POLIS and Civics Study Guide Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering POLIS founding history, core constitutional principles, federal branches, electoral mechanics, and civic participation procedures.

Sam Barnett

The founder of POLIS.

Cornell University

The founding university of POLIS in 2016.

Columbia University

A university that is part of the POLIS chapter network, distinct from its founding university.

Federalism

The organization of government power where authority is divided between national and state governments (different levels of government).

Separation of Powers

The division of government responsibilities among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches (different jobs).

Checks and Balances

The system where each branch of government has ways to limit the power of the other branches, such as a presidential veto of a bill passed by Congress.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that government gets its authority from the people, who are the source of legitimate political power.

Rule of Law

The principle that everyone, including government officials, is subject to the law, meaning holding office does not place a person above it.

Legislative Branch (Congress)

The branch of government that makes federal laws, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Executive Branch (President)

The branch of government that carries out and enforces federal laws, with the authority to sign or veto bills.

Judicial Branch (Federal Courts)

The branch of government that interprets laws and evaluates government actions.

Judicial Review

The power of federal courts to determine whether laws or government actions violate the Constitution.

House of Representatives

The congressional chamber whose members serve two-year terms and hold the exclusive power to impeach a president.

Senate

The congressional chamber where each state has two senators serving six-year terms; it confirms presidential nominees to the Supreme Court and conducts presidential impeachment trials.

Impeachment

The formal bringing of charges against a president by the House of Representatives, which does not automatically remove the president from office.

Conviction and Removal

The process conducted by the Senate that requires a two-thirds vote of senators present to remove an impeached president.

Veto Override

The action by which Congress nullifies a presidential veto, requiring a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Primary Election

An election held to help select a political party's nominee.

General Election

An election that determines which candidate actually holds public office.

Electoral College

The constitutional mechanism where a presidential candidate must secure a majority of electoral votes to win the presidency, rather than relying solely on the popular vote or county totals.

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

The constitutional amendment that protects the voting rights of citizens age 18 and older from denial based on age.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

First Amendment

The constitutional amendment protecting freedoms involving religion, speech, the press, peaceful assembly, and petitioning the government.

Civil Liberties

Protections for individual freedoms, such as freedom of speech.

Civil Rights

Protections for equal treatment and against discrimination.

Constitutional Amendment Process

The most common amending procedure, consisting of proposal by two-thirds of both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states.

Local Zoning Civic Action

Addressing local land-use matters by contacting the city commission or council and participating directly in the local public hearing.

Evaluating Online Political Claims

Verifying digital information by tracing a claim to its original source and checking its date, context, and supporting credible, independent evidence.

What is the difference between civil liberties and civil rights?

Civil liberties = individual freedoms. Civil rights = equal treatment and protection from discrimination.

Can the president amend the Constitution alone?

No. Amendments require proposal and ratification through the constitutional amendment process.