American Government & Politics – Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering landmark cases, constitutional clauses, federalism types, party concepts, and key amendments discussed in the lecture notes.

Estelle vs. Ruiz 1980

Texas was cited as having prisons conditions that amounted to cruel and unusual punishment

Miller vs. California 1973

Obscenity may be regulated by local governments based on “community standards of decency”

Establishment Clause

The government may not establish or disfavor any particular religion. Must remain neutral.

14th Amendment

Guarantees citizenship, due process and equal protection of laws to all persons “born or naturalized in the us”. These liberties may not be infringed by the states

Party platform

A set of values and policy positions held by a political party.

Primary elections

Elections between members of the same political party to select a candidate to run against the opposition party in the general election

Party-in-electorate

Aggregates and mobilizes majorities for winner-take-all elections

party-in-Government

Creates and maintains enduring legislative coalitions to perform legislative tasks on a regular basis

party organization

provides viable candidates for elections

Roth vs. US 1957

Obscenity is NOT protected by the First Amendment

Free-Exercise Clause

The government may not restrict the practice of religion unless it violates the law or presents a danger to the public

two party system

Winner-take-all, single member district elections result in a two party system-> Duverger’s Law

federalism

A system of government where a national government shares power with states (or some other type of political subunit)

Libel

Any defamatory falsehood that damages a person’s reputation-🡪 victims of libel may file lawsuits seeking compensation

Dual federalism

When a federalist country has separate spheres of political authority between states and the national government

Dobbs vs. Jackson 2022

Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, allowing states to prohibit or severely restrict access to abortion

cooperative federalism

Federalist country where there are shared, overlapping areas of political authority

Casey vs. Planned Parenthood

States may regulate access to abortion as long as it poses no “undue burden” on women

Mandates

When the federal government requires the states to adopt federal policies

8th Amendment

prohibits excessive fines, bail and cruel and unusual punishment

6th Amendment

Outlines rights of the accused, including the right to have a lawyer during trial

Gideon vs. Wainwright 1963

Declared that states must provide lawyers for the accused who cannot afford one

Miranda vs. Arizona 1966

Requires the police to inform suspects of their rights at the time of arrest

Mapp vs. Ohio 1961

Established the exclusionary rule, which prohibits the use of improperly seized evidence in court

Incorporation Doctrine

the gradual application of the bill of rights to the states by the Supreme Court through the 14th Amendment

Barron .vs Baltimore 1833

Case prior to the 14th Amendment where the Supreme Court ruled that the Bill of Rights did not apply to the actions of states

Schenck vs. US 1919

Case where the Supreme Court ruled that freedom of political speech may not be abridged unless it represents a “clear and present danger”

Brandenburg vs. Ohio 1969

Case where the Supreme Court ruled that political speech may not be abridged unless it represents “a threat of imminent lawless action”

McDonald vs. Chicago 2010

case where the Supreme Court said it’s made-up “individual right” to have firearms may not be denied by the states

Roe vs. Wade 1973

Case where the Supreme Court ruled that states may not prohibit access to abortion services in the first trimester of pregnancy

5th Amendment

Rights of the accused including the right to non-self-incrimination

4th Amendment

Prohibits searches and seizures by police without a warrant

Party Coalitions

Groups that politically align themselves with one major party or the other

Party Machines

When corrupt local government party officials use corruption, patronage and violence to control a city

Patronage

any exchange of things of value (jobs, contracts, etc.) for political support

affective polarization

polarization in the electorate due to citizens developing emotional ties to parties and negative emotions towards supporters of other parties

Negative partisanship

When people align against a political party they don’t like, rather than supporting a political party because they like that party’s politics

Lemon vs Kurtzman 1971

Supreme Court decision where the court ruled that the government could provide money to religious institutions for “clear secular purposes”

US vs. Arizona 2012

federal court case where the judge overturned an ill-fated Arizona “immigration” law based on the doctrine of preemption

Reich vs. Gonzalez 2005

Supreme Court case where a California medical cannabis law was overturned due to the court’s expansive interpretation of the Commerce Clause

US vs. Lopez 1992

Gun rights case where the Supreme Court threw out a federal law restricting gun possession around schools declaring that gun regulation was not interstate commerce

Bifactionalization

When disputes emerge between two or more groups in a party coalition.