US Government and Politics Review

Flashcards for reviewing key concepts in US Government and Politics.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that the authority of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives (Rule by the People), who are the source of all political power.

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.

Natural Rights

Rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Republicanism

A political ideology centered on citizenship in a state organized as a republic under which the people hold popular sovereignty.

Separation of Powers

The division of governmental power among different branches, such as the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Checks and Balances

A system in which each branch of government can limit the power of the other branches.

Federalists

Advocates for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, emphasizing a strong central government; dangers of factions and republican style government.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, favoring stronger state governments; supremacy clause makes state government unnecessary.

Great Compromise

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

Three-Fifths Compromise

A compromise regarding the counting of enslaved people for representation and taxation purposes.

Importation of Slave Compromise

An agreement that prevented Congress from prohibiting the slave trade for 20 years.

Article V

Addresses amendments - Proposal & Ratification, requiring a 2/3 vote from Congress or State Conventions to propose and a 3/4 vote from State legislatures.

Shay's Rebellion

Exposed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation by highlighting the government's inability to effectively maintain order.

Federalist No. 10

Addresses the dangers of factions in a republican government.

Brutus No. 1

Argues against a strong central government, emphasizing broad participatory democracy and the power of states.

Legislative Branch

Congress, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Executive Branch

The President and the bureaucracy under the President's authority.

Judicial Branch

The Supreme Court, which is the supreme court of the land.

Checks and Balances

A system where each branch of government can limit the powers of the other branches.

Federalism

The sharing of power between state and federal governments.

Exclusive Powers

Powers delegated by the Constitution exclusively to the federal government.

Reserved Powers

Powers kept by the states, as per the Tenth Amendment.

Concurrent Powers

Powers shared by the federal and state governments.

Fiscal Federalism

The use of federal money to influence state policies.

Categorical Grant

Federal money to states for specific projects.

Block Grant

Federal money to states for broad categories, with states deciding how to spend it.

Mandate

Federal government requirements states must follow.

Unfunded Mandate

Federal requirements without providing money to states.

Tenth Amendment

Any power that the Constitution doesn't explicitly give to the federal government is reserved for the states

Commerce Clause

Article 1 Section 8 which gives congress the authority to regulate commerce among the states.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Congress can pass any law that is necessary and proper based on the enumerated powers.

Enumerated power

Pass a federal budget (power of purse), power to raise revenue (taxes and tariffs), power to coin money, power to declare war, power to raise and maintain armed forces

Filibuster

Attempt to stuck or kill a bill.

Cloture Rule

Move to end a filibuster by means of three fifths of the senate.

Logrolling

Members of Congress can say 'i'll vote for yous if you vote for mine'.

Gridlock

Policy is hard to make because ideas are overlapping.

Delegate Model

Must vote with the will of the people - believes is there to represent the people not their own.

Trustee Model

Believes has been entrusted with the people's faith and therefore must vote according to their conscience.

Gerrymandering

The idea that one district is drawn to benefit on party or group over another.

Formal Powers

Powers explicitly given to the president in article 2 in the constitution -power of veto.

Informal Powers

Not mentioned in the constitution but exist because of the nature of the executive power.

Executive Order

A force of a federal law but not an actual law, a way to direct the bureaucracy or move money around to accomplish their policy agenda.

Bully Pulpit

Position that provides an opportunity to speak out and be listened to. Required constitutional communication from the president is the state of the union address; policy suggestions to congress.

Judicial Review

The power of the judicial branch to rule on the constitutionality of laws.

Stare Decisis

Let the decision stand.

Judicial Activism

When a court acts to establish policy and in its deliberative work, considers the board effects of a decision on society.

Judicial Restraint

Believes that judges are not appointed to make policy, a law should be struck down only if it violates the actual written word of the constitution.

Federal Bureaucracy

Millions of people who are employed to carry out the responsibilities of the federal government, falls under the authority of the executive branch.

Iron Triangle

Bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees.

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments in the constitution designed to protect civil liberties(constitutionally established guarantees and freedoms that protect citizens against arbitrary government interference).

Establishment Clause

Prohibits congress from establishing a national church.

Free Exercise Clause

Protects the rights of citizens to be able to practice their religion without interference by government.

Selective incorporation

The process by which the bill of rights is applied to the states.

Civil liberties

Rights guaranteed to every American citizen by the constitution.

Civil Rights movements

Ensure that every American regardless of sex,religion, or race has equal access to those civil liberties, civil rights activities have attempted to apply those rights to everyone through the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th amendment.

De jure segregation

Racial discrimination by law.

de facto segregation

Racial segregation by personal choice.

Affirmative Action

Describes policies enacted that favor groups that have been historically discriminated against .

Individualism

Places emphasis on self reliance and independence.

Equality of oppurtunity

belief that every American, regardless of their race, ethnicity, sex, religion, etc. deserves equal footing to go after life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

Free enterprise(laissez-faire economics)

As little government intervention in economy as possible.

Rule of Law

Belief every citizen is equal under the law no one has special powers.

Political socialization

The process on how we form our political opinions.

Party platform

A set of policy goals published by the party which tell the kinds of legislation they would pursue if their condition won the election.

Rational choice voting

Person votes based on their individual self-interest, carefully studies the issues and platforms.

Retrospective voting

Person votes based on the recent past track record of the politician in question.

Prospective voting

Person votes based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future.

Party line voting

Person votes for all the candidates of the voter’s party.

Linkage institution

Societal structure that connects people to their government or the political process (average people are connected to policy-makers).

Interest groups

A group of people who gather around a policy issue in order to persuade policy makers to pass legislation favorable to the group.

Hard money

Contributions directly to a candidate.

Soft money

Donated to a party or interest group who can buy advertising on the candidates behalf.

PAC-Political action committee

Raise money for the sake of influencing the population to vote for their candidate.

First Amendment

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

Second Amendment

Right to keep and bear arms

Third Amendment

Protects citizens from having soldiers quartered in their homes

Fourth Amendment

Protects against unreasonable search and seizure of personal property and effects

Fifth Amendment

Rights of citizens when they are accused of crimes

Sixth Amendment

Process when a person is accused of a crime and explains the protections to which they are entitled

Seventh Amendment

Guarantees the right to a trial by jury

Eighth Amendment

Protects against cruel and unusual punishment and excessive bail

Ninth Amendment

Acknowledges that if there are other rights not mentioned in the first 10 amendments their exclusion from the list does not mean such rights are not protected

Tenth Amendment

States that any powers not explicitly granted by the constitution to the federal government belong exclusively to the states

15th Amendment

recognized the right of black men to vote

17th Amendment

granted the people the right to vote senators into office

19th Amendment

recognized women’s right to vote

24th amendment

abolished poll taxes which were used to suppress the minority vote

26th Amendment

lowered the voting age from 21 to 18

14th amendment

Equal protection clause No state should make any law that denies to any person by all jurisdiction on the equal protection clause 

13th amendment

abolishes slavery

18th Amendment

Prohibits the manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcoholic beverages (later repealed by the 21st Amendment

22nd Amendment

Limits presidential terms to two

25th amendment

In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President

27th amendment (last amendment)

forbids any changes to the salary of Congress members from taking effect until the next election concludes

16th Amendment

grants Congress the power to levy and collect income taxes on individuals and corporations, without needing to apportion them among the states based on population