1/325
Looks like no tags are added yet.
Name | Mastery | Learn | Test | Matching | Spaced |
---|
No study sessions yet.
Thomas Hobbes
English thinker who believed people need strong government to avoid chaos.
Leviathan
Hobbes' book arguing people give up freedoms to a ruler for peace.
Social Contract
Idea that people give government power in exchange for protection of rights.
John Locke
English thinker who said people have natural rights: life, liberty, property.
Second Treatise on Civil Government
Locke’s book arguing government must protect rights or be overthrown.
Charles de Montesquieu
French thinker who believed in separating government power into branches.
De l'Esprit des Lois
Montesquieu’s book explaining separation of powers and checks and balances.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
French thinker who said government must follow the people's will.
The Social Contract
Rousseau’s book saying government gets power from consent of the governed.
Voltaire
French thinker who supported free speech, religious freedom, and reason.
Candide
Voltaire’s novel that mocked blind optimism and supported freedom.
Denis Diderot
French philosopher who spread Enlightenment ideas through the Encyclopedia.
Participatory democracy
System where citizens are very involved in decision-making.
Pluralist democracy
System where many groups compete for influence.
Elite democracy
System where a small group (wealthy or educated) influence decisions most.
Representative democracy
System where people elect leaders to make decisions for them.
Popular sovereignty
Idea that government power comes from the people.
Articles of Confederation
First U.S. government, with a weak national government.
Federalism
System where power is divided between national and state governments.
Northwest Ordinance
1787 law setting rules for adding new states to the U.S.
Shays' Rebellion
1786 farmer protest showing the Articles of Confederation were weak.
Constitution
Document creating the structure and rules of U.S. government.
Constitutional Convention
1787 meeting where leaders wrote the new Constitution.
Unicameral
Having one legislative house.
Bicameral
Having two legislative houses (House and Senate).
Virginia Plan
Plan for representation based on population (favored big states).
New Jersey Plan
Plan for equal state representation (favored small states).
The Great (Connecticut) Compromise
Combined both plans: House by population, Senate equal for all states.
Three-Fifths Compromise
Agreement that each slave counts as 3/5 of a person for representation and taxes.
Federalists
Supported the Constitution and a strong central government.
Anti-Federalists
Opposed the Constitution, fearing too much central power.
The Federalist Papers
Essays supporting ratifying the Constitution.
Bill of Rights
First 10 amendments to the Constitution protecting individual freedoms.
Electoral College
Group that formally elects the U.S. president.
Legislative branch
Branch that makes laws (Congress).
Executive branch
Branch that enforces laws (President).
Judicial branch
Branch that interprets laws (Courts).
Necessary and proper clause (elastic clause)
Allows Congress to make laws needed to carry out its powers.
Executive orders
President's commands that have the force of law.
Executive agreements
Deals made by the president with other countries without Senate approval.
Judicial review
Power of courts to strike down unconstitutional laws.
Confederation
Loose group of states with weak national government.
Delegated (enumerated) powers
Powers specifically given to the national government.
Reserved powers
Powers kept by the states.
Tenth Amendment
Says powers not given to federal government belong to states or people.
Categorical grants
Federal money given for a specific purpose.
Block grants
Federal money given for broad purposes with fewer restrictions.
Separation of powers
Dividing government into branches to prevent one from being too powerful.
Checks and balances
Each branch limits the others to keep power balanced.
Veto
President's power to reject a bill.
Overriding
Congress passing a law despite a veto (needs 2/3 vote).
Amendments
Changes or additions to the Constitution.
Ratify
To formally approve something.
Ratifying convention
Special meeting to approve an amendment.
Governor
Elected leader of a state.
Pardons
President or governor forgiving someone for a crime.
Reprieves
Delay in punishment for a crime.
Gubernatorial veto
Governor’s power to reject a state law.
Line-item veto
Governor's power to reject parts of a bill without rejecting the whole thing.
Public opinion
What people think about politics and government.
General public
Ordinary people who aren't deeply involved in politics.
Issue public
Group that cares a lot about a specific political issue.
Saliency
How important an issue is to someone.
Intensity
How strongly someone feels about an issue.
Stability
How much someone's opinion stays the same over time.
Referendum
When voters directly decide a law or policy.
Public opinion polls
Surveys asking people what they think about issues.
Random sampling
Everyone has an equal chance to be chosen for a poll.
Benchmark polls
First poll taken to find out where a candidate stands.
Tracking polls
Ongoing polls that track changes in opinion over time.
Entrance polls
Surveys taken before people vote at a location.
Exit polls
Surveys taken after people vote to predict results.
Stratified random sampling
Polling method that makes sure different groups are properly represented.
Sampling error
How much poll results might be wrong because of random chance.
Political socialization
How people form their political beliefs.
Family
Biggest influence on a person's political views.
Location
Where someone lives can shape political beliefs.
School
Teaches civic values and influences political ideas.
Religious institutions
Influence political beliefs through teachings and values.
Mass media
TV, internet, newspapers that inform and shape public opinion.
Higher education
College often broadens political views and awareness.
Ideology
Set of beliefs about politics and government.
Conservative
Believes in limited government, traditional values, and free markets.
Liberal
Believes in active government, social programs, and individual rights.
Moderate (Independent)
Holds a mix of conservative and liberal views.
News media
Organizations that report news and shape public opinion.
Public agenda
Issues that people and politicians pay the most attention to.
Political parties
Groups that organize to win elections and influence government.
Interest groups
Organizations that try to influence government policies.
Political action committees (PACs)
Groups that raise money to support candidates or causes.
527 groups
Tax-exempt groups that can raise money for political activities but can't directly support candidates.
Elections
The process where citizens vote for leaders and policies.
Media
Ways of communicating information to the public, like TV, newspapers, and the internet.
Two-party system (bipartisan system)
A political system dominated by two major parties.
Party platform
A political party’s official set of beliefs and goals.
Primary elections
Elections where voters choose party candidates for the general election.
National conventions
Big party meetings where nominees are officially chosen.
Coalition
A group of people or parties that unite for a common goal.
Party bases
The loyal supporters of a political party.
Realignment
When major groups of voters switch political parties.