Ap U.s. Government Crash Course Vocab

Front 1

Majority Rule

Back 1

A fundamental democratic principle requiring that the majority's view be respected. Nonetheless, the Constitution originally contained a number of provisions designed to limit majority rule, including the electoral college, life tenure for Supreme Court justices, and the selection of senators by state legislators.

Front 2

Checks and Balances

Back 2

System in which each branch of government can limit the power of the other two branches. For example, the Senate has the power to approve or reject presidential appointments to the Supreme Court.

Front 3

Unitary System

Back 3

System of government in which all power is invested in a central government.

Front 4

Federalism

Back 4

A system of government in which power is divided by a written constitution between a central government and regional governments. As a result, two or more levels of government have formal authority over the same geographic area and people.

Front 5

Expressed Powers

Back 5

Powers specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution. For example, the Constitution gives Congress the power to coin money, impose taxes, and regulate interstate commerce. Also called enumerated powers.

Front 6

Implied Powers

Back 6

Powers of the federal government that go beyond those enumerated in the Constitution. These are derived from the elastic or necessary and proper clause.

Front 7

Reserved Powers

Back 7

Powers not specifically granted to the national government or denied to the states. These are held by the states through the Tenth Amendment.

Front 8

Cooperative Federalism

Back 8

Situations in which the national and state governments work together to complete projects. Also called fiscal federalism.

Front 9

Categorical Grant

Back 9

Funds provided for a specific and clearly defined purpose.

Front 10

Block Grant

Back 10

Funds granted to the states for a broadly defined purpose. Because these shift resources from the federal government to the states, they contribute to growing number of state and local government employees.

Front 11

Mandates

Back 11

Rules telling states what they must do to comply with federal guidelines. When these are unfunded they require state and local governments to provide services or comply with regulations without the provision of funds.

Front 12

Devolution

Back 12

A movement to transfer the responsibilities of governing from the federal government to state and local governments.

Front 13

Political Culture

Back 13

A set of widely shared political beliefs and values. America's is characterized by strong support for individual liberty, political equality, legal equality, the rule of law, and limited government.

Front 14

Political Socialization

Back 14

The process by which political values are formed and passed from one generation to the next. The family is the most important agent of this.

Front 15

Public Opinion

Back 15

Attitudes about institutions, leaders, political issues, and events.

Front 16

Political Ideology

Back 16

A cohesive set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and the role of government.

Front 17

Political Efficacy

Back 17

The belief that one's political participation makes a difference.

Front 18

Split-Ticket Voting

Back 18

Voting for candidates of different parties for different offices in the same election. Recent elections have witnessed a significant increase in this as the number of voters who identify themselves as independent increases.

Front 19

Political Party

Back 19

A group of citizens who organize to win elections, hold public offices, operate governments and determine public policy.

Front 20

Plurality Election

Back 20

The winning candidate is the person who receives more votes than anyone else, but less than half the total.

Front 21

Single-Member District

Back 21

An electoral district from which one person is chosen by voters for each elected office. This type of electoral system typically leads to legislatures dominated by two political parties.

Front 22

Party Era

Back 22

An historical period dominated by one political party.

Front 23

Critical Election

Back 23

An election when significant groups of voters change their traditional patters of party loyalty.

Front 24

Party Realignment

Back 24

The majority party is displaced by the minority party, thus ushering in a new party era. For example, in 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) led the New Deal coalition of blue-collar workers, racial minorities, Southerners, and farm laborers to a sweeping electoral victory.

Front 25

Divided Government

Back 25

A government in which one party controls the presidency while another party controls Congress. The pattern of this kind of government has dominated U.S. politics since the early 1970s.

Front 26

Interest Group

Back 26

An organization of people whose members share views on specific interests and attempt to influence public policy to their benefit. Unlike political parties, these do not elect people to office.

Front 27

Political Action Committee

Back 27

A committee formed by business, labor, or other interest groups to raise money and make contributions to the campaigns of political candidates whom they support.

Front 28

Free Riders

Back 28

People who benefit from an interest group without making any contributions. Labor unions and public interest groups often have this problem because people can benefit from the group's activities without joining.

