POLS155 EXAM 1

goods that all people may use but that are of limited supply

common goods

The First Amendment of the Constitution gives Americans the right to express their opinions on matters of concern to them;

Freedom of Speech

state governments must protect this right also / protects from discrimination and ensures equal rights

Fourteenth Amendment

an economic system where private individuals or buisness own property and control production

Capitalism

education, police and fire departments, and maintenance of public parks.

local level

state colleges and universities, maintenance of state roads and bridges, and wildlife management, among other priorities.

State governments

money goes to such things as defense, Social Security, pensions for veterans, maintenance of federal courts and prisons, and management of national parks.

national level

the means of generating wealth, such as factories, large farms, and banks, are owned by the government and not by private individuals.

socialism

a form of government where political power rests in the hands of the people

democracy

a form of government where people participate directly in making government decisions instead of choosing representatives to do this for them

direct democracy

claims political power rests in the hands of a small, elite group of people

elite theory

the means by which a society organizes itself and allocates authority in order to accomplish collective goals

government

the beliefs and ideals that help to shape political opinion and eventually policy

ideology

beliefs and preferences based on strong feelings regarding an issue that someone adheres to over time

intense preferences

beliefs and preferences people are not deeply committed to and that change over time

latent preferences

a fundamental principle of democracy; the majority should have the power to make decisions binding upon the whole

majority rule

protections for those who are not part of the majority

minority rights

a form of government where one ruler, usually a hereditary one, holds political power

monarchy

a form of government where a handful of elite society members hold political power

oligarchy

strong support, or even blind allegiance, for a particular political party

partisanship

claims political power rests in the hands of groups of people

pluralist theory

influence over a government’s institutions, leadership, or policies

political power

the process by which we decide how resources will be allocated and which policies government will pursue

politics

goods provided by private businesses that can be used only by those who pay for them

private goods

goods provided by government that anyone can use and that are available to all without charge

public goods

a form of government where voters elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on behalf of all the people instead of allowing people to vote directly on laws

representative democracy

connections with others and the willingness to interact and aid them

social capital

a good that is available to many people but is used only by those who can pay the price to do so

toll good

a form of government where government is all-powerful and citizens have no rights

totalitarianism

What goods are available to all without direct payment?

public goods

In which form of government does a small group of elite people hold political power?

oligarchy

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

Citizens elect a representative to make political decisions for them

Citizens make all political decisions themselves

What does government do for people?

governments commonly provide such things as education, health care, and an infrastructure for transportation.

The elite theory of government maintains that ________.

1. special interest groups make government policy

2. politicians who have held office for a long time are favored by voters

3. poor people and people of color should not be allowed to vote

4. wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no interest in meeting the needs of ordinary people

wealthy, politically powerful people control government, and government has no interest in meeting the needs of ordinary people

According to the pluralist theory of government, ________.

1. government does what the majority of voters want it to do

2. government policy is formed as a result of the competition between groups with different goals and interests

3. ordinary people acting on their own have a significant influence on government

4. wealthy people decide what government policy will be, and politicians have no interest in pleasing anyone else

government policy is formed as a result of the competition between groups with different goals and interests

The government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but also pleases ranchers by allowing them to rent public lands for grazing purposes.Which of the following is a good example of a tradeoff?

1. The government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but also pleases ranchers by allowing them to rent public lands for grazing purposes.

2. The government pleases environmental activists by reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park but angers ranchers by placing their cattle in danger.

3. The government pleases oil companies by allowing them to drill on lands set aside for conservation but allows environmental activist groups to protest the drilling operations.

4. Groups that represent a variety of conflicting interests are all allowed to protest outside Congress and the White House.

The government pleases environmental activists by preserving public lands but also pleases ranchers by allowing them to rent public lands for grazing purposes.

Supporting the actions of the Democratic Party simply because one identifies oneself as a member of that party is an example of ________.

1. partisanship

2. ideology

3. latent preference

4. social capital

partisanship

When a person is asked a question about a political issue that person has little interest in and has not thought much about, the person’s answer will likely reflect ________.

1. ideology

2. partisanship

3. intense preferences

4. latent preferences

latent preferences

What kinds of people are most likely to become active in politics or community service?

People who are more educated, older, and wealthier are more likely to become active in politics and community service.

