US Government Vocabulary Quiz

Vocabulary

• Electoral College: A body of representatives from each state who formally cast votes for the President and Vice President.
• Federalists: Supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong central government.
• Anti-Federalists: Opponents of the Constitution who advocated for states' rights and feared a strong central government.
• Federalist Paper #10: An essay by James Madison arguing that a large republic can best control factions and protect minority rights.
• Nomination: The process by which political parties select their candidates for an election.
• General Election: A nationwide election where voters choose officeholders.
• Self-Announcement: When a person declares themselves a candidate for public office.
• Petition: A formal request signed by voters to qualify a candidate or initiative for the ballot.
• Popular Vote: The total votes cast by citizens in an election.
• Electoral Votes: Votes cast by members of the Electoral College to determine the President and Vice President.
• Liberal vs Conservative: Ideological perspectives where liberals favor progressive change and government intervention, while conservatives prioritize tradition and limited government.
• Republicans: A major political party generally associated with conservative policies.
• Democrats: A major political party generally associated with liberal policies.
• Platform: A political party's formal statement of its principles, goals, and policy positions.
• Caucus: A meeting of party members to select candidates or discuss policy.
• Third Parties: Political parties outside the two major parties that focus on specific issues or alternative platforms.
• Plurality: When a candidate wins an election by receiving more votes than any other, but not necessarily a majority.
• Exit Poll: Surveys conducted outside polling places to predict election outcomes and analyze voter behavior.
• 12th Amendment: Changed the process of electing the President and Vice President to separate votes in the Electoral College.
• 15th Amendment: Guaranteed voting rights regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
• 17th Amendment: Established the direct election of U.S. Senators by voters.
• 19th Amendment: Granted women the right to vote.
• 24th Amendment: Prohibited poll taxes in federal elections.
• 26th Amendment: Lowered the voting age to 18.
• Returns: The official results of an election.
• Congressional District: A geographic area within a state represented by one member in the House of Representatives.
• Electorate: All eligible voters in an election.
• Gerrymandering: The manipulation of electoral boundaries for political gain.
• Cracking: A gerrymandering tactic that spreads opposition voters across many districts to dilute their influence.
• Packing: A gerrymandering tactic that concentrates opposition voters in one district to minimize their influence elsewhere.

Processes and Systems

• Canvassing: Campaigning by directly contacting voters to solicit votes or share information.
• Public Opinion: The collective attitudes and beliefs of the public about issues or candidates.
• Public Agenda: The issues and priorities that receive attention from the public and policymakers.
• Winner-Take-All System: An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins all of a state's electoral votes or a district's representation.
• Direct Primaries: Include closed primaries (only registered party members can vote) and open primaries (any voter can participate).
• National Convention: Parties officially nominate their presidential and vice-presidential candidates, adopt their party platform, and unite the party for the upcoming election.
• Three requirements to vote in the United States: U.S. citizenship, meet state residency requirements, and be at least 18 years old by Election Day.
• Optical Scan Machines and Direct-Recording Electronic Machines (DRE): Two most common types of voting machines.
• Absentee Ballots: Requested by people unable to vote in person (due to being out of town, ill, disabled, or serving in the military).
• Reasons why people do not vote: Lack of interest, feeling their vote doesn't matter, registration difficulties, or logistical issues like work or transportation.
• Reasons why people do vote: Express their civic duty, influence government, support a candidate or issue, or because they believe their voice matters.