POSC 100 Exam 1

Anarchy

A lack of government and law; chaos

Democracy

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

Aristocracy

A government in which power is in the hands of a hereditary ruling class or nobility

Oligarchy

A relatively small privileged class or by a minority consisting of those presumed to be best qualified to rule having control of a country.

Liberal Democracy

A form of democracy in which the power of government is limited, and the freedom and rights of individuals are protected, by constitutionally established norms and institutions.

Tyrrany

A Cruel and oppressive government or rule.

Direct Democracy

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

Representative Democracy

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

Illiberal Democracy

A procedural democracy, with elections, but without real competition, and lacking some civil rights and liberties. Think modern day Russia.

Popular Sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

Political Equality

the right to participate in politics equally, based on the principle of "one person, one vote"

Political Liberty

The right for individuals to participate in government/politics by voting and holding public offices.

Majority Rule

Governance according to the expressed preferences of the majority.

Majority Tyrrany

Occurs when the majority of an electorate persues it's own objectives at the expense of the minority

Voting Rights Act

Signed in 1965, Outlawed the discriminatory voting practices adopted in many southern states post Civil War

American Revolution

This political revolution began with the Declaration of Independence in 1776 where American colonists sought to balance the power between government and the people and protect the rights of citizens in a democracy, separating its governance from England.

Declaration of Independance

1776 statement, issued by the Second Continental Congress, explaining why the colonies wanted independence from Britain.

Common Sense

A pamphlet written in 1776 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, later replaced by the constitution still in use today.

Republicanism

A form of government in which people elect representatives to create and enforce laws

Constitutional Convention

A Meeting in 1787 of elected leaders representing the thirteen original states to write the Constitution of the United States.

The Constitution

Superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. Originally including seven articles, the Constitution delineates the national frame and constrains the powers of the federal government.

Virginia Plan

James Madison's Virginia Plan outlined a strong national government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The plan called for a legislature divided into two bodies (the Senate and the House of Representatives) with proportional representation. That is, each state's representation in Congress would be based on its population.

New Jersey Plan

The New Jersey Plan was designed to protect the security and power of the small states by limiting each state to one vote in Congress, as under the Articles of Confederation.

Conetticut Compromise

A compromise was reached at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The compromise provided for a two-house legislature, with the Senate having equal representation for all states and the House of Representatives having representation proportional to state populations.

Fugitive Slave Act

A law that made it a crime to help runaway slaves; allowed for the arrest of escaped slaves in areas where slavery was illegal and required their return to slaveholders.

3/5ths Compromise

Agreement providing that enslaved persons would count as three-fifths of other persons in determining representation in Congress.

Electoral College

A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president of the U.S according to the votes of the people.

Separation of Powers

Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law.

Checks and Balances

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

Struggle to Ratify the Constitution

It is deliberately difficult to amend in order to prevent corrupt politicians from depriving citizens of their rights and establishing a tyrannical government. That is why it requires 75% of the states to ratify any amendment. It's difficult to get two thirds of states to agree to anything.

Federalists

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

Federalist Papers

A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison to defend the Constitution.

Anti-Federalists

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

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments to the Constitution, guaramtees civil rights and liberties to citizens in the U.S, such as freedom of speech, press, and religion.

Amendments

Official changes, corrections, or additions to the Constitution

Amending the Constitution

Needs approval of two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states, creates an addition to the constitution

Judicial Review

The power of the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of laws.

Marbury v. Madison

Most important case in Supreme Court history - first U.S. Supreme Court case to apply the principle of judicial review Written in 1803 by Chief Justice John Marshall, the decision played a key role in making the Supreme Court a separate branch of government on par with Congress and the executive.