Terms : Hide Images
| 13850726920 | Constitution influencers | John Locke and Montesquieu | 0 | |
| 13850729748 | Shay's Rebellion | A series of attacks on courthouses by a small band of farmers led by Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shays to block foreclosure proceedings; demonstrated weakness of AOC: weak government | 1 | |
| 13850733330 | Montesquieu | separation of powers (between branches) | 2 | |
| 13850734329 | John Locke | natural rights: life, liberty, property | 3 | |
| 13850736429 | Congress powers | Collect taxes Borrow money Regulate commerce Establish Post Offices Declare War Approves treaties Commerce Clause: Ability to control trade and economy create laws | 4 | |
| 13850739932 | President's powers | -Commanding the army and navy - Heading the executive department - Granting reprieves, or postponement of punishment, and pardons - Making treaties, subject to the advice and consent of the Senate - Nominating ambassadors, public ministers, consuls, and judges of the Supreme Court and other federal courts - Recommending legislation to congress - Reviewing legislation passed by Congress and returning bills which the president objects - Receiving ambassadors and other public ministers (chief diplomat) -enforce laws | 5 | |
| 13850746140 | constitution says separation of... | church and state | 6 | |
| 13850750052 | checks and balances | keep one branch from becoming too powerful | 7 | |
| 13850753297 | Executive checks | Nominate judges, grant pardons, enforce decisions; propose laws/budgets; veto bills | 8 | |
| 13850755437 | Legislative checks | override POTUS's veto with a 2/3 vote in each House, Senate approves nominations, House impeaches, Senate is jury in impeachment trials; confirms/rejects SC appointments, House can impeach judges | 9 | |
| 13850763482 | Judicial checks | declare treaties unconstitutional, judicial review; declare prez's actions unconstitutional | 10 | |
| 13850770240 | Supreme Court cannot | declare an amendment unconstitutional | 11 | |
| 13850773485 | if congress disagrees with a SC decision, they should | create an amendment | 12 | |
| 13850774311 | federalism | A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments | 13 | |
| 13850776563 | 10th amendment | Powers not given to federal government are reserved for States | 14 | |
| 13850781516 | elastic clause | Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which allows Congress to make all laws that are "necessary and proper" to carry out the powers of the Constitution. | 15 | |
| 13850782315 | Cooperative Federalism | federal government and states share power; marble cake | 16 | |
| 13850784936 | devolution | the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states (Reagan was an advocate) | 17 | |
| 13850787722 | Two types of grants | categorical and block | 18 | |
| 13850788276 | project grants | Federal categorical grants given for specific purposes and awarded on the basis of the merits of applications; must apply | 19 | |
| 13850789668 | formula grants | Federal categorical grants distributed according to a formula specified in legislation or in administrative regulations; Medicaid | 20 | |
| 13850792204 | Block grants | $ given to states to spend how they want; states prefer block grants; Federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services | 21 | |
| 13850797374 | mandate | requirements for states by federal government (ADA) | 22 | |
| 13850800597 | primary responsibility of the Constitution | protecting private property | 23 | |
| 13850801847 | Voting requirements in the constitution | left up to states; poll taxes/literacy tests in South | 24 | |
| 13850804789 | we can only directly vote for: | House and Senate (17th) members | 25 | |
| 13850805894 | Commerce Clause | The clause in the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 1) that gives Congress the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and states; increased fed. govt. power | 26 | |
| 13850808741 | examples of the Federal structure of government | amending the constitution (involves national govt. and states), grants | 27 | |
| 13850812522 | Pluralism | A theory of government that holds that groups can influence public policy (NRA, NOW): interest groups | 28 | |
| 13850815076 | elitism | A theory of government and politics contending that an upper-class elite will hold most of the power and thus in effect run the government. | 29 | |
| 13850816073 | Hyperpluralism | a theory of government and politics contending that competing groups are so strong and numerous that government is weakened | 30 | |
| 13850819577 | Federalist 10 | factions and how to control them; An essay composed by James Madison which argues that liberty is safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such diversity makes tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always be unstable. | 31 | |
