Dual Enrollment PSC Semester Exam Review

polisci semester exam

What does the term sovereignty refer to?

Authority for a state to govern itself

What is the definition for government

The institution(s) through which the states maintain social order and provide public services

What are the four essential features of a state?

Population, territory, sovereignty, government

A plan that provides the rules for government

A constitution

This statement in a constitution sets forth the goals and purposes to be served by the government

the Preamble

What does the term federalism refer to?

The division and sharing of power between the national and state governments

What is the difference between a direct and representative democracy - and which one is the United States?

one is where people vote and decide on policies without a representative and the other is when the people vote for reps who share similar ideals to act as the main enactor for the policies. The US is a representative democracy

Democrats and Republicans reflect what feature of democracy?

competing political parties

This is the concept that the monarch's power, or government, was not absolute.

limited government

The pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that called for independence from Britain was called this?

Common Sense

According to the Declaration of Independence, government should be based on the ______ of the ________

consent ; people

This is another term that refers to approving something? 

ratify

How many states were needed to ratify the U.S. Constitution?

9 out of the 13 states

The main goal of the Federalists was to establish this?

A strong national government

What are the three branches of the US government?

Judicial, Executive, Legislative

What are the two houses of the US Congress?

House of Reps. and The Senate

What is the purpose of checks and balances?

To keep the government from having too much power

Why is the “necessary and proper clause” often nicknamed the elastic clause?

It allows congress to stretch its powers beyond those explicitly listed in the Constitution

What power was established for the Supreme Court in the Marbury v Madison case?

Judicial review

Where in the Constitution are the "expressed" or enumerated (numbered out) powers listed?

Article I Section 8

What has been the only successful method to propose amendments?

For the Congress to propose them, then for the states to ratify

How does a treaty differ from an executive agreement?

It requires approval from the Senate

The states get their "reserved" powers from this amendment?  

10th amendment

Probable cause and usually this is needed for a search to occur according to the 4th Amendment?

A warrant

The Constitution grants these powers to the national government?

ability to levy taxes, regulate commerce, declare war, raise and support an army, coin money, establish post offices, establish federal courts

To protect against the power of the national government, the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution grants the states these powers?

Powers not given to the federal government are reserved to the states or people

The power to lay and collect taxes is an example of what type of power (both levels of gov't) ?

Expressed and concurrent powers

What is the meaning of the supremacy clause?  

Federal law takes precedence over the state law in the event of conflict

Article IV of the Constitution obligates states to give this to one another's citizens?

The same fundamental rights

States must honor the legality of one another's civil laws because of this?

Full Faith and Credit Clause

The course of action a government takes in response to an issue or problem is called this?

Public Policy

Federalism allows for real economic and political differences among the the ______. 

states

What day and month is election days always on?  

Tuesday ; November

What is the minimum electoral votes needed to win a presidential election?  

270

What was the purpose of the 26th Amendment?  

Extend the age to vote to 18 years old

The right to vote is also known as this? 

Suffrage

Which amendment granted women the right to vote? 

19th Amendment

What was the purpose of the 15th Amendment?

Guaranteed the right to vote to all male citizens, regardless of RACE, (color, or previous condition of servitude)

All means for communicating information to the public is referred to as this?

Mass Media

Many websites are considered this, because they only support their own point of view on issues.

Partisan

In the United States, any party other than the Democratic Party or the Republican Party is called this?

Third party

Our political party system in the United States can best be described as this type of system?

Two-Party System

A group of people joined together on the basis of common principles, who seek to control government and public policy are known as this?

Political Parties

This is an election in which only party members can vote to select their candidate to run in the general election?  

Closed Primary

This is a political party's statement of principles? 

Platform

This is a group organized to try and influence government policy?

Interest Groups

This includes the ideas and attitudes a significant number of Americans hold about government and political issues?  

Public Opinion

In conducting scientific polls, the group of people to be studied is called this? 

universe

The universe Individuals learn their political beliefs and attitudes in a process called this?  

