eoc study

Rule of Law

Every person has to follow the laws regardless of their position in society

Due Process

following established legal procedures

representation

a person or group acting on behalf of another person or group

Popular Sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Social Contract Theory

A voluntary agreement between the government and the governed

Divine Right Theory

The idea that the gods chose the person or family to rule. Rulers were considered a god or descendants of the gods or chosen by the god. To oppose the monarch was to oppose god.

Thomas Hobbes

English materialist and political philosopher who advocated absolute sovereignty as the only kind of government that could resolve problems caused by the selfishness of human beings (1588-1679)

John Locke

English philosopher who advocated the idea of a "social contract" in which government powers are derived from the consent of the governed and in which the government serves the people; also said people have natural rights to life, liberty and property.

Enlightenment Era

A time of philosophical movement in eighteenth century Europe that fostered the belief that one could reform society by discovering rational laws that governed social behavior and were just as scientific as the laws of physics.

Democracy

a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.

Republic

A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting

Direct Democracy

A form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives

Representative Democracy

A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people.

English Parliament

England's chief law-making body. It was a key institution in the development of representative democracy as it provided some voice and recognition of the rights and interests of various groups in society. It was involved in creating taxes and passing laws. It is similar to our Congress in the United States (which passes laws).

Bicameral

A legislature consisting of two parts, or houses

Autocracy

a system of government by one person with absolute power.

Oligarchy

A government ruled by a few powerful people

junta

a military group ruling a country after seizing power

plutocracy

government of the wealthy

Monarchy

A government ruled by a king or queen

Dictatorship

A form of government in which the leader has absolute power and authority.

consent of the governed

The idea that government derives its authority by sanction of the people.

Iroquois Confederacy

An alliance of five northeastern Amerindian peoples (after 1722 six) that made decisions on military and diplomatic issues through a council of representatives. Allied first with the Dutch and later with the English, it dominated W. New England.

Charters of Freedom

Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights

Declaration of Independence

a 1776 document stating that the 13 English colonies were a free and independent nation

Constitution

A written plan of government

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution

Magna Carta

(1215) a charter of liberties (freedoms) that King John "Lackland" of Englad was forced to sign; it made the king obey the same laws as the citizens of his kingdom

Mayflower Compact

1620 - The first agreement for self-government in America. It was signed by the 41 men on the Mayflower and set up a government for the Plymouth colony.

House of Burgesses

1619 - The Virginia House of Burgesses formed, the first legislative body in colonial America. Later other colonies would adopt houses of burgesses.

Thomas Paine

American Revolutionary leader and pamphleteer (born in England) who supported the American colonist's fight for independence and supported the French Revolution (1737-1809)

Common Sense

A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that claimed the colonies had a right to be an independent nation

Articles of Confederation

A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

no power to tax, President lacked power, no money to buy ships or pay soldiers

Greek Democracy

direct democracy, citizens participate in government, three branches of government

Roman Democracy

representative, assemblies, Senate, consuls, Twelve Tables

New Jersey Plan

A constitutional proposal that would have given each state one vote in a new congress

Virginia Plan

"Large state" proposal for the new constitution, calling for proportional representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress. The plan favored larger states and thus prompted smaller states to come back with their own plan for apportioning representation.

Connecticut Compromise

Compromise agreement by states at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislature with a lower house in which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators.

3/5 Compromise

-each slave would count for 3/5 of a person for taxation and representation purposes

Federalists

A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during ratification debates in state legislatures.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the American Constitution at the time when the states were contemplating its adoption.

Hammurabi's Code

first written code/set of laws that all were expected to obey.

negative rights

Those rights that prohibit government from acting in certain ways; rights that are not to be interfered with.

Positive Rights

Those rights that require overt government action, as opposed to negative rights that require government not to act in specified ways. Examples of positive rights are those to public education and, in some cases, to medical care, old age pensions, food, or housing

Constitutional Convention

Meeting in 1787 of the elected representatives of the thirteen original states to write the Constitution of the United States.

Amendment

A change to the Constitution

First Amendment

5 freedoms: speech, press, religion, assembly, petition

Second Amendment

Right to bear arms

Third Amendment

No quartering of soldiers

Fourth Amendment

Protects against unreasonable search and seizure

Fifth Amendment

A constitutional amendment designed to protect the rights of persons accused of crimes, including protection against double jeopardy, self-incrimination, and punishment without due process of law.

Sixth Amendment

A constitutional amendment designed to protect individuals accused of crimes. It includes the right to counsel, the right to confront witnesses, and the right to a speedy and public trial.

Seventh Amendment

Right to a trial by jury in civil cases

Eighth Amendment

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Ninth Amendment

states that people's rights are not limited to just those listed in the Constitution.

Tenth Amendment

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Referendum

a legislative act is referred for final approval to a popular vote by the electorate

petition

a formal request for government action

self-advocacy

Effectively communicating one's own rights, needs, and desires and taking responsibility for decision making that impacts one's life

Recall

procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office

Civic Rights

Rights guaranteed to all citizens

Civic Responsibilities

Obligations that each person has to society

Selective Service

Law passed by Congress in 1917 that required all men from ages 21 to 30 to register for the military draft

jury duty

the responsibility of every citizen to serve on a jury when called

Republicans and Democrats

two main political parties in US

Gerrymandering

Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.

Interest Groups

Groups of people who work together for similar interests or goals

Political Parties

groups that help elect people and shape policies

Interest Groups vs. Political Parties

An interest group, or a collection of people with the shared goal of influencing public policy, are different from political parties in that they do not run their own candidates for office, and they typically seek more specific policy goals than parties.

PACs

Political Action Committees, raise money for candidates &/or parties

Super PACs

a type of independent political action committee which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is not permitted to contribute to or coordinate directly with parties or candidates.

primary election

an election held to choose candidates for office

general election

An election held to choose which candidate will hold office

Dual Government

a system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme in their own spheres, each responsible for some policies

Limited Government

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.

Legislative Branch

the branch of government that makes the laws

Executive Branch

the branch of government that carries out laws

Judicial Branch

the branch of government that interprets laws

General Assembly

A governing body that makes state laws

governor

the head of a state government

Mayor

leader of city government

House of Representatives

the lower house of Congress, consisting of a different number of representatives from each state, depending on population

Senate

the upper house of Congress, consisting of two representatives from each state

Congressional Oversight

Power used by Congress to gather information useful for the formation of legislation, review the operations and budgets of executive departments and independent regulatory agencies, conduct investigations through committee hearings, and bring to the public's attention the need for public policy

Congressional Committees

a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty

Elastic Clause

Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which allows Congress to make all laws that are "necessary and proper" to carry out the powers of the Constitution.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress, in addition to its express powers, has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the national government. Same as the Elastic Clause.

Supremacy Clause

Article VI of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

seperation of powers

dividing the powers of government among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches

Legislative checks Executive

Override bills, approve appointments, impeach

Legislative checks Judicial

Change the number and jurisdiction of federal courts

Impeach federal judges

Propose constitutional amendments to override judicial decisions

Executive checks Legislative

Veto Legislation, call Congress into special session, Implement (or fail to implement) laws passed by Congress.

Executive checks Judicial

Appoints federal judges

Can grant pardons to federal offenders

Judicial checks Executive

judicial review