Unit 3: Rights, Responsibilities, and Political Participation

Citizen

to be a legal member of a country, which includes a bond between an individual and the country's government

14th Amendment

granted citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the U.S. and guaranteed all citizens the "equal protection of the laws" and "due process of law" from their state governments

Birthright Citizenship

granting citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents' status

Naturalization

the legal process of a non-national acquiring nationality of a country after birth

Qualifications for Naturalization

(1) 18 years old, (2) Lived in the US for 5+ years, (3) Have "good" character, (4) Speak English, (5) Pass a civics test, and (6) Take an Oath of Allegiance

Rights of Citizens

things (freedoms and protections) citizens CAN do that are protected by the government

Duties of Citizens

things citizens MUST do, as required by law

Responsibilities of Citizens

things citizens SHOULD do to support their community and democracy

Political Socialization

social process through which we develop our thoughts and beliefs about government and politics

Political Ideology

your knowledge, values, and beliefs about the role and purpose of government

Fiscal Policy

centers around money and the role of the government in the economy

Social Policy

centers around the people and the rights of citizens in the United States

Liberal

believing that the government should be active in supporting social and political change

Left

another word for liberal

Conservative

believing in the value of established and traditional practices in politics and society

Right

another word for conservative

Moderate

political ideology that is a mix of liberal and conservate ideas

Split-ticket Voters

people who will vote for both liberal AND conservative ideas

Media

news organizations that deliver information through television, radio, newspaper, or the Internet

Interest Group

a group of people that seeks to influence public policy on the basis of a particular common interest or concern

Political Party

group of people with similar beliefs about government, like the Democratic Party and the Republican Party

Democrat Party

U.S. political party with a liberal, left-leaning ideology; one of the two major political parties in the United States

Republican Party

U.S. political party with a conservative, right-leaning ideology; one of the two major political parties in the United States

The G.O.P.

the nickname used for the Republican Party (stands for the "Grand Old Party")

Third Party

any political party (like Green Party and the Libertarian Party) other than the two major parties (Republican and Democratic)

Independent

person who is not associated with any political party

Minority Party

political party that is represented by less than 50% of the members in the Senate or the House of Representatives

Majority Party

political party that is represented by more than 50% of the members in the Senate or the House of Representatives

Party Platform

set of statements that describe a political party's views about the issues facing our country

Public Policy

how the government addresses a public issue, which includes the laws, rules, and actions it chooses to take or not take

Partisan

relating to a specific political party; bipartisan relates to multiple political parties

Election

a formal and organized choice by vote of a person for a political office or other position

Midterm Election

general election that does not occur during a presidential election year; offices on the ballot include some US Senate seats, all House of Representative seats, and many state and local positions

Primary Election

election in which people vote for the presidential candidate they want to represent their political party in the national election

Candidate

person running for elected office

Incumbent

person who is currently in office

Campaign

process of gathering public support for a candidate

Caucus

meetings where political party leaders and supporters choose candidates through discussion and concensus

Electoral College

a group of people chosen from each US state who meet to elect the nation's President and Vice President based on the votes of all the people in each state

Gerrymandering

the manipulation of electoral boundaries so as to favor one party or group

Popular Vote

tally (count) of how many votes each candidate has received in the presidential election

Swing States

a US state where the two major political parties have similar levels of support among voters

Swing Voters

voters who do not commit to a particular political party