US History and Government Lecture Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the history of the US presidency, the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, political ideologies, and the structure of the American government based on the provided lecture notes.

President pro tempore

The officer who presides over the Senate.

Ticket balancing

A strategy used when a presidential candidate picks a Vice President from outside their party, such as when Abraham Lincoln picked Andrew Johnson.

Confederacy

The term used in Article I of the Articles of Confederation to refer to the United States of America.

Article V, paragraph three (Articles of Confederation)

The provision stating that each state gets $1$ vote in Congress, regardless of population.

Article XI (Articles of Confederation)

A specific invitation within the Articles of Confederation for Canada to join the Union.

Article XIII (Articles of Confederation)

The requirement that a unanimous vote is needed to amend the Articles.

Westminster system

A system featuring a ceremonial Head of State (monarch) and a Head of Government (Prime minister) leading the majority party.

Referendum Paradox

An electoral scenario where one candidate wins the popular vote while the other wins the electoral vote, occurring in $1876$, $1888$, and $2016$.

Faithless electors

A member of the electoral college who does not vote for the candidate they pledged to vote for.

Federalism

The division of power between the central government and the regional government.

Three-fifths compromise

The agreement that enslaved people counted as $3/5$ of a person for representation in Congress.

Liberalism (Louis Hartz's view)

A political ideology that is a reaction to feudalism.

Totalitarianism

The belief in the unlimited power of government where individuals have no rights or liberties.

Socialism

A system where the government owns the basic industries.

Libertarianism

An ideology that opposes all government action except for that which is necessary to protect liberty and property.

Autocracy

A system of government ruled by one person.

Oligarchy

A system ruled by a small group of people where no money results in no power.

Polyarchy

A system ruled by many through the use of interest groups.

Social Contract Theory

The idea that society exists because of an implicitly agreed-to set of standards providing moral and political rules of behavior.

Ascribed status

A social position assigned to an individual involuntarily at birth or assumed involuntarily later in life based on factors beyond their control.

Laissez-faire

The principle of no government interference in the free market, meaning "let things happen the way they should."

Necessary and Proper Clause

A constitutional clause allowing Congress to make all laws necessary and proper for executing its powers.

Supremacy Clause

A provision stating that the Constitution and the Laws of the United States are the supreme Law of the Land.

Tenth Amendment

Provides that powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved to the States or the people.

General Revenue Sharing

A New Federalism policy under Nixon where state and local governments could spend federal revenue on whatever they wanted.

Program switching

A New Federalism policy under Reagan where federal programs, such as Medicare and housing, were transferred to state governments.

Filibuster

A political tactic in the U.S. Senate where a minority uses extended debate to delay or block a vote, requiring $60$ votes to break.

Cloture

A legislative procedure used for ending a debate and taking a vote.

Standing committees

Permanent panels within a legislative body that handle specific, ongoing policy areas.

Conference Committees

Temporary, joint panels of House and Senate members tasked with negotiating a compromise on different versions of the same bill.

Original jurisdiction

A court's authority to hear and decide a case for the first time, involving trials, evidence, and witness testimony.

Appellate jurisdiction

The authority of a higher court to review, amend, or overturn decisions made by lower courts.

Marbury v. Madison ($1803$)

The Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review.

Judiciary Act of $1789$

Legislation that established the three-tiered structure of the federal judiciary, including district courts, circuit courts, and the Supreme Court.

Yellow journalism

A style of journalism that focuses on influencing and reporting on foreign policy.

Muckraking journalism

A style of journalism that focuses on domestic policy issues.

Political Socialization

A lifelong process where individuals acquire their political values and beliefs from sources like family, school, and mass media.

Push polls

Polls that use trick or loaded questions to push voters toward a specific candidate.

Soft money

Campaign money raised and spent that is not subject to regulations, though significantly restricted by the Bi-partisan Campaign Reform Act.

Public interest groups

Organizations that advocate for policies benefiting the general public.

Economic interest groups

Groups that promote the economic interests of their specific members.

Moral Majority

A conservative interest group founded by Jerry Falwell.

Christian Coalition

A conservative interest group founded by Pat Robertson.

Common law

A legal system incorporated by state judges that originated in England.

Unicameral legislature

A single-house legislative system, currently used only in the state of Nebraska.

City manager

A position formed in the progressive movement where a council member hires a professional to run the city.

De facto segregation

Segregation that occurs in practice or social reality rather than by law.

De jure segregation

Segregation that is imposed by law.