Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which amendment protects citizens from being forced to house soldiers in their homes?
Which amendment protects citizens from being forced to house soldiers in their homes?
- 4th Amendment
- 3rd Amendment (correct)
- 2nd Amendment
- 7th Amendment
The Articles of Confederation established a strong central government with broad powers.
The Articles of Confederation established a strong central government with broad powers.
False (B)
What is the term for grants from the federal government to states with few to no strings attached?
What is the term for grants from the federal government to states with few to no strings attached?
Block Grants
The idea that the Supreme Court has the power to determine actions of the legislative and executive branches unconstitutional is known as ______.
The idea that the Supreme Court has the power to determine actions of the legislative and executive branches unconstitutional is known as ______.
Match the following amendments to their main provisions:
Match the following amendments to their main provisions:
What does the term 'Bicameral' refer to in the context of the US Congress?
What does the term 'Bicameral' refer to in the context of the US Congress?
The 'Bully Pulpit' refers to the President's ability to influence public opinion through communication and persuasion.
The 'Bully Pulpit' refers to the President's ability to influence public opinion through communication and persuasion.
What is the name given to the powers that are specifically listed in the Constitution for the Federal Government?
What is the name given to the powers that are specifically listed in the Constitution for the Federal Government?
The principle of dividing governmental powers among different branches to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful is known as ______.
The principle of dividing governmental powers among different branches to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful is known as ______.
What is the purpose of a 'Discharge Petition' in the House of Representatives?
What is the purpose of a 'Discharge Petition' in the House of Representatives?
The 'Supremacy Clause' establishes that state laws always take precedence over federal laws.
The 'Supremacy Clause' establishes that state laws always take precedence over federal laws.
What is the term for a formal accusation by the House of Representatives against a public official?
What is the term for a formal accusation by the House of Representatives against a public official?
The principle, derived from Federalist No. 10, which argues that factions are inevitable but their negative effects can be controlled in a large republic, is known as ______.
The principle, derived from Federalist No. 10, which argues that factions are inevitable but their negative effects can be controlled in a large republic, is known as ______.
Associate each term with its correct description:
Associate each term with its correct description:
Which of the following best describes the 'Necessary and Proper Clause'?
Which of the following best describes the 'Necessary and Proper Clause'?
Judicial activism refers solely to decisions that align with a conservative ideology.
Judicial activism refers solely to decisions that align with a conservative ideology.
What legal principle, derived from English common law, compels courts to follow precedents set by prior decisions when ruling on similar cases?
What legal principle, derived from English common law, compels courts to follow precedents set by prior decisions when ruling on similar cases?
The Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) Supreme Court case primarily concerned campaign finance regulations and the extent to which the First Amendment protects ______ spending in political campaigns.
The Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) Supreme Court case primarily concerned campaign finance regulations and the extent to which the First Amendment protects ______ spending in political campaigns.
The 'Franking Privilege' refers to:
The 'Franking Privilege' refers to:
The War Powers Act (1973) grants the President unlimited authority to deploy troops in combat zones for any duration without congressional approval.
The War Powers Act (1973) grants the President unlimited authority to deploy troops in combat zones for any duration without congressional approval.
Flashcards
7th Amendment
7th Amendment
Guarantees the right to a jury trial in civil cases involving more than $20.
10th Amendment
10th Amendment
Reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people.
13th Amendment
13th Amendment
Abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime.
15th Amendment
15th Amendment
Signup and view all the flashcards
17th Amendment
17th Amendment
Signup and view all the flashcards
19th Amendment
19th Amendment
Signup and view all the flashcards
22nd Amendment
22nd Amendment
Signup and view all the flashcards
24th Amendment
24th Amendment
Signup and view all the flashcards
25th Amendment
25th Amendment
Signup and view all the flashcards
26th Amendment
26th Amendment
Signup and view all the flashcards
Adversarial Press
Adversarial Press
Signup and view all the flashcards
Affirmative Action
Affirmative Action
Signup and view all the flashcards
Amendment Process
Amendment Process
Signup and view all the flashcards
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
Signup and view all the flashcards
Anti-Federalists
Anti-Federalists
Signup and view all the flashcards
Appropriations
Appropriations
Signup and view all the flashcards
Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation
Signup and view all the flashcards
Attack Ads
Attack Ads
Signup and view all the flashcards
Bicameral
Bicameral
Signup and view all the flashcards
Bill of Attainder
Bill of Attainder
Signup and view all the flashcards
Study Notes
- 7th Amendment: Guarantees the right to a jury trial in civil cases.
