Government Final Exam

This is straight from the study guide, yo!

Democracy

Any system of government in which rule is by the people

Oligarchy

Any system of government in which a small group of people hold all of the power

Autocracy

Any system of government in which the power and authority to rule are in the hands of a single individual

The Four Purposes of Government

Maintain social order, provide public services, provide national security and defense, and provide for and control the economic system

The four essential features of a state

Population, Territory, Sovereignty and Government

The type of Economic system in the US

No nation has a true capitalist system, but the US is the closest example to that. We would really consider it a mixed market economy

Connecticut Compromise

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An agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention that defined the legislative structure and representation each state would receive under the Constitution. 

Virginia Plan

A proposal to the United States Constitutional Convention for the creation of a Supreme national government with three branches and a bicameral legislature. 

New Jersey Plan

 Plan introduced by William Patterson that was designed to keep an equal vote in Congress for each state.

What were the Articles of Confederation?

Acted as the United States first Constitution, was ratified in 1781, and was officially replaced by the Constitution in 1789.

Three main sections of the Constitution

Preamble, Articles and Amendments

Three branches of the US Government

Executive, Legislative, Judicial

Six major principles of the Constitution

1) Federalism

2) Popular Sovereignty

3) Checks & Balances

4) Separation of Powers

5) Limited Government

6) Judicial Review

Current number of Amendments

27

First Amendment

Gives us five freedoms: Religion, Petition, Assembly, Press and Speech

Second Amendment

The right to bear arms (guns)

Third Amendment

No soldiers staying in citizens homes during times of peace

Fourth Amendment

Protection from unreasonable search and siezure

Fifth Amendment

Establishes “due process” and allows people to avoid self incrimination. Also prevents double jepardy and people can not be deprived of life, liberty or property.

Sixth Amendment

Speedy & Public trial with an impartial jury. You will also be provided a lawyer if you can not afford one

Seventh Amendment

Civil cases involving money, $500 or more, will be heard by a jury

Eighth Amendment

“Time must equal the crime”, No excessive bail, fines or cruel and unusual punishment

Greg v. Georgia, 1976 says death penalty is okay

Ninth Amendment

“People Power”, basically we have all other rights not listed

Tenth Amendment

“State Power” Created Concurrent & Reserved Powers

Federalism

When power is divided between national and state government

Extradition

The act of returning criminals or fugitives to their respective state after fleeing state lines to avoid persecution

Supremacy Clause

Clause in the Constitution, Article VI section 2, that makes the acts and treaties of the US supreme. It states: This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof, and all treaties made…. Under the Authority of the United states, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every state shall be bound thereby. 

Bicameral Legislature

What the US Congress is: made up of two houses

Reapportionment

The process where the population of each state determines the new number of representatives to which each is entitled

Gerrymandering

Means that the political party controlling the state government draws a district’s bounderies to gain an advantage in elections

Michigan senators

Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters

Length of term for a Senator

six years

Length of a term for a representative

Two years

Qualifications to be a Senator

Must be at least 30 years old, citizens of the US for 9 years before election, and a legal resident of the state they represent

Qualifications to be a representative

At least 25 years old, a US citizen for at least seven years and an inhabitant of the state they represent

The Speaker of the House

The presiding officer of the House and its most powerful leader… Current SOTH is Kevin McCarthy

Constituents

The people in the districts Representatives represent

Current VP

Khamila Harris

Quorum

The minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to take official action

Purposes of Committees

Committees help ease the workload and are the key power centers in Congress

Four types of committees

Standing committees, subcommittees, select committees and joint committees

“The Members of Congress” run down

Congress has 535 voting members, 100 being senators and the rest are representatives. Nearly half the members in Congress are lawyers, and most are white middle-aged men. Most people who are elected into Congress once stay for the rest of their professional lives because members never lose reelection

Expressed Powers

The powers of the national government that are explicitly listed in the Constitution

Implied Powers

Political powers granted to the US government that aren’t explicitly stated in the Constitution

Inhereted Powers

The three powers are: the power of taxation, police power, and the power of eminent domain

Private Bills

Deal with individual people or places

Public Bills

Deal with general matters and apply to the entire nation

Joint resolutions

The president’s signature gives it the force of law, JR may correct an error in an earlier law

Concurrent resolutions

Cover matters requiring the action of the House and Senate, but on which a law is not needed

Veto

When a president refuses to sign and a bill and it returns to the house of Congress

Pocket Veto

A technique where the president kills a bill passed in the last ten days Congress is in session by refusing to act on it

How to Override a veto

Congress can override a veto by a 2/3 majority in both chambers

Why do so few bills get passed

Law making process is very long and conveluted!!

