Chapter 1: American Political Culture – Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the lecture notes on American political culture.

Liberty

Freedom to exercise rights and live without oppressive interference; one of America’s four core political ideals.

Individualism

Belief in personal autonomy, self-reliance, and the primacy of the individual.

Equality

Belief that all people are equal in rights and should be treated equally under the law.

Self-government

The right and ability of the people to govern themselves, typically through elections and representative institutions.

Declaration of Independence

1776 document asserting equal rights and unalienable rights (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness) and that government derives from the people.

Consent of the governed

Principle that governments derive their powers from the consent of the people.

Unalienable rights

Rights that cannot be taken away; examples include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

We the People

Opening line of the U.S. Constitution signifying popular sovereignty.

Preamble to the U.S. Constitution

Introduction outlining goals: form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty.

Democracy

Government of the people, by the people, for the people.

Direct democracy

Citizens vote directly on laws and policies.

Representative democracy

Citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

Aristocracy

Rule by a birth-based elite believed to act for the common good.

Oligarchy

Rule by a small group (landowners, military officers, merchants) guided by the group’s interests.

Monarchy

Rule by a king, queen, or emperor, often hereditary and framed as ruling for the common good.

Autocracy

A form of government in which a single individual holds absolute power.

Tyranny

Autocratic rule by a tyrant who governs for personal gain and often repressively.

Authoritarian/Dictatorship

Power concentrated in leaders who suppress opposition; limited formal limits on power; rule often backed by force.

Totalitarian

A regime that seeks to control all aspects of life, with no formal limits on power and often a cult of personality.

Civil rights movement

Movements advocating abolition or reduction of discrimination and promoting equal rights for minorities and LGBTQ communities.

Jim Crow laws

Post-slavery laws enforcing racial segregation and disenfranchisement.

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882-1943)

Federal law prohibiting Chinese immigration and naturalization.

Nation of immigrants

America as a diverse nation whose population includes many ethnic groups rather than a single majority.

American national identity

Identity tied to shared cultural beliefs rather than a single ancestry, rooted in colonial origins.

American Revolution (1775-1783)

Conflict that established independence; characterized by ideological and political transformation as well as war.