Civics Semester 1 Final Study Guide

Key terms and definitions for Civics Final Exam.

John Locke

Enlightenment philosopher who influenced the Declaration of Independence.

Social contract

Agreement between individuals and the government, where individuals give up some rights in exchange for protection.

Salutary Neglect

British policy of avoiding strict enforcement of parliamentary laws meant to keep the American colonies obedient to England.

Representative democracy

System where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

Direct democracy

System where citizens directly vote on policies and laws.

Declaration of Independence

Document declaring the 13 American colonies independent from Great Britain.

Inalienable rights

Rights that cannot be taken away, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Federalism

Division of power between a central government and state governments.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States, which had a weak central government.

The Constitution

The document that establishes the framework of the U.S. federal government.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, which protect individual rights and liberties.

3/5 Compromise

Compromise where enslaved people were counted as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes.

Popular sovereignty

The principle that the authority of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives.

3 branches of government

Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches of the U.S. government.

Federalist Papers

A collection of 85 articles and essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution.

Anti-Federalists

People who opposed the ratification of the Constitution.

Referendum

A general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision.

Ballot initiatives

A means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a government to choose either to enact a law or to hold a public vote in the legislature.

Modifying/enforcing/creating public policy

The process of making, implementing, and changing government policies to address public issues.

Grant aid

Money the federal government gives to state and local governments for a specific purpose.

Block Aid

Federal money given to states with few strings attached.

Tribal governments

Governing bodies of Native American tribes.

State court system v. Federal

The distinction between state-level judicial bodies and the national federal court system.

Revenue Resources on the local/City/state level

Sources of income for local, city, and state governments such as taxes, fees, and other revenues.

Charters

A document granting rights, powers, or privileges from the sovereign power of a state or country to an individual or corporation.

Senator

A member of the Senate, serving a term of six years.

Representative

A member of the House of Representatives, serving a term of two years.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer of the House of Representatives.

President of the Senate

The Vice President of the United States, who presides over the Senate.

Implied powers

Powers not specifically listed in the Constitution but are implied as necessary for the government to fulfill its duties.

Enumerated powers

Powers specifically listed in the Constitution as belonging to the federal government.

Checks and balances

A system in which each branch of government limits the power of the other branches.

Senators & Representatives (numbers for each)

100 Senators (2 per state) and 435 Representatives (based on state population).

State of the Union

An annual message delivered by the President of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress.

Vice President’s duties

To succeed the president if they cannot continue to serve, and to act as the president of the Senate.

Electoral College

A body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.

Line of succession

The order in which individuals may become president if the current president is unable to serve.

Qualifications for becoming president

Natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and a resident of the United States for 14 years.

Conservative/Liberal/Moderate ideologies

Different sets of beliefs about government and policy.

Political parties

Organized groups of people with similar political aims and opinions, that seek to influence public policy by getting their candidates elected to public office.

Third party candidates

Parties other than the two major parties (Republican and Democrat).

Cabinet

Advisory body to the President, composed of the heads of the 15 executive departments.

President’s term of office/term limits

4-year term; limited to two terms in office.

Bureaucracy

A system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives.

Civil Rights Amendments (13th, 14th, 15th)

Amendments that abolished slavery, guaranteed equal protection under the law, and prohibited denying voting rights based on race or previous condition of servitude.

Judicial Review

The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional.

Marbury v Madison

Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review.

Majority opinion

A judicial opinion agreed to by more than half of the members of a court.

Dissenting opinion

An opinion in a legal case in which one or more judges express disagreement with the majority opinion of the court.

Concurring opinions

A written opinion by one or more judges of a court which agrees with the decision made by the majority of the court, but states different (or additional) reasons as the basis for his or her decision.

How are federal judges selected?

Appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

Supreme Court: how many justices are there?

Nine justices.