GOV Final

Mr. Sehloff's Class

Constitution

a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed.

Legislative Power

the power to make a law and to frame public policies

Executive Power

the power to execute, enforce, and administer law

Judicial Power

the power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle disputes that arise within the society

population, territory, sovereignty, government

Characteristics of a State

1. Form a more Perfect Union2. Establish Justice3. Insure Domestic Tranquility4. Provide for a Common Defense5. Promote General Welfare6. Secure Blessings of Liberty

Six purposes of government

Limited Government

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.

Representative Government

system of government in which public policies are made by officials selected by the voters and held accountable in periodic elections

Continental Congress

The legislative assembly composed of delegates from the rebel colonies who met during and after the American Revolution

Articles of Confederation

1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)

Creating the Constitution

-this was America's solution in the call for a stronger government-The Philadelphia meetings were long and heated. -Each state sent delegates to the meeting except for Rhode Island.-The delegates who attended were known as the framers of the constitution.

Ratification of the Constitution

required 9 out of 13 states to ratify (approve) it to become law.

Federalism

System of government in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Separation of Powers

the division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government

Judicial Review

Allows the court to determine the constitutionality of laws

Process of Amending the Constitution

The Constitution provides that an amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution

Executive Agreement

A formal agreement between the U.S. president and the leaders of other nations that does not require Senate approval.

Electoral College

A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

Cabinet

Advisory council for the president consisting of the heads of the executive departments, the vice president, and a few other officials selected by the president.

Veto Power

presidential power to stop a bill from becoming a law by rejecting it

Delegated Powers

Powers specifically given to the federal government by the US Constitution, for example, the authority to print money.

Expressed Powers

powers that congress has that are specifically listed in the constitution

Implied Powers

Powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution

Inherent Powers

powers claimed by a president that are not expressed in the Constitution but are inferred from it

Reserved Powers

powers that the Constitution does not give to the national government that are kept by the states

Exclusive Powers

Those powers that can be exercised by the National Government alone

Concurrent Powers

powers shared by the national and state governments

Supremacy Clause

Constitution is the supreme law of the land

Extradition

A legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed.

priviledges and immunities clause

Prevents a state from treating citizens from other states in a discriminatory manner.

Political Party

A group of individuals with broad common interests who organize to nominate candidates for office, win elections, conduct government, and determine public policy

Major Parties

Republicans and Democrats

Partisanship

the strong support of their party and its policy stands

Party in power

the party that controls the executive branch of government

Minor Party

One of the political parties not widely supported

two-party system

A political system dominated by two major parties

Plurality

the number of votes cast for a candidate who receives more than any other but does not receive an absolute majority.

One-party system

A political system in which only one party exists

Multiparty system

A system in which three or more political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition.

Bipartisan

supported by two parties

Ballot access

Allowing a political party to put a candidate on the ballot

Ideological Parties

Parties based on a particular set of beliefs, a comprehensive view of social, economic, and political matters

Single-issue parties

Parties that concentrate on only one public policy matter

economic protest parties

Parties rooted in poor economic times, lacking a clear ideological base, dissatisfied with current conditions and demanding better times

Splinter parties

parties that have split away from one of the major parties

Incumbant

the person already holding an elective office

Sectionalism

Loyalty to one's own region of the country, rather than to the nation as a whole

Functions of political parties

1. recruiting candidates for public office 2. organizing and running elections 3.Presenting alternative policies to the electorate 4. Accepting responsibility for operating the government 5. acting as the organized opposition to the party in power.

History, what we are used to, just happens

Why do we have a two-party system

Sufferage/Franchise

the right to vote

Electorate

All of the people entitled to vote in a given election

Registration

a procedure of voter identification intended to prevent fraudulent voting

Purge

Name taken off voters list after years of not voting

Gerrymandering

Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.

Literacy

the ability to read and write

Poll Tax

A requirement that citizens pay a tax in order to register to vote

Civil Rights Act of 1965

also known as the Voting Rights Act gave federal protection to black voters which allowed many more to vote and participate in the government.

ballot fatigue

the farther down the ballot an office is, the fewer the number of votes that will be cast for it

political efficacy

The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can actually make a difference

party identification

a citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other

Independent

A voter or candidate who does not identify with a political party.

off-year election

An election taking place in a year when no presidential elections are occurring

Expansion of the Electorate

amendments 14, 15, 19, 23, 24, 26; increase in amount of voters

15th Amendment

gave African American men the right to vote

19th Amendment

Gave women the right to vote

24th Amendment

Abolishes poll taxes

26th Amendment

Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18

Petition

a formal request for government action

Nomination

The official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party. Generally, success in the nomination game requires momentum, money, and media attention.

Caucus

A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.

Direct Primary

where voters directly select the candidates who will run for office

Ballot

the list of candidates on which you cast your vote

Absentee Ballot

a ballot completed and typically mailed in advance of an election by a voter who is unable to be present at the polls.

Australian ballot

a government-printed ballot of uniform dimensions to be cast in secret that many states adopted around 1890 to reduce voting fraud associated with party-printed ballots cast in public

Precinct

A voting district

Presidential electors

a person elected by the voters to represent them in making a formal selection of the Vice President and President

presidential primary

A statewide primary election of delegates to a political party's national convention, held to determine a party's presidential nominee.

National Convention

The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party's platform.

Executive order

A rule issued by the president that has the force of law

persona non grata

an unwelcome person; used to describe recalled diplomatic officials

Pardon

legal forgiveness of a crime

Reprieve

postponement of a sentence

Commutation

The power to reduce (commute) the length of a sentence or fine for a crime

Amnesty

a pardon to a group of people

Inferior courts

The lower federal courts, beneath the Supreme Court

Jurisdiction

the official power to make legal decisions and judgments

Plaintiff

a person who brings a case against another in a court of law.

Defendent

an individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law.

Civil case

a case involving the rights of citizens

Docket

a court's list of cases to be heard

writ of certiorari

An order by a higher court directing a lower court to send up a case for review

Majority opinion

a statement that presents the views of the majority of supreme court justices regarding a case

Precedent

an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances.

dissenting opinion

A statement written by a justice who disagrees with the majority opinion, presenting his or her opinion

Marbury v. Madison

This case establishes the Supreme Court's power of Judicial Review

Special courts

federal courts which were created by Congress to hear specific types of cases. Sometimes called "legislative courts," they include: the Court of Military Appeals, the Claims Court, the Tax Court, territorial courts, and the courts of the District of Columbia.