Political Science Concepts Review for Exam

Chapter 1: Understanding American Politics

• American Political Values

  • Liberty

  • Democracy

  • Equality

• Types of Political Structures

  • Aristocracy

• Core Political Concepts

  • Checks and Balances

  • Collective Action Problems

  • Conservatism

  • Critical Consumer of Politics and News

  • Culture Wars

  • Direct Democracy

  • Economic Individualism

• Equality

  • Significant in shaping political discourse

• Factions

• Economic Principles

  • Free Market

  • Free Rider Problem

• Government Definitions

  • General understanding and roles of government, types, goals

  • Sources of Conflict

• Political Ideologies

  • Indirect Democracy

  • Liberalism

  • Libertarianism

• Forms of Governance

  • Monarchy

  • Republic

  • Public Goods

  • Redistributive Tax Policies

  • Separation of Powers

  • Tragedy of the Commons

Chapter 2: The Constitution and the Founding

• Foundational Documents

  • Articles of Confederation

  • Bill of Rights

  • The Constitution: Overview of its various aspects

• Major Historical Works

  • Common Sense by Thomas Paine

  • Federalist Papers

• Key Constitutional Concepts

  • Bicameralism

  • Checks and Balances

  • Elastic Clause

  • Enumerated Powers

  • Federalism

  • Great Compromise / Connecticut Compromise

• Political Processes and Rights

  • Impeachment

  • Judicial Review

  • Majority vs. Minority Rights

  • National Supremacy Clause

• Theories on Governance

  • Natural Rights

  • Necessary and Proper Clause

  • Pluralism

  • Popular Sovereignty

  • Social Contract Theory

• Important Historical Events

  • Shays' Rebellion

• Plans for Governance

  • New Jersey Plan

  • Virginia Plan

Chapter 3: Federalism

• Constitutional Amendments Related to Federalism

  • 10th Amendment

  • 14th Amendment

• Federalism Concepts

  • Block Grants

  • Categorical Grants

• Types of Federalism

  • Coercive Federalism

  • Competitive Federalism

  • Cooperative Federalism

  • Dual Federalism

• Legal Cases Influencing Federalism

  • Dred Scott v. Sandford

  • McCullough v. Maryland

• Powers and Limitations

  • Concurrent Power

  • Denied Powers

  • Exclusive Power

• Miscellaneous Concepts

  • Fiscal Federalism

  • Federal Preemption

  • Privileges and Immunities Clause

  • Unfunded Mandates

Chapter 10: Congress

• Basic Functions of Congress

  • Bicameralism

  • Casework

• Congressional Processes

  • Caucuses and Conferences

  • Cloture

  • Committee System

  • Discharge Petitions

• Types of Committees

  • Conference Committees

  • Joint Committees

  • Select Committees

  • Standing Committees

• Major Processes and Functions

  • How a Bill Becomes a Law

  • Legislative Oversight

  • Incumbency Advantage

• Electoral Mechanisms

  • Gerrymandering

  • Reapportionment

  • Redistricting & Apportionment

• Leadership Roles in Congress

  • House Majority Leader, Minority Leader

  • Senate Majority Leader, Minority Leader

  • Speaker of the House

• Voting Processes

  • Roll Call Votes

  • Party Unity

Chapter 11: The Presidency

• Constitutional Amendments and Presidential Powers

  • 25th Amendment

• Presidential Authority and Responsibilities

  • Chief of State and Commander in Chief

  • Formal and Informal Powers

• Executive Functions

  • Executive Orders

  • Executive Privilege

  • Cabinet Roles

• Process of Presidential Appointments

  • Presidential Appointment Process

  • Signing Statements

• Interactions with Other Political Entities

  • Impeachment Processes

  • Relations with Congress

  • Going Public

• Important Theoretical Perspectives

  • Two Presidencies Thesis

• Legislative Constraints on Presidential Powers

  • War Powers Resolution

Chapter 12: The Bureaucracy

• Overview of Bureaucracy

  • Definition and Importance

  • Roles of Bureaucrats

  • Civil Service System

• Functions of Bureaucracy

  • Regulatory Oversight

  • Job of Bureaucracy

• Mechanisms of Control in Bureaucracy

  • Fire Alarm Oversight

  • Police Patrol Oversight

• Major Legislative Acts

  • Hatch Act

  • Pendleton Act

• Notable Bureaucratic Concepts

  • Bureaucratic Drift

  • Red Tape

• Privatization and its Impacts

  • Problems of Control in Privatization

Chapter 13: The Courts

• Basic Structure of the Judiciary

  • Understanding Different Court Levels

  • Supreme Court Overview

• Judicial Concepts

  • Amicus Curiae

  • Appellate Court

  • Cert Pool

  • Judicial Activism vs. Judicial Restraint

• Power and Limitations of Courts

  • Judicial Review

  • Precedents

• Judicial Processes

  • Oral Arguments

  • Plea Bargaining

• Significant Cases and Decisions

  • Marbury v. Madison

• Court Control and Interaction with Other Branches

  • Role of Other Government Branches

  • Rule of Four

  • Senatorial Courtesy

• Judicial Interpretation

  • Statutory Construction

  • Living Constitution Perspective