POLS 207 – Exam 1 Review Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering major concepts, cases, powers, political cultures, and structures from the POLS 207 Exam 1 review sheet.

Federal Government Responsibilities

Handles national defense, foreign affairs, immigration, currency and monetary policy, protection of constitutional rights, and regulation of interstate commerce.

State Government Responsibilities

Oversees statewide matters such as education, transportation, public safety, health care, and state-level taxation.

Local Government Responsibilities

Manages community issues including zoning, land use, public utilities, sanitation services, and local law enforcement.

Policy Conservatism

Advocates limited government, low taxes, strong individual liberties, and a strong national defense.

Policy Liberalism

Supports greater government involvement, higher taxes to fund programs, and goals of equality and social justice.

Unitary System

A governmental structure in which a central authority holds supreme power and creates uniform laws for the nation.

Federal System (Federalism)

A division of power between a national government and constituent state governments.

Confederation

A loose alliance of independent, sovereign states that cooperate for limited common purposes.

"Laboratories of Democracy"

Nickname for states that experiment with policies that may later be adopted at the national level.

Nullification

Theory that states may invalidate federal laws they deem unconstitutional.

Delegated Powers

Powers expressly granted by the states (or people) to the federal government through the U.S. Constitution.

Enumerated Powers

Specific powers of the federal government that are explicitly listed in the Constitution.

Implied Powers

Federal powers not expressly stated but inferred from the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Tenth Amendment

Constitutional provision reserving powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Landmark case establishing judicial review—the power of courts to strike down unconstitutional laws.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Case confirming Congress’s implied powers and denying states the power to tax the national bank.

Federal Grants-in-Aid

Funds the federal government gives states/localities to pursue national policy goals and influence state programs.

Mandate

Federal or state requirement that lower levels of government (or private entities) meet specified standards.

Preemption

Doctrine under which federal law supersedes conflicting state law.

State Constitution Contents

Typically include a bill of rights, organization of the three branches, local-government provisions, detailed policies, and general provisions (debt, salaries, etc.).

Constitutionalism

The principle that government is limited by a fundamental law—its constitution.

Lengthy State Constitutions

Result from detailed policy provisions and historical amendments addressing specific issues.

Source of Local Government Power

Local governments derive authority from their respective state constitutions and statutes.

Legislative Proposal (State Amendment)

Common state method to amend a constitution: two-thirds vote in each chamber followed by voter approval.

County Functions

Provide law enforcement, public safety, courts, elections administration, records, and infrastructure services.

City Functions

Offer police, fire protection, sanitation, utilities, zoning, parks, and local infrastructure.

Special District

Independent local unit created to provide a specific service (e.g., water, transit) to a defined area.

At-Large Election

Voters city- or county-wide elect multiple representatives rather than by geographic districts.

Single-Member District Election

Jurisdiction is divided into districts; voters in each district elect one representative.

Individualistic Political Culture

Views politics as a marketplace; government should be limited and focus on individual opportunity.

Traditionalistic Political Culture

Sees politics as the domain of elites, emphasizing social hierarchy and maintenance of the status quo.

Moralistic Political Culture

Believes government should promote the public good and advance social equality.

Texas Political Culture

Combination of individualistic and traditionalistic tendencies; generally conservative and Republican-leaning.

Philosophy of the 1876 Texas Constitution

Emphasizes limited government, decentralized power, and strong protections for individual rights.

Mexican Constitution of 1827 (Coahuila y Tejas)

First constitutional framework governing Texans under Mexican rule.

Republic of Texas Constitution (1836)

Charter for the independent Republic of Texas after breaking from Mexico.

Texas State Constitution of 1845

Document adopted when Texas joined the United States; provided for statehood.

Texas State Constitution of 1861

Secession constitution aligning Texas with the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Texas State Constitution of 1866

Post-Civil War constitution aimed at rejoining the Union without Radical Republican requirements.

Texas Reconstruction Constitution (1869)

Imposed by Radical Republicans; centralized power and expanded rights for freedmen.

Texas Constitution of 1876

Current Texas constitution that decentralized power and limited state government.

Political Climate of 1875 Convention

Guided by retrenchment (reducing government power/spending) and reform (correcting perceived abuses).

Texas vs. U.S. Bills of Rights

Texas Bill of Rights is longer and more detailed; U.S. Bill of Rights is broader and open to interpretation.

Annexation Conditions of 1845

Required Texas to resolve public debt and end slavery as part of joining the United States.

Amending the U.S. Constitution

Requires a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states.

Amending the Texas Constitution

Needs two-thirds vote in both Texas legislative chambers and approval by a majority of state voters.

Evolution of Federalism

Balances of state and federal power have expanded and contracted across U.S. history.

Dual Federalism

Model with clear boundaries between state and national powers (“layer cake”).

Cooperative Federalism

Model in which state and federal governments share functions and collaborate (“marble cake”).

Fiscal Federalism

Pattern of taxing, spending, and grant making used by the federal government to influence lower governments.

Mayor-Council Government

Structure with an elected mayor (executive) and an elected council (legislative) with distinct powers.

Council-Manager Government

Elected council sets policy; a professional manager administers day-to-day operations to reduce political influence.

Sixteenth Amendment (1913)

Authorized the federal government to levy an income tax.

Seventeenth Amendment (1913)

Established the direct popular election of U.S. senators.

Radical Republicans

Post-Civil War faction advocating abolition, civil rights for freedmen, and stringent Reconstruction in the South.

City Charter

Legal document defining a city’s organization, powers, and operating procedures.

Eminent Domain

Government power to take private property for public use with just compensation.

Home Rule

Authority allowing cities (and some counties) to govern themselves with limited state interference.