What political activities can people engage in other than running for office?

engage in political activities by voting, going to political rallies, donating money to campaigns, and signing petitions.

which calls for equal treatment for all and the destruction of socioeconomic inequalities,

egalitarianism

those who did not support ratification of the Constitution / supported strong local/state governments

Anti-Federalists

the first basis for the new nation’s government; adopted in 1781; created an alliance of sovereign states held together by a weak central government

Articles of Confederation

a legislature with two houses, such as the U.S. Congress

bicameral legislature

the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution; most were designed to protect fundamental rights and liberties

Bill of Rights

a system that allows one branch of government to limit the exercise of power by another branch; requires the different parts of government to work together

checks and balances

a highly decentralized form of government; sovereign states form a union for purposes such as mutual defense

confederation

a document written in 1776 in which the American colonists proclaimed their independence from Great Britain and listed their grievances against the British king

Declaration of Independence

the powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution (Article I, Section 8); power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs

enumerated powers

a form of government in which power is divided between state governments and a national government

federal system

those who supported ratification of the Constitution / supported strong centralized government

Federalists

a compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan that created a two-house Congress; representation based on population in the House of Representatives and equal representation of states in the Senate

Great Compromise

the right to life, liberty, and property; believed to be given by God; no government may take away

natural rights

a plan that called for a one-house national legislature; each state would receive one vote

New Jersey Plan

a form of government in which political power rests in the hands of the people, not a monarch, and is exercised by elected representatives

republic

any powers not prohibited by the Constitution or delegated to the national government; powers reserved to the states and denied to the federal government

reserved powers

the sharing of powers among three separate branches of government

separation of powers

the statement in Article VI of the Constitution claims that federal law is superior to laws passed by state legislatures

supremacy clause

a collection of eighty-five essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in support of ratification of the Constitution

The Federalist Papers

a compromise between northern and southern states that called for counting of all a state’s free population and 60 percent of its enslaved population for both federal taxation and representation in Congress

Three-Fifths Compromise

a legislature with only one house, like the Confederation Congress or the legislature proposed by the New Jersey Plan

unicameral legislature

the power of the president to reject a law proposed by Congress

veto

a plan for a two-house legislature; representatives would be elected to the lower house based on each state’s population; representatives for the upper house would be chosen by the lower house

Virginia Plan

British colonists in North America in the late seventeenth century were greatly influenced by the political thought of ________.

John Locke

The agreement that citizens will consent to be governed so long as government protects their natural rights is called ________. / an agreement between people and government in which citizens consent to be governed so long as the government protects their natural rights

social contract

What key tenets of American political thought were influential in the decision to declare independence from Britain?

Americans believed all people (i.e., White males) possessed the rights to life, liberty, and property. The best way to protect these rights was by limiting the power of government and allowing people to govern themselves.

What actions by the British government convinced the colonists that they needed to declare their independence?

Proclamation of 1763 that disallowed colonists to expand west past the Appalachian mountains
- Trials of "smugglers" in courts without juries
- Imposition of direct taxes without the consent of the colonies
- Attempted interference with self-government in the colonies
(Britain broke the social contract)

What important power did the national government lack under the Articles of Confederation?

It could not impose taxes.

In what ways did Shays’ Rebellion reveal the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

The national government did not have the power to raise an army, so it did not have troops that could go to Massachusetts to end the rebellion. The government also did not have the power to impose taxes, or regulate commerce.

According to the Great Compromise, how would representation in Congress be apportioned?

1. Each state would have equal representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

2. Congress would be a unicameral legislature with each state receiving equal representation.

3. Representation in the House of Representatives would be based on each state’s population and every state would have two senators.

4. Representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate would be based on a state’s population.

Representation in the House of Representatives would be based on each state’s population and every state would have two senators.

How did the delegates to the Constitutional Convention resolve their disagreement regarding slavery?

1. It was agreed that Congress would abolish slavery in 1850.

2. It was agreed that a state’s enslaved population would be counted for purposes of representation but not for purposes of taxation.

3. It was agreed that a state’s enslaved population would be counted for purposes of taxation but not for purposes of representation.

4. It was agreed that 60 percent of a state’s enslaved population would be counted for purposes of both representation and taxation.

It was agreed that 60 percent of a state’s enslaved population would be counted for purposes of both representation and taxation.

What does separation of powers mean?