Front 29

Power Elite Theory

Back 29

The theory that a small number of very wealthy individuals, powerful corporate interest groups, and large financial institutions dominate key policy areas.

Front 30

Pluralist Theory

Back 30

The theory that many interest groups compete for power in a large number of policy areas.

Front 31

Hyperpluralist Theory

Back 31

The theory that government policy is weakened and often contradictory because there are so many competing interest groups.

Front 32

Mass Media

Back 32

Means of communication such as newspapers, radio, television, and the Internet that can reach large, widely dispersed audiences.

Front 33

Linkage Institutions

Back 33

Institutions that connect citizens to government. The mass media, interest groups, and political parties are the three examples.

Front 34

Horse-Race Journalism

Back 34

The tendency of the media to cover campaigns by emphasizing how candidates stand in the polls instead of where they stand on the issues.

Front 35

Congressional Redistricting

Back 35

The reallocation of the number of representatives each state has in the House of Representatives.

Front 36

Gerrymandering

Back 36

The legislative process by which the majority party in each state legislature redraws congressional districts to ensure the maximum number of seats for its candidates.

Front 37

Incumbent

Back 37

An officeholder who is seeking reelection. The single most important factor in determining the outcome of congressional elections.

Front 38

Franking Privilege

Back 38

The right of members of Congress to mail newsletters to their constituents at the government's expense.

Front 39

Standing Committees

Back 39

Permanent subject-matter congressional committees that handle legislation and oversee the bureaucracy.

Front 40

Conference Committees

Back 40

Temporary bodies that are formed to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.

Front 41

House Rules Committee

Back 41

Sets the guidelines for floor debate. It gives each bill a rule that places the bill on the legislative calendar, limits time for debate, and determines the type of amendments that will be allowed.

Front 42

House Ways and Means Committee

Back 42

House committee that handles tax bills.

Front 43

Seniority

Back 43

Unwritten rule in both houses of Congress reserving committee chairs to members of the committee with the longest records of continuous service.

Front 44

Filibuster

Back 44

A way of delaying or preventing action on a bill by using long speeches and unlimited debate to "talk the bill to death."

Front 45

Cloture

Back 45

A Senate motion to end a filibuster. [This] requires a three-fifths vote.

Front 46

Logrolling

Back 46

Tactic of mutual aid and vote trading among legislators.

Front 47

Oversight

Back 47

Congressional review of the activities of an executive agency, department, or office.

Front 48

Delegate Role of Representation

Back 48

When members of Congress cast votes based on the wishes of their constituents.

Front 49

Closed Primary

Back 49

A primary in which voters are required to identify a party preference before the election and are not allowed to split their ticket.

Front 50

Frontloading

Back 50

The recent pattern of states holding primaries early in order to maximize their media attention and political influence. Three-fourths of the presidential primaries are now held between February and mid-March.

Front 51

Soft Money

Back 51

Contributions to political parties for party-building activities. These contributions are used to circumvent limits on other ways of giving.

Front 52

527 Group

Back 52

A tax-exempt organization created to influence the political process; not regulated by the Federal Election Commission because they do not coordinate their activities with a candidate or party.

Front 53

Veto

Back 53

The president's constitutional power to reject a bill passed by Congress. Congress may override [this] with a two-thirds vote in each chamber.

Front 54

Line-Item Veto

Back 54

The power to veto specific dollar amounts or line items from major congressional spending bills. The Supreme Court struck down the line-item veto as an unconstitutional expansion of the president's veto power.

Front 55

Executive Agreement

Back 55

A pact between the president and a head of a foreign state. [these] do not have to be approved by the Senate. However, unlike treaties, [these] are not part of U.S. law and are not binding on future presidents.

Front 56

Executive Privilege

Back 56

The president's power to refuse to disclose confidential information. In United States v. Nixon (1974), the Supreme Court ruled that there is no constitutional guarantee of unqualified [this]

Front 57

Lame-Duck Period

Back 57

The period of time in which the president's term is about to come to an end. Presidents typically have less influence during [this].

Front 58

Bureaucracy

Back 58

A large, complex organization of appointed officials.

Front 59

Executive Order

Back 59

A directive, order, or regulation issued by the president. [These] are based on constitutional or statutory authority and have the force of law.

