American Government Midterm

Classical Liberalism

A political tradition that values reason over faith, individual freedoms, free market economics, and individual autonomy.

Free market economies

When the pricing and production of goods are determined by consumers rater than controlled by the government.

Social Contract Theory

The argument that the people and government should work in harmony.

Hobbe’s Social Contract Theory

Believes the government is responsible for protecting civilians from violence.

Locke’s Social Contract Theory

Believes the government is responsible for protecting civlilia’s individual properties.

Democracy

A system in which power is held by the people and decisions are made by them.

Representative Democracy

A government where figures are freely elected to make decisions

Declaration of Independence (1776)

A document crafted by the Second Continental Congress declaring Independence from British Rule, defining the unalienable rights of the United states

Articles of Confederation

First Constitution of the United States, where states had their own power and independence and maintain a unicameral central government.

Federalists

American leaders who supported the ratification of the U.S constitution and urged for a stronger central government (Ratified the Consititution)

Anti Federalists

American leaders who opposed the ratification of the American constitution, pushing for state individual rights. (Ratified the Bill of Rights)

Connecticut Compromise/ Great Compromise (1787)

An agreement of the Constitutional Convention that created the Bicameral system of Congress, the House of Reps and the Senate.

Virginia Plan

A proposal were state representation was based on both wealth and population under a bicameral legislation

New Jersey Plan

A framework of the Articles of Confederation where every state got a singular vote.

House of Representatives

Lower Lawmaking Chamber of U.S Congress with 435 members each representing one state. Amount of Reps depends on state population (Proportional Representation)

Senate

Upper Chamber of the United State’s Congress with 100 members, 2 senators for each state (Equal Representation)

Federalists Number 10

An Essay Written by James Madison defending the United States Constitution by explaining the dangers of political factions

The United States Constitution

The Supreme Law of the United States that lays out the guaranteed rights of Americans and the creator of American Federal government. Contains The Bill of Right and Subsequent Amendments

Article 1 Of The Constitution (Legislative)

Gives Power to the Legislative Branch (Congress: Senate/House of Reps) to make laws

Article Two of the Constitution (Exectutive)

Gives Power to the Executive Branch of the United States (President and Vice President) to enforce the law

Article Three of the United States Constitution (Judical)

Gives Power to the Judicial Branch of the United States (Supreme and Lower Federal Courts) to interpret the law

Article 4 of the United States Constitution

Outlines the relationship between each state and the federal government

Article 5 of the United States Constitution

Outlines Instructions if there are to be any changes to the united States constitution

Article Six of The United States Constitution

Establishes the Constitution and Federal Laws and the Head Law of the Lands

Article 7 Of the United States Constitution

Goes over the Process of the ratification of the Constitution

Bill Of Rights (1791)

A compromise of the first 10 amendments of the United States written in the Constitution.

Civil Liberties

The individual constitutional freedoms Americans enjoy and on which the government may not encroach

Due Process (5th and 14th Amendments)

is a fundamental constitutional guarantee that the government must act fairly and follow established legal rules before depriving any person of life, liberty, or property

Race

A socio-political construct that categorizes people based on phenotype

Ethnicity

a shared cultural background, heritage, and identity that connects a group of people

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)

A treaty officially ending the Mexican American War. It aided in America’s quest for “Manifest Destiny” where they expanded The United State’s Territory westward

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7–2 that Black people, whether enslaved or free, were not U.S. citizens and could not sue in federal court

The Missouri Compromise

a United States federal law passed in 1820 that kept a balance of power in Congress between free and slave states

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

upheld state-mandated racial segregation under the doctrine of "separate but equal"

Voting Act of 1965

It outlawed the discriminatory voting practices adopted in many southern states after the Civil War, including literacy tests as a prerequisite to voting.

Louisiana v. Callais

the Court ruled that Louisiana's creation of a second majority-Black district (District 6) was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander under the Fourteenth Amendment

Representation

a system where citizens elect officials to make laws, craft public policy, and govern on their behalf rather than voting on laws directly.

