Civics final review

Steinly

Which type of federalism is characterized by a system of separate but distinct state and national governments?

dual federalism

In what system of government does a national government allow states to operate as laboratories for new ideas?

federalism

What term refers to an order from the federal government requiring the states to take a certain action.

mandate

State Power, Federal Power, or Concurrent Power (establishment of criminal laws)

concurrent power

State Power, Federal Power, or Concurrent Power (the power to enter into treaties)

federal power

State Power, Federal Power, or Concurrent Power (establishment of traffic laws)

state power

State Power, Federal Power, or Concurrent Power (driver's license laws)

state power

State Power, Federal Power, or Concurrent Power (regulate interstate commerce)

federal power

State Power, Federal Power, or Concurrent Power (tax)

concurrent power

State Power, Federal Power, or Concurrent Power (marriage and divorce laws)

state power

State Power, Federal Power, or Concurrent Power (establish high school graduation requirements)

state power

What system of government is defined as "A constitutional arrangement by which power is distributed between a central government and state governments?"

federal

The\_____is used to resolve conflicts between the federal and state governments.

supreme court

Explain why the framers of the U.S. Constitution chose to abandon the Articles of Confederation.

A weak national government could not effectively respond to the needs of a growing nation.

Explain the consequences of federalism for diversity in public policies among the states.

Federalism allows for considerable diversity among the states and their policies. This constitutional agreement facilitates state innovations in policy, and it allows states to move beyond the limits of national policy. However, federalism also leaves states dependent upon resources within their borders to finance public services, and it may discourage states from providing some services.

What did the Supreme Court determine was unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education?

Racial segregation in public schools.

The Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) primarily enhanced the civil liberties of\_______.

LGBTQ+ members

Why do two equally important basic principles of democracy, individual liberty and equality, sometimes conflict with each other?

Equality tends to favor majority rule, which can conflict with individual liberties.

What term refers to a college admissions policy that gives preferential treatment to members of a group of people who were systematically discriminated against in the past?

affirmative action

What did the Supreme Court find unconstitutional in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health (2022)?

abortion

What was the Supreme Court's justification for overturning the separate-but-equal doctrine?

Segregated school stigmatize minority children and are inherently unequal.

Which amendment is the basis for the "equal protection of the laws" standard that became the principal tool in the struggle for civil rights?

14th amendment

The agreement that citizens will consent to be governed so long as government protects their natural rights is called \________.

social contract

What is the difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy?

In a representative democracy, people elect representatives to make political decisions and pass laws for them. In a direct democracy, people make all political decisions and pass laws themselves.

What thoughts are in the middle section of the Declaration of Independence?

a list of grievances the colonists had against the king of England

Why did Jefferson begin his case for separation in the Declaration of Independence with a statement of "natural rights"?

To establish a philosophical foundation for declaring independence.

What was the importance of the Magna Carta?

limited the power of the English king

What 3 principles of government are included in the passage below?

"We hold these truths to be self-evident....their Safety and Happiness"

Natural rights, popular sovereignty, and social contract

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According to the Declaration of Independence, why were the colonists justified in ending their political connections with Great Britain?

because Britain had denied their basic rights

What American principle of government best reflects the Enlightenment ideas of government as expressed by Montesquieu?

separation of powers

What event caused many people to believe that the Articles of Confederation must be reversed?

Shay's Rebellion

Which basic principle of the Constitution means that government can govern only with the consent of the governed?

popular soveriegnty

What is the effect of aging rates of political participation?

rates of participation increase as the population gets older

Conventional or Unconventional political participation (running for office on a third-party ticket)

conventional

Conventional or Unconventional political participation (burning the American flag)

unconventional

Conventional or Unconventional political participation (blocking the entrance to a military installation)

unconventional

Conventional or Unconventional political participation (staging a sit-in on campus)

unconventional

Conventional or Unconventional political participation (holding a candlelight vigil at a prison during an execution)

unconventional

Conventional or Unconventional political participation (running for an unopposed office)

conventional

Conventional or Unconventional political participation (signing a petition in a school parking lot)

conventional

Conventional or Unconventional political participation (gathering signatures for a proposed ballot measure)

conventional

Conventional or Unconventional political participation (staging a sit-in)

unconventional

Conventional or Unconventional political participation (voting for a third-party candidate)

conventional

Liberal or Conservative viewpoint (I believe that America should stop letting criminals hide behind the law)

conservative

Liberal or Conservative viewpoint (I am opposed to school prayer)

liberal

Liberal or Conservative viewpoint (I believe that taxes and spending should be kept low)

conservative

Liberal or Conservative viewpoint (I believe that the government should act, in the public interest, as a regulator of the economy)

liberal

Liberal or Conservative viewpoint (I support the intervention of American military forces around the world to maintain peace)

conservative

Liberal or Conservative viewpoint (I believe the death penalty is a form of cruel and unusual punishment)

liberal

If the poor participated at higher levels in the political process, what might happen?

government programs to alleviate economic inequality would likely be higher on the political agenda

How does civil disobedience differ from a protest?

Civil disobedience involves intentionally breaking a law; a protest involves intentionally getting attention from the media.

Many of the commercials that air during the nightly news broadcasts of ABC, CBS, and NBC seem to be for various prescription drugs. What is the most plausible explanation for this fact?

the median age of viewers of nightly new broadcasts is 62

Have changes in the media formats created a more accurate, less biased media?