Front 60

Iron Triangle

Back 60

An alliance among an administrative agency, an interest group, and a congressional committee. Each member of [this] provides key services, information, or policy for the others.

Front 61

Issue Network

Back 61

A network that includes policy experts, media pundits, congressional staff members, and interest groups who regularly debate an issue.

Front 62

Policy Agenda

Back 62

A set of issues and problems that policy makers consider important. The mass media play an important role in influencing the issues which receive public attention.

Front 63

Appellate Jurisdiction

Back 63

The authority of a court to hear an appeal from a lower court.

Front 64

Senatorial Courtesy

Back 64

An unwritten tradition whereby the Senate will not confirm nominations for lower court positions that are opposed by a senator of the president's own party from the state in which the nominee is to serve.

Front 65

Writ of Certiorari

Back 65

An order by the Supreme Court directing a lower court to send up the record in a given case for its review.

Front 66

Rule of Four

Back 66

The Supreme Court will hear a case if four justices agree to do so.

Front 67

Solicitor General

Back 67

Responsible for handling all appeals on behalf of the United States government to the Supreme Court.

Front 68

Amicus Curiae Brief

Back 68

A friend of the court brief filed by an interest group or interested party to influence a Supreme Court decision.

Front 69

Stare Decisis

Back 69

A Latin phrase meaning "let the decision stand." The vast majority of Supreme Court decisions are based on precedents established in earlier cases.

Front 70

Judicial Restraint

Back 70

Philosophy that the Supreme Court should use precedent and the Framers' original intent to decide cases.

Front 71

Judicial Activism

Back 71

Philosophy that the Supreme Court must correct injustices when other branches of government or the states refuse to do so.

Front 72

Monetary Policy

Back 72

Involves regulating the money supply, controlling inflation, and adjusting interest rates. This is controlled by the Federal Reserve Board.

Front 73

Fiscal Policy

Back 73

Raising and lowering taxes and government spending programs. This is controlled by the executive and legislative branches.

Front 74

Entitlement Program

Back 74

A government-sponsored program that provides mandated benefits to those who meet eligibility requirements. Social Security and Medicare are the government's largest of these.

Front 75

Office of Management and Budget

Back 75

This is responsible for preparing the budget that the president submits to Congress.

Front 76

Civil Liberties

Back 76

Legal and constitutional rights that protect individuals from arbitrary acts of government. These include freedom of speech and guarantees of a fair trial.

Front 77

Civil Rights

Back 77

Policies designed to protect people against arbitrary or discriminatory treatment by government officials or individuals. These include laws prohibiting racial and gender discrimination.

Front 78

Selective Incorporation

Back 78

The case-by-case process by which liberties listed in the Bill of Rights have been applied to the states using the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Front 79

Establishment Clause

Back 79

A provision of the First Amendment that prohibits Congress from establishing an official government-sponsored religion.

Front 80

Free Exercise Clause

Back 80

A provision of the First Amendment that guarantees each person the right to believe what he or she wants. However, a religion cannot make an act legal that would otherwise be illegal.

Front 81

Clear and Present Danger Test

Back 81

Judicial interpretation of the First Amendment that government may ban speech unless if it poses an imminent threat to society.

Front 82

Writ of Habeas Corpus

Back 82

A court order directing that a prisoner be brought before a court and that the court officers show cause why prisoner should not be released.

Front 83

Bill of Attainder

Back 83

A legislative act that provides for the punishment of a person without a court trial.

Front 84

Ex Post Facto Law

Back 84

A law applied to an act committed before the law was enacted.

Front 85

Exclusionary Rule

Back 85

Supreme Court guideline that prohibits evidence obtained by illegal searches or seizures form being admitted in court.

Front 86

Miranda Warnings

Back 86

Warnings that police must read to suspects prior to questioning that advises them of their rights.

Front 87

Strict Scrutiny

Back 87

Supreme Court rule that classification by race and ethnic background is inherently suspect and must be justified by a "compelling public interest."

Front 88

Affirmative Action

Back 88

A policy requiring federal agencies, universities, and most employers to take positive steps to remedy the effects of past discrimination.