Separation of powers refers to the process of dividing government into different branches and giving different responsibilities and powers to each branch.

Why were The Federalist Papers written?

1. To encourage states to oppose the Constitution.

2. To encourage New York to ratify the Constitution.

3. To oppose the admission of slaveholding states to the federal union.

4. To encourage people to vote for George Washington as the nation’s first president.

To encourage New York to ratify the Constitution.

What argument did Alexander Hamilton use to convince people that it was not dangerous to place power in the hands of one man?

1. That man would have to pass a religious test before he could become president; thus, citizens could be sure that he was of good character.

2. One man could respond to crises more quickly than a group of men like Congress.

3. It was easier to control the actions of one man than the actions of a group.

4. both B and C

One man could respond to crises more quickly than a group of men like Congress. / It was easier to control the actions of one man than the actions of a group.

Why did so many people oppose ratification of the Constitution, and how was their opposition partly overcome?

They feared that the constitution gave too much power to the federal government. Their opposition was partly overcome by the addition of the Bill of Rights that attempted to protect individual liberties as promised in the Federalist Papers.

How many states must ratify an amendment before it becomes law?

three-fourths

What is the Bill of Rights?

1. first ten amendments to the Constitution that protect individual freedoms

2. powers given to Congress in Article I of the Constitution

3. twenty-seven amendments added to the Constitution over the years

4. document authored by Thomas Jefferson that details the rights of the citizens

first ten amendments to the Constitution that protect individual freedoms

What did the Fourteenth Amendment achieve?

gave citizenship to African Americans and made all Americans equal before the law regardless of race or color. Over the years it has also been used to require states to guarantee their residents the same protections as those granted by the federal government in the Bill of Rights

a legislative action declaring someone guilty without a trial; prohibited under the Constitution

bill of attainder

a type of grant that comes with less stringent federal administrative conditions and provide recipients more latitude over how to spend grant funds

block grant

a federal transfer formulated to limit recipients’ discretion in the use of funds and subject them to strict administrative criteria

categorical grant

shared state and federal powers that range from taxing, borrowing, and making and enforcing laws to establishing court systems

concurrent powers

a style of federalism in which both levels of government coordinate their actions to solve national problems, leading to the blending of layers as in a marble cake

cooperative federalism

a process in which the national government attaches new administrative requirements to block grants or supplants them with new categorical grants

creeping categorization

a process in which powers from the central government in a unitary system are delegated to subnational units

devolution

a style of federalism in which the states and national government exercise exclusive authority in distinctly delineated spheres of jurisdiction, creating a layer-cake view of federalism / divides power between federal / state government

dual federalism

the last clause of Article I, Section 8, which enables the national government “to make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying” out all its constitutional responsibilities

elastic clause

a law that criminalizes an act retroactively; prohibited under the Constitution

ex post facto law

an institutional arrangement that creates two relatively autonomous levels of government, each possessing the capacity to act directly on the people with authority granted by the national constitution

federalism

found in Article IV, Section 1, of the Constitution, this clause requires states to accept court decisions, public acts, and contracts of other states

full faith and credit clause

a type of federal grant that places minimal restrictions on how state and local governments spend the money

general revenue sharing

the gradual movement of states into the immigration policy domain traditionally handled by the federal government

immigration federalism

a style of federalism premised on the idea that the decentralization of policies enhances administrative efficiency, reduces overall public spending, and improves outcomes

new federalism

a doctrine promoted by John Calhoun of South Carolina in the 1830s, asserting that if a state deems a federal law unconstitutional, it can nullify it within its borders

nullification

found in Article IV, Section 2, of the Constitution, this clause prohibits states from discriminating against out-of-staters by denying such guarantees as access to courts, legal protection, and property and travel rights; also referred to as the comity provision

privileges and immunities clause

a dynamic in which states compete to attract business by lowering taxes and regulations, often to workers’ detriment

race-to-the-bottom

federal laws and regulations that impose obligations on state and local governments without fully compensating them for the costs of implementation

unfunded mandates

a centralized system of government in which the subnational government is dependent on the central government, where substantial authority is concentrated

unitary system

a strategy in which interest groups select the level and branch of government they calculate will be most receptive to their policy goals

venue shopping

a petition that enables someone in custody to petition a judge to determine whether that person’s detention is legal

writ of habeas corpus