- 10th Amendment: Powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states or the people.
- 12th Amendment: Revises the presidential election procedures.
- 15th Amendment: Prohibits denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
- 17th Amendment: Provides for the direct election of senators by the people.
- 19th Amendment: Guarantees women the right to vote.
- 22nd Amendment: Limits the president to two terms in office.
- 24th Amendment: Prohibits poll taxes in federal elections.
- 25th Amendment: Addresses presidential succession, disability, and vice-presidential vacancies.
- 26th Amendment: Sets the voting age to 18.
- Adversarial Press: A press that is suspicious of public officials and eager to reveal scandals.
- Affirmative Action: Policies designed to give special attention to members of some previously disadvantaged group.
- Amendment Process: The process of altering or amending a law or document such as a constitution.
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990: Prohibits discrimination based on disability.
- Anti-Federalists: Opponents of the American Constitution at the time when the states were contemplating its adoption.
- Appropriations: Money granted by Congress or to a state legislature for a specific purpose.
- Articles of Confederation: The first constitution of the United States.
- Attack Ads: Campaign advertising that criticizes an opponent.
- Bicameral: A legislature divided into two houses.
- Bill of Attainder: A law that declares a person guilty of a crime without a trial.
- Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the Constitution.
- Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (McCain-Feingold Act): Regulates the financing of political campaigns.
- 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.
- Broadcast Decency: Regulations regarding what content is appropriate to be broadcasted on public airwaves.
- Brutus No. 1: An Anti-Federalist paper arguing against the Constitution.
- Bully Pulpit: The president's use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public.
- Bureaucracy: A system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives.
- Bureaucratic Discretion: The ability of bureaucrats to choose how to implement regulations.
- Cabinet: Advisory council for the president consisting of the heads of the executive departments, the vice president, and a few other officials selected by the president.
- Campaign Consultants: Professionals who contract their services to political campaigns.
- Categorical Grants: Federal grants for specific purposes.
- Census: A complete enumeration of a population.
- Central Government: A government that has power over all other governments in a particular country.
- Certiorari (Writ of Certiorari): A request for the Supreme Court to order up the records from a lower court to review the case.
- Checks and Balances: A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
- Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010): Ruled that corporations and unions have the same First Amendment rights as individuals, leading to the creation of Super PACs.
- Civil Liberties: Constitutional freedoms guaranteed to all citizens.
- Cloture: A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate.
- Commerce Clause: The section of the Constitution in which Congress is given the power to regulate trade among the states and with foreign countries.
- Commander in Chief: The role of the president as supreme commander of the military forces of the United States.
- Concurrent Powers: Powers held jointly by the national and state governments.
- Congressional Committees: A legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty.
- Congressional Fundraising: Raising money for congressional campaigns.
- Congressional Oversight: Review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs, activities, and policy implementation.
- Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise): An agreement that both large and small states reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that in party defined the legislative structure and representation that each state would have under the United States Constitution.
- Conservatism: A political ideology advocating for less government regulation and more individual responsibility.
- Constituents: The residents of a congressional district or state.
- Constitution: A document stating the rules under which a government will operate.
- Cooperative Federalism (Marble Cake Federalism): A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government.
- Dark Money: Funds given to politically active nonprofits that can remain anonymous.
- Declaration of Independence: Declared that the 13 British colonies were independent of Great Britain.
- Deficit: An excess of federal expenditures over federal revenues.
- Demographics: The characteristics of a population with respect to age, race, and gender.
- Department of Homeland Security: A department of the United States federal government with responsibilities in public security.
- Department of State: U.S. department responsible for foreign affairs.
- Department of Veterans Affairs: A department of the United States federal government providing near-comprehensive healthcare services to eligible military veterans at VA medical centers and outpatient clinics located throughout the country.
- Devolution: The transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states.
- Discharge Petition: A means of bringing a bill out of committee and to the floor for consideration without a report from the committee.
- Discretionary Spending: Spending category about which government planners can make choices.
- Divided Government: One party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress
- Dual Federalism (Layer Cake Federalism): A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.
- Earmarks: Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.
- Electoral College: A body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.
- Eminent Domain: The right of a government or its agent to expropriate private property for public use, with payment of compensation.
