American Government and Constitutional Law Practice Questions

Vocabulary flashcards generated from quiz review slides covering topics in American government, political philosophy, and constitutional law.

John Locke's View on Atheism

In his Letter Concerning Toleration, John Locke argued that atheists should NOT be tolerated.

Conscientious Objection and the First Amendment

The legal rule that the First Amendment does not support a general right to conscientious objection.

Dobbs v. Jackson

The Supreme Court case regarding abortion rights; the decision did not directly ban abortion nationwide.

McDonald v. City of Chicago

The Supreme Court case on private gun ownership that settled, for now, the meaning of the Second Amendment and incorporated it against the states.

American Founders' Assumption on Religion

The core assumption held by the American Founders that the American citizenry would remain religious.

Trial by Jury

A procedural right protected by the U.S. Constitution that was a major concern for the American Founders.

Planned Parenthood v. Casey

The Supreme Court case containing the famous definition of liberty: "At the heart of liberty is the right to define one's own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life."

Star Chamber Courts Comparison

The comparison made by Judge Jose Cabranes in Vengalattore v. Cornell University (2022) when evaluating Title IX hearings.

Boston Massacre Defense Attorney

John Adams, the American Founding Father who represented the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre.

Griswold v. Connecticut

The Supreme Court decision stating that specific guarantees in the Bill of Rights have penumbras formed by emanations that give them life and substance.

Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014)

A Supreme Court case concerning the HHS contraceptive mandate, an administrative mandate that is not mentioned in the Affordable Care Act itself.

Polygamy and Religious Liberty

The constitutional principle that religious liberty does not extend to allow or permit polygamy.

Obscenity

A category of speech that is excluded from protection under the First Amendment.

Fighting Words

A category of expressive speech directed at an individual that is not protected by the First Amendment.

United States v. Carolene Products Co. (1938)

The Supreme Court case signaling both that it would allow New Deal economic policies and that it would focus judicial protection on the Bill of Rights.

Texas v. Johnson

The Supreme Court decision holding that burning the American flag is constitutionally protected symbolic speech.

John C. Calhoun's Attack on Jefferson

John C. Calhoun's public critique attacking Thomas Jefferson for writing that "all men are created equal."

Libel

A published false statement damaging to a person's reputation that is NOT protected by the First Amendment.

Thomas Jefferson's Stance on a Bill of Rights

The position of Thomas Jefferson, who immediately argued for adding a bill of rights to the U.S. Constitution.

Fourteenth Amendment Incorporation

The process through which the Supreme Court uses the XIV (14th) Amendment to apply the Bill of Rights to the individual states.

James Madison's View of Speech

James Madison's defense of freedom of speech as a form of personal property.

Natural Rights (Founders' Definition)

Rights that the American Founders argued are rationally discoverable from nature.

Primary Purposes of Government

According to the American Founders, the two primary purposes of government are to provide safety and promote happiness.

Iron Triangle

A sub-governmental policy network comprised of government agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups.

Thomas Jefferson's Principle on Equality

Thomas Jefferson's quote: "Because Sir Isaac Newton was superior to others in understanding, he was not therefore lord of the person or property of others."

FDR's View of the Declaration of Independence

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's assertion that statesmanship requires re-defining contract rights in terms of a changing social order.

Aristotle's Definition of Democracy

Aristotle's classical classification of democracy, which did NOT assume that citizens voted for their leaders.

Polity (Aristotle)

The good regime in Aristotle's regime chart that is formed as a mixture of two bad regimes (oligarchy and democracy).