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Natural rights
Fundamental rights inherent to all human beings, not granted by the government, such as life, liberty, and happiness.
Social Contract
Concept that governments exist to protect people's natural rights, with authority derived from the consent of the governed.
Popular Sovereignty
Principle that governmental power originates from the people, who have the right to abolish a government that fails to protect their rights.
Limited Government
Idea that the federal government's authority is restricted to powers granted by the Constitution.
Representative Democracy
System where people elect representatives to make laws on their behalf.
Participatory Democracy
Emphasizes active citizen involvement in politics and society, like attending meetings and protests.
Pluralist Democracy
Focuses on group-based activism influencing political decisions, involving political parties and interest groups.
Elite Democracy
Concept where a small, privileged group influences political decision-making, often based on wealth or education.
Separation of Powers
Division of government responsibilities among legislative, executive, and judicial branches to prevent concentration of power.
Federalism
Division of powers between national, state, and local governments, outlined in the Constitution's Article 5.
Executive Order
Allows executive agencies to create policies with the force of law without Congressional approval, often used for directing bureaucracy and foreign policy.
Nomination with Senate Confirmation
Process for appointing federal judges, cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, and heads of executive agencies, requiring Senate approval.
Judicial Appointments
Presidents' long-lasting influence through nominating federal judges, impacting the judiciary's direction.
Presidential Power Expansion
The increase in presidential authority since the Constitution's ratification.
Federalist No
Alexander Hamilton's argument for a single unitary executive to ensure quick responses to crises.
Public Opinion Check
Public's influence on a single executive, holding them accountable for decisions.
Executive Branch
Branch responsible for implementing federal policies, including bureaucracy and civil service.
Bureaucracy
System where civil servants implement federal policies based on merit and civil service exams.
Independent Regulatory Commission
Agencies regulating specific industries independently, not under direct presidential control.
Government Corporations
Entities providing services that private companies may not find profitable.
Administrative Discretion
Agencies' authority to choose how to implement and enforce legislation.
Judicial Review
Power of the judiciary to strike down laws or executive actions deemed unconstitutional.
Civil Liberties
Individual freedoms protected by the Bill of Rights, limiting government intervention.
Equal Protection Clause
Ensures equal treatment under the law for all individuals within a jurisdiction.
Establishment Clause
Prohibits the establishment of an official religion or favoritism towards any religion.
Selective Incorporation
Process of applying the Bill of Rights to states on a case-by-case basis.
Free Exercise Clause
Protects individuals' rights to practice their chosen religion.
Unprotected Speech
Categories of speech not constitutionally protected, like libel or incitement to violence.
Miranda Rule
Requirement to inform suspects in custody of their constitutional rights.
Affirmative Action
Policies promoting the hiring and admission of minorities to address historical discrimination.
Generation effects
Different voting patterns and political beliefs based on generational differences.
Impressionable age hypothesis
Early-life political events shape long-term political attitudes and beliefs.
Opinion poll
A survey to gauge public sentiment on a specific issue.
Stratified sample
Dividing the population into subgroups based on demographics for sampling.
Political efficacy
Belief in one's ability to influence political outcomes.
Party Line voting
Supporting a single party by voting for its candidates across all offices.
Interest group
Organizations influencing public policy for specific purposes.
Lobbying
Directly pressuring lawmakers to influence their decisions.
Winner-take-all voting district
Electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins all representation.
Primary elections
Voters choose their preferred candidate from a political party in the initial election phase.
