US Government Course Review Sheet

democratic government

a form of government in which the supreme authority rests with the people

state jurisdiction

state courts have exclusive jurisdiction over all matters to which the federal judicial power does not reach

legislative branch

the branch of the United States government that has the power of legislating

judicial branch

the branch of the United States government responsible for the administration of justice.

executive branch

the branch of the United States government that is responsible for carrying out the laws

autocracy

a form of government in which a single person holds unlimited political power

dictatorship

a form of government in which the leader has absolute power and authority

unitary government

a centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single, central agency

federal government

a form of government in which powers are divided between a central government and several local governments

confederate government

a form of government involving several groups (11 other states) for a common purpose

separation of powers

basic principle of american system of government, that executive, legislative, and judicial powers are divided among three independent and coequal branches of government

checks and balances

system of overlapping the powers of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to permit each branch to check the actions of the others

limited government

basic principle of american government which states that government is restricted in what it may do, and each individual has rights that government cannot take away

federalism

a system of government in which a written constitution divides power between a central, or national government and several regional governments

supremacy clause

Article VI, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution, known as Supremacy of National Law , establishes the U.S. Constitution, U.S. Treaties, and Federal Statutes as "the supreme law of the land."

judicial review

the power of a court to determine the constitutionality of a governmental action

popular sovereignty

basic principle of the american system of government which asserts that the people are the source of any and all governmental power, and government can exist only with the consent of the governed

declaration of independence

A document declaring the US to be independent of the British Crown, signed on July 4, 1776, by the congressional representatives of the Thirteen Colonies, including Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams

voting behavior

The trend of how people are voting, influenced by political socialization.

civil service

those civilian employees who perform the administrative work of government

interest groups

private organizations whose members share certain views and work to shape public policy

mass media

those means of communication that reach large audiences, especially television, radio, printed publications, and the internet

public opinion

the complex collection of the opinions of many different people; the sum of all their views

gerrymandering

the drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party of group

necessary and proper clause

constitutional clause that gives congress the power to make all laws "necessary and proper" for executing its powers; aka "elastic clause"

eminent domain

power of a government to take private property for public use

congresssional leadership

Each party selects, by popular vote, a leader, assistant leader and/or a whip. The House also selects a speaker, once again by popular vote of his or her party. The Speaker of the House is a member of the majority party.

seniority rule

unwritten rule in both houses of congress reserving the top posts in each chamber, particularly committee chairmanships, for members with the longest records of service

expressed powers

those delegated powers of the national government that are spelled out, expressly, in the constitution; aka "enumerated powers"

implied powers

the delegated powers of the national government that are suggested by the expressed powers set out in the constitution; those "necessary and proper" to carry out the expressed powers

electoral college

group of persons chosen in each state and the district of columbia every four years who make a formal selection of the president and vice president

executive order

directive, rule, or regulation issued by a chief executive or subordinates, based upon constitutional or statutory authority and having the force of law

executive agreement

a pact made by the president directly with the head of a foreign state; a binding international agreement with the force of law but which (unlike a treaty) does not require senate consent

veto process

president vetoes a bill, states its objections, sends it back to congress to make changes. congress revotes the bill, then sends it back to the white house for signature

concurrent jurisdiction

power shared by federal and state courts to hear certain cases

original jurisdiction

the power of a court to hear a case first, before any other court

appellate jurisdiction

the authority of a court to review decisions of inferior (lower) courts

federal jurisdiction

the jurisdiction of the federal government in any country that uses federalism. Such a country is known as a Federation.

precedent

court decision that stands as an example to be followed in future, similar cases

due process

the government must act fairly and in accord with established rules in all that it does. (5th & 14th amendments)

double jeopardy

the prosecution of a defendant for a criminal offense for which he/she has already been tried

equal protection of the law

part of the 14th amendment t to the United States Constitution, provides that "no state shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws"

dual court system

the division between the federal and state court system

supreme court

the highest u.s. court in most states

marbury v. madison

this case provided the constitutional basis for the Supreme Court's power of judicial review of the actions and laws of the federal government

plessy v. ferguson

this case established the legal grounds for "separate but equal" facilities for whites and blacks

brown v. board of education

this case was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. "separate is not equal"

roe v. wade

this case was a landmark controversial decision by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion

u.s. v. nixon

this case established executive privilege

miranda v. arizona

this case established arrest rights and due process