American Government CLEP Review

Which office requires the elected to be a natural born citizen?

President

Roe v. Wade covered what issue?

Determined that the government can not restrict a woman’s ability to get an abortion after the first trimester

What was the decision of Roth v. United States?

Determined that obscene material is not protected by the First Amendment.

Miranda v. Arizona

Stated that individuals who were arrested were supposed to be informed their Constitutional rights.

Baker v. Carr

“One man, One vote”

Nix v. Hedden

Determined that a tomato was classified as a vegetable, not a fruit.

Plessy v. Ferguson

Supported the idea of “separate but equal” in relation to segregation.

Schenck v. United States

Limited the right of freedom of speech by stating that those rights did not apply to speech which created a “clear and present danger”.

Pierce v. Society of Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary

Due process

Lemon v. Kurtzman

Established the Lemon Test which can be used to determine the Constitutionality of acts related to education and religion.

Checks and balances

Having two parties compete for the same power to keep each in line.

Marbury v. Madison

Power of judicial review

Majority Leader

Second or principle deputy to the Speaker of the House.

McCulloch v. Maryland

1819, The Supreme Court ruled that Maryland did not have the right to tax the national bank. This promoted the supremacy of the Federal Government over state governments.

Gibbons v. Ogden

1824, The Supreme Court affirmed that Congress had the right to regulate interstate commerce.

Dred Scott v. Sanford

1857, The Supreme Court ruled that Scott, a slave, had no right to sue in court because he was property.

Minority leader

Leader of the party of opposition in the House.

Lochner v. New York

1905, The Supreme Court ruled that states could not limit hours worked a week because they couldn’t interfere with a person’s right to enter into an employment contract.

Korematsu v. United States

1944, the Supreme Court upheld the governments legal right to order Japanese citizens into internment camps during WWII.

Brown v. Board Chief of Education

1954, the Supreme Court declared that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.

Mapp v. Ohio

1961, the Supreme Court ruled that evidence obtained illegally was not admissible in court.

Whips

Deputies who hold an administrative position in each of the two main parties.

Ferguson v. Skrupa

1963, the Supreme Court ruled that Kansas had the right to determine the legality of “debt adjusting” because its legality was a legislative issue and not a judicial one.

Gideon v. Wainwright

1963, The Supreme Court ruled that states are required to provide an attorney in criminal cases where defendant cannot afford one.

New York Times Co. v. Sullivan

1964, The Supreme Court ruled that actual malice must be proved for a printed criticism of a public official to be considered libel.

Supreme Court

Interprets the meaning of the Constitution and to applies it to actual situations.

Lobbyist

Paid individuals whose job is to convince Congress members to vote one way or another on bills.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

1978, the Supreme Court ruled that specified quota requirements based on race are unconstitutional.

Hawaii Housing Authority v. Midkiff

1984, the Supreme Court affirmed the right of eminent domain in cases that would benefit the general public.

Garcia v. San Antonio Transit Authority

1985, the Supreme Court affirmed that Congress has the right to impose minimum wage and overtime pay.

Bowsher v. Synar

1986, the Supreme Court ruled that the Gramm-Rodman-Hollings Act was unconstitutional because it gave Congress the power to dismiss a member of the executive branch (the Comptroller General) though a process other than impeachment.

Bowers v. Hardwick

1986, the Supreme Court upheld a law which made even private practice of homosexual acts illegal. The decision was later overturned.

Constitutional Convention

A 1787 gathering in Independence Hall of representatives from the states which abolished the Articles of Confederation and wrote the Constitution. It created the federal system, three branches of government, two chamber legislation and 3/5 representation of slaves.

Declaration of Independence

A document passed by the Second Continental Congress in 1776 declaring the Independence of the 13 colonies and creation of the United States.

Federalism

A governmental system in which each citizen is subject to two governments. In the United States it’s the Federal and state government.

Incumbent

A person who currently holds an office.

Federalist Papers

A series of essay written by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton support of the passage of the Constitution.

Jim Crow Laws

A series of laws passed in the South after the Civil War which promoted segregation and racism.

Lemon Test

A set of requirements addressing legislative actions involving religion.

General Welfare Clause

Allows Congress to collect taxes to be used for the protection and general welfare of the citizens.

Elastic Clause

Allows Congress to pass all laws considered necessary and proper to perform their responsibilities. Also called the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Commerce Clause

Allows Congress to regulate trade with foreign nations and between individual states.

We the People Clause

Another name for Preamble to the Constitution.

Supremacy Clause

Clause in the Constitution which declares that the Constitution and laws made by the Federal Government are the “supreme law of the land”

Casework

Congressional representative’s efforts to help a constituent resolve a problem with the Federal bureaucracy.

Uniformity Clause

Declares that all taxes must be uniform throughout the United States.

Reserved Powers Clause

Declares that powers and rights not given to Congress by the Constitution are held by the states and citizens.

Comity Clause

Explains that citizens of one state have the same rights as citizens of other states.

Guarantee Clause

Guarantees Republican governments in each state.

Block Grant

Money awarded to a specific state by the Federal Government with general provisions on how it is to be used.

Categorical Grant

Money awarded to a specific state by the Federal Government with specific provisions and extensive restrictions on how it is to be spent.

Hard money contributions

Money legally donated to a specific candidate used for the purpose of campaigning. Maximum hard money donations are limited by law.

Soft money contributions

Money which is donated to political parties for “party building” purposes, often used by candidates to evade hard money limitations.

Implied powers

Powers which a person takes to be implied or allowed due to the express powers they hold.

Express powers

Powers which are specifically stated or authorized by law.

Establishment Clause

Prohibits Congress from passing laws “respecting an establishment of religion”.

Writ of Habeas Corpus

Protects individuals from being held without charge.

Reapportionment

Redistribution of Congressional seats after each census.

Gerrymandering

Redrawing voting districts to give one party or person an unfair advantage.

Realignment

Shifts or changes in public opinion.

Bill of Rights

The first ten Amendments to the United States Constitution

Legislative powers

The legislative branch is the sole law making body. They also declare war, impeach the president, and review presidential appointments.

Executive powers

The power of the executive branch lies with the President. His responsibility is to implement and enforce laws.

Eminent domain

The power of the government to take private property for public use after providing fair compensation.

Litigation

The process and legal proceeding of a lawsuit.

Judicial powers

To oversee court systems, interpret the constitution, laws, and treaties and apply these interpretations to cases.

Mugwumps

Voters who do not identify themselves with any one party.

Logrolling

When two Congress members agree to vote for one another’s unrelated bills.