| 13850824819 | Electoral College | A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president; in 48 states the candidate that wins the popular vote wins all electoral votes | 32 | |
| 13850830196 | effects of electoral college | large population states and swing states get most attention; if no one gets a majority (270), House decides election--1 vote per state; encourages a two-party system | 33 | |
| 13850834865 | primaries | Election in which voters choose the candidates from each party who will run in the general election | 34 | |
| 13850834866 | open primary | voters are NOT required to register with a party to vote in a primary | 35 | |
| 13850837615 | closed primary | only voters registered with a party can vote | 36 | |
| 13850838979 | majority election | candidate must receive more than half the votes (electoral college--270 votes needed) | 37 | |
| 13850840822 | plurality election | candidate with the most votes wins even without receiving a majority; can happen when more than 2 candidates run | 38 | |
| 13850843199 | divided government | congress and presidency are controlled by different parties; common recently -also includes House and Senate controlled by different parties -impact: gridlock, nothing getting done, hard to compromise, frustration/distrust of govt. -more frequent since 1970s | 39 | |
| 13850846505 | recently, more Americans identify with: | neither party | 40 | |
| 13850847398 | interest groups | groups that seek to influence public policy; NRA, AARP, NEA | 41 | |
| 13850850929 | How interest groups influence policy | lobbying, litigation (write laws to give to legislators to propose), give legislators key info | 42 | |
| 13850854480 | interest groups vs | 43 | ||
| 13850855102 | Interest Groups vs. Political Parties | Interest groups do NOT nominate candidates, don't try to gain new members, only concerned with specific issues, organize on common values not geographical areas | 44 | |
| 13850857579 | linkage institutions | link public with political process; The channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the government's policy agenda | 45 | |
| 13850860087 | linkage institutions examples | elections, political parties, interest groups, media (PIME) | 46 | |
| 13855573593 | PACs (Political Action Committees) | a group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns; donate money to candidates/parties that are favorable to their issues; limited to giving $5,000 per candidate per election and receiving $5,000 per year from individuals | 47 | |
| 13855603389 | political socialization | The process by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs--how individuals learn about politics -most common form: family (we share our parents' beliefs) -most americans support equality, but NOT economic equality -more americans distrust the government since the 1960s | 48 | |
| 13855672882 | Political behavior: who's most likely to vote? | the older and more educated you are, the more likely you are to vote -young people under 30 vote much less even after 26th amendment (voting age is lowered to 18) -party identification plays a big role in who you vote for | 49 | |
| 13855684962 | African Americans tend to vote | Democratic | 50 | |
| 13855696102 | after 1968, southern whites tend to vote | Republican | 51 | |
| 13855703607 | ticket-splitting | Voting for one party for one office and for another party for other offices; increased; leads to divided govt. | 52 | |
| 13855724389 | most common form of political participation | voting in presidential elections -however most Americans do not vote -U.S. has lower turnout than other democracies | 53 | |
| 13856570222 | political efficacy | The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can actually make a difference -makes you more likely to vote | 54 | |
| 13856590485 | Media outlets | focus on day-to-day lives of prez candidates, not their issues -media outlets have been controlled by fewer companies--so less companies control the news | 55 | |
| 13856601660 | horse-race journalism | media focuses on polls rather than issues | 56 | |
| 13856604320 | the Iron Triangle | -between congress, interest group, and bureaucracy (government agencies) -prez and SC not included |  | 57 |
| 13856684199 | Congress | the legislature of the United States government; hard/long to pass laws; compromises -most bills NEVER become law or even get to the whole Congress | 58 | |
| 13856699515 | Incumbency | holding the political office for which one is running -usually win elections -huge predictor of election outcome -way more important in House elections than in Senate (still important though) -advantages: get more contributions, name recognition, franking privilege (can send mail for free to constituents), can cite services provided to constituents, serve on committees relevant to their areas (agricultural committee for Iowa), pork barrelling | 59 | |
