Flashcards American Government and Politics

Critical Thinking

Determining what can reasonably be believed and using that information to reach a thoughtful conclusion.

Obstacles to Critical Thinking

Slanted/invented info, deceptive political claims, cognitive laziness, and confirmation bias.

Political Science

The systematic, descriptive, and analytical study of government and politics.

Political Culture

The widely shared and deep-seated beliefs of a country's people about politics, derived from its traditions.

Core American Values

Liberty, individualism, equality, and self-government.

Liberty

The principle that individuals should be free to act as they choose, provided they do not unreasonably infringe on others.

Individualism

A commitment to personal initiative and self-sufficiency.

Equality

The notion that all individuals are equal in moral worth and entitled to equal treatment under the law.

Self-Government

The principle that the people are the ultimate source of governing authority and should have a voice.

Politics

The means by which society settles its conflicts and allocates resulting benefits and costs.

Power

The ability of persons, groups, or institutions to influence political developments.

Majoritarianism

A system where the majority effectively determines what the government does.

Pluralism

A system where the preferences of special interests largely determine what government does.

Constitutionalism

The idea that there are lawful restrictions on government's power to protect minority rights.

Articles of Confederation Weaknesses

Prohibited Congress from taxing or interfering in commerce; required unanimous consent for amendments.

Great Compromise

Created a bicameral Congress with proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Counted each enslaved person as three-fifths of a person for taxation and political representation.

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

Federalists supported a strong national Constitution; Anti-Federalists feared a too-powerful national government threatening liberty.

Grants of Power

Specific powers granted to the national government in the Constitution to limit its scope.

Denials of Power

Specific prohibitions expressly denied to national and state governments in the Constitution.

Checks and Balances

An elaborate system where separate branches share powers and can check the power of the other two.

Direct Democracy vs. Republic

Direct democracy involves citizens voting directly on policy; a republic limits power through constitutionally protected institutions.

Unitary System

A governmental system in which the national government is sovereign.

Confederacy

A system in which the states alone are sovereign.

Federalism

A system in which governing sovereignty is shared by the national government and the states.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Landmark Supreme Court ruling upholding national power, implied powers, and the supremacy clause.

Dual Federalism

The doctrine that a precise separation of national and state authority is both possible and desirable.

Cooperative Federalism

A model where national, state, and local levels work together with joint funding and shared policy responsibilities.

Fiscal Federalism

The use of federal funds via grants-in-aid to support state and local programs.

Devolution

A large shift in power from the federal government back to state and local governments.

Civil Liberties

Specific individual rights constitutionally protected against infringement by the government.

Selective Incorporation

The Supreme Court's use of the Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause to apply the Bill of Rights to the states.

Clear-and-Present-Danger Test

A standard used by the courts to determine whether speech can be restricted if it threatens national security or incites lawless action.

Prior Restraint

Government prohibition of speech or publication before it occurs, subject to an extreme burden of proof.

Establishment Clause

First Amendment clause stating that the government may not favor one religion over another or support religion over no religion.

Lemon Test

A three-part court test for establishment clause cases requiring a nonreligious purpose, a neutral effect, and no excessive entanglement.