- Entitlements: Policies for which Congress has obligated itself to pay X level of benefits to Y number of recipients.
- Enumerated Powers: Powers specifically given to Congress in the Constitution.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): An independent federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment.
- Establishment Clause: Clause in the First Amendment that says the government may not establish an official religion.
- Ex Post Facto Law: A law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it was committed.
- Exclusionary Rule: Improperly gathered evidence may not be introduced in a criminal trial.
- Executive Order: A rule or regulation issued by the president that has the effect of law.
- Executive Privilege: The right to keep executive communications confidential, especially if they relate to national security.
- Exit Poll: Polls conducted as voters leave selected polling places on Election Day.
- Factions: Political groups that agree on objectives and policies.
- Faithless Elector: A member of the United States Electoral College who does not vote for the presidential or vice-presidential candidate for whom they had pledged to vote.
- Federal Elections Commission (FEC): A commission created to administer election reform laws.
- Federal Grants: Sums of money given to state or local governments to be spent for a variety of specific purposes.
- Federal Reserve: The central bank of the United States.
- Federalist No. 10: An essay written by James Madison arguing for the adoption of the Constitution.
- Federalist No. 51: An essay written by James Madison arguing that separation of powers within the national government is the best way to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of one person or a single group
- Federalist No. 78: An essay written by Alexander Hamilton arguing for the importance of an independent judiciary.
- Federalists: Supporters of the U.S. Constitution at the time the states were contemplating its adoption.
- Fifteenth Amendment: Prohibits denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude (also listed as 15th Amendment).
- 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.
- Fiscal Federalism: The pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system.
- Focus Groups: A small group of individuals who are led in discussion by a professional consultant in order to gather opinions on and responses to candidates and issues.
- Formal Presidential Powers: Those powers explicitly granted to the President under Article II of the Constitution.
- Franking Privilege: The ability of members of Congress to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature for postage.
- Free Exercise of Religion: First Amendment requirement that law cannot prevent free exercise of religion.
- Freedom of Assembly and Petition: The right to peacefully assemble and to petition the government for redress of grievances which is protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution.
- Freedom of Information Act: Gives all citizens the right to inspect all records of federal agencies except those containing military, intelligence, or trade secrets.
- Freedom of Speech: The right to express any opinions without censorship or restraint.
- Freedom of the Press: The right of journalists to publish the truth without restriction or penalty.
- Full Faith and Credit Clause: Constitution's requirement that each state accept the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state.
- Grandfather Clause: A clause in registration laws allowing people who do not meet registration requirements to vote if they or their ancestors had voted before 1867.
- Grassroots Activism: Political action at the local level.
- Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise): Plan to have a popularly elected House based on state population and a state-selected Senate, with two members for each state
- Habeas Corpus (Writ of Habeas Corpus): A court order requiring jailers to explain to a judge why they are holding a prisoner in custody.
- Hatch Act: A federal law prohibiting government employees from active participation in partisan politics.
- Hate Speech: Words that attack groups such as racial, ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities.
- Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA): A federal law meant to reduce barriers to participation in elections.
- Horse Race Journalism: Election coverage by the media that focuses on poll results and popularity rather than substantive policy issues.
- Ideologically Oriented Programming: Media programming that attempts to appeal to specific ideological predispositions.
- Impeachment: Charges against a president approved by a majority of the House of Representatives.
- Imperial Presidency: The view that presidents have become too powerful.
- Implied Powers: Powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions.
- Incentives: Something that induces a person to act.
- Incumbency Advantage: The electoral edge afforded to those already in office.
- Independents: Voters who are not members of a political party.
- Inherent Power: Powers that Congress and the president need in order to get the job done right, although not specified in the Constitution.
- Initiatives: Procedure whereby a certain number of voters may, by petition, propose a law or constitutional amendment and have it submitted to the voters.
- Interest Group (Special Interest Group): An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence public policy.
- Iowa Caucuses: The first major electoral event of the nominating process for president of the United States.
- Iron Triangle: A mutually dependent relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees.
- Judicial Activism: A philosophy that judges should strike down laws that are inconsistent with constitution.
- Judicial Restraint: A philosophy that judges should strike down the actions of the elected branches only if they clearly violate the Constitution.
- Judicial Review: The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional.
- Layer Cake Federalism (Dual Federalism): A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.
