Vocab Unit 4

Question 1

Political Culture

Answer 1

Widely shared political beliefs and values held be citizen of a society.

Question 2

Civic Duty

Answer 2

The set of responsibilities that citizens have to their society (voting, participating in politics)

Question 3

Political Efficacy

Answer 3

The citizen’s trust in their ability to change the government

Question 4

Individualism

Answer 4

Defining one’s identity in terms of individual attributes rather than group identifications

Question 5

Equality of Opportunity

Answer 5

Giving people an equal chance to succeed

Question 6

Limited Government

Answer 6

A government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution

Question 7

Free Enterprise

Answer 7

Economic system in which individuals and businesses are allowed to compete for profit with a minimum of government interference

Question 8

Political Socialization

Answer 8

The process by which people gain their political attitudes and opinions

Question 9

Public Opinion

Answer 9

The distribution of individual preferences of a given issue, candidate, or institution within a specific population

Question 10

Poll

Answer 10

Interviews or surveys with samples of citizens that are used to estimate the feelings and beliefs of the entire population

Question 11

Random Sample

Answer 11

A method of poll selection that gives each person in a group the same chance of being selected

Question 12

Sampling Error

Answer 12

A measure of the accuracy of a public opinion poll

Question 13

Exit Polls

Answer 13

A poll of people leaving a polling place, asking how they voted

Question 14

Political Ideology

Answer 14

The set of ideas, beliefs, and values that individuals have about how the government should work

Question 15

Liberal

Answer 15

One who favors more government regulation of business and support for social welfare but less regulation for private social conduct

Question 16

Libertarian

Answer 16

Advocating principles of liberty and free will

Question 17

Conservative

Answer 17

Support for limited government intervention in social and economic affairs, a belief in individual responsibility, and a preference for traditional social values

Question 18

Keynesian Economics

Answer 18

Government intervention in the economy

Question 19

Supply-Side Economics

Answer 19

Increase the supply of goods translates to economic growth for a country

Question 20

Fiscal Policy

Answer 20

The government’s use of spending and taxation to influence the economy

Question 21

Mandatory Spending

Answer 21

The part of the government budget that is required to be paid by law

Question 22

Discretionary Spending

Answer 22

The part of the government budget that is determined and different every year

Question 23

Budget Deficit

Answer 23

When federal expenditures exceed federal revenues for a one year period

Question 24

National Debt

Answer 24

Total amount of money the federal government owes

Question 25

Surplus

Answer 25

When federal revenues exceed federal expenditures for a one year period

Question 26

Entitlements

Answer 26

Benefits guaranteed by law paid to individuals by the federal government

Question 27

Monetary Policy

Answer 27

The use of the money supply and interest rates by the central bank to influence the economy

Question 28

Federal Reserve

Answer 28

The central bank of the United States