| 13856774848 | Pork Barrelling | the use of government funds for projects designed to please voters or legislators and win votes; allocate federal funds to constituents (incumbency advantage) | 60 | |
| 13856799787 | congress roles cont. | -declare war -appropriate $ -oversee govt. agencies (the bureaucracy) -create new courts/more judges -override prez veto with 2/3 of both houses -foreign policy is handled more by prez | 61 | |
| 13856851093 | congressional oversight | Congress reviews an agency, department, or office -examples: set guidelines for agencies, hold hearings, allocate funding*** | 62 | |
| 13857559132 | congressional committees | a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty; more significant in House (b/c there's more members so they can do more work than the whole House) | 63 | |
| 13857575734 | standing committee | A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area (foreign relations, agriculture) -members are experts in that area | 64 | |
| 13857587774 | conference committee | settle differences between bills passed in both houses | 65 | |
| 13857597295 | Rules Committee | only in House; determines rules for bills--date it's on floor, time for debates, amendments -closed and open rules | 66 | |
| 13857615527 | closed rule | An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor | 67 | |
| 13857620448 | open rule | an order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor; looser time limits | 68 | |
| 13857624966 | subcommittees | created by committees to investigate/research a specific issue and report back to the whole committee -committee chairs are less influential recently -in House, chairs are members of majority party | 69 | |
| 13857636983 | Ways and Means Committee | in House; economic committee--deals with anything $ related (taxation, tariffs) -if a member serves on this committee, they can't serve on another | 70 | |
| 13857655134 | House of Representatives powers | -impeach officials (impeach: bring charges against an official) -revenue bills must start in House (anything dealing with taxation and tariffs) | 71 | |
| 13857676282 | House of Representatives | -435 members -based on population -districts are determined by state legislatures (leads to gerrymandering) -rules of procedure are more formal--closed and open -Speaker of the House- 3rd in line for succession; Henry Clay increased speaker's power | 72 | |
| 13857687540 | gerrymandering | the drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent; favor the party in control of the state | 73 | |
| 13857706180 | Senate powers | -approve presidential appointments and treaties -jury in impeachment trial | 74 | |
| 13857729415 | Senate | -100 members, 2 per state -filibusters, cloture motion give senators influence over bills | 75 | |
| 13857736482 | cloture motion | Can end a filibuster - bring a bill to a vote (need 60 senators) | 76 | |
| 13857743978 | filibuster | A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue. (prevent bill from being voted on) | 77 | |
| 13857760293 | Delegate | How elected officials vote: congress votes according to how the majority of their constituents feel about an issue | 78 | |
| 13857768371 | trustee | elected officials use their own views or vote based on the public good (not necessarily the views of constituents) | 79 | |
| 13857781024 | Executive Branch | -prez serves 4 years -22nd amendment-limits prez to 2 terms -elected by electoral college | 80 | |
| 13857793475 | presidential powers | -appoints judges -commander in chief--deploy troops without congress's consent -veto bills (checks and balances)--most vetoes in one term-Cleveland -less than 10% of vetoes are overriden -threat of veto-powerful -vetoes are held up most often when prez's party is in control of Congress -head of political party through custom and tradition | 81 | |
| 13857817621 | pocket veto | A veto taking place when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill to the president, who simply lets it die by neither signing nor vetoing it -Lincoln with the Wade-Davis bill. | 82 | |
| 13857833923 | executive orders | Don't need to be passed by Congress used more often by prez in recent years -Emancipation proclamation -japanese internment during WWII -Truman desegregates US military in Korean War may depend on congress for funding--so they're not absolute power | 83 | |
| 13857866409 | presidential nomination convention | -Delegates nominate the president -Delegates tend to be more ideological, more involved in politics than the general population | 84 | |
| 13857885921 | Powers NOT given to the president | -Line item veto (governors can)--can't say they like certain parts of bills, they have to accept all of it or none -declaring war -creating new cabinet positions/departments--Congress does this | 85 | |
