Ap Gov Midterm

Front 1

Thomas Jefferson

Back 1

One of the Founding Fathers; Author of the Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom; Primary author of the Declaration of Independence

Front 2

Rights

Back 2

those things given to people inherently

Front 3

British Common Law

Back 3

Legal system; Made up of generally accepted standards of rights and wrongs developed over centuries by judicial decisions rather than in written statutes

Front 4

Federalist

Back 4

supporter of the Constitution

Front 5

Federalist Papers

Back 5

documents written by Madison, Jay, and Hamilton to the people of New York to rally support for the Constitution's adoption

Front 6

Political Power

Back 6

uh... power within the political system?

Front 7

Supremacy Clause

Back 7

Article 6 Section 2; Constitution, Laws passed by the legislative branch, and Supreme Court rulings are above anything else in the land

Front 8

English Bill of Rights

Back 8

Document drawn up by Parliament in 1689 to prevent abuse of power by English monarch; forms the basis for much in American government and politics today

Front 9

Tax

Back 9

Money the government takes from people

Front 10

Rome

Back 10

First example of Separation of Powers, which is one of the key concepts of the American Constitution.

Front 11

Executive

Back 11

The branch of government that enforces the laws

Front 12

Separation of Power

Back 12

basic principle of the American system of government in which the executive, legislative, and judicial powers are divided among three independent and coequal branches of government.

Front 13

3/5 Compromise

Back 13

Compromise in which slaves counted as 3/5 of a person for census purposes

Front 14

Anti-Federalist

Back 14

Someone against the ratification of the Constitution

Front 15

Veto

Back 15

Presidential power to reject a bill passed by the legislature

Front 16

Factionalism

Back 16

A division of people into many groups; Madison warned of the danger of factions in Federalist 10

Front 17

Montesquieu

Back 17

Enlightenment thinker that believe in separation of powers; influences the United States Constitution; Wrote The spirit of the Laws

Front 18

Individual Rights

Back 18

Rights given to... individuals?

Front 19

James Otis

Back 19

Lawyer in Colonial Massachusetts; Some believe that he was either manic-depressive or schizophrenic; he prophesied his own death by lightning strike

Front 20

Judicial Review

Back 20

Power of the courts to determine and constitutionality of the actions of the legislative and executive branches of government

Front 21

Athens

Back 21

Democratic city-state of Greece.

Front 22

Federalism

Back 22

A way of organizing a nation so that two levels of government have formal authority over the same land and people. It is a system of shared power between units of government.

Front 23

Parliament

Back 23

A governing body made up of elected officials.

Front 24

Trade

Back 24

The act or process of buying, selling, or exchanging commodities, at either wholesale or retail, within a country or between countries.

Front 25

Legislative

Back 25

The branch of government which makes the laws.

Front 26

Division of Power

Back 26

A part of Montesquieu's philosophy; the form of government used by the ancient Romans; the separation of legislative, executive, and judicial powers between three separate but coequal branches of government.

Front 27

Great Compromise

Back 27

The compromise in which a bicameral legislature was formed. Also known as the Connecticut Compromise.

Front 28

Bill of Rights

Back 28

A list of 10 ensured rights that were passed in 1789.

Front 29

Supreme Court

Back 29

The pinnacle of the American judicial system. The Court ensures uniformity in interpreting national laws, resolves conflicts among states, and maintains national supremacy in law.

Front 30

Unicameral

Back 30

A legislative branch which has one representative body.

Front 31

Magna Carta

Back 31

English charter written in 1215 which ensured certain rights to the King's subjects, including but not exclusively habeas corpus. It was one of the documents used in creating the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Front 32

Revenue Sharing

Back 32

The sharing of taxes between the Federal Government and the States. It was in place between 1972 and 1987.

Front 33

Machiavelli

Back 33

Renaissance philosopher. He was an advocate of the utilitarian form of government and his book "The Prince" focuses around the idea that the end justifies the means.

Front 34

Free Public Education

Back 34

Education mandated or offered to children by the Federal Government that is completely paid for by taxes.

Front 35

Divine Right

Back 35

The philosophy that a person is given the power to rule by God.