Descriptive Representation

the idea that elected officials should physically and demographically mirror the population they serve, sharing traits such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, socio-economic background, or sexual orientation

Substantive Representation

the idea that elected officials represent the people by advocating for, voting on, and advancing their actual policy preferences, needs, and interests.

Symbolic Representation

refers to how a political figure, institution, or object "stands for" a group or nation by evoking psychological reassurance, trust, and shared emotional or cultural meaning, independent of immediate policy outcomes. (Represents an ideal America)

Gerrymandering

is the intentional manipulation of electoral district boundaries to give one political party, group, or incumbent an unfair advantage in elections.

Logrolling

a legislative practice where politicians trade votes or support for different bills or provisions so that each can pass their preferred measure. (quid pro quo)

Pork Barrel Spending

the allocation of government funds by lawmakers for localized projects or pet programs designed to benefit a specific district or state, rather than the national interest.

Filibuster

a parliamentary procedure used in a legislative body to prolong debate and delay or entirely prevent a vote on a proposed bill, resolution, or amendment. (Strom Thurmond's 1957- Attempt to block the Civil Rights Act, Cory Booker Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE))

Cloture

a formal parliamentary procedure used to end debate and force an immediate vote on a legislative measure

Judicial Review

the power of courts to examine the actions of the legislative, executive, and administrative branches of government and declare them null and void if they violate the constitution

Marbury v. Madison

a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review—the power of federal courts to declare legislative and executive acts unconstitutional

Amicus curiae briefs

"friend of the court" brief, is a written legal document submitted to a court by an individual, organization, or government agency that is not a direct party to the lawsuit. Offer specialized knowledge, scientific research, historical context, or economic data that the primary litigants may not have included.

Writ of Certiorari

the formal plea to have SCOTUS hear the case. Must explain why the

case must be revisited

Executive Orders

a written, signed, and published presidential directive that manages the operations of the U.S. federal government and instructs executive branch agencies on how to implement or enforce existing laws

Signing statements

an official written pronouncement issued by the President of the United States at the time a bill is signed into law

Pardons

an executive power that officially forgives a person for a federal crime, removing the remaining punishments and restoring civil rights

Reprieves

a temporary delay, postponement, or suspension of a punishment—especially a death sentence—or a brief escape from a difficult, painful, or unpleasant situation

Veto

the official power or right to reject, block, or forbid a decision, law, or proposal made by a group or another branch of government.

Party Realignment

a major, lasting shift in the coalition of groups that support the major political parties, fundamentally changing a nation's political landscape for decades (Franklin D Roosevelt New Deal)

Political Parties

an organized group of people who share common political beliefs and work together to nominate candidates, win elections, and influence or control government policies

Polarization

the divergence of political attitudes away from the political center toward ideological extremes

Primary Elections

conducted so that voters can select candidates for a subsequent election. Allows each political party to determine its nominee for the upcoming general election

General Elections

Gan election in which candidates are elected to offices

Electoral College

the official system used in the United States to elect the president and vice president, rather than a direct popular vote by citizens

Federalism

a system of government where power is divided between a central national government and individual regional governments

Dual Federalism

a political system where power is strictly divided between the national and state governments, with each level operating independently in its own distinct sphere of authority.

Cooperative federalism

a system of government in which national, state, and local governments share responsibilities, mix powers, and collaborate on common policy goals rather than operating in separate spheres

New Federalism

a political philosophy and policy approach aimed at devolution—the transfer of certain powers, responsibilities, and funding from the U.S. federal government back to state and local governments

Prior restraint

government can’t interfere before publication

Libel

media cannot intentionally lie to harm

Establishment Clause

Government can’t engage in religious practices -Within 1st Amendment

Free Exercise Clause

Government cant prohibit the practice of religion -Within 1st Amendment

Exclusionary rule

evidence obtained illegally cannot be admitted

Noem v. Vasquez

SCOTUS lifted a ban on ICE enforcement ICE can now stop people based on Race, Language spoken, Low-wage jobs