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50 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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The Executive Branch
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Made up of the President, Cabinet, Federal agencies
carries out laws creates budget |
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The Congress
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Makes laws (Legislative)
Senate (100) & House of Reps (435) Reps elected by district, 2yrs Senators elected by state, 6ys |
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The Supreme Court
Chief? |
9 Justices, serve for life
Judicical Branch-interprets appointed by prez, approved by senate chief = John G. Roberts Jr. |
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Checks and balances
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3 branches create a balance of power so no branch/person has too much power
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USA Patriot Act
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put into action by Bush admin
feds get more surveillance infringe on civil liberties "security threats" allow them |
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The Bill of Rights
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1st ten amendments, protect civil/individual liberties
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The Second Amendment
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protects the right to own firearms. Included so militias can be formed, lot of controversy
Brady Law 93 Handgun control act left to states |
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Roe v. Wade (1973)
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Woman's right to choose
ruled-abortion is illegal case is being brought back to the supreme court |
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Texas V. Johnson (1989)
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Burning of An american flag
ruling-is legal under freedom of speech/expression |
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Democracy
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A system of governance where citizens rule directly or through elected officials
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Imperialism
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The expansion of a country ('s power) through colonies, wars
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Free Market Economy
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economies not controlled by gov't, but by supply and demand
laissez faire |
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Nationbuilding
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creating democracies in developing countries or nations recovering from wars
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Zionism
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1897-the movement to make a jew. homeland near palestine--the original home of the jews
Israel |
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Balfour Declaration
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1917 agreement to establish Israel in Palestine for jews
made by British 1947-UN establishes Israel |
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Six Day War
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1967- War: Israel vs. neighboring countries ( Jordon, Egypt, Syria)
Israel captures Sinai, Gaza, West Bank etc. Israel attacks preemptively |
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Persian Gulf War
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1990-
US want's Iraq's WMD, Hussein refuses inspectors, US puts $$ sanctions on Iraq |
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PLO
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Palestine Liberation Organization
tries to destrct Israel, get back state |
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The "Road Map"
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2002- Road Map To Peace created by EU, US, Russia & UN. aims for independent palestine and peaceful Israel
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The Cold War
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"war" in Europe, E. Europe and USSR vs. W. Europe (democratic) & US
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The Iron Curtain
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Europe divided into East and West--border is heavily guarded, called "Iron Curtain"-- No one could get through to either side
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The Yalta Conference
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FDR, Winston Churchill, and Stalin meet @ Yalta (1945) to dicuss Europe's Future
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NATO/The Warsaw Pact
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N. Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949)-military alliance between US & other W. Euro countreies. Warsaw Pact--counterpart (1955)
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The EU and the EURO
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Made w. Maastricht Traty, called for monetary unity. 1993--Euro is created, 1999-Euro is currency most of Europe
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Plessy v Ferguson (1896)
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Court rules in favor of segregation-- "Separate but Equal"
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Brown v Board of Education (1954)
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Ruled against segregation in schools-was not/could not be equal
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ADA (1990)
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American with Disabilities Act...protects ppl w. disabilites in employment & education. Provides money for services for disabled
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Defense of Marriage Act (1996)
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Allows a state to deny legal recognition of same-sex couples. Defines marriage (under fed. law) as between man and woman
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Arms Race
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Cold War- US and USSR gathered nuclear weapons to prevent the other from attacking- "Mutual Assured Destruction"
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UN Nuclear Proliferation Treaty
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1968-Grants all signatories access to nuc. tech. in the afreement they would use for peace. 188 countries sign by 2005
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Preemption
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Part of counter-proliferation (preemptive attack. Preemption is now being seen as form of defense
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WMD
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Weapons of Mass Destruction--
includes bio and chem weapons anthrax, smallpox, bubonic plague, ChemWConv bans chem weapons (1993), bio weapon conv bans bio wepaons (1972) |
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NMD
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Nat'l Missile Defense
guards US of ballistic missiles involves radars & interceptors |
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Inflation & Rate of Inflation
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Increase of prices and services, may not be accompanied by increase in wages--lowers standard of living
rate=2.7% |
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Unemployment & Rate of Unemployment
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When ppl who want to work cannot find jobs, gov't tries to lower unemployment(less taxes, more ss)
rate-5.5% |
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Recession
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When the $$ declines due to high unemplyment & reduced production. Gov't fights w. fiscal policy & reduced interest
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G-8
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A group of 8 leading countries in industry/$$. Summit each year. G-8= Canada, France, Germany Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, US
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Outsourcing (of jobs)
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When companies hire workers from outside the country (cheap labor), and skilled. Bad for $$
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Handgun Control Act (Brady Law) (1993)
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Creates a mandatory 5-day waiting period before buying a handgun, and does background check
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Causes of Crime
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Prevention or punishment?
Causes= poverty, drug abuse, lack of employment, access to firearms |
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Interdiction
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Way of preventing drugs form entering market. Happens through negotiations w. drug producing countries & surveillance on imports
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Ferman v. Georgia (1972)
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Ruled that anyone under the age of 15 being executed is "cruel and unusual punishment" not constitutional
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OMB/Fiscal Year
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OMB= Office of Management and Budget
Fiscal year=begins Oct 1, ends sept 30 OMB produces budget |
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Four Categories of Fed. Budget
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-Defense
-Nondefense discretionary environment, edu, highways--budgetary programs -mandatory social security, medicare, "entitlements" -interest on Nat'l budget interest for money gov't owes |
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Budget Deficits/Deficit Spending
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how much spending overrides deficit, causes treasury to borrow $$--drives up interest
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The Nat'l Debt
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$8 trillion
total sum of borrowed $$ from lending inst., foreign banks, US pop, itself keeps growing |
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Department of Homeland Security
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2003
Bush created new cabinet dept- DHS merged 22 fed agencies dealing w. defense -immigration -border control -customs -transportation -security -emergency response -coast guard |
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War Powers Resolution
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1973-Congress passes res. prez needs congress power to send trops to countries, places time limits on troop use w/o declaring war, congress has power to bring troops home
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"Back Door" Draft
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no draft currently, but the pentagon is requiring volunteers to do extra hours and extra work, national guard also asked to do mil. work=called "back door draft"
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Peacekeeping
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Kosovo, Haiti, Bosnia, Liberia, Afghanistan, Iraq
US troops are sent in after a conflict to maintain peace, "prevents breeding grounds for terrorists", troops help rebuild |