Front 36

Benjamin Franklin

Back 36

One of the Founding Fathers; the editor of the Declaration of Independence; The only Founding Father who is a signatory of all four of the major documents from the founding: the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Paris, the Treaty of Alliance with France, and the Constitution.

Front 37

Confederacy

Back 37

A loose association between states.

Front 38

Implied

Back 38

Indirectly stated, as in the Implied Powers of the federal government, which are powers that go beyond those enumerated in the Constitution. Article 1, Section 8

Front 39

Preamble

Back 39

The first section of the Constitution that states it's purpose: form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity

Front 40

House Of Representatives

Back 40

Lower House of Congress. Has 435 members. Created through the Connecticut Compromise to appease large states (Virginia Plan).

Front 41

Constitutional Convention

Back 41

Meeting during which the Constitution was drafted as a replacement for the Articles of the Confederation.

Front 42

Citizens

Back 42

A native or naturalized member of a state or nation who owes allegiance to its government and is entitled to its protection.

Front 43

Lobbying

Back 43

A communication by someone other that a citizen acting on his own behalf directed to a governmental decision maker with the hope of influencing his decision.

Front 44

Civil Liberties

Back 44

Equal rights for groups that have been discriminated against, such as African Americans, women, and gay people.

Front 45

suffrage

Back 45

The right to vote, granted to African Americans by the 15th Amendment, to women by the 19th Amendment, and to 18 year olds by the 26th Amendment.

Front 46

moderate

Back 46

A person who tends towards the middle of politics, taking some stances on each side.

Front 47

open primaries

Back 47

A primary where voters do not have to choose to support one side or another publicly.

Front 48

Property Taxes

Back 48

Taxes placed on things that are owned, particularly land that is owned.

Front 49

Republicans

Back 49

Also called the Grand Old Party, this is the party that is for less government, and bigger business. The lesser of the two major parties.

Front 50

Coalition

Back 50

A union of different political parties that exists to achieve a goal. Usually short lived.

Front 51

Polling place

Back 51

Where voters go to cast ballots when it is their turn to vote.

Front 52

unions

Back 52

A group of workers that seek common goals, and try to ensure fair deals for workers who are part of the union.

Front 53

conservatism

Back 53

A political philosophy of gradual change, and traditional values, such as religious or cultural customs.

Front 54

Political Opinion

Back 54

How one feels about politics, and about the different political philosophies.

Front 55

National Convention

Back 55

Where the final presidential candidates are chosen for the election in November.

Front 56

Bandwagon

Back 56

A cause or movement that gains popularity as more people support it.

Front 57

Straight Ticket

Back 57

Voting for candidates in the same party for different positions, ie., voting for Democratic candidates all the way down the ballot.

Front 58

Television

Back 58

One aspect of the media that has heavily influenced American politics, and at the same time keeps people from voting if their favorite shows are on.

Front 59

Interest groups

Back 59

Groups that exist to support an issue, and that work to promote their side of that issue.

Front 60

registered voters

Back 60

People who are elegible to vote in various elections

Front 61

income taxes

Back 61

Taxes based on the amount of money made by a person in one year. Amendment number 16 to the Constitution.

Front 62

Democrats

Back 62

Those who support the Democratic Party, the great party that supports people's rights, larger government, and helps those in need. The stronger and better of the two major parties.

Front 63

two-party system

Back 63

Government where there are two major political parties that control the political process.

Front 64

county

Back 64

The most localized form of government that can occur. We live in Prince William COUNTY.

Front 65

Similar or agreement. Can apply to juristdiction, powers, resolution, or opinion.

Back 65

Concurring

Front 66

Powers given specifically to the states.

Back 66

Reserved

Front 67

Presidental advisory body, traditionally composed of the heads of the executive department.

Back 67

Cabinet

Front 68

Various tactics (usually prolonged floor debate) aimed at defeating a bill in a legislative body by preventing a final vote on it; often associated with the U.S. Senate.

Back 68

Filibuster

Front 69

Dishonest proceedings

Back 69

Corruption

Front 70

The process to choose by vote

Back 70

Election

Front 71

A small number of people selected as a representation of the population

Back 71

Sample

Front 72

Determinate in presidental elections from the group of electors chosen for each state.

Back 72

Electoral Vote

Front 73

Education institutions open to all citizens and paid for with government taxes

Back 73

Public Schools

Front 74

Allowed by the first amendment. Used to voice opposition to government policy.

