APHUG Unit 4 Chapter 10 Vocabulary

Unitary State

Centralized government, most power held at national level (e.g., France, China)

Federal State

Power shared between national and regional governments (e.g., U.S., Canada, India)

Centripetal Forces

Things that unify a state (nationalism, shared language, strong infrastructure)

Centrifugal Forces

Things that pull a state apart (ethnic separatism, uneven development, cultural divisions)

Patriotism

Pride in one’s country

Nationalism

Strong loyalty to one’s nation, sometimes above the state. Belief in the supremacy of one's nation

Reapportionment

Redistributing the number of representatives per state based on Census population changes.

Redistricting

Redrawing district boundaries within a state after reapportionment

Gerrymandering

Drawing district lines to favor a political party

Electoral College

System used to elect the U.S. president; number of electors = Senators + Representatives per state

Majority-Minority Districts

Districts designed so a minority group makes up the majority of voters

Disenfranchisement

Preventing certain groups from voting (historically through laws, poll taxes, etc.)