Civics Final Exam Flashcards

Political Party Platforms

• Political party platforms are sets of beliefs, principles, and positions on major issues that a political party adopts.
• They serve as a guide for what the party and its candidates will advocate for if elected.

Comparing and Contrasting Republican and Democratic Parties

• Similarities:
  • Both are major parties aiming to win elections and influence policy.
  • Both operate at local, state, and national levels.
  • Both must appeal to a broad base of voters to be successful.
• Differences:
  • Republicans: Generally favor lower taxes, less government regulation, strong national defense, and conservative social policies.
  • Democrats: Generally favor higher taxes on the wealthy, more government regulation, social welfare programs, and liberal social policies.

Liberal vs. Conservative Political Positions

• Liberal:
  • Advocates for government intervention to address social and economic inequality.
  • Supports civil rights and social freedoms.
  • Tends to favor diplomacy and international cooperation.
• Conservative:
  • Advocates for limited government intervention and individual responsibility.
  • Supports traditional values and institutions.
  • Tends to favor a strong national defense and assertive foreign policy.

Caucus

• A meeting of party members to select candidates or decide policy.
• A system of local gatherings where voters decide which candidate to support.

Direct Primary

• An election in which voters directly choose candidates to represent their party in a general election.
• A preliminary election where a party's candidates for office are nominated directly by voters.

Closed Primary

• A primary election in which only registered party members can vote.
• Limits participation to individuals officially registered with a particular political party.

Open Primary

• A primary election in which any registered voter can vote, regardless of party affiliation.
• Allows voters to participate in any primary election without declaring a party affiliation.

Nominating Conventions

• Formal meetings where political parties officially nominate their candidates for president and vice president.
• Used to rally party members and announce the party platform.

Third Parties

• Political parties that are not the Republican or Democratic parties.
• Often focus on specific issues or ideologies.

Ideological Party

• A party based on a particular set of beliefs or ideology (e.g., Libertarian Party, Green Party).

Single-Issue Party

• A party focused on one particular issue (e.g., Prohibition Party).

Splinter Party

• A party that breaks away from a major party (e.g., Bull Moose Party).

History of Political Parties in the US

• The first parties emerged in the late 18th century (Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists).
• The Democratic and Republican parties became dominant in the mid-19th century.
• Party systems have evolved through different eras, marked by realignment and shifts in power.

Benefits and Disadvantages of the Two-Party System

• Benefits:
  • Promotes stability by reducing the likelihood of coalition governments.
  • Simplifies choices for voters.
  • Generally leads to more moderate policies.
• Disadvantages:
  • Limits voter choice.
  • Can lead to political polarization.
  • May not adequately represent minority interests.

Benefits and Disadvantages of a Multiple-Party System

• Benefits:
  • Offers voters a wider range of choices.
  • Can lead to greater representation of diverse interests.
• Disadvantages:
  • Can lead to unstable coalition governments.
  • May make it difficult for voters to understand the political landscape.
  • Can result in extremist parties gaining influence.

19th Amendment

• Guaranteed women the right to vote (1920).

26th Amendment

• Lowered the voting age to 18 (1971).

Term Lengths of Federal Representatives

• House of Representatives: 2 years.
• Senate: 6 years.
• President: 4 years.

Rough Dates of Historical Events

• Vietnam War: Mid-1950s to 1975.
• World War 2: 1939-1945.
• Construction of the Panama Canal: 1904-1914.
• Spanish-American War: 1898.

Initiative

• A process that allows citizens to propose and enact state and local laws directly.
• Citizens can propose a law or constitutional amendment by gathering signatures on a petition.

Referendum

• A process that allows citizens to approve or reject a law passed by the legislature.
• A state-level method of direct legislation that gives voters a chance to approve or disapprove proposed legislation or a proposed constitutional amendment.

Recall

• A procedure allowing citizens to remove and replace a public official before the end of their term.

Federal Election Cycle

• Elections for federal offices (President, Senators, Representatives) occur every two years.
• Presidential elections are every four years, congressional elections every two years.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)

• Also known as McCain-Feingold Act.
• A law that regulates campaign finance, including limits on campaign contributions and soft money.

Propaganda Techniques

Appeal to Authority

• Using endorsements from famous or respected people to support a product or idea.

Appeal to Fear

• Creating support for an idea by using deception and propaganda in attempts to increase fear and prejudice toward another option.

Glittering Generality

• Using vague, emotionally appealing words that are associated with highly-valued concepts and beliefs.
• Employing loaded language that evokes strong feelings.

Bandwagon

• Convincing people to support something because everyone else is.
• Appealing to the desire to fit in.

Jurisdiction of the Constitution and Elections

• The Constitution establishes the framework for elections, including voting rights and procedures.
• Federal laws and court decisions further define and protect these rights.

Registering to Vote

• The process of signing up to vote, which usually involves providing proof of identity and residence.

National Voter Registration Act

• Also known as "Motor Voter Act."
• Made it easier for Americans to register to vote by allowing them to register when applying for a driver's license or other state services.

American Internationalism vs. American Isolationism

• American Internationalism: Involvement in global affairs and cooperation with other countries.
• American Isolationism: Avoiding involvement in foreign affairs and alliances.

Bush Doctrine of Preemption

• The policy of taking preemptive military action against perceived threats before they can attack the United States.

Mutual Defense Alliance

• An agreement between countries to defend each other in case of an attack.
• Examples include NATO.

Sanctions

• Economic or political penalties imposed on a country to force it to change its behavior.

Diplomacy

• The practice of conducting negotiations between countries to resolve conflicts peacefully.

NAFTA

• North American Free Trade Agreement.
• An agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico to eliminate trade barriers.

Executive Agreements

• Agreements between the President and the leaders of other countries that do not require Senate approval.

UNESCO

• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

OPEC

• Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

NATO

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
• A military alliance between North American and European countries.

UNICEF

• United Nations Children's Fund.

BRAC

• Base Realignment and Closure.
• A process used by the United States Department of Defense to reorganize its base structure to more efficiently and effectively support its forces, increase operational readiness and facilitate new ways of doing business.

Human Rights Watch

• An international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights.

PAC

• Political Action Committee.
• An organization that raises money to elect and defeat candidates.

Super PAC

• A type of independent political committee which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is not permitted to contribute to or coordinate directly with parties or candidates.