| 13857924279 | presidential staff: White House staff | -loyal, supportive of prez -National Security Advisor-chief advisor to prez on national security issues -Chief of Staff-prez's right hand person, does not need Senate confirmation, Prez can fire them at will | 86 | |
| 13857961210 | attorney general | the head of the department of justice | 87 | |
| 13857963730 | inherent powers | powers the president has that are NOT explicitly stated in Constitution, but are inferred -ex: recognize other govts, immigration issues, acquiring territories (Lousiana purchase) | 88 | |
| 13857995933 | Cabinet members | a group of advisors to the president; sometimes torn between their dept. and prez | 89 | |
| 13858017100 | President has gained more power over time | -cold war, foreign policy issues -govt. services for individuals -economic and domestic issues-americans want prez to solve them (9/11) | 90 | |
| 13858983092 | How president influences Congress | -use media--Bully pulpit (encourage people to encourage their congressmen to support their issue) -prez uses media more effectively than other branches -use their political party if they have a majority in Congress -if they're popular they can get stuff passed easier | 91 | |
| 13858994600 | President and Judicial Branch | -prez appoint judges -appoints judges who agree with their philosophy | 92 | |
| 13859009765 | The Court System | -SC judges appointed for life -Why? -independent of political pressure, so they can make unpopular decisions that they deem right -appointed by prez, approved by Senate (C&B) -most justices have a long track record b4 being appointed -prez knows where they stand on issues -prez has large impact after they're out of office because of their appointments | 93 | |
| 13859054325 | Supreme Court Caseload | Court can choose to hear almost any case it wishes -appellate courts are most common source -most court cases aren't reviewed by SC -when 4 judges agree, Court can hear a case | 94 | |
| 13859080876 | District Court | -deal with most federal cases -most end in a plea bargain | 95 | |
| 13859087297 | appellate court | -reviews decisions of district courts -SC chooses cases from appellate courts | 96 | |
| 13859092814 | amicus curiae | -friend of the court -friends (interest groups) write letters to the Court detailing how a case would impact them | 97 | |
| 13859107451 | Doctrine of Original Intent | Looking at the Constitution based on the intention of the framers (Washington, Franklin, Hamilton--how would they view this?) | 98 | |
| 13859114743 | incorporation doctrine | The Bill of Rights applies to the STATE and local governments as well as the federal government. -Mapp v. Ohio | 99 | |
| 13859124572 | State decisis | A Latin phrase meaning "let the decision stand." Most cases reaching appellate courts are settled on this principle. -SC often makes decisions based on precedent (previous decisions) | 100 | |
| 13859133976 | writ of certiorari | SC orders a case from a lower court to be reviewed | 101 | |
| 13859161765 | judicial restraint | -belief that SC should rely on precedent in making decisions -less Court involvement | 102 | |
| 13859172097 | judicial activism | -SC can correct injustices -Brown v. Board | 103 | |
| 13859175949 | SC and Free speech | -free speech can be limited if it poses a clear and present danger -Schenck v. US, 1919 -oliver wendell holmes -free speech extends beyond use of words--flag burning, wearing armbands | 104 | |
| 13859199389 | Marbury v. Madison (1803) | -Established judicial review -court can overturn laws, executive orders, state laws, lower court decisions -Marshall court | 105 | |
| 13859216070 | McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) | -Maryland taxed a branch of Bank of U.S. -SC said states could NOT tax a federal govt. agency -reinforced elastic (necessary and proper) clause -power of national govt. increased over states -Marshall Court | 106 | |
| 13859233211 | Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) | -SC says segregation is legal, as long as facilities are equal -separate but equal doctrine established -overturned by Brown v. Board | 107 | |
| 13859240553 | Miranda v. Arizona (1966) | -suspects must have their constitutional rights read to them -5th amendment--right to remain silent during police interrogations | 108 | |
| 13859258661 | Warren Court (1953-1969) | -desegregated schools (Brown v. Board) -exclusionary rule (Mapp v. Ohio)--selective incorporation. ohio police illegally seize evidence from mapp's home, use it against her in court--SC says that's not allowed (exclusionary rule), applied 4th amendment to states) -attorneys 4 people with low incomes (Gideon v. Wainwright) -Miranda rights -abortion is not part of this court | 109 | |
