Government Study Guide

Linkage Institutions

Organizations or structures that connect citizens to government, such as elections, political parties, interest groups, and media.

Political Parties

Groups of people who share common political beliefs and work to influence government policies through elections.

Interest Groups

Organizations that attempt to influence government policies on specific issues.

Party Platform

A document outlining the key positions and policies of a political party.

Social Contract

The theory that individuals consent to form a government for protection and order in exchange for certain freedoms.

Separation of Powers

The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from gaining too much power.

Iron Triangle

A mutually beneficial relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees.

Majority-Minority Districting

Drawing electoral districts to create a majority of minority voters in a district, aiming to increase minority representation.

Poll Taxes

Taxes imposed as a requirement to vote, used historically to disenfranchise African Americans.

Civil Rights

The rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.

Civil Liberties

Basic freedoms and protections guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.

Categorical Grants

Federal funds provided for a specific purpose, with strict limitations on how the money can be spent.

Block Grants

Federal funds given to states with more flexibility in how they are spent, typically for broader areas such as healthcare or education.

Mandates

Direct orders from the federal government that require states or local governments to comply with specific regulations or actions.

Due Process

The legal requirement that the government must respect all legal rights owed to a person under the law.

Symbolic Speech

Non-verbal expressions of opinion, such as flag burning or wearing protest symbols.

Obscene Speech

Speech or expression deemed offensive by community standards; not protected under the First Amendment.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one political party or group.

Political Action Committees (PACS)

Organizations that raise and spend money to influence elections, supporting specific candidates or causes.

Echo Chamber

A situation where information, ideas, or beliefs are amplified or reinforced through communication and repetition, often within a closed system or community.

Dual Federalism

A political system where both state and national governments remain supreme within their own spheres of influence.

Cooperative Federalism

A system where federal, state, and local governments work together to address issues.

Supremacy Clause

Establishes that the U.S. Constitution, federal laws, and treaties are the supreme law of the land.

Equal Protection Clause

Part of the 14th Amendment, it requires states to provide equal protection under the law to all people.

Establishment Clause

Part of the First Amendment, it prohibits the government from establishing an official religion.

Selective Incorporation

The process by which the Bill of Rights is applied to state governments through the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses.

Affirmative Action

Policies designed to increase opportunities for historically disadvantaged groups, often through race or gender-based preferences.

Freedom of Choice Plan

A strategy to desegregate schools by giving parents the option to choose schools, often used in the South after Brown v. Board.

Motor Voter Laws

Laws that require states to allow individuals to register to vote when applying for or renewing a driver's license.

Grandfather Clause

Laws that allowed white voters to bypass literacy tests or poll taxes, as long as their ancestors had been eligible to vote before the Civil War.

1st Amendment

Freedom of speech, press, assembly, petition, and religion.

2nd Amendment

Right to bear arms.

4th Amendment

Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.

5th Amendment

Protection against self-incrimination, double jeopardy, and guarantees due process.

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery.

14th Amendment

Grants citizenship and equal protection under the law.

15th Amendment

Prohibits voting restrictions based on race.

19th Amendment

Grants women the right to vote.

23rd Amendment

Grants Washington D.C. electoral votes.

26th Amendment

Lowers the voting age to 18.

Title IX

Prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities.

Equal Pay Act

Requires equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender.

Enumerated Powers

Powers specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution, especially in Article 1, Section 8.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Established the 'separate but equal' doctrine, legalizing racial segregation.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Overturned Plessy, ruling that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Recognized a woman's constitutional right to choose to have an abortion.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

Established the 'clear and present danger' test for limits on free speech.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Guaranteed the right to legal counsel for defendants in criminal cases.

District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)

Recognized an individual's right to possess firearms for self-defense under the Second Amendment.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Established the requirement that police inform suspects of their rights before interrogation.

Retrospective Voting

Voters evaluate candidates based on their past performance.

Prospective Voting

Voters evaluate candidates based on their future promises or plans.

Rational Choice

Voters make decisions based on the perceived benefits to themselves.

Party Line Voting

Voters choose candidates from one political party based on party affiliation.

Barriers to Turnout

Voter ID laws, registration restrictions, language barriers, and voter apathy.

Participatory Democracy

Emphasizes broad participation in political decision-making.

Pluralists

Focuses on the role of diverse groups in influencing policy.

Elite

Argues that a small group of elites holds most political power.

Winner-Take-All

The candidate who wins the most votes in a state or district takes all the electoral votes or representation.

Proportional Voting

Seats or votes are allocated based on the proportion of votes a party receives.

Closed Primary

Only registered party members can vote in their party's primary.

Open Primary

Any registered voter can participate, regardless of party affiliation.

Caucus

A system where voters meet to discuss and select candidates.

Primary Election

Election to choose party candidates.

Midterm Election

Elections held in the middle of a presidential term, often for congressional seats.

General Election

Election to choose from among candidates for public office.

Local & State Elections

Elections for local government positions and state offices.

Electoral College

System for electing the president, where electors from each state cast votes based on state results.

Connected PACs

Funded by and associated with a specific organization (e.g., labor unions, corporations).

Non-connected PACs

Independent PACs not tied to any specific organization.

Leadership PACs

PACs established by politicians to fund their own or others' political campaigns.

Super PACs

PACs that can raise unlimited money for political causes but cannot directly contribute to candidates.

Federalists v. Anti-Federalists

Debate between those who wanted a strong central government (Federalists) and those who wanted stronger state governments (Anti-Federalists).

Democrats v. Republicans

The two major political parties in the U.S., with Democrats generally favoring a larger government role and Republicans advocating for limited government.

Third Party

Political parties outside the two major parties, often focusing on specific issues or ideologies.

Traditional Media

Newspapers, radio, and television.

New Media

Social media, blogs, and online news platforms.

Biases in Media

Media can have biases based on ownership, editorial lines, and audience targeting. Bias can manifest in story selection, framing, and language.