Gov Terms

Civil liberties

Fundamental rights and freedoms protected by the government

Civil rights

Protections from discrimination as a member of a particular group

Bill of rights

A list of fundamental rights and freedoms that individuals possess. The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution are referred to as the ___

Due process clause

The clause in the 14th amendment that restricts state governments from denying citizens their life, liberty, or property without legal safeguards

Selective incorporation

The piecemeal process through which the Supreme Court has affirmed that all of the protections in the BIll of Rights also apply to state governments

Establishment clause

First amendment protection against the government requiring citizens to join or support a religion

Free exercise clause

First Amendment protection of the rights of individuals to exercise and express their religious beliefs

Freedom of expression

A fundamental right affirmed in the First Amendment to speak, publish and protest

Clear and present danger test

Legal standard that speech posing an immediate and serious threat to national security is not protected by the First Amendment

Prior restraint

The suppression of material prior to publication on the grounds that it might endanger national security

Symbolic speech

Protected expression in the form of images, signs, and other symbols

Libel

An untrue written statement that injures a person's reputation

Slander

An untrue spoken expression that injures a person’s reputation

Obscenity and pornography

Words, images, or videos that depict sexual activity in an offensive manner and that lack any artistic merit

Ex post facto

Laws criminalizing conduct that was legal at the time it occurred

Bill of attainder

A law passed by Congress punishing an individual without a trial

Writ of habeas corpus

A document setting out reasons for an arrest or detention

Procedural due process

A judicial standard requiring that fairness be applied to all individuals equally

Warrant

A document issued by a judge authorizing a search

Probable cause

Reasonable belief that a crime has been committed or that there is evidence of criminal activity

Exclusionary rule

A rule that evidence obtained without a warrant is inadmissible in court

Grand jury

A group of citizens who, based on the evidence presented to them, decide whether a person should be indicted on criminal charges and subsequently tried in court

Double jeopardy

Protects an individual acquitted of a crime from being charged with the same crime again in the same jurisdiction

Miranda rights

The right to remain silent and to have an attorney present during questioning; these rights must be given by police to individuals in custody suspected of criminal activity

Bail

An amount of money posted as security to allow the charged individual to be freed while awaiting trial

Civil rights

Protections for individuals from discrimination based on race, national origin, religion, sex, and other characteristics ensuring equal treatment under the law.

13th Amendment

An amendment to the Constitution passed in 1865 prohibiting slavery within the United States.

14th Amendment

An amendment to the Constitution passed in 1868 granting citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and placing restrictions on state laws that sought to abridge the privileges and immunities of citizens of the United States.

15th Amendment

An amendment to the Constitution passed in 1870 granting voting rights to African American men.

Separate but equal

The doctrine that racial segregation was constitutional so long as the facilities for blacks and whites were equal.

Equal protection clause

Clause of the 14th Amendment that has been used to protect the civil rights of Americans from discrimination based on race, national origin, religion, gender, and other characteristics.

Legal segregation

The separation by law of individuals based on their race.

De jure segregation

The separation of individuals based on their characteristics, such as race, by law..

De facto segregation

A separation of individuals based on characteristics arising not by law but because of other factors such as residential housing patterns.

Affirmative action

A policy designed to address the consequences of previous discrimination by providing special consideration to individuals based upon their characteristics such as race or gender.

Social movement

Large groups of citizens organizing for political change.

Civil disobedience

The intentional refusal to obey a law to call attention to its injustice.

Civil rights act of 1964

Legislation outlawing racial segregation in schools and public places and authorizing the attorney general to sue individuals school districts that failed to desegregate.

Voting rights act of 1965

Legislation outlawing literacy tests and authorizing the Justice Department to send federal officers to register voters in uncooperative cities, counties, and states.

19th Amendment

A 1920 constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote.

Title IX

Legislation prohibiting sex discrimination in schools receiving federal aid, which had the impact of increasing female participation in sports programs.

Political culture

The dominant set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that define the relationship between citizens and government.

Individualism

The belief that individuals should be responsible for themselves and for the decisions they make.

Laissez-faire

An economic system in which government intrudes as little as possible in the economic transactions among citizens and businesses.

Rule of law

The principle that no one, including public officials, is above the law.