- Leadership PACs: A political committee that is directly or indirectly established, financed, maintained, or controlled by a candidate or an individual holding a federal office.
- Legislative Veto: The authority of Congress to block a presidential action after it has taken place.
- Libel and Slander: Written or oral defamation of a person's character.
- Liberal Ideology: A political ideology that supports government intervention in the economy and society to promote equality and opportunity.
- Libertarian Ideology: A political ideology that advocates for minimal government intervention in the economy and society.
- Limited Government: A government that is subject to strict limits on its lawful uses of power and on its ability to deprive people of liberty
- Literacy Tests: A test administered as a precondition for voting.
- Lobbying: Engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials, especially legislators, and the policies they enact.
- Locke, John: English philosopher who advocated the idea of a "social contract" in which government powers are derived from the consent of the governed and in which the government serves the people; also said people have natural rights to life, liberty, and property.
- Logrolling: An agreement by two or more lawmakers to support each other's bills.
- Majority Leader (Senate): The legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy, confers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in line.
- Mandates: Terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants.
- Mandatory Spending: Spending required by law.
- Marble Cake Federalism (Cooperative Federalism): A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government.
- Margin of Error: A measure of the accuracy of a public opinion poll.
- McCain-Feingold Act (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act): Regulates the financing of political campaigns.
- Media Bias: The slant of media coverage in favor of or against a political party, candidate, or viewpoint.
- Medicaid: Joint federal and state program that helps pay medical costs for some people with limited income and resources.
- Medicare: A federal program of health insurance for persons 65 years of age and older.
- Midterm Elections: Elections held midway between presidential elections.
- Minority Leader (Senate): The legislative leader selected by the minority party as spokesperson for the opposition.
- Miranda Rule: The constitutional requirement that on arrest, a suspect must be read his or her rights
- Moderates: Persons who do not hold extreme political views
- Motor Voter Act (National Voter Registration Act): Requires states to permit people to register to vote when they apply for a driver's license.
- National Popular Vote (Popular Vote): An agreement among states to award their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the national popular vote.
- National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter Act): Requires states to permit people to register to vote when they apply for a driver's license.
- Natural Rights: The rights of all people to dignity and worth.
- Necessary and Proper Clause: Constitutional clause that gives congress the power to make all laws "necessary and proper" for executing its powers.
- New Hampshire Primary: The first in a series of nationwide primary elections held in the United States every four years as part of the presidential nominating process.
- New Jersey Plan: Proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population.
- News Source Credibility: The believability of a news source.
- Nineteenth Amendment: Guarantees women the right to vote (also listed as 19th Amendment).
- Obscenity and the First Amendment: Difficult to define, but the Supreme Court has generally defined obscene material as that which appeals to prurient interests and lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
- Office of Management and Budget: An office that prepares the president's budget and also advises president on proposals from departments and agencies and helps review their regulations.
- Omnibus Bill: A single document that is accepted in a single vote by a legislature but contains varied subjects
- Open Primaries: Elections to select party nominees in which voters are not required to declare party affiliation.
- Opposition Research: The practice of collecting information on a political opponent that can be used to discredit them.
- Partisanship: Government action based on firm allegiance to a political party.
- Party Platform: A list of the actions which a political party supports in order to appeal to the general public for the purpose of having their party's candidates voted into office.
- Pocket Veto: A bill fails to become law because the president did not sign it within ten days before Congress adjourns.
- Political Action Committees (PACs): A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations.
- Political Culture: A distinctive and patterned way of thinking about how political and economic life ought to be carried out.
- Political Efficacy: The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can actually make a difference.
- Political Ideology: A more or less consistent set of beliefs about what policies government ought to pursue.
- Political Participation: The many different ways that people take part in politics and government.
- Political Parties: A team of men and women seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election.
- Political Polarization: The divergence of political attitudes toward ideological extremes.
- Political Polling: The process of systematically surveying citizens to measure their opinions on political issues.
- Poll Tax: A requirement that citizens pay a tax in order to register to vote.
- Popular Sovereignty: A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.
- Popular Vote (National Popular Vote): The total number of votes cast for a candidate by voters.
- Preamble of the Constitution: Introduction to the U.S. Constitution, establishing the goals and purposes of government.
- President of the Senate: The Vice President of the US who presides over the Senate sessions.
- Privileges and Immunities Clause: Prevents a state from treating citizens of other states in a discriminatory manner.
