FBLA Political Science (Open Event 2018)

politics

activities that relate to influencing the actions and policies of a government or getting and keeping power in a government

authority

the power to give orders or make decisions

legitimacy

allowed according to rules or laws

congress

the group of people elected to make laws in the US, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives

House of Representatives

has 435 members, one of the two branches of Congress

Senate

has 100 members, one of the two branches of Congress

Oversight

the act or job of directing work that is being done

Incumbent

politician holding a political office and running for re-election to the same office

executive

one of the three government systems in the US system, headed by the President

judical

one of the three government systems in the US system, headed by the Supreme Court and responsible for the court system

legislative

one of the three government systems in the US system, run by Congress and responsible for passing, appealing, and amending laws

electoral college

a group of people chosen by the votes of the people in each US state who come together to elect the President

popular vote

people's vote that guides the electoral college vote

supreme court

the highest, or most important, court of law in the US

jurisdiction

the right to use an official power to make legal decisions, or the area where this right exists

vice president

the person who is next in rank to the president of a country and who is responsible for the president's duties if he or she is unable to do them

direct democracy

a type of government in which people govern themselves, vote on policies and laws, and live by majority rule

representative democracy

a type of government in which voters designate a relatively small number of people to represent their interests

bill of rights

part of the US constitution, which is a list of the rights of US citizens

constitution

the highest law of government in the US, first came into use in 1789, contains of seven articles and twenty-seven amendments

amendments

small changes, improvements, or additions made to a law or document or the process of doing this

first amendment

a part of the constitution of the united states which gives US citizens the right of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and freedom of assembly

democrat

one of the two major political parties in the US, tends to be more liberal

republican

one of the two major parties in the US, tends to be more conservative

liberal

supporting or allowing gradual political and social changes

conservative

believing in the value of the established and traditional practices in politics and society

radical

a person who favors extreme changes in government

reactionary

someone who strongly opposes any social or political change

moderate

a person whose political ideas are not extreme

habeas corpus

a law that says a person can only be kept in prison following a court's deicison

Shays' rebellion

rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out

Civil law

the branch of law that deals with disrupts thatdo not involve criminal penalities

Boston Tea Party

a 1773 protest against British taxes in which Boston colonists disguised as Mohawks dumped valuable tea into Boston Harbor

Monarchy

a system of government in which one person reigns, usually a king or queen. The authority, or crown, in a monarchy is generally inherited. The ruler, or monarch, is often only the head of state, not the head of government. Many monarchies, such as Britain and Denmark are actually governed by parliaments

senatorial courtesy

Presidential custom of submitting the names of prospective appointees for approval to senators from the states in which the appointees are to work

authoritarian system (government)

a system of rule in which the government recongize no formal limit but may nevertheless be restrainedby the power of other social instiutions

contracting power

the power of government to set conditions on companies seeking to sell good or servicesto government agencies

affirmative action

government policies or programs that seek to redress past injustices again specificed groupsby making special efforts to provide members of these groups with access to educaiton and employment opportunities

anti federalists

those who favored strong state governments and a weak national government and were opponents of the constitution

block grants

federal grants in aid that allow states considerable discretion in how the funds are spent

boston massacre

the first bloodshed of the American Revolution (1770)

bourgeoisie

a social class that derives social and economic power from employment, education, and wealth

categorical grants

congressional grants given to states and localities in the condition that expenditures be limited to a problem or group specified by the law

checks and balance

mechanisms through which each branch of government is able to participate in and influence the activities of the other branches; major examples include the presidential veto power over congressional legislation, the power of the Senate to approve presidential appointments, and judicial review of congressional enactment

Civil Liberties

area of personal freedom constitutionally protected from government inference

civil rights

obligation imposed on government to take a positive action to protect citizens from any illegal action of government agencies and of other private citizens

civil rights act

(1994) law under Johnson that made segregation illegal in all public facilities, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

commerce clause

congress has the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states and with the Indigenous Tribes

commercial speech

communication in the form of advertising. It can be restricted more than many other types of speech but has been receiving increased protection from the Supreme Court.

