasonable chance of winning
Caucus Definition
a method of choosing a nominee in which voters attend a scheduled meeting in a public place on election night and publicly express their support for a candidate through a series of “aye” and “nay” votes
Delegate Definition
a person sent by a state to represent its residents in the national convention
Majority Definition
an election in which a candidate has to get more than half of the votes, or 50 percent plus one
National Convention Definition
an event held in late summer in a presidential election year by each major political party to formally announce its presidential candidate
Nonpartisan Election Definition
an election in which voters get a ballot with all candidates running for office, regardless of their political party affiliation; an election for members of Congress in non-presidential election years
Partisan Election Definition
an election in which voters choose a ballot for one political party when they enter a polling place
Plurality Definition
the most votes; not necessarily a majority
Presidential Preference Primary Election Definition
in a primary, voters show up to the polls and privately vote for their preferred nominee as in any other election
Safe States Definition
states where one political party is nearly guaranteed to win in the presidential election
Winner-Take-All Definition
a system that awards all electoral votes to the winner
Election Day Definition
the day set to elect federal officials, including the president, vice president, and members of Congress, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years
Electoral College Definition
the group of presidential electors who meet every four years to select the president and vice president as outlined in the U.S. Constitution
Midterm Election Definition
an election for members of Congress in non-presidential election years
One Person, One Vote Definition
the ideal that citizens have equal representation when voting
Popular Vote Definition
the act of voting by citizens eligible to participate in elections; the aggregate total of all individual votes cast for each nominee
Sovereignty Definition
the right of a government to rule without outside interference
Voter Registration Definition
the requirement for citizens to register with a governing agency to determine eligibility to vote
Horse Race Definition
the news media coverage during an election that focuses on who is winning versus losing based on polling, fundraising, or delegate counts
Nominating Contest Definition
a primary election, caucus, or convention to determine which candidate will represent a political party in a general election
Nominating Convention Definition
an event held at the national, state, or local level by a political party to nominate candidates for a general election
Pre-nomination Period Definition
the time prior to votes being cast when candidates seek name recognition, financial donors, party support, and media attention
Proportional Election System Definition
an election where political parties win seats in proportion to the percentage of votes cast
Single Member District Definition
elections in which the winner is the candidate who receives the plurality of the votes
Two-Party System Definition
an electoral process dominated by two major parties (Democrats and Republicans)
Apportionment Definition
the method of assigning U.S. House districts to each state based on population
Convention Definition
a gathering of party delegates to decide their nominees for president and vice president
District Definition
the part of a state that a member of the House represents
Gerrymandering Definition
creating U.S. House districts that favor one political party over the other, usually by employing unusual or convoluted shapes and boundaries
Joint Session Definition
a meeting between the members of the House and Senate in the House chamber of the United States Capitol
Caucus Elections Definition
an election in which members of a political party vote in closed session between all the candidates vying for a particular office, most commonly the president. Votes are counted and candidates eliminated if they fail to meet a prescribed threshold. Voters for eliminated candidates are then permitted to recast their vote for a different viable candidate
Progressive Era Definition
the time period roughly from 1890 to 1920, characterized by major changes in American political culture, when a number of election reforms increased democratic participation and reduced the power of political parties
Superdelegate Definition
a designation used by the Democratic Party to indicate a convention delegate who is not pledged to vote for a certain candidate
The New Nationalism Definition
Theodore Roosevelt’s campaign speech laying out his vision for new political and economic arrangements in the U.S.
Farewell Address Definition
Washington’s speech as he left the presidency providing advice on the future of American politics
Special Interest Group Definition
a group of people, a company, or an industry that works to impact legislation and public policy in their favor on one or more shared concerns or topics
Spirit of Party Definition
the favoring of your segment of the community and those like you over the public good
Bipartisan Definition
the agreement between two political parties that typically oppose each other’s policies
Cloture Definition
a procedure used to end a filibuster in the Senate
Filiuster Definition
a process used by members of the minority party in the Senate to extend debate to delay or prevent the passage of legislation
Party Platform Definition
the ideas and beliefs that a party stands for and wishes to enact
Political Polarization Definition
the movement of political attitudes away from the ideological center toward ideological extremes
Stakeholder Definition
an individual who has a particular interest in an issue
Agenda Definition
the goals and promises that a political party wishes to fulfill
Coalition Definition
a political group formed to complete particular legislation
Executive Order Definition
a direction given by the president to agencies in the executive branch explaining how legislation or rules should be enforced
Gridlock Definition
difficulty moving the legislative process forward
Plank Definition
a section of a political party platform that addresses a specific issue
Political Ideology Definition
a set of ethical ideals or principles that one may believe about how society should work and function
State of the Union Address Definition
an annual message the president delivers to Congress on the condition of the United States
Diverse Population Definition
a population that differs from others due to a qualifying characteristic, such as race, gender, sexual identity, or socioeconomic condition
Ideology Definition
a set of ethical ideals or principles that one may believe about how society should work and function
Lobbying Definition
an attempt by organized interest groups or individual citizens to influence the decision of policy makers in government
Political Efficacy Definition
the trust people have in their ability to influence and understand political issues and to create change in the government
Cracking Definition
a gerrymandering method used to divide a cluster of voters who support the same political party into several districts
Gerrymander Definition
to manipulate the boundaries of election districts to gain an unfair electoral advantage
Packing Definition
a gerrymandering method where like-minded voters are grouped to support a political party in one voting district to reduce their influence in surrounding districts
Reapportionment Definition
a gain or loss of congressional seats as a result of population changes
Redistricting Definition
a process in which state and local governments redraw their districts because of the population changes that occur over the course of a decade
Grandfather Clause Definition
restricted voting rights to men whose ancestors had been able to vote prior to 1867, effectively preventing Black men from voting until it was struck down in 1915
Voting Rights Act of 1965 Definition
a law to enforce the Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution by prohibiting discriminatory voting practices
Snyder Act (also known as the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924) Definition
the act granting citizenship to Indigenous Americans
Twenty-Fourth Amendment Definition
the constitutional amendment prohibiting poll taxes in the United States
Demographic Data Definition
the information collected in the U.S. Census about major groups in the U.S. population; includes data on gender, race/ethnicity, age, etc.
