U.S. Government Exam 1 Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts, constitutional provisions, amendments, court decisions, and federalism topics for U.S. Government Exam 1.

Politics

Competition over collective decisions.

Government

The institutions and rules through which collective decisions are made.

Collective Action Problem

A problem that occurs when individuals acting independently produce an outcome that harms the group.

Free-Rider Problem

A situation that occurs when someone receives a benefit without contributing toward its cost.

Market Failure

A situation in which private markets fail to allocate resources efficiently.

Externality

An economic activity that creates costs or benefits for third parties who are not directly involved in the transaction.

Negative Externality

An uncompensated cost imposed on third parties by an economic activity, such as pollution from a factory.

Positive Externality

A benefit created by an economic activity for third parties not directly involved, such as vaccinations reducing disease spread.

Public Good

A good characterized by being nonrival and nonexcludable, such as national defense.

Principal-Agent Problem

A situation where an agent's interests or actions differ from those of the principal they are supposed to serve.

Articles of Confederation

The government system preceding the U.S. Constitution that created a loose confederation with a weak central government lacking direct taxing authority.

Shays' Rebellion

An armed uprising from 1786 to 1787 that highlighted the central government's inability to manage domestic unrest under the Articles of Confederation.

Great Compromise

A constitutional agreement that established a two-house legislature combining population-based representation in the House with equal representation in the Senate.

Three-Fifths Compromise

A compromise at the Constitutional Convention determining how enslaved people would be counted for federal representation and taxation purposes.

Article I

The section of the original Constitution that establishes the legislative branch of government.

Article II

The section of the original Constitution that establishes the executive branch of government.

Article III

The section of the original Constitution that establishes the judicial branch of government.

Article VI

The section of the Constitution containing the Supremacy Clause.

Enumerated Powers

Powers specifically listed in the text of the Constitution.

Unenumerated Powers

Powers not expressly written word-for-word in the Constitution but inferred or reserved under constitutional principles.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Also known as the Elastic Clause, a provision granting Congress implied powers to execute its enumerated responsibilities.

Commerce Clause

Article I, Section 8 provision empowering Congress to regulate commerce among the states, with foreign nations, and with Native American tribes.

Supremacy Clause

Article VI provision establishing that constitutional federal law takes precedence over conflicting state laws.

Sole Power of Impeachment

The constitutional power granted exclusively to the House of Representatives to formally charge government officials with wrongdoing.

Thirteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment that abolished slavery.

Fourteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment that established principles of citizenship, due process, and equal protection.

Fifteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment prohibiting the denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Sixteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment establishing a federal income tax.

Seventeenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment establishing the direct election of U.S. senators by citizens.

Eighteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment that established Prohibition.

Nineteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment prohibiting the denial of voting rights based on sex.

Twenty-First Amendment

The constitutional amendment that repealed Prohibition.

Twenty-Fourth Amendment

The constitutional amendment prohibiting poll taxes in federal elections.

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

The constitutional amendment that lowered the voting age to 18.

Dual Federalism

A model of federalism emphasizing clear divisions between state and federal responsibilities, commonly symbolized as a layer cake.

Cooperative Federalism

A model of federalism emphasizing shared responsibilities and cooperation between levels of government, commonly symbolized as a marble cake.

Categorical Grant

Federal funds provided to state or local governments for a specific, narrow purpose.

Block Grant

Federal funds given to states with broad flexibility in spending within a general policy area.

Direct Democracy

A government model where citizens directly participate in policy decisions using tools such as initiatives and referendums.

Council-Manager System

A local government system where day-to-day administration is managed by a professional manager hired by an elected council.

Ex Post Facto Law

A law that retroactively criminalizes conduct or increases punishment for conduct committed before the law was passed.

Bill of Attainder

A legislative act that declares a person or group guilty of a crime without a judicial trial.

Establishment Clause

First Amendment provision that prevents the government from establishing or favoring a religion.

Free Exercise Clause

First Amendment provision protecting religious beliefs and exercises from improper government intervention.

Tinker v. Des Moines

Supreme Court decision establishing that student speech is protected in public schools unless it materially and substantially disrupts school operations.

Incorporation Doctrine

The legal mechanism, grounded in the Fourteenth Amendment, applying Bill of Rights protections to state and local governments.

Ninth Amendment

Constitutional amendment specifying that the listing of specific rights does not deny or disparage other unenumerated rights retained by the people.

Tenth Amendment

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

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Federal legislation using federal power to prohibit discrimination in public accommodations, employment, and federally funded programs.

Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act

An ex ante preclearance requirement historically requiring covered jurisdictions to receive federal approval before changing voting laws.

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act

A permanent nationwide ex post legal protection allowing challenges to discriminatory voting practices after implementation.

Shelby County v. Holder (2013)

Supreme Court case that invalidated Section 4(b)'s coverage formula, rendering the Section 5 preclearance mechanism inactive for previously covered jurisdictions.