confederation

a sytem of government in which states retain sovereign authority except for the powers expressly delegated to the national government

cooperative federalism

a tye of federalism existing since the new deal era in which grants-in-aid have been used strategically to encourage states and localities (without commanding them) to pursue nationally defined goals

cruel and unusual punishment

Court sentences prohibited by the Eighth Amendment. Although the Supreme Court has ruled that mandatory death sentences for certain offenses are unconstitutional, it has not held that the death penalty itself constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

defamation

act of harming or ruining another's reputation

democratic system

a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through the election of key public officials

dual federalism

the system of government that prevailed in the United States from 1789 to 1937 in which most fundamental governmental powers were shared between the shared

eminent domain

the right of government to take private property for public use

equal protection clause

citizens are guaranteed "the equal protection of the laws," this clause has served as the basis for civil rights of African Americans, women and other groups

establishment clause

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"; this law means that a "wall of separation" exists between church and state

exclusionary rule

the ability of courts to exclude evidence obtained in violation of the fourth amendment

expressed powers

specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress and to the president

federalism

A system of government in which power is divided, by a constitution, between the central (national) and regional (state) government/s

federalists

those who favor a strong national government and supported the constitution proposed at the Americana Constitutional Convention of 1781

fighting words

Speech that directly incites damaging conduct

September 5 to October 26, 1774

When did the first continental congress take place?

May 14, 1787

When was the first constitutional convention held?

Formula grants

Federal categorical grants distributed according to a formula specified in legislation or in administrative regulations

French-Indian War

In 1754, the British were trying to evict the French from the land west of the Appalachian mountains- the British won

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Requires the state to normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions that take place in another state

Grants in aid

money given by the national government to the states

Home rule

Allows cities to write their own charters, choose their own type of government, and manage their own affairs

Intolerable Acts

series of laws passed in 1774 to punish Boston for the Tea Party

laissez-faire capitalism

An economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned and operated and owned by for profit with minimal or no government inference

Lemon test

The three part test for establishment clause cases that a law must pass before it is declared constitutional

Libel

A written statement made in "reckless disregard of the truth" that is considered damaging to a victim because it is "malicious, scandalous, and defamatory."

Liberty

Freedom from government control

Miranda rule

The requirement that persons under arrest must be informed prior to people interrogation of their rights to remain silent and to have the right to benefit to legal counsel

Necessary and proper clause

Congress has the authority to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out its expressed powers

New Federalism

Attempts by president Nixon and Reagan to return power to the states through block grants

New Jersey Plan

Called for equal state representation in the national legislature regardless of population

Obscenity

Quality or state of a work that is taken as a whole appeals to a prurient interest in sex by depicting sexual conduct in a patently offensive way and that lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or science value

police powers

power reserved to the state government to regulate the health, safety, and morals of its citizens

political efficacy

the ability to influence government and politics

political equality

the right to participate in politics equally, based on the principle of "one person, one vote"

political speech

Speech about political issues, almost completely protected under First Amendment.

prior restraint

an effort by a government agency to block the publication of material it deems libelous or harmful in some other way; censorship; in the United States, the courts forbid prior restraint except under the most extraordinary circumstances

proletariat

working class

revenue sharing

a law providing for the distribution of a fixed amount or share of federal tax revenues to the states for spending on almost any government purpose

right to counsel

individual right found in the sixth amendment of the constitution that requires criminal defendants to have access to legal representation

right to privacy

The right to a private personal life free from the intrusion of government.

Second Continental Congress

Political authority that directed the struggle for independence beginning in 1775.

second continental convention

established in 1908 after the young turk revolution, forced the revival of the constitutional monarchy and the ottoman parliament

selective incorporation

the process by which provisions of the Bill of Rights are brought within the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment and so applied to state and local governments

Separate but equal

principle upheld in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) in which the Supreme Court rules that segregation of public facilities was legal

Separation of Powers

Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches

slander

spoken defamation

Social Contract Theory

The view that people's moral and/or political obligation are dependent upon a contract or agreement among them to form the society in which they live

Stamp Act

1765; law that taxed printed goods, including: playing cards, documents, newspapers, etc.

states' rights

the rights and powers held by individual US states rather than by the federal government.

Sugar Act

1764 British deeply in debt to French & Indian war

Totalitarian system

A system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits on its power and seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it