Back 74

Protest

Front 75

Document stating freedom from Britian using Locke's basic rights for all people.

Back 75

Declaration of Independence

Front 76

Document outlining the U.S. government

Back 76

U.S. Constitution

Front 77

Wrote the Federalist Papers and was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme court

Back 77

John Jay

Front 78

Basic freemdoms granted to all citizens and guarenteed by the Bill of Rights

Back 78

Individual Rights

Front 79

State in Ancient Greece that is in the review packet for some reason. Starts with S and sounds like parta

Back 79

Sparta!

Front 80

Written by Thomas Jefferson, it established religious tolerance.

Back 80

Virginia Declaration of Religious Freedom

Front 81

Form of government in which a collection of individual states form a central government with very limited power.

Back 81

Confederation

Front 82

System of overlapping the powers of the three branches to check the power of each.

Back 82

Checks and balances

Front 83

Branch of government that interprets the law and constitution.

Back 83

Judicial

Front 84

Gives Congress the power to make any laws that are 'neccessary and proper'

Back 84

Elastic Clause

Front 85

Basic principle of the American system of government that the people are the source of any and all government power. Government must operate with the consent of the governed.

Back 85

Popular Sovereignty

Front 86

Legislative body made up of two bodies, the House and the Senate.

Back 86

Congress

Front 87

Civil Disobedience

Back 87

A form of political participation that reflects a conscious decision to break a law believed to be immoral and to suffer the consequences.

Front 88

Quota Samples

Back 88

In scientific polling, a group chosen to be interviewed in which the members of each of several groups are included in proportion to their percentage in the total population.

Front 89

Political Parties

Back 89

Organized group that seeks to control government through the winning of elections and holding public office.

Front 90

Third Party

Back 90

Electoral contenders other than the two major parties. American third parties are not unusual, but they rarely win elections.

Front 91

PACs

Back 91

Political arm of a special interest group that seeks to influence elections and public policy (with the use of money). A coperate, union, or some other interest group can create a PAC and register it with the Federal Election Commision (FEC) which will meticulously monitor the PAC's expenditures.

Front 92

Pollsters

Back 92

A professional whose job is to conduct private pre-election polls and advice candidates on a campaign strategy.

Front 93

Political Ideology

Back 93

A coherent set of beliefs about politcs, public policy, and public purpose. It helps give meaning to political events, personalities, and policies.

Front 94

Political Efficacy

Back 94

The beliefe that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can actualyl make a difference.

Front 95

Research Polls

Back 95

A private poll used to check the relative standings of potential candidates.

Front 96

Political Socialization

Back 96

Complex process by which individuals acquire their political attitudes and opinions.

Front 97

Split Ticket

Back 97

The process of voting for candidates in more than one party for different positions.

Front 98

Liberal

Back 98

Belief in the broad array of related ideas and theories of government that consider individual liberty to be the most important political goal.

Front 99

Australian Ballot

Back 99

Also known as the secret ballot. Meant to keep votes confidential to eliminate intimidation and bribery while voting.

Front 100

Independents

Back 100

Politicians or voters who are not affiliated with a politcal party.

Front 101

GOP

Back 101

Stands for Grand Old Party, and is a name for the Republican Party.

Front 102

Multiparty System

Back 102

Political system in which three or more parties compete for public office.

Front 103

Precinct

Back 103

The smallest unit of election administration; a local voting district.

Front 104

Constituents

Back 104

All persons represented by an elected officeholder.

Front 105

Scientific Survey

Back 105

A survey that is done scientifically?

Front 106

Political Culture

Back 106

The orientation of the citizens of a nation toward politics, and their perceptions of political legitimacy and the traditions of political practice.

Front 107

Platform

Back 107

Written declartion of the principles and policy decisions of a political party, usually adopted at that party's convention.

Front 108

Party Registrations

Back 108

A voter's decision to officially join a party and pay any fees associated with said party.

Front 109

Bicameral

Back 109

A legislature divided into two houses. U.S. and 49 states. Nebraska=outcast.

Front 110

Code Of Hammurabi

Back 110

law codes from ancient Babylon. First idea that laws were unchangeable.

