U.S. Government Midterm Study Guide

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts, foundational documents, ideologies, governmental branches, and structures from the U.S. Government Midterm Study Guide.

Human Nature

The inclination and ability to do good, but predisposed towards not good because of sin; its virtue and failure require structure, and its universal characteristics must be understood to know how man should be governed.

The Fall

The biblical event that corrupted human nature, indicating that the fundamental problem in society and politics stems from human nature and sin rather than institutional structures.

Magna Carta

A seminal document created in $1215$ establishing an agreement between the King and his rebel barons and subjects, binding all parties to written terms on paper as a contract.

Precursor to the Rule of Law

The historical role of the Magna Carta in establishing legal obligations and responsibilities between rulers and their subjects, where previously kings had no legal obligations to those they ruled.

The Declaration of Independence

A document written by Thomas Jefferson (with John Adams) establishing America's independence from England; it is not a law, but a rationale that declared the causes of separation and justified the nation's actions to the world.

Republic

A representative form of government in which the people choose leaders to govern and make decisions on their behalf.

Democracy

A demographic system of governance where the people directly vote on every decision.

Rule of Law

The principle that the law is the ultimate ruler, meaning the monarch or governing authorities are fully subject to the law.

Rule by Law

A governing framework where the law is used as an instrument by the ruler, and the people are instruments in the hands of the monarch.

Role of Government

The organization and administration of society, which in the U.S. government consists of making, enforcing, and interpreting law.

Politics

The process of making decisions for a group of people using influence.

Culture

The shared values, beliefs, and elements that make up a society's way of life.

Society

A group of people who share things in common.

Statism

A political ideology in which the state holds the central authority.

Libertarianism

A political philosophy maintaining that personal freedom is the ultimate authority.

Conservative

A political perspective centered on respect for tradition and the preservation of established institutions.

Liberal

A political perspective emphasizing individual liberties and the consent of the governed.

Anarchy

The total absence of government.

Feudalism

A hierarchical power structure and class system where land was exchanged for service, loyalty, and labor, and peasants worked for lords in exchange for provisions.

Divine Right of Kings

The concept of absolute authority asserting that a ruler's power is unlimited and derived directly from God.

Consent of the Governed

The principle that political power is derived from the people, giving them a voice through voting.

Structure of the Declaration of Independence

The four-part organizational layout of the document consisting of the Introduction, Preamble, Body, and Conclusion, designed to fulfill the '$3$ U's': understanding, unity, and utility.

Structure of the U.S. Constitution

The framework comprising an Introduction and seven Articles: Article $1$ (Legislative), Article $2$ (Executive), Article $3$ (Judicial), Article $4$ (Other rules), Article $5$ (Amending rules), Article $6$ (Law of the land), and Article $7$ (Ratification).

Preamble to the U.S. Constitution

The statement introducing the Constitution's purposes: forming a more perfect union, establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility (civility), providing common defense, promoting general welfare, and securing the blessings of liberty while balancing majority rule with minority protections.

Bill of Rights

The first act of Congress, serving as James Madison's compromise to secure support for the Constitution.

Three-Fifths Compromise

A Constitutional Convention compromise that counted $3$ out of every $5$ enslaved individuals toward a state's total population for representation purposes.

Ratification Compromise

The threshold requirement stipulating that a higher-than-majority fraction of $\frac{2}{3}$ of states (and $\frac{2}{3}$ of Congress) was necessary to ratify the Constitution.

Legislative Branch

The lawmaking branch of the U.S. government, structured bicamerally into the House of Representatives (proportional representation) and the Senate (equal representation).

Executive Branch

The branch of government responsible for enforcing laws, headed by the President.

Judicial Branch

The branch of government responsible for interpreting the law, headed by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS).

Checks and Balances

The constitutional mechanism distributing power between and within branches (such as presidential veto power over congressional legislation) so that if one branch attempts to control the others, they act to repel it.

The Senate

The upper house of Congress based on equal representation ($2$ members per state, equaling $100$ total), featuring $6$-year staggered terms, an age requirement of $\ge 30$ years old, and a citizen requirement of $9$ years (all multiples of $3$).

The House of Representatives

The lower house of Congress where states elect members by districts based on population ($435$ total members), featuring $2$-year terms, an age requirement of $\ge 25$ years old, and a citizenship requirement of $7$ years.

The Presidency

The office of the executive branch with limited power due to fear of tyranny; the President is given specific legal powers, governs according to law rather than public opinion, and is elected via the Electoral College.

Electoral College

The system used to elect the U.S. President where each state's electors equal its total senators plus representatives; the slate winning the most votes in a state wins all of its electoral votes, with $270$ votes required to win.

Five Social Institutions

The five fundamental structural pillars of society: Marriage/Family, Education, Government, Religion, and Economy.

Five Pillars of a Republic

The core tenets foundational to a republic: Limited Government, Self-Government, Rule of Law, Individual Liberties, and Free Enterprise.