American National Government

Module 1-6 Midterm flashcards

autocracy

A dictatorship where a single person has absolute control.

confederation

A union of sovereign states, united for purposes of common action often in relation to other states.

democracy

A system of government in which the people participate.

dictatorship

Systems of government in which the people do not participate.

Divine Right Theory

A theory of government that states the right to rule comes from God.

Evolutionary Theory

A theory of government that states government power evolved from the family groupings in which there was a 'ruler' and when he/she died, a family member followed.

federalist system

Where there is a central (national) government and local (state) government, with each receiving their specified and individual powers from the people, not from each other.

Force Theory

A theory of government that states the strongest power rules; i.e. government power is determined by force.

government

The governing body of a nation, state, or community.

Parliamentary System

A government in which the chief executive is controlled by the legislature.

Political Science

A social science concerned chiefly with the description and analysis of political and especially governmental institutions and processes.

Presidential System

A government in which the legislative branch and the executive branch are both chosen separately and each have their own designated powers.

republics

Democracies where the people elect representatives to make the decisions.

state

A politically unified people occupying a definite territory with a government and self-determination (sovereignty); a nation.

unitary system

A governmental system in which power is concentrated in a central (one) government.

elite theory

The belief that a set of elite citizens controls the government and ordinary citizens have no influence.

hyperpluralism

The theory that interest groups are so powerful that they weaken the government.

interest groups

Organizations that represent people who share a common interest and work to protect and promote that interest by influencing the government.

iron triangles

The policy-making relationships among congressional committees, government agencies, and interest groups.

pluralist theory

The belief that political power rests with competing interest groups who share influence in government.

civic engagement

Individual or group activity done with the intent to advocate on behalf of the public.

civil disobedience

Refusal to comply with certain laws as a peaceful form of political protest.

direct democracy

A form of democratic government in which citizens decide policy initiatives directly, as opposed to electing representatives to govern for them.

linkage institutions

The groups, associations, and media that can begin to move an idea from the people to the government, linking the people to the public policy making process.

public policy

Government policies that affect the whole population.

public policy agenda

When a political issue becomes part of the political process, in which it may be discussed by candidates or become part of a party platform.

public policy cycle

Stages in which the needs, concerns, and wants of the people become issues for the government to act on and affect change.

republic

Form of democracy in which people elect representatives to decide on policy initiatives for them.

Enlightenment

A European intellectual movement of the late 17th and 18th centuries emphasizing reason and individualism rather than tradition.

ideology

Established beliefs and ideals that help shape political policy.

partisanship

The tendency to identify with and to support a particular political party.

charters

Written agreements between the colonies and the king of England or Parliament; provided for direct rule by the king.

English Bill of Rights

Enumerated the rights of English citizens and explicitly guaranteed rights to life, liberty, and property; influenced the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Magna Carta

A promise to the English subjects that monarchs would refrain from certain actions that harmed, or had the potential to harm, the people of England, with protections for life, liberty, and property.

Mayflower Compact

An agreement by the Separatists who founded Plymouth Colony to govern themselves according to the laws created by the male voters of the colony.

social contract

An implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits, for example, by sacrificing some individual freedom for state protection.

Virginia House of Burgesses

The first colonial legislature.

Boston Massacre

A riot in Boston (March 5, 1770) arising from the resentment of Boston colonists toward British troops quartered in the city, in which the troops fired on the mob and killed several persons.

Boston Tea Party

A political protest by the Sons of Liberty in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 16, 1773, in defiance of the Tea Act, destroying an entire shipment of tea.

Coercive Acts

Harsh laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 meant to punish the American colonists for the Boston Tea Party and other protests.

direct taxes

Taxes imposed on individuals instead of on transactions.

League of Friendship

Loose confederation of the states under the Articles of Confederation.

Proclamation of 1763

British proclamation which forbade the colonists to purchase land or settle west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Shays' Rebellion

A revolt by angry farmers in Massachusetts, symbolizing the chaos in the country in the 1780s under the Articles of Confederation.

Stamp Act

Passed by the British Parliament on March 22, 1765, imposing a tax on every piece of printed paper used by American colonists.