Newspapers, radio news reports, and new shows on broadcast tv are (and have always been) susceptible to bias. However, the desire to attract a large number of readers, listeners, and viewers of many different political positions most likely limited the amount of bias they allowed. The rise of new formats like cable television and social media has brought many more outlets through which people can learn about politics and world events. Because these can survive without appealing to everyone, they can afford to be more biased. And, because anyone can create a blog or tweet, uninformed people, including some with extreme views, can provide inaccurate information disguised as fact.

In what ways do the media protect people from a tyrannical government?

The media are watchdogs that can alert people to problems with government and warn them if elected officials act illegally. By providing accurate information about events, the media also make it more difficult for government officials to lie to the public. Finally, social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube , and blogs allow people to post information about national events and to express their opinions, including those critical of government, so people throughout the world cans sometimes become aware of the actions of oppressive governments should those regimes allow social media.

In today's campaigns, what is the primary tool a candidate uses to connect with her/his potential voters?

internet/social media

Where do presidential candidates spend most of their time and money campaigning?

battleground states

"One vote can make a difference; I want my vote to be the difference maker." This quote indicates a high level of\__________.

political efficacy

Why is it sometimes difficult for citizens to engage in policy voting?

Candidates are often intentionally vague about their issue stances.

How does party identification simplify the voting process?

It provides a cue as to which candidate a voter is more likely to prefer.

Why do presidential candidates tend to focus their efforts on battleground states?

The winner-take-all system makes battleground states more relevant to a campaign.

Why does the United States have a two-party system?

It developed in the struggle between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans and is solidified by the winner-take-all system.

What impact, if any, do third parties typically have on U.S. elections?

They raise critical issues and force major parties to address them and usually adopt similar stances.

European democracies have more parties in positions of political power than does the United States because of their \__________.

reliance on proportional representation

If you were a Democratic or Republican Party operative trying to attract voters who identify with a third-party candidate, what might be your best strategy?

Bring those voters' in by taking their side on the issues that attracted them to the third party candidate.

How do lobbyists typically seek to influence members of Congress?

by providing technical expertise on policy issues

With the formation of so many interest groups in recent years and with so many of them having influence in Washington, \_____ argue that it has been increasingly difficult to accomplish major policy change in Washington.

hyperpluralists

What is one of the reasons that interest groups have proliferated over the past half century?

Developments in technology made interest group activities easier.

Are interest groups good or bad for democracy? Explain.

Interest groups can be both good and bad for democracy. They are good in that they represent the needs and concerns of diverse groups and can work on their behalf to influence public policy. Many interest groups work on behalf of big business and the wealthy, but others, like the NAACP and AARP, represent people who might not otherwise have a voice in government. Interest groups can also be bad for democracy, however, if, because of better funding, groups that represent elite interests are able to exert more influence over politicians and policy decisions than other groups. This is particularly dangerous if the interests of well-funded groups are in opposition to those of poorly funded groups.

Why is it significant that business/economic interest groups have more lobbyists in Washington D.C., than other types of groups?

some people fear that government may disproportionately favor business interests in policymaking

What term refers to groups that connect people to government and translate inputs from citizens into outputs from policymakers.

linkage institutions

A network comprised by the Retail Tobacco Distributors of America, the Department of Agriculture, and the House Tobacco Subcommittee is an example of\______________.

iron triangle

What is the main difference between television and newspaper coverage of the news?

Tv mostly "skims" the news, while newspapers go more in depth.

What are Civil Rights? Civil Liberties?

Civil liberties are limitations on government power that are intended to protect freedoms that governments may not legally intrude on. Civil rights are guarantees that government officials will treat people equally and that decisions will be made on the basis of merit rather than race, gender, or other personal characteristics.

The Brown v. Board of Education decision reversed "\__________," as established by the Supreme Court's 1896 ruling in \____________.

separate-but-equal doctrine

Plessy v. Ferguson

Plessy v. Ferguson

The case that reverse te supreme courts ruling on Brown v. Board of Education “separate but equal doctrine

Explain the difference between the establishment clause and the free exercise clause, and explain how these two clauses work together to guarantee religious freedoms.

The two clauses together protect religious liberty but from opposite directions. The establishment clause prevents governments from having an official religion (thus giving all religions a chance to flourish), while the free exercise clause clearly empowers individuals to practice as they wish.

Explain why someone accused of a crime might negotiate a plea bargain rather than exercising the right to a trial by jury.

Someone accused of a crime may take a plea bargain because it reflects a clear path forward rather than the uncertainty of a trial. Typically plea bargains result in weaker punishments than does a court trial.

What are the Five Freedoms found in the First Amendment?

speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition

True/False about advanced education and political participation (Donating money is the most frequent form of political participation regardless of educational degree)

false

True/False about advanced education and political participation (people at higher degree levels are more likely to sign petitions and attend meeting than to contact politicians or donate money to campaigns)

false

True/False about advanced education and political participation (People with higher degrees are more likely to vote, to contact politicians, to attend public meetings, and to sign petitions than individuals at lower education levels)

true

Statistically, which of the following is most likely to be a nonvoter?

a. Melanie, a married 28-year-old teacher from Houston, Texas \n b. Blossom, a married 40-year-old doctor from Los Angeles \n c. Glenn, a single 25-year-old janitor from rural Georgia \n d. Ansen, a widowed 55-year-old banker from New York City

c. Glenn

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Laws limiting campaign spending are said to be in violation of which individual right?

speech

What does federalism mean?

that power is divided among a national government and the states