Political socialization

The experiences and factors that shape an individual's political values, attitudes, and behaviors.

Political ideology

An individual's coherent set of beliefs about government and politics.

Generational effect

The impact of historical events experienced by a generation upon their political views.

Globalization

The increasing interconnectedness of people, businesses, and countries throughout the world.

Life-cycle effect

The impact of a person's age and stage in life on his or her political views.

Outsourcing

When a company moves its business to a place where labor costs are cheaper, or production is more efficient because workers work longer hours.

Focus group

A small group of individuals assembled for a conversation about specific issues.

Scientific poll

A representative poll of randomly selected respondents with a statistically significant sample size using neutral language.

Sample

A group of individuals from a larger population used to measure public opinion.

Random selection

A method of choosing all poll respondents in a way that does not over or underrepresent any group of the population.

Representative sample

A sample that reflects the demographics of the population.

Weighting

A procedure in which the survey is adjusted according to the demographics of the larger population.

Sampling error

The margin of error in a poll, usually calculated to plus or minus three percentage points.

Mass survey

A survey designed to measure the opinions of the population, usually consisting of 1500 responses.

Entrance survey

A poll conducted of people coming to an event.

Exit poll

A survey conducted outside a polling place in which individuals are asked who or what they just voted for and why.

Benchmark poll

A survey taken at the beginning of a political campaign to gauge support for a candidate and determine which issues are important to voters.

Tracking poll

A survey determining the level of support for a candidate or an issue throughout a campaign.

Random digit dialing

The use of telephone numbers randomly generated by a computer to select potential survey respondents.

Question order

The sequencing of questions in public opinion polls.

Question wording

The phrasing of a question in a public opinion poll.

Political ideology

A set of beliefs about what should happen as the result of the process of governance.

Right

Definitive right.

Privilege

A special right.

Conservatism

An ideology favoring more control of social behavior, fewer regulations on businesses, and less government intervention in the economy.

Liberalism

An ideology supporting less government control over social behavior and more regulation of businesses and of the economy.

Libertarianism

Favors very little government regulation and intervention beyond protecting private property and individual liberty.

Laissez-faire economy

Governments intervene as little as possible in the economic transactions between citizens.

Command-and-control economy

Government dictates much of a nation's economic activity.

Mixed economy

Economic decisions are mostly left to individuals and businesses but there is still some government influence

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Total value of goods and services produced by American economic activity.

Economic recession

Two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth.

Unemployment rate

The percentage of people actively looking for work who are unable to find jobs.

Inflation

The rise of the price of goods and services.

Fiscal policy

Government uses taxation and spending to attempt to lower unemployment.

Medicare

Run by the federal government and supported by federal taxes.

Medicaid

Covers health services for low-income Americans.

Political participation

The different ways in which individuals take action to shape the laws and policies of a government.

Political action committee

An organization that raises money to elect and defeat candidates and may donate money directly to a candidate's campaign, subject to limits.

Linkage institution

Channels that connect individuals with government, including elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

Social movement

The joining of individuals seeking social or political change with the goal of placing issues on the policy agenda.

Franchise/suffrage

The right to vote.

26th Amendment

Allows those 18 or older to vote.

24th Amendment

Prohibits Congress and the states from imposing poll taxes as a condition for voting in federal elections.

Poll tax

A payment required by a state or federal government before a citizen is allowed to vote.

Voter turnout

The number of eligible voters who participate in an election as a percentage of the total number of eligible voters.

Demographic characteristics

Measurable characteristics of a population such as economic status, education, age, race or ethnicity, and gender.

Socioeconomic status

A measure of an individual's wealth, income, occupation, and education attainment.

Political efficacy

A person’s belief that he or she can make effective political change.

Political mobilization

Efforts by political parties to encourage their members to vote.

Registration requirements

The set of rules that govern who can vote and how, when, and where they vote.

Absentee ballot

Voting completed and submitted by a voter before the day of an election without going to the polls.

Rational choice voting

Voting based on what a citizen believes is in his or her best interest.

Retrospective voting

Voting based on an assessment of an incumbent's past performance.

Prospective voting

Casting a ballot for a candidate who promises to enact policies favored by the voter.