Townshend Acts

British tax acts that imposed taxes on many everyday objects such as glass, tea, and paint.

virtual representation

Representatives elected by those who can vote who make laws on behalf of those who cannot vote.

Articles of Confederation

Adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, serving as the United States' first constitution.

checks and balances

A system that gives each of the three branches of government the power to restrict the actions of the others.

Constitutional Convention

A meeting between 55 delegates in May of 1787 meant to revise the Articles of Confederation, ultimately creating a new government.

Great Compromise

An agreement that large and small states reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have.

separation of powers

The U.S. government is separated into the judicial, legislative, and executive branches, each serving a different purpose.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Enslaved persons counted as three-fifths of a free person for the sake of calculating representation.

veto

The presidential power to strike down a law passed by Congress.

expressed powers

Powers of the federal government that are listed in the Constitution of the United States.

immigration

The action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country.

dual federalism

A style of federalism where states and national government exercise exclusive authority.

new federalism

A style of federalism premised on the idea that decentralization enhances efficiency and reduces overall spending.

civil rights

Policies designed to protect people against arbitrary or discriminatory treatment by government officials.

Congressional authority

Whether Congress has expressed, implied, or inherent authority to act.

de facto segregation

Separation by fact.

de jure segregation

Separation by law.

desegregate

Actions taken to eliminate laws or behavior that restrict access of different racial groups.

discrimination

The treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against a person based on group.

Feminist Movements

A range of political movements advocating for equality of the sexes.

heterogeneous

Diverse in character or content.

interstate commerce

The purchase, sale, or exchange of goods between states, regulated by the federal government.

Segregation

The enforced separation of different racial groups.

Seneca Falls Convention

The first women's rights convention addressing social, civil, and religious rights of women.

suffragists

People advocating for the right to vote, usually for women.

Title IX of the United States Education Amendments of 1972

Prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs.

Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Peña (1995)

Supreme Court case ruling that federal programs classifying people by race must be analyzed under strict scrutiny.

affirmative action

The policy of favoring members of a disadvantaged group who have suffered from discrimination.

civil rights

The rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.

discrimination

The unjust treatment of different categories of people based on perceived attributes.

equal opportunities

Policies that do not discriminate based on race, color, age, sex, or disability.

Equal Protection Clause

A part of the 14th Amendment guaranteeing citizens 'equal protection of the laws'.

equal results

Reducing inequalities between individuals through measures promoting equality.

Fisher v. University of Texas (2013, 2016)

Supreme Court case affirming race-based admissions are legal but must be regularly re-evaluated.

Grutter v. Bollinger (2003)

Supreme Court case reaffirming race or ethnicity may be considered in university admissions.

intermediate scrutiny

A test courts use to determine if a law furthers an important governmental interest.

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

Supreme Court case ruling that protecting against espionage justified discrimination against Japanese Americans.

rational basis test

A test courts use to determine if a law is rationally related to a legitimate interest.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)

Supreme Court case ruling that quotas for racial groups in admissions are not allowed.

strict scrutiny

A test questioning the validity of a policy presumed invalid unless a compelling interest is demonstrated.

Fred Korematsu

An American civil rights activist against the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.

fundamental right

A basic right derived from natural law, receiving the highest level of Constitutional protection.

Hispanic

Referring to native speakers of Spanish.

immigration

The action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country.

internment camps

Detention camps for Japanese Americans during WWII.

Latino

Referring to people from Latin America.

LGBT

Initialism for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender; inclusive of non-heterosexual identities.

protected class

Federal protected classes include race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, and disability.

classical liberalism

Political ideology emphasizing individual liberties and limited government intervention.

conservative ideology

Belief that individuals are accountable for their well-being and government should provide freedom.

ideological spectrum

System to classify different political positions in the U.S. based on conservatism and liberalism.

liberal ideology

Belief in using government power to regulate the economy and promote justice.

modern conservatism

Ideology favoring smaller government with individual freedoms and economic autonomy.

modern liberalism

Focus on equality through government intervention to promote equitable outcomes.

political culture

Shared beliefs, values, and norms that define the relationship between citizens and their government.