American Government Final Study Guide

Flashcards based on American Government lecture notes.

Monarchy

A form of government with a monarch (king/queen) at the head.

Presidential Government

Features separation of powers between executive and legislative branches.

Parliamentary Democracy

A type of government in which the party with the most seats in parliament forms the government.

Autocracy/Dictatorship

A society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.

Communism/Totalitarianism

A system of government that is centralized and dictatorial, requiring complete subservience to the state.

Theocracy

A state governed by a government/leader(s) that’s authority comes from a certain religion.

Magna Carta

1215 document that protected people from the king with parliament and guaranteed process of law and trial by jury.

Mayflower Compact

Established for plymouth colony in MA. Puritans escaping religious persecution.

English Bill of Rights

King/Queen had to sign this bill (1689). Can’t tax without parliament or force excessive bail; no cruel/unusual punishments.

Declaration of Independence

1776, written by Thomas Jefferson. Stated intention of colonists, enshrines the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” and created national identity.

Federal Government

Type of government the United States created after declaring Independence.

Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise)

Established 2 houses of Congress: one based on population and one with equal representation. Also included the ⅗ Compromise.

⅗ Compromise

⅗ of a slave counts in pop total for representation.

Total Amendments to the US Constitution

27

Legislative Branch

Congress - makes laws.

Executive Branch

President - implements foreign/public policies.

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court/other federal courts - interprets laws.

Number of states required to ratify a new amendment

38

Selective Incorporation

Used by supreme court to ensure states don't remove rights (BofR originally was only for nat gov). Applied due process of law and other rights

5th Amendment - not selectively incorp.

Right to indictment by grand jury.

7th Amendment - not selectively incorp.

Right to jury trial in civil lawsuits.

Establishment Clause

‘Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion’

ex. all religious places free from most fed/state/local taxes

Free Exercise Clause

1st amendment. ‘Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion’

ex. amish still have to pay SS taxes

Miranda v Arizona

Miranda convicted of kidnapping and rape and not told his rights before being interrogated. Called for violation of 5th amendment and not overturned. Convicted

Demographics of U.S. Congress

Mostly old white men.

Role of the Vice President in the Senate

Leader in the senate.

Number of people in the House of Representatives

435

Number of people in the Senate

100 (2 per state)

Representation in the House

Population based.

Representation in the Senate

2 per state/equal.

Formal qualities needed to be elected to Congress

30 years old, resident of state, citizen for 9 years.

Informal qualities needed to be elected to Congress

Political experience, fundraising ability, name recognition, incumbency, off-year elections.

Term length for House member

2 years.

Term length for Senator

6 years.

Expressed Powers of Congress

• Commerce power
• Money powers
• Domestic powers
• War powers

Commerce Power restrictions of congress

• Cant tax exports
• Cant favor one state over another
• Cant force a vessel bound to one state to pay duties to another
• Cannot interfere w slave trade until 1808

Examples of Congress's Power to Tax

Money, payroll, sales, corporate.

Examples of Congress's Domestic Powers

Copyright, postal, territories, weights/measurements, naturalization, federal courts below SC.

Powers Prohibited to Congress

Must abide by const., cant tax churches, cant tax voting, cant tax export, cant tax for private benefit.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Limit discrimination in business, End monopolies, Interstate hwy system

Process of Impeachment

House has power to impeach (majority vote), Senate has power to remove (⅔ vote). 3 presidents impeached, none removed.

Party Leaders

Officers of political parties, chosen by party. Try to carry out goals of party and steer actions on floor.

Party Whips

Keep at large members of parties in line with floor leaders.

Speaker of the House

Preside and keep order in house. Assign members to all committees.

Presidential Veto

President can sign or veto (forbid/not allow the law to go into effect).

Overriding a Presidential Veto

Congress can override by getting ⅔ vote in both houses.

Presidential Term Limit

2 terms (10 total for VP if stepping in). FDR had 4 terms (died in 4th one).

Formal Qualifications of the President

35 years old, natural born citizen, resident for 14 years.

Line of Presidential Succession

President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, Pres pro tempore of senate, Sec of state, Sec of treasury, Sec of defense, attorney general, Sec of interior

Electoral College Votes Needed to Win

270 votes to win (out of 538 electors).

protect minority - not always pop vote

President's Power to Appoint

The President has the power to appoint government officials.

Approval of Appointments

The Senate

Expressed Roles of the President

Foreign affairs, Clemency, Veto, Bully pulpit, Appointments/removals, Exec orders, Execute laws, Treaties, Cmder in chief

Four Types of Clemency Power

Reprieve (postponement of execution), Pardon (legal forgiveness), Commutation (reduce fine/sentence), Amnesty (blanket pardon for a group).

Purpose of the Cabinet

Advise the President.

Judicial Review

Courts have right to decide if the action was constitutional.

Constitutional Courts

Supreme court

Special Courts

District court (civil/criminal cases), Court of Appeals (circuit), military court.

Supreme Court Jurisdiction

Involve a state, Involve ambassadors or other public ministers, cases from Appeals

Where Majority Cases are Heard

district/civil courts

Structure of U.S. Court System

District -> Appeals -> Supreme

District Courts

80% of cases, 1 judge, Size of district is determined by # of cases they historically hear

Court of Appeals

created 1891 by congress, Helps SC with case overload, 13 circuit courts, No juries

Current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

John Roberts

Number of Supreme Court Justices

9 (serve for life)

Majority Opinion

Yes (vote)

Minority Opinion

No (vote) and why

Concurring Opinion

Yes (vote) for a different reason

Precedent

Court opinions used as guidelines.

Two Main Parties in the U.S.

Democratic, Republican

Primary Goal of Political Parties

To get members from their party into government positions.

Importance of Political Parties

Link ppl with their government, Divide nation, difficult to get things done

1st Amendment

Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition.

2nd Amendment

Right to keep and bear arms.

3rd Amendment

Quartering of soldiers.

4th Amendment

Searches and seizures.

5th Amendment

Grand jury, double jeopardy, self incrimination, due process, takings.

6th Amendment

Right to speedy trial by jury, witnesses, counsel.

7th Amendment

Jury trial in civil lawsuits.

8th Amendment

Excessive fines, cruel and unusual punishment.

9th Amendment

Non-enumerated rights retained by the people.

10th Amendment

Rights reserved to states or people.

GW warnings of political parties

divide nation, difficult to get things done

impact of 3rd parties

lack of impact

regional distribution of political parties

republican strongholds in urban areas, while rural areas tend to lean more conservative.

Republican - midwest/south

democratic - north/west