Quarter exam for quarter 2

All the material we learn in AP US Gov POl in quarter 2

What is the one requirement for president that is significantly different from congressional representatives? 

The president must be a natural born citizen.

 What is the correct order of succession if the president is unable to fulfill his/her duty? 

Vice President, Speaker of the house, President Pro Tempore, Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury.

What is the group of agency and department heads who help the president run the federal government? 

The Cabinet 

What limits the president’s power as commander in chief by giving him up to 60 days to use military force without congressional approval?

War Powers Act

How is an executive agreement different from a treaty?

It does not need Congressional approval  

 Which of the following is NOT true of an executive order?

It can be overridden by a supermajority vote in congress.

 Where in the White House did the president and his/her most important staff work during the day?

The West Wing

 What is the name of the report the president must give Congress every year?

State of the Union

 What is the State of the Union speech primarily used for in the modern presidency? 

As a statement of the President’s accomplishments and vision of the next year. 

After the president, who is the most powerful individual in the White House?

 Chief of Staff

he president of France is visiting the US and is welcomed to the White House for a state dinner. Why? 

 Because of the president’s role as Head of State 

What is it called when a criminal is forgiven for the crime committed?

A pardon

 What is it called when a criminal has his/her sentence either delayed or ended?

 A reprieve 

 What is it called when a group of people are forgiven for a crime they have committed?

 Amnesty

Which court case established the precedent that the president has immunity for official acts? 

Trump v. US 

Which amendment limits a president’s time in office to two terms of a maximum of ten years if begin while vice president?  

The 22nd Amendment

Which court case established the precedent that the president has the privilege of keeping executive branch communications and document secrets?

US v Nixon 

Which amendment established the line of presidential succession?

The 25th amendment 

Which case involved freedom of the press?*

 NY Times V US*

 Which case involved ones 6th amendment right to legal counsel? 

Gideon v. Wainwright

Which case limits freedom of speech in times of war?

Schneck v. US

Which case invokes the establishment clause of the 1st amendment?

 Engle v. Vitale

Which two cases invoked the 2nd amendment?

McDonald v. City of Chicago and United States v. Lopez

Which case involved a student's right to protest?*

Tinker v. Des Moines*

Which case states involves the necessary and proper implied powers?

McCulloch  v. Maryland

Which case involved the free exercise clause?*

Wisconsin v Yoder*

Which two cases involve election districts?

 Baker v. Carr and Shaw v. Reno

Which case involved the political speech rights of groups?

Citizens United v. FEC 

Which case was about the Pentagon Papers? 

 NY Times v. US

Which case was about racial gerrymandering?

Shaw v. Reno

 Which case was about homeschooling?

 Wisconsin v. Yoder

Which case was about desegregation?

Brown v. Board of Education

Which case was about School Prayer?

Engel v. Vitale

Which case was about Gun-Free School Zones?

 US v. Lopez 

 Which case was about wearing arm bands? 

Tinker v. Des Moines

Which case was about a national bank?

 McCulloch v. Maryland

Amicus Brief

A legal document written by someone with an interest in the case

Appellate Jurisdiction

the authority of a higher court to review and change decisions made by a lower court, focusing on whether the law was applied correctly rather than re-trying the facts of the case.

Apportionment

The practice of assigning a certain number of representatives to each state based on population.

Cabinet

The president's top advisors are usually headed by a secretary except for the DOJ.

Circuit Court

The lower court of appeals, also called appellate courts, there are 12 circuit courts for states and 1 for Washington DC and Niche issues. 

Civil Liberties

protect the individuals from abuse and overreach of the government. These rights are yours because you were born. Rights are inherent to the people.

Clear and Present Danger Doctrine

a legal test from Schenck v. U.S. (1919) allowing restriction of First Amendment speech only when it creates an immediate, serious threat to national security or public safety

Clientele Agencies

Government agencies that are there to assist or serve a specific group of people (examples: DOE or VA) 

Cloture

When you decide to end debate and go straight to vote on a bill. Aka bringing it to the floor.

Concurring Opinion

When Justices agree with the majority but for different reasons.

Congressional Oversight

Congress keeps a watch over different government agencies. At any point they can call in government workers to answer questions

Delegate Model of Representation

When representatives decide based on what constituents want.

Dissenting Opinion

When justices do not agree and they explain why.

District Court

Smallest in size in how far their jurisdiction extends. They handled violations of federal law. There are 94 district courts and at least one per state.

Doctrine of Selective Incorporation

Federal rights apply only to the federal government unless a court says they apply to the states. 

Engel v Vitale

Students were asked to participate in an optional school prayer. Engel said it violates the establishment clause even though it was non denominational prayer. Courts agreed with this and got rid of it. 

Establishment Clause

prohibits the government from establishing or endorsing a religion, meaning no official church, but also preventing favoritism among religions or between religion and non-religion

Executive Agreements

 a pact between the U.S. President and a foreign head of state that does not require Senate ratification

Treaties

formal, legally binding written agreement between sovereign nations, establishing obligations under international law, requiring the President to negotiate and the Senate to give "advice and consent" (two-thirds vote) for ratification

Executive Orders

a presidential directive, based on the President's inherent executive power or existing statutes, that manages federal government operations and has the force of law, directing agencies without needing Congress

Federal Equal Access Act

If a school is going to give resources and space to one group they need to be open to giving them to all groups passed in 1984.

Fighting Words Doctrine

defines speech not protected by the First Amendment as they are meant or used to incite violence.