Political Socialization

This is probably considered the most important duty of a president? 

Chief Executive

What are the three constitutional requirements to serve as US president?

35, resident for 14 years, born in the US

The vice president presides over this, according to the Constitution? 

The Senate

According to the Succession Act of 1947, who is next in line after the vice-president?

Speaker of The House

 New cabinet secretaries must be approved by whom?

The Senate

Cabinet members are responsible for their department and serve as this to the president?  

Advisors

When they wrote the Constitution, who did the Founders expect to lead the nation?

States

The president can issue these, which are rules that have the force of law?  

Executive Orders

A group pardon to people for an offense against the government, such as violating immigration law or evading the draft, is called this?  

Amnesty

One of the president's economic duties is to prepare this for the nation?  

Budget

What vote is necessary to ratify or approve a treaty?

2/3 vote

In this role, the president sees that the laws of Congress are carried out?  

Chief Executive

Each state's number of representatives is based on this?

Population

This is the presiding officer and most powerful leader of the House of Representatives.

Speaker of the House

The process of setting up new congressional districts after reapportionment is called this?  

Redistricting

This is the main task of the houses of Congress?

Create and passes laws

This committee is set up when the House and Senate have passed different versions of the same bill?  

Conference Committee

What is the purpose of a standing committee?

Oversee bills that deal with certain issues

A two-thirds majority vote of both houses of Congress is required to override this?  

A veto

in Anticle l, Section 8, of the Constitution, these powers of Congress are called this?

Enumerated Powers

This is a formal accusation of misconduct against a public official 

Impeachment

These meetings are sessions at which a committee listens to testimony?

Hearings

These bills deal with general matters and apply to the entire nation? 

Public bills

Representatives of interest groups that work to influence Congress are called this?  

Lobbyists

The authority to hear certain cases is called this?  

Jurisdiction

The celebrated decision in this case gave the Supreme Court judicial review. 

Marbury v. Madison

A federal district/trial court has what type of jurisdiction? 

limited jurisdiction

A state may not take a person's life, liberty, or property without this (phrase)?

probable cause

When both the state court and the federal court have jurisdiction, it is called this?

Concurrent Jurisdiction

One of these appellate courts is in each of 12 regions across the United States?  

Special appeal court with national jurisdiction

The Constitution provides that the president appoints all federal judges with the advice and consent of whom? 

The Senate

This is the court of last resort in all questions of federal law.

Supreme Court

This is the opinion of justices on the losing side of the case? 

Dissenting Opinion

This opinion expresses the views of the majority of the justices on a case?  

Majority Opinion

Under the principle of stare decisis, once the Court rules on a case, its decision becomes this?

A precedent

This is the foundation for deciding cases? 

Law

The Bill of Rights is a written guarantee that the government cannot do this to the rights of individuals.  

Take away the rights of individuals

Which amendment defined citizenship, as a person born or naturalized in the United States?  

14th Amendment

The process by which the Bill of Rights guarantees were extended to the states is called this? 

Incorporation

The Bill of Rights is comprised of how many amendments?  

10 Amendments

Which amendment protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures of property?

4th Amendment

Police must state that they have this to justify the search?

Probable Cause

The exclusionary rule excludes illegally obtained evidence from this?  

Court

Which amendment guarantees a defendant the assistance of counsel?

6th Amendment

The Miranda v Arizona case established that the Fifth Amendment requires police to inform suspects of their rights before this happens?

Arrest

The Constitution assigns the power to make immigration laws to whom?

Congress

People who flee to another country to escape persecution or danger are called this?  

Refugees

This legal process grants a person the rights and privileges of a citizen?  

Naturalization

Jus soli-the law of the soil-refers to citizenship based on this?  

Where one is born ; birthplace

This overruled the "separate but equal" doctrine?

Brown v. Board of Education 

When individuals are treated unfairly solely because of their race, gender, ethnic group, age, physical disability, or religion, they are victims of this?  

Discrimination