Twenty Second Amendment

No person shall be elected to the office of president more than twice

Twenty Fifth Amendment

If the president dies or is removed from office, the VP will become president. Then the new Prez chooses a VP

Current Prez and VP

Joseph Biden & Khamila Harris

Consitutional Requirements to be Prez

Must be natural born, at least 35 years old and must have resided in the US for at least 14 years

Unwritten Requirements for Prez

Government experience, importance of money, moderate political beliefs, personal characteristics (white cis male), and personal growth

Length of presidential term

Four years

Salary & Perks

400k a year, free medical and dental, free housing (the white house), free buisness related travel and spending, and vacation home

Line of Succession to the presidency

VP, Speaker of the house, President of the Senate, Secretary of State

Cabinet

The most senior appointed officers of the executive branch

Current US Secretary of State

Anthony J. Blinken

Current US Secretary of Defense

Lloyd Austin III

Current US Attorney General

Merrick Garland

Limits of the President

Prez cannot make laws, declare war, decide how federal money will be spent, interpret laws, and choose cabinet members or SC Justices without Senate approval

7 Roles of the President

Commander in Chief, Chief of state, Chief executive, chief administrator, Chief legislator, and Party chief

Treaty

Formal agreements between the governments of two or more countries

Electoral College

The body of people representing the US who formally cast votes for the election of the Prez and VP

Jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear and determine cases

Marbury V. Madison, 1803 Importance

Established judicial review

Number of supreme court justices

Nine justices

Number of cases heard in the Supreme Court

Usually only 100-150 a year

Current chief justice

John G. Roberts Jr.

Article III

Establishes the judicial branch of the US government

Length of term for Justices

Life time, but they can retire

Brown v. BOE, Topeka KS, (1954) importance

Ended legalized racism in the schools of the US

Four types of opions that courts can have

Unanimous, majority, concurring, and dissenting

New Jersey vs. TLO, 1985 importance

Public School administrators can search a student’s belongings if they have reasonable suspicion.

How does the Supreme Court shape public policy?

When federal judges rule that laws or government actions violate the spirit of the Constitution they profoundly shape public policy

Jus Soli

 Latin phrase that means “law of the soil”... This term is the basis that says citizenship is granted to almost all peoples born on US soil. Excludes children born to foreign diplomats.

Jus Sanguinis

Latin phrase meaning “law of blood”.. Basically says that citizenship is granted to children born to legal US citizens

Collective Naturalization

The process through which a nation acquires a portion of foreign territory and provides citizenship to all inhabitants of that territory

Resident Alien

A person from a foreign nation who has established permanent residences in the United States

Illegal Alien

A person who comes to the United States without a legal permit, such as a passport or visa.

14th Amendment

Grants citizenship and equal civil and legal rights to African Americans and enslaved pople wo had been emancipated after the civil war

Minor/Third Party

Any party other than one of the two major parties

Type of party system in the US

Two party system!

Six functions of Political Parties

Recruite candidates, educate the public, operating the gov (#1 goal), Dispensing patronage, loyal opposition/watchdog role, reduction of conflict

Requirements to vote in Michigan

In order to vote a citizen must be a legal resident of the United States, at least 18 years old, and not a convicted felon or legally insane. To register, you usually must do so 15 to 30 days before the election and fill out the legal forms asking for basic information. You must register to vote so your decision is legally binding!  Many states have same day registration now, including Michigan

Suffrage

The right to vote

15th Amendment

Granted African American men the right to vote

19th Amendment

Granted women the right to vote

26th Amendment

Changed the voting age from 21 to 18

How to qualify for an absentee ballot

In Michigan all voters are eligible to vote via a mail in ballot without having to name a reason. You can request a ballot online or at the clerk's office. But in general you can vote by absentee ballot if: (1) you will be out of town on Election Day; (2) you will be hospitalized on Election Day; (3) you have a physical disability or special illness that makes it difficult to get to the polling place (in such cases  a doctor’s certificate may be needed); (4) you cannot vote on Election Day because of religious observances; or (5) you will be in jail for a misdemeanor or are awaiting trial.

Public opinion

The ideas and attitudes a significant number of Americans hold about government and political issues

Main agent of political socialization

Family and the school environment

Ideology

A set of basic beliefs about life, culture, government, and society

When is election day?

The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November

News release

A ready-made story officials prepare for members of the press