Front 111

Dual Government

Back 111

Government at more than one level, working together. i.e. State and Federal.

Front 112

Mayflower Compact

Back 112

First governing document of Plymouth Colony. Religious freedom=important.

Front 113

John Locke

Back 113

Consent of the Governed. Unalienable Rights.

Front 114

Communist Manifesto

Back 114

1848. Set up similarly to the constitution. the manifesto suggested a course of action for a working class revolution to overthrow the government.

Front 115

John Adams

Back 115

2nd president. first vice president. first to live in white house.

Front 116

Unitary

Back 116

a state that has the central government regulating the sub-units. [i.e. federal controls creation of states]

Front 117

Delegate

Back 117

a member of a group representing an organization. such as political party delegates, selecting the president.

Front 118

Senate

Back 118

The upper house of the bicameral Congress. Each state has two members in the Senate. Equal representation.

Front 119

Patrick Henry

Back 119

1st and 6th governor of Virginia. ''Give me liberty or give me death'' part of the American Revolution.

Front 120

Impeachment

Back 120

the first of two stages in the process of removing a government official. Is not the removal, only the process of sending them to trial to be removed.

Front 121

Media

Back 121

A combination of ways in which information is delivered to the public. The most influential political socialization tool.

Front 122

Litigation

Back 122

Creating lawsuits to get a political point across

Front 123

Random Sample

Back 123

a dumb statistic term. basically when a group is chosen blindly, for polling.

Front 124

Primary Elections

Back 124

electing the nominees of a political party for the following general election.

Front 125

minor party

Back 125

a political party with so little electoral strength that its chance of gaining control of the government is slight.

Front 126

government

Back 126

the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit. three layers in the U.S. [local, regional, and national]

Front 127

Miranda Warning

Back 127

The thing Cops say before they arrest you. They state that the person has the right to remain silent, meaning if they decide to speak, they were informed of their right to be silent.

Front 128

Alexander Hamilton

Back 128

Founding Father. 1st Secretary of the Treasury. Was a Federalist, helping to create the party. Strong central government, elastic interpretation.

Front 129

James Madison

Back 129

4th president of the U.S. 5th Secretary of State. Founding Father. Father of the Constitution. Federalist Papers. Father of the Bill of Rights. loved checks and balances. helped create the Republican party.

Front 130

Constitutional Convention

Back 130

a meeting of delegates to write a new constitution or revise an existing one.

Front 131

Athens

Back 131

The capital of Greece. Stands as an example of a successful city-state government, which the US then attempted to copy.

Front 132

Federalism

Back 132

circle. line in the middle. multiple levels of government. such as federal...and state.

Front 133

Parliament

Back 133

a legislature, in this case referring to the British parliament, which controlled the colonies.

Front 134

trade

Back 134

the exchange of goods and services.

Front 135

legislative

Back 135

type of representative assembly with the power to create, amend, and ratify laws.

Front 136

division of power

Back 136

the idea that keeping power dispersed between various levels and branches, will help to keep one portion of the government from becoming too powerful.

Front 137

great compromise

Back 137

the agreement between large and small states during the Philadelphia convention of 1787,creating the legislative branch, with two houses, one based on population, the other based on equal representation.

Front 138

Bill of Rights

Back 138

The first 10 amendments to the constitution, to protect rights against infringement by other people and the government.

Front 139

Supreme Court

Back 139

The highest courts, that interpret the constitution, and makes up the judicial branch of the federal government. Judges appointed by the president.

Front 140

Unicameral

Back 140

a legislative with one house

Front 141

Magna Carta

Back 141

prevented the king from being all powerful. charter, that lead to todays system of constitutional law.

Front 142

Revenue sharing

Back 142

sharing of profits between a group of people

Front 143

Machiavelli

Back 143

political philosopher, wrote 'The Prince', discussing how nations should be run.

Front 144

Free Public Education

Back 144

states control schools, due to 10th amendment. education is free cause constitution says it is.

Front 145

divine right

Back 145

the idea that a ruler gets its power to rule from a deity.

Front 146

Benjamin Franklin

Back 146

Founding Father. created first library. first fire department. electricity.

Front 147

Confederacy

Back 147

an association of sovereign states. THE confederacy was the 11 southern states who tried to break away, kinda failed.