Free Exercise Clause

protects the right to practice any religion (or none) without government interference, meaning the government can't ban beliefs but can sometimes regulate conduct if there's a compelling interest

Gideon v Wainwright

establishing that the Sixth Amendment's right to counsel applies to states via the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause, requiring states to provide attorneys to indigent (poor) defendants in felony criminal cases, ensuring a fair trial regardless of wealth

Government Corporations

a federal agency created by Congress to provide market-oriented services (like Amtrak or USPS), operating more like a private business by generating its own revenue, with greater operational freedom and flexibility than typical agencies, yet still subject to congressional oversight.

Griswold v Connecticut

Griswold worked at a planned parenthood and was arrested for handing out contraceptives and it was taken to SCOTUS and they agreed.

Hatch Act

Restricts lots of different types of political activities that government employees are allowed to do.  

Individual Executive Agencies

Provide some service to the American government and American people. Often not thought of as standard. Example NASA or CIA. 

Inherent Powers

those not explicitly listed in the Constitution but are considered essential for the national government (especially the President) to function as a sovereign nation, particularly in foreign affairs, national security, and emergencies, stemming from the very existence of the government, like regulating borders or acquiring territory.

Iron Triangles

The alliances between members of congress, the federal work force, and interest groups. Each group uses each other to get what they want. Voter influence and bureaucracy doing their job gets lost in this. 

Judicial Review

The supreme court gets to review every law and government decision for constitutionality. Comes from Article III of the constitution, Federalist 78, and Marbury v Madison.

Lemon Test

When looking at government actions and determining whether or not a law or action is constitutional there are three questions to answer: Is there a secular purpose? Does it have no effect positively or negatively against the religion? And does one influence or dictate to the other (no entanglement)? 

Lemon v Kurtzman

addressed the issue of government funding for religious schools and its implications for the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. The ruling established the Lemon Test.

Logrolling

The act of a congressman voting for someone else’s bill in exchange for them supporting yours

Majority Opinion

The decision made by the majority (at least 5) of the justices. One justice writes this opinion for the others tells you the opinion and why. 

McDonald v Chicago

the Supreme Court ruled the Second Amendment, protecting an individual's right to bear arms for self-defense, applies to state and local governments through the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause, ending Chicago's handgun ban and expanding gun rights beyond the federal level via incorporation.

Miranda v Arizona

established that suspects in custodial interrogation must be read their Miranda Rights (right to remain silent, anything said used against them, right to an attorney, right to appointed counsel) before questioning

No Prior Restraint

The government cannot prevent the media from publishing stories. They can ask and it's up to the media to decide if they'll stop.

NY Times v Sullivan

Sullivan sued NY Times because they published a full page ad slandering him and it looked like a new paper article. Sullivan’s argument was that the NY Times published this ad in such a way that it would look like a news article and damage his reputation. SCOTUS sided with NY Times. Said he needed to prove NY Times malice.

NY Times v US

NY Times stumbled upon the pentagon papers which contained battle reports from Vietnam that showed the US was losing badly. Nixon thought it would look bad on his presidency so he tried to stop it. NY Times sued and the court ruled in their favor.

Original Jurisdiction

This is about where the case begins. Almost always starts at the district level. If it's an appeal from the states it could jump to the circuit depending on circumstances.

Pendleton Act

Gets rid of the patronage system and replaces it with one based on merit. To get a job you must be competent.

Penumbra of Rights

There are rights implied in explicitly stated rights. Somewhat like an elastic clause for rights. 

Plaintiff

The person who is asking for something. The first name is usually the _____.

Plum Book

A list of all the government jobs both appointed and otherwise and what they pay. A salary schedule

Precedent

What do past legal decisions say

Presidential Pardon

the President's constitutional power (Article II, Section 2) to grant legal forgiveness for federal crimes, absolving individuals of punishment and legal consequences, serving as an executive check on the judiciary and a tool

Pocket Veto

when the President doesn't sign a bill, and Congress adjourns within the 10-day review period.

Politico Model of Representation

When representatives sometimes use judgment, sometimes doing what the constituents want, doing a mix of both.

Pork Barrel

Spending projects that are expressly for the benefit of a congressman’s district (bill that only exists to send money, jobs, and resources to a congressman’s district)

Regulatory Agencies

Agencies that oversee the economic state of the nation. Examples: SEC, FCC, FTC, ect. 

Regulatory Capture

Federal bureaucrats start listening to the interest groups and not their elected overseers. They start working for the companies that are lobbying them and not what congress and the federal government actually want.

Rule of Four

If your appeal has at least 4 justices in favor of it you will be heard. 

Schenk v US

case where the Supreme Court upheld convictions under the Espionage Act, ruling the First Amendment doesn't protect speech creating a "clear and present danger" of inciting illegal actions, like obstructing the draft during wartime, establishing that speech can be limited when it poses an immediate threat to national security.

Solicitor General

The person who represents the government. The second name in the court case.

Spoils System

whoever wins an election gets to pick who worked for the federal government. 

Stare Decisis

When you will defer to a previous court ruling 

Tinker v Des Moines

case affirming students' First Amendment free speech rights in public schools, establishing that students don't "shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate"

Trump v US

Created executive immunity.

Trustee Model of Representation

When a representative makes the best decisions based on his or her best judgements.

US v Nixon

Created the president of presumption of privilege.

War Powers Act

The president can command troops without congressional approval for 60 days after those 60 days the president needs congressional approval. Gives the president the freedom to act in emergencies. 

Ways and Means

the U.S. House of Representatives' chief tax-writing body, handling all revenue-raising legislation, tariffs, and key spending programs, originating from the Constitution's mandate for revenue bills to start in the House.

Wisconsin v Yoder

the Supreme Court ruled the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause protects Amish parents' right to remove children from school after 8th grade, overriding state compulsory education laws because high school would harm their religious way of life (plain living, community cohesion) without a "compelling state interest"