Active Citizen Definition
a citizen who is active in local communities and government at all levels while advocating for social issues
Constitutional Republic Definition
a system of government in which particular principles are embodied in a constitution (document) that establishes separate branches, and the public has the ability to influence those who hold power through regular elections
Police Power Definition
the power to protect the public peace, safety, and welfare
Reserved Power Definition
the powers that are kept by the states; these are protected by the Tenth Amendment
Initiative Definition
the ability for registered voters in some states to create new laws and amend a state’s constitution
Electioneering Definition
the process of trying to influence elections
Political Action Committee Definition
an organization that facilitates special interest group contributions to candidates; a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns
Social Movement Definition
a large group of people loosely organized seeking societal change
Agenda Setting Definition
the process by which an individual or group attempts to determine which issue will be addressed in a political system
Flint Water Crisis (2014-2019) Definition
a public health crisis in Flint, Michigan due to water that was contaminated with lead
Greensboro Sit-ins (1960) Definition
a protest movement that began in Greensboro, North Carolina, where Black American college students peacefully sat at lunch counters and refused to leave until they were served
Hard Money Definition
the contributions made directly to a candidate
Lobbyist Definition
a person who is paid to work on behalf of a company or industry to promote their interests
Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956) Definition
a bus boycott from December 5, 1955 to December 20, 1956 that ended segregation on city buses in Montgomery, Alabama
Public Policy Definition
a system of laws, plans, actions, and behaviors of a government; an official pronouncement with which compliance is mandatory under threat of coercive action
Linkage Institution Definition
a social structure connecting the people to the central authorities or government
Lobbying Definition
the organized process of influencing legislation or policy
Policy-Making Institutions Definition
the institutions that craft public policy
Governmental Bureaucrats Definition
the people who are employed or who work closely with governmental leaders within the executive branch
Logrolling Definition
a situation in which members of Congress work together to support each other’s bills by exchanging positive votes on their legislation
Block Grant Definition
federal government money given to states; states have flexibility to choose how they will spend the money
Categorical Grant Definition
federal government money given to states; states do not have flexibility to choose how they will spend the money
Fiscal Federalism Definition
a way that the national government circumvents the limits of delegated powers by offering grants to states and then imposing rules on the states
Administrative Regulation Definition
a policy that reflects the discretion that an agency has with regard to how it is going to execute or carry out a statutory law passed by Congress
Stare Decisis Definition
the act of making judicial decisions based on precedent
Statutory Law Definition
a public policy passed by Congress or a state legislature
Iron Triangle Definition
a figurative relationship among Congress, bureaucracy, and interest groups
Private Institution Definition
an independent organization owned by a non-state entity, such as a firm, business enterprise, or individual
Public Institution Definition
a large organization controlled by any level of government and paid for by public money
Bias Definition
set ideas for or against something
Political Communication Definition
the methods used by politicians to form and transmit messages to the public
Concision Bias Definition
the sharing of information that is easy to understand and beneficial while omitting other difficult information
Confirmation Bias Definition
the tendency to look for and interpret information to support one’s views
Coverage Bias Definition
the spotlighting of what people should know and the focusing of their attention on certain topics
Focus Group Definition
a small group of individuals with similar traits that is gathered for a research interview
Issue Advocacy Definition
an advertisement that supports a cause and raises awareness of a specific interest
Political Process Definition
the shaping of public policy that results from the interactions of government and public opinion
Public Opinion Poll Definition
a series of questions presented to the public that are designed to gather information that represents the opinions of the population
Selective Exposure Definition
the theory that people tend to look for information that aligns with their views and ideology
Cross-Cutting Cleavage Definition
a division in society that occurs when people are part of opposing political or social demographics
Demographic Definition
a specific characteristic having to do with human populations, often as an identifying feature
Political Socialization Definition
the process that every individual undergoes to form their political beliefs
Gender Gap Definition
a voting pattern that shows women are more likely to support the Democratic Party than men; the difference in the percentage of women and the percentage of men voting for a particular candidate or issue in a particular political race
Intersectionality Definition
the interconnected nature of identity categorizations within individuals and groups; the interconnected nature of different groups and how that interconnectedness can create disadvantages or discrimination or alter stratification efforts
Conservative Definition
a political philosophy that supports socially traditional ideas, free enterprise, and private ownership
Liberal Definition
a political philosophy that supports individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise
Political Identity Definition
the location of a person on the political spectrum. Political identity is shaped by several influences including family background, geographic region of the country, and personal experiences
Socioeconomic Definition
a term used to describe people’s social and economic situations
Stratification Definition
the arrangement of something into different groups
