Gov Mid term
Articles of Confederation — First U.S. government (1781) with a very weak central government; lacked power to tax, regulate trade, or enforce laws.
Shays' Rebellion — 1786 rebellion by farmers that exposed weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and helped lead to the Constitutional Convention.
Constitutional Convention (1787) — Meeting where delegates created the U.S. Constitution and redesigned the national government.
Virginia Plan — Proposed representation based on population; favored large states.
New Jersey Plan — Proposed equal representation for each state; favored small states.
Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise) — Created bicameral Congress: House based on population and Senate with equal representation.
Three-Fifths Compromise — Counted enslaved people as 3/5 of a person for representation and taxation.
Judicial Interpretation — Most common way the Constitution’s meaning changes through court decisions.
Judicial Review — Power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional.
Marbury v. Madison (1803) — Supreme Court case that established judicial review.
Jurisdiction — Authority of a court to hear and decide a case.
Stare Decisis — Legal principle that courts follow precedent from previous cases.
Judicial Activism — When courts take an active role in interpreting the Constitution and shaping policy.
Judicial Restraint — When courts avoid overturning laws and defer to elected branches.
Electoral College — System used to elect the president where electors cast votes for candidates.
Electoral Votes — Number of electors a state has (House members + 2 senators).
Faithless Elector — Elector who votes differently than the candidate they pledged to support.
Executive Order — Directive issued by the president that has the force of law for federal agencies.
Commander in Chief — Role of the president as leader of the U.S. military.
Chief Diplomat — Role of the president managing foreign policy and treaties.
Chief of State — Role of the president as ceremonial leader and symbol of the nation.
Chief Executive — Role of the president enforcing federal laws and overseeing agencies.
Chief Legislator — Role of the president influencing the lawmaking process.
Party Leader — Role of the president as leader of their political party.
Power to Persuade — President’s ability to influence Congress and the public to support policies.
Going Public — Strategy where the president appeals directly to citizens to pressure Congress.
Coattail Effect — When a popular president helps members of their party win elections.
Honeymoon Period — First months of a president’s term when approval is high and legislation is easier to pass.
Lame Duck Period — Time between the November election and the inauguration in January.
Bicameral Legislature — Legislature with two chambers (House and Senate).
Delegate Model — Representatives vote based on the preferences of their constituents.
Trustee Model — Representatives use their own judgment to make decisions.
Politico Model — Combination of delegate and trustee approaches.
Standing Committees — Permanent congressional committees that handle most legislation.
Joint Committees — Committees with members from both the House and Senate.
Conference Committee — Temporary committee that resolves differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.
Select Committee — Temporary committee created for a specific issue or investigation.
Speaker of the House — Most powerful leader in the House of Representatives.
Majority Leader — Leader of the majority party in Congress.
Minority Leader — Leader of the minority party in Congress.
Whip — Party leader responsible for gathering votes and maintaining party discipline.
President of the Senate — Role held by the Vice President who presides over the Senate.
President Pro Tempore — Senator who presides when the Vice President is absent.
Bill — Proposed law introduced in Congress.
Committee Stage — Step where bills are reviewed and debated before reaching the floor.
Rules Committee — House committee that sets rules for debate on a bill.
Conference Committee — Committee that merges House and Senate versions of a bill.
Presidential Veto — President rejects a bill passed by Congress.
Pocket Veto — When a president does not sign a bill and Congress adjourns within 10 days.
Veto Override — Congress can pass a bill despite a veto with a two-thirds vote.
Redistricting — Redrawing congressional district boundaries every 10 years.
Gerrymandering — Manipulating district boundaries to gain political advantage.
Packing — Concentrating opposing voters into a small number of districts.
Cracking — Spreading opposing voters across many districts to weaken their influence.
Incumbency Advantage — Benefits current officeholders have when running for reelection.
Open Seat — Election where no incumbent is running.
Credit Claiming — When legislators take credit for bringing government resources to their district.
Casework — Helping constituents solve problems with government agencies.
Seniority — Length of time a member has served in Congress.
Seniority Rule — Longest-serving member of the majority party often becomes committee chair.
Two-Party System — Political system dominated by two major parties.
Historical Dualism — Tradition of two major competing political parties in U.S. history.
Median Voter Theory — Parties move toward moderate positions to win the most votes.
Self-Perpetuation — Major parties maintain dominance through resources and organization.
Party Realignment — Major shift in political party support among voters.
Q: How many branches of government are there?
A: 3 (Legislative, Executive, Judicial)
Q: How many articles are in the Constitution?
A: 7
Q: How many amendments are in the Constitution?
A: 27
Q: How many amendments are in the Bill of Rights?
A: 10
Q: What fraction of enslaved people were counted for representation in the Three-Fifths Compromise?
A: 3/5
Q: How many electoral votes are there total in the Electoral College?
A: 538
Q: How many electoral votes are needed to win the presidency?
A: 270
Q: How many members are in the House of Representatives?
A: 435
Q: How many members are in the Senate?
A: 100
Q: How many senators does each state have?
A: 2
Q: How long is a House term?
A: 2 years
Q: How long is a Senate term?
A: 6 years
Q: How long is a presidential term?
A: 4 years
Q: What amendment limits presidents to two terms?
A: 22nd Amendment
Q: How often is the census conducted?
A: Every 10 years
Q: How many Supreme Court justices are there?
A: 9
Q: What year established judicial review in Marbury v. Madison?
A: 1803
Q: How many votes are needed in the Senate to overcome a filibuster (cloture)?
A: 60 votes
Q: How many votes are needed to override a presidential veto?
A: 2/3 vote in both houses
Q: How many states are required to ratify a constitutional amendment?
A: 3/4 of states (38)
Q: How many states must propose a constitutional amendment convention?
A: 2/3 of states (34)
Q: How many days does the president have to sign or veto a bill before it automatically becomes law (if Congress is in session)?
A: 10 days
Q: What does the 1st Amendment protect?
A: Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
Q: What does the 2nd Amendment protect?
A: The right to bear arms.
Q: What does the 3rd Amendment prohibit?
A: Quartering soldiers in private homes during peacetime without consent.
Q: What does the 4th Amendment protect against?
A: Unreasonable searches and seizures; requires warrants with probable cause.
Q: What rights are protected in the 5th Amendment?
A:
Due process
Protection against self-incrimination
Double jeopardy protection
Eminent domain requires just compensation
Q: What does the 6th Amendment guarantee?
A:
Right to a speedy trial
Public trial
Impartial jury
Right to a lawyer
Right to confront witnesses
Q: What does the 7th Amendment guarantee?
A: Right to a jury trial in civil cases.
Q: What does the 8th Amendment prohibit?
A:
Excessive bail
Excessive fines
Cruel and unusual punishment
Q: What does the 9th Amendment state?
A: People have rights beyond those listed in the Constitution.
Q: What does the 10th Amendment state?
A: Powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or the people.