US Government Foundations Quiz

Declaration of Independence

• Purpose: Rally troops and secure foreign allies for the war.
• Preamble: Justification for separation from Britain.

Brutus 1

• Argument: Strong central government threatens individual liberties and state sovereignty.
• Alternative: Decentralized government with more local control.
• Concern: Constitution creates a government too powerful for the people to govern themselves effectively.
• Focus on direct representation.

Federalist 10

• Author: James Madison
• Argument: A large republic with many factions is better than a smaller one.
• Factions: Groups motivated by self-interest.
• Solution: Debate and compromise to pass laws due to the existence of many factions, which will decrease the threat to liberty.

Factions

• Definition: Groups of citizens who prioritize their interests over the general good.
• Aim: Dominate the government to impose their self-interests.

Constitution

• Purpose: Create a government strong enough to act nationally but not threaten fundamental rights.
• Response to: Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

Article 1

• Establishes: Legislative branch (Congress).
• Congress: Bicameral (House of Representatives and Senate).

Article 2

• Establishes: Executive branch (headed by the President).
• Details: Presidential election method, powers, duties, and removal process.

Federalist 70

• Author: Alexander Hamilton
• Argument: Single, energetic executive protects against foreign threats and enforces laws, protecting liberty and property.
• Emphasis on energy in the executive as a key feature of good governance.

15th Amendment (1870)

• Protection: Right to vote regardless of race.

17th Amendment

• Change: Direct election of senators.

19th Amendment (1920)

• Grant: Women's right to vote.

22nd Amendment

• Limit: Two terms or ten years for the presidency.

24th Amendment

• Abolition: Poll taxes.

25th Amendment

• Presidential succession: Procedures for VP succession if president is incapacitated or dies.
• VP appointment: President appoints a VP, subject to Congressional approval if no VP.

McCulloch v. Maryland

• Ruling: Federal law is supreme to state law.

Baker v. Carr

• Ruling: Equal representation; one person, one vote.

Shaw v. Reno

• Ruling: Race cannot be the sole factor in drawing voting districts.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

• Ruling: Limits on corporate and individual contributions violate free speech.

Federalism

• Definition: Division of power between national and state governments.

Fiscal Federalism

• Definition: National government's spending, taxing, and grant distribution to states and localities.

Categorical Grant

• Definition: Funds for a specific, defined purpose.

Block Grant

• Definition: Funds for general programs in a broad category.

Government Mandate

• Definition: Federal directives requiring state compliance.

Unfunded Mandate

• Definition: Federal mandates without accompanying funding.

Concurrent Powers

• Definition: Shared powers between national and state governments.

Necessary and Proper Clause

• Purpose: Congress's ability to make laws in areas the Constitution doesn't explicitly authorize.

Electoral College

• Definition: American system for electing the President.

Winner-take-all system

• Definition: Electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins all electoral votes for that state.

Horse-race journalism

• Definition: News coverage focused on the race rather than the issues.

Incumbency advantage

• Definition: Advantages enjoyed by the incumbent candidate in an election.

Keynesian Fiscal Policy

• Definition: Increased government spending and decreased taxes stimulate the economy.

Supply-side economics

• Definition: Economic policies emphasizing tax cuts to stimulate supply, applied in the Reagan administration.

Sampling error

• Definition: Error in a sample that does not accurately represent the target population.

Retrospective voting

• Definition: Voting based on an incumbent's past performance

Prospective voting

• Definition: Voting based on a candidate's stated positions and plans.

Political efficacy

• Definition: Belief that political participation matters.

Exit poll

• Definition: Polls taken of voters as they leave polling places.

Full faith and credit clause

• Definition: States must recognize the laws and judicial proceedings of other states.

Underfunded Mandate

• Definition: Reducing funding for a mandate.

Amendment Process

• Steps: Proposal by Congress or state legislatures, followed by ratification by state legislatures or conventions.

Participatory democracy

• Definition: Importance of widespread political participation in a democracy.

Pluralist democracy

• Definition: Competition between interest groups to pass policies; compromise.

Elite model

• Definition: Skilled and experienced individuals making decisions for the government.

Liberal views

• Definition: Societal equality and active government role.

American political culture

• Definition: Dominant beliefs, customs, traditions, and values in American society regarding citizenship and government.

Judicial review

• Definition: Federal courts' power to review laws and executive actions in light of the Constitution.

Limited government

• Definition: Restraints on government power to protect citizen rights, checks and balances.

Political socialization

• Definition: Experiences that shape political ideologies.

Political parties

• Definition: Democrats and Republicans.

Candidate-centered campaigns

• Definition: Campaigns focusing on candidates rather than political parties.

Likelihood of voting

• Factors: Age, education, gender, government employment

Bully pulpit

• Definition: President uses media to promote their policies.

Executive checks Legislative

• Veto power, nominations.

Legislative checks Executive

• Impeachment, confirmation/rejection of nominations.

House Rules Committee

• Function: Sets rules for debate and amendments in the House.

Filibuster

• Definition: Tactic to delay or block a vote in the Senate by monopolizing debate.

Presidential approval ratings

• Definition: Public assessment of the President's performance.

Gridlock

• Definition: Political stalemate due to conflicting parties in government.

Apportionment

• Definition: Distribution of congressional seats based on population.

Congressional leadership

• Speaker of the House: Presiding officer, major policy role.
• Majority Leader: Schedules bills and represents party's stance

Minority leader

• Definition: Leader of the minority party in the House or Senate.

Whips

• Function: Link between party leadership and other members.

Types of voters in congress

• Partisan: Voting along party lines (delegate)
• Logrolling: Trading votes (delegate)
• Trustee model: Voters best judgment
• Politico model" Blend of delegate and trustee

Impeachment process

• Definition: House accusation then Senate trial.

Congressional oversight

• Definition: Congress's review and scrutiny of executive branch activities.

Interest group activities

• Definition: Influencing policymakers through education, lobbying, legislation drafting.

Lobbying

• Definition: Efforts to influence policymakers to support particular legislation.

Winner-take-all system

• Definition: Electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins all electoral votes.