Studied by 0 people
Regarding participation in the political process, how do younger Americans differ from older Americans?
younger Americans tend to participate in the political process more than older Americans (voter apathy)
Why did the British government impose taxes on the colonies?
they had to pay off the expensive French and Indian War, and they justified taxing the colonists under the logic that they fought the war to protect the colonists
What is the meaning of “natural rights”?
rights Inherent in human beings and not dependent on governments, which include life, liberty and property
Why did Daniel Shays lead a rebellion against the state of Massechusetts?
because he and other farmers felt that Eastern Bankers were undermining farmers’ prosperity, foreclosing on farms, and failing to pay a fair price for their commodities
How did the Constitution differ from the Articles of Confederation in terms of government?
AoC: weak central government with just legislative branch
C: stronger central government with 3 branches
How did the Constitution differ from the Articles of Confederation in terms of delegation of powers?
AoC: gave states a lot of power
C: delegated powers to both central and state government
How did the Constitution differ from the Articles of Confederation in terms of legislature?
AoC: each state had only 1 vote
C: bicameral legislature
How did the Constitution differ from the Articles of Confederation in terms of what they represented?
AoC: represented a compact between just the states
C: represented a compact among both the people and the states
Why did the framers of the Constitution establish the separation of powers?
to prevent one branch of government from gainging too much power
What qualifications does Article VI of The Constitution prohibit from imposing for holding national office?
a religious test cannot be a qualification for someone to run for office
What was Madison’s concern regarding the tyranny of the majority?
Madison was concerned that a majority could crush the rights of a minority group by electing representatives who would favor the majority over the minority
What is the feature of the Constitution that allows each branch of government to limit the power of the other branches?
a system of checks and balances
What is a monarchy?
a form of government in which a monarch (king/queen, emperor/empress) rules a kingdom/empire
What is a theocracy?
a form of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god
What is an oligarchy?
a form of government in which a small group has control
What was the purpose of the Bill of Rights?
to guarantee civil rights and liberties to the individual
What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence?
to announce independence
to explain colonists’ rights to revolution
to rally troops
to build a society governed by law
What was the purpose The Federalist Papers?
to defend the Constitution
to convince New York voters to ratify the Constitution
How can the Constitution be formally amended?
through 2/3 vote in both houses of Congress and ratification by 3/4 of the states
How can the meaning of the Constitution be informally amended?
through judicial review by the Court, congressional legislation that expands upon the Constitution, and executive actions by the president
What powers does the Constitution deny to the states?
entering into treaties with foreign nations
coining money
issuing bills of credit
engaging in war without Congress’ consent
According to the Tenth Amendment, to whom do the powers of government belong if they are not given to the federal government?
they belong to the states
What did McCulloch v. Maryland rule?
that the federal government has the power to create a bank and that states cannot tax the federal government
What did Gibbons v. Ogden rule?
that Congress has the power to “regulate commerce” and that federal law takes precedence over state laws
What is the Necessary and Proper Clause?
a clause that gives Congress the power to make laws that are necessary and proper to carry out the powers granted to the government by the Constitution
What is the purpose of the Full Faith and Credit Clause?
to ensure that states respect each other’s laws and judgements and prevent conflict between states
What is a mandate?
a constitutional, legislative, or executive statute that gives certain officers, officers, or institutions the authroity to regulate specific governance areas
How does Federalism contribute to democracy?
by allowing for multiple levels of government and making political participation easier
How does Federalism hinder democracy?
by slowing political reform
What did the Incorporation Doctrine do?
it uses the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause to apply the protections of the Bill of Rights to state actions
What did Gitlow v. New York rule?
that the First Amendment applies to state governments
What did Near v. Minnesota rule?
that prior restraint of publication is unconstitutional and violates the First Amendment
What did New York Times v. United States rule?
that the President’s attempt to prevent the publication was a violation of First Amendment protections for press freedom
What did New York Times Co. v. Sullivan rule?
that the right to publish all statements is protected under the First Amendment
What did Griswold v. Connecticut rule?
that married couples have a constitutional right to privacy that protects their access to contraception
What did Roe v. Wade rule?
that the right to privacy implied in the Fourteenth Amendment protected abortion as a fundamental right
What did Obergerfell v. Hodges rule?
that same-sex couples wave the right to marry and the state has to recognize their marriages
What is actual malice?
when the defendant states something that they either know to be false or are unsure of the truth of
What is privacy?
the right to be free from unwarranted invasion or interference
What is libel?
a written or published defamatory statement that injures a person’s reputation
What is slander?
a false statement, usually made orally, that defames another person
What did Brown v. Board of Education rule?
that separating children in public schools by race was unconstitutional
What did Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) rule?
that while racial quotas in college admissions are unconstitutional, race can be one of several factors in admission
What did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ban?
discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin in public accommodations, employment, and federally funded programs
Why did Congress pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965?
to uphold the guarantees of the Fifteenth Amendment
What was the primary objective of the women’s sufferage movement?
to achieve voting rights for woment through a Congressonal Amendment to the Constitution
What are the main socializing agents?
the media, family, school, and peer groups
How do politicians use public opinion polls?
to detect public preferences and keep in touch with changing opinions on issues
What do liberals support?
policies that are socially progressive and promote social welfare
civil rights and liberties
What do conservatives support?
free enterprise
ownership
socially traditional values
What is the Gatekeeping Function of the Media?
the process through which information is filtered for circulation, whether for publication, broadcasting, the Internet, or some other mode of communication
What is the primary interest of most U.S. Media organizations?
to attract and maintain an audience to increase revenue
What are some of the concerns about Agenda Setting by the media?
by increasing public attention to specific problems, the media influence the criteria by which the public evaluate political leaders
the media can have a dramatic effect on how the public evaluates specific events by emphasizing one event over others
How is the Media is a “key linkage institution” in the Policymaking System?
by connecting people to their government through increasing awareness of public issue
What is the core function of a political party?
to try to win elections
What is the advantage of open primaries?
they allow for more voters to participate in party nomination decisions
What is the disadvantage of open primaries?
there is a possibility that the partisans of one side will “raid” the other party’s primary in order to give a boost to its least viable candidate
What does the Responsible Party Model advocate for?
for parties offering clear choices to the voters and carrying out their campaign promises once in office
Where are Democratic and Republican candidates for president formally nominated at?
the Democratic National Convention and Republican National Convention, respectively
How do political campaigns use “wedge issues”?
they use them to attempt to drive supporters from the opponent’s camp into their own
Which age group is most likely to vote?
those over 65
Why do presidential candidates tend to focus their efforts on battleground states?
because battleground states are where the contest is likely to be the closest
Why are campaign contributions so important for interest groups seeking to influence government?
it helps to get the right people into office and keep them there
How has social media affected interest groups?
social media platforms:
help interest groups put their message out to where like-minded individuals will be likely to see it
provide a way to communicate with like-minded individuals faster than ever before
promote individual participation within groups by providing a mechanism for two-way conversations between interest group leaders and their memberships
Note 
Flashcard (20)