US Government Review - Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from the provided lecture notes on US government topics.

Congress

The United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives acting together.

Senate

The upper chamber of Congress, consisting of 100 members with six-year terms, intended to be less affected by public opinion.

United States House of Representatives

The lower chamber of Congress, consisting of 435 members with two-year terms, making them more responsive to public opinion.

Gerrymandering

The practice of state legislatures drawing congressional districts to benefit a particular political party or group.

Head of State

Apolitical, unifying role of the President of the United States.

Head of Government

A very political and divisive role of the President of the United States.

Going Public

A president's strategy of appealing to the public on an issue to put pressure on other political actors.

Modern Presidency Era

The period of the presidency post-1930s.

Traditional Presidency Era

The period of the presidency pre-1930s.

Responsible Party Model

A political science model that describes the ideal behavior of political party systems to best serve citizens.

Two-Party System

A political system dominated by two major parties, such as the Democrats and Republicans in the United States.

Democratic-Republicans and Federalists

The first two major political parties in America.

Partisanship

The influence and effect of political parties on the workings of Congress.

Veto

Presidential rejection of a bill passed by Congress; can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

Roll Call Votes

Recorded votes in Congress, available as a public record.

Voice Vote

A congressional vote in which no record is kept.

Allocative Representation

Public works projects or grants for specific districts paid for by general revenues or tax dollars.

Filibuster

The practice of unlimited debate in the Senate to prevent or delay a vote on a bill.

Speaker of the House

The most powerful person in Congress.

Social Media

Is creating a hyper partisanship World