- Professional Campaign Consultants: Experts hired by political campaigns to manage various aspects of the campaign.
- Property Rights: The rights of an individual to own, use, rent, invest in, buy, and sell property.
- Push Polls: A telemarketing technique in which telephone calls are used to canvass voters, feeding them false or damaging "information" about a candidate.
- Ratification: Formal approval.
- Reapportionment: The process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census.
- Redistricting: The redrawing of congressional and state legislative districts after the census.
- Referendum: A state-level method of direct legislation that gives voters a chance to approve or disapprove proposed legislation or a proposed constitutional amendment.
- Regulation: The use of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector.
- Representative Sample: A group of people meant to represent the larger group you are trying to learn about.
- Republican Form of Government: A system of government in which the people are ruled by elected representatives.
- Reserved Powers: Powers that the Constitution does not give to the national government that are kept by the states.
- Retrospective Voting: Voting based on past performance of a candidate.
- Rule of Law: Principle that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern.
- Sampling Error: The difference between the results of random samples taken at the same time.
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): An independent agency of the government that regulates financial markets and investment companies.
- Selective Incorporation: The process by which provisions of the Bill of Rights are brought within the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment and so applied to state and local governments.
- Senatorial courtesy: Presidential custom of submitting the names of prospective appointees for approval to senators from the states in which the appointees are to work.
- Separation of Powers: Dividing the powers of government among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
- Seventeenth Amendment: Provides for the direct election of senators by the people (also listed as 17th Amendment).
- Seventh Amendment: Guarantees the right to a jury trial in civil cases (also listed as 7th Amendment).
- 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.
- Slave Trade Compromise: Congress could not regulate or prohibit the slave trade until 1808, but imported slaves could be taxed.
- Social Contract: An implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits.
- Social Security: A federal safety net for elderly and disabled Americans.
- Sound Bite: A short extract from a recorded interview.
- Speaker of the House: The leader of the majority party and presiding officer of the House of Representatives.
- Special Interest Group (Interest Group): An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence public policy.
- Stare Decisis: A Latin phrase meaning "let the decision stand."
- State of the Union Address: A yearly report by the president to Congress describing the nation’s condition and recommending policy.
- Super PACs: Independent expenditure-only committees that are allowed to raise unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions, individuals and associations.
- Supremacy Clause: Federal law is supreme over state law.
- Swing State: A state that could reasonably be won by either the Democratic or Republican presidential candidate.
- Symbolic Speech: Nonverbal communication, such as burning a flag or wearing an armband.
- Tenth Amendment: Powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states or the people (also listed as 10th Amendment).
- Third Party: A political party that is not one of the two major parties in the country.
- Time, Place and Manner Restrictions: Regulations on when, where, or how expression can occur.
- Treaty Ratification: Formal approval of a treaty by the Senate.
- Twelfth Amendment: Revises the presidential election procedures (also listed as 27th Amendment).
- Twenty-Fifth Amendment: Addresses presidential succession, disability, and vice-presidential vacancies (also listed as 25th Amendment).
- Twenty-Fourth Amendment: Prohibits poll taxes in federal elections (also listed as 24th Amendment).
- Twenty-Second Amendment: Limits the president to two terms in office (also listed as 22nd Amendment).
- Twenty-Sixth Amendment: Sets the voting age to 18 (also listed as 26th Amendment).
- USA FREEDOM Act: Restored many of the surveillance authorities the government had claimed under the Patriot Act, but it also limited the scope of the government's collection of telecommunication metadata.
- Veto: Chief executive's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature.
- Virginia Plan: Proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for representation of each state in Congress in proportion to that state's share of the U.S. population.
- Voter ID Laws: Laws requiring citizens to show a government-issued photo ID in order to vote.
- Voter Turnout: The proportion of persons of voting age who actually vote in a given election.
- War Powers Act (1973): A law passed in 1973 spelling out the conditions under which the president can commit troops without congressional approval.
- Whip: Party leader who is the liaison between the leadership and the rank-and-file in the legislature.
- White House Press Secretary: A senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the executive branch government.
- Winner-Take-All Voting System: An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidate who receives the most votes in an election.
- Writ of Certiorari (Certiorari): A request for the Supreme Court to order up the records from a lower court to review the case.
- Writ of Habeas Corpus (Habeas Corpus): A court order requiring jailers to explain to a judge why they are holding a prisoner in custody.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