Front 148

Implied

Back 148

powers authorized by the constitution, but were not explicitly stated, but are implied by power that are stated.

Front 149

House of Representatives

Back 149

The lower house of Congress, members based on population of the states. 435 members. 2 year terms.

Front 150

1st Amendment

Back 150

addresses the rights of freedom of religion (prohibiting Congressional establishment of a religion over another religion through Law and protecting the right to free exercise of religion), freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of petition.

Front 151

2nd Amendment

Back 151

declares "a well regulated militia" as "necessary to the security of a free State", and as explanation for prohibiting infringement of "the right of the People to keep and bear arms."

Front 152

3rd Amendment

Back 152

prohibits the government from using private homes as quarters for soldiers without the consent of the owners.

Front 153

4th Amendment

Back 153

guards against searches, arrests, and seizures of property without a specific warrant or a "probable cause" to believe a crime has been committed.

Front 154

5th Amendment

Back 154

forbids trial for a major crime except after indictment by a grand jury; prohibits double jeopardy (repeated trials), except in certain very limited circumstances; forbids punishment without due process of law; and provides that an accused person may not be compelled to testify against himself (this is also known as "Taking the Fifth" or "Pleading the Fifth"). This is regarded as the "rights of the accused" amendment. It also prohibits government from taking private property without "just compensation," the basis of eminent domain in the United States.

Front 155

6th Amendment

Back 155

guarantees a speedy public trial for criminal offenses. It requires trial by a jury, guarantees the right to legal counsel for the accused, and guarantees that the accused may require witnesses to attend the trial and testify in the presence of the accused. It also guarantees the accused a right to know the charges against him.

Front 156

7th Amendment

Back 156

assures trial by jury in civil cases.

Front 157

8th Amendment

Back 157

forbids excessive bail or fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.

Front 158

9th Amendment

Back 158

declares that the listing of individual rights in the Constitution and Bill of Rights is not meant to be comprehensive; and that the other rights not specifically mentioned are retained elsewhere by the people.

Front 159

10th Amendment

Back 159

provides that powers that the Constitution does not delegate to the United States and does not prohibit the states from exercising, are "reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Front 160

11th Amendment

Back 160

Clarifies judicial power over foreign nationals, and limits ability of citizens to sue states in federal courts and under federal law.

Front 161

12th Amendment

Back 161

Changes the method of presidential elections so that members of the electoral college cast separate ballots for president and vice president.

Front 162

13th Amendment

Back 162

Abolishes slavery and grants Congress power to enforce abolition.

Front 163

14th Amendment

Back 163

Defines United States citizenship; prohibits states from abridging citizens' privileges or immunities and rights to due process and the equal protection of the law; repeals the Three-fifths compromise; prohibits repudiation of the federal debt caused by the Civil War.

Front 164

15th Amendment

Back 164

Forbids the federal government and the states from using a citizen's race, color, or previous status as a slave as a qualification for voting.

Front 165

16th Amendment

Back 165

Authorizes unapportioned federal taxes on income.

Front 166

17th Amendment

Back 166

Establishes direct election of senators.

Front 167

18th Amendment

Back 167

Prohibited the manufacturing, importing, and exporting of alcoholic beverages

Front 168

19th Amendment

Back 168

Prohibits the federal government and the states from forbidding any citizen to vote due to their sex.

Front 169

20th Amendment

Back 169

Changes details of Congressional and presidential terms and of presidential succession.

Front 170

21st Amendment

Back 170

Repeals Eighteenth Amendment. Permits states to prohibit the importation of alcoholic beverages.

Front 171

22nd Amendment

Back 171

Limits president to two terms.

Front 172

23rd Amendment

Back 172

Grants presidential electors to the District of Columbia.

Front 173

24th Amendment

Back 173

Prohibits the federal government and the states from requiring the payment of a tax as a qualification for voting for federal officials.

Front 174

25th Amendment

Back 174

Changes details of presidential succession, provides for temporary removal of president, and provides for replacement of the vice president.

Front 175

26th Amendment

Back 175

Prohibits the federal government and the states from forbidding any citizen of age 18 or greater to vote simply because of their age.

Front 176

27th Amendment

Back 176

Limits congressional pay raises.