| 13859298398 | Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) | -overturned Connecticut law prohibiting contraceptives -SC said Const. contained a right to privacy | 110 | |
| 13859312918 | Roe v. Wade (1973) | -SC overturned TX law prohibiting abortion -it and Griswold used right to privacy | 111 | |
| 13859324995 | U.S. v. Nixon (1974) | Watergate, Prosecutors and Senate wanted Nixon's Oval Office tape recordings. Nixon refused. Court ruled that Presidents can claim executive privilege in cases where national security is involved but could not use it to hide evidence of a crime -exec. privilege is not absolute | 112 | |
| 13859334171 | Baker v. Carr (1962) | "One man, one vote." Ordered state legislative districts to be as near equal as possible in population; Warren Court's judicial activism. | 113 | |
| 13859337796 | Gitlow v. New York (1925) | -began selective incorporation | 114 | |
| 13859343501 | NY Times v. Sullivan (1964) | Held that statements about public figures are libelous only if made with malice and reckless disregard for the truth. -public officials have to prove malice if trying to win a lawsuit for defamation | 115 | |
| 13859356980 | death penalty | -recently SC said it's not necessarily a violation of the 8th amendment's cruel and unusual punishment | 116 | |
| 13859367272 | Entitlements | -largest portion of uncontrollable spending -Social Security, medicaid -less $ going into SS, more being drawn out for baby boomers | 117 | |
| 13859379815 | Office of Management and Budget | An office that prepares the president's budget and also advises presidents on proposals from departments and agencies and helps review their proposed regulations. -major predictor of funding for an agency: last year's budget | 118 | |
| 13859387106 | Bureaucracy | A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials; govt agencies that implement policies -EPA, FDA -get mandates/funding from Congress, create guidelines to carry out those mandates | 119 | |
| 13859407218 | 1st Amendment | Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition -Establishment clause-congress shall not establish an official religion -free exercise clause-Congress can't prohibit free exercise of religion (but you can't do illegal stuff) | 120 | |
| 13859475856 | 14th Amendment | Declares that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens and are guaranteed equal protection of the laws -selective incorporation is based on this | 121 | |
| 13859481304 | 15th amendment | -suffrage for adult males | 122 | |
| 13859484684 | 17th Amendment | Direct election of senators | 123 | |
| 13859488116 | 19th Amendment (1920) | Gave women the right to vote | 124 | |
| 13859505235 | 23rd Amendment | 3 electoral votes for DC | 125 | |
| 13859513486 | 24th Amendment | eliminated poll tax | 126 | |
| 13859515957 | 26th Amendment | Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 | 127 | |
| 13859524816 | Civil Rights Act of 1964 | outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin -guaranteed equal access to public accommodations -govt could cut off funds where discrimination occurred | 128 | |
| 13859534438 | Voting Rights Act of 1965 | -fed govt could register voters -eliminated literacy tests for voting | 129 | |
| 13859540367 | War Powers Act | Limits the presidents ability to send troops over seas to conflict -in response to Vietnam war--prez was escalating war -prez must notify Congress within 48 hours of sending troops -must withdraw forces after 60 days unless Congress approves extension | 130 | |
| 13859555340 | Motor Voter Laws | Voter registration opportunities must be provided when applying/renewing a license | 131 | |
| 13859570794 | coalition building | the banding together of several interest groups for the purpose of lobbying, achieving a goal | 132 | |
| 13859609677 | civil rights | protecting individuals/groups from discrimination -Civil Rights Act of 1964 | 133 | |
| 13859613808 | civil liberties | protects individuals from government action -Bill of Rights | 134 | |
| 13859631967 | Election of 1932 | Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt, beat the Republican, Herbert Hoover, who was running for reelection. FDR promised relief for the unemployed, help for farmers, and a balanced budget. New Deal -political realignment-- African Americans, Jews, working class began to vote Democrat | 135 | |
| 13859640903 | Election of 1968 | The election in which Nixon won; conservative republican victory; demonstrated that the majority of the American electorate turned their back on liberal reform and activist governments -political realignment--southern states (whites) began to vote Republican | 136 | |
| 13859651208 | Election of 1980 | Ronald Reagan won over Jimmy Carter because of the Iranian hostage crisis and America's stagflation. -lots of republicans -continued political realignment -increase in Conservative Christians supporting republicans | 137 |
