American Politics Exam 1 Study Guide

Mayflower Compact

The agreement established by the Pilgrims in 1620 setting up laws for their settlement.

The Great Squeeze

Period when the British Parliament imposed high taxes on American colonies to pay war debts.

Colonial Rebellion Cause

Unilateral imposition of British taxes without colonial representation in Parliament.

Coercive/Intolerable Acts

Punitive British laws passed in 1774 following the Boston Tea Party to punish Massachusetts.

Declaration of Independence Quote

Document asserting unalienable rights including Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

Weakness of Articles of Confederation

Created an excessively weak central government incapable of levying taxes or enforcing laws.

Virginia Plan vs. New Jersey Plan

Virginia Plan favored population-based representation; New Jersey Plan favored equal state representation.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Agreement counting three-fifths of enslaved people toward state population for representation and taxation.

Checks and Balances

Principle giving each government branch powers to restrict or influence other branches' actions.

Pre-17th Amendment Senator Selection

U.S. Senators were originally chosen by state legislatures rather than direct popular vote.

Constitutional Amendment Process

Proposal by 2/3 of both Congressional houses and ratification by 3/4 of state legislatures.

Federalists

Group that advocated for a strong central government and ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Barron v. Baltimore (1833)

Ruled that the Bill of Rights restrained only the federal government, not state governments.

Block Grants vs. Categorical Grants

Categorical grants have strict specific spending rules; block grants offer broad discretion to states.

Dual Federalism

System where national and state governments operate in strictly separate spheres of authority.

Cooperative Federalism

System emerging during the New Deal where federal and state governments share responsibilities.

Coercive Federalism

Federal dominance through mandates or threat of withholding funding from states.

New Federalism

Devolution of power and responsibilities back from the federal government to state governments.

Shift in Federal Power Over Time

The federal government's authority relative to state governments has expanded significantly over time.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Established federal supremacy and implied powers under the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Systems of Government

Unitary (centralized power), Federal (shared power), and Confederal (decentralized power to states).

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

Broadened federal power by ruling Congress can regulate interstate commerce and navigation.

State vs. Federal Powers

States hold reserved powers (police power/10th Amendment); Federal holds expressed/implied powers.

14th Amendment Clauses

Due Process Clause and Equal Protection Clause, preventing state rights violations.

Dillon's Rule vs. Home Rule

Dillon's Rule limits local government powers strictly; Home Rule grants local self-governance authority.

Civil Liberties vs. Civil Rights

Liberties protect individuals from government overreach; Rights ensure equal protection under law.

First Amendment Protections

Guarantees freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petitioning the government.

Protected vs. Unprotected Speech

Political speech is highly protected; defamation, incitement, and obscenity receive less/no protection.

Selective Incorporation

Process applying Bill of Rights protections to state governments through the 14th Amendment.

The Lemon Test

Three-part test determining whether a law violates the Establishment Clause of religion.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Incorporated the Second Amendment right to bear arms against state and local governments.

Establishment Clause

First Amendment clause prohibiting the federal government from establishing an official state religion.

Free Exercise Clause

First Amendment clause preventing government interference with individuals' religious practices.

Clear and Present Danger Standard

Doctrine permitting speech restrictions if it poses an immediate threat to public safety.

Flag Burning

Protected form of symbolic political speech under the First Amendment (Texas v. Johnson).

Libel vs. Slander

Libel is written defamation; slander is spoken defamation of a person's character.

Exclusionary Rule & Mapp v. Ohio

Rule excluding illegally obtained evidence in trial, incorporated in Mapp v. Ohio.

Protection Against Self-Incrimination

Fifth Amendment right to remain silent to avoid self-incriminating testimony.

Origin of the Right to Privacy

Established by the Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) in decisions like Griswold v. Connecticut.

Prior Restraint

Government censorship prohibiting speech or publication before it actually occurs.

Political Equality

Condition in which every citizen holds equal political weight, rights, and voting power.

Romer v. Evans (1996)

Struck down a state constitutional amendment denying equal protection to LGBTQ+ individuals.

14th Amendment Purpose

Guaranteed citizenship, due process, and equal protection to newly freed Black Americans.

Jim Crow Laws

State and local laws enforcing racial segregation and disenfranchisement in the American South.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Established the 'separate but equal' doctrine justifying state-sanctioned racial segregation.

De Jure vs. De Facto Discrimination

De jure is discrimination mandated by law; de facto arises from social customs/practices.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson, ruling racially segregated public schools unconstitutional.

NAACP Purpose

Formed to eliminate racial discrimination and ensure political, educational, and social equality.

Levels of Judicial Scrutiny

Strict Scrutiny (race), Intermediate Scrutiny (gender), and Rational Basis (other classifications).

Affirmative Action

Policies designed to improve opportunities for historically disadvantaged groups.

19th Amendment

Constitutional amendment ratified in 1920 guaranteeing women the right to vote.

Impact of Civil Rights TV Coverage

Broadcasting southern police brutality built national sympathy and accelerated civil rights legislation.

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

Proposed amendment guaranteeing equal rights regardless of sex; failed full state ratification.

Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)

Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide under the 14th Amendment.

Cesar Chavez

Labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers union.