Terms gov exam

  1. Representative democracy: A system of government in which citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

  2. Constitutional democracy: A form of democracy governed by a constitution that protects individual rights and liberties.

  3. Sovereignty: The authority of a state to govern itself or another state.

  4. Liberty: The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority.

  5. Majority: More than half of a particular group.

  6. Plurality: The largest share of votes, though not necessarily a majority, as in an election.

  7. Theocracy: A system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god.

  8. Articles of confederation: The first constitution of the United States, ratified in 1781, which created a central government with limited powers.

  9. Shay’s rebellion: An armed uprising in 1786-87 by Massachusetts farmers protesting economic injustices and the lack of government response.

  10. Connecticut compromise: An agreement during the Constitutional Convention that established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate.

  11. Three-fifths compromise: An agreement reached that counted three out of every five slaves as part of the population for legislative representation and taxation.

  12. Federalists and Antifederalists: Federalists supported a strong central government and the Constitution, while Antifederalists opposed it, advocating for states' rights.

  13. The Federalist papers: A collection of essays written to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution.

  14. Separation of powers and Checks and balances: A political doctrine that divides government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from exercising the core functions of another.

  15. Referendum: A direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal.

  16. Judicial review: The power of courts to assess whether a law is in compliance with the constitution.

  17. Impeachment: The process by which a legislative body levels charges against a government official.

  18. Executive privilege: The right of the president to withhold information from Congress or the judiciary.

  19. Federalism: A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.

  20. Unitary system: A system of political organization in which most or all power resides in a central government.

  21. Confederation: An alliance of independent states or nations for a common purpose.

  22. Express powers: Powers explicitly granted to a government branch by the Constitution.

  23. Implied powers: Powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but necessary to implement the expressed powers.

  24. Necessary and proper clause: A clause in the Constitution that grants Congress the power to pass all laws necessary and proper for carrying out the enumerated list of powers.

  25. Inherent powers: Powers that Congress and the president need in order to get the job done right, which are not specified in the Constitution.

  26. Commerce clause: A clause in the Constitution granting Congress the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the states.

  27. Federal mandates: Requirements that the federal government imposes on state and local governments.

  28. Concurrent powers: Powers shared by both the federal government and state governments.

  29. Full faith and credit clause: A clause requiring each state to recognize the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state.

  30. Extradition: The process of extraditing a fugitive or criminal from one jurisdiction to another.

  31. Interstate compact: Agreements between states that are approved by Congress.

  32. National supremacy: The constitutional doctrine that federal law takes precedence over state law.

  33. Block grants: A grant from a central government that a local authority can allocate to a wide range of services.

  34. Centralists: Individuals who support a strong centralized government.

  35. Decentralists: Individuals who advocate for the distribution of power away from a central authority.

  36. Selective Perception: The process by which individuals perceive what they want to in media messages.

  37. Primary Elections: Elections held to determine a party's nominee for the general election.

  38. Single Member Districts: An electoral district that elects one representative.

  39. Midterm Elections: Elections held midway through a president's term.

  40. Divided Government: A government in which one party controls the presidency and another party controls one or both houses of Congress.

  41. Realigning Elections: Elections that result in a significant and lasting change in party alignment.

  42. Factions: Groups of individuals with a common political purpose.

  43. Party Dealignment: A trend where voters abandon the parties they previously identified with, leading to a decline in party loyalty.

  44. Two-Party System: A political system dominated by two major parties.

  45. Interest Groups: Organized groups that attempt to influence public policy.

  46. Lobbyists: Individuals hired by interest groups to persuade legislators to support legislation or policies favorable to their group.