Government Final Exam

Front 1

Sovereignty

Back 1

The absolute authority a government has over its citizens

Front 2

Representative Democracy

Back 2

a system of government in which people vote in elections to choose the people who will govern them

Front 3

Parliamentary System

Back 3

A system in which the power is concentrated in a legislature.

Front 4

Presidential System

Back 4

a system in which the legislative and executive branches operate independently of eachother

Front 5

Antifederalist

Back 5

someone who is opposed of federalism

Front 6

Federalist

Back 6

supporter of the U.S. Constitution.

Front 7

Bill of Rights

Back 7

first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Front 8

Repeal

Back 8

to reverse or cancel an existing law

Front 9

Checks and Balances

Back 9

limitations placed on a branch of government's political power by giving the other branches control over its affairs.

Front 10

Separation of Powers

Back 10

distribution of political powers among the governmental branches.

Front 11

Unitary

Back 11

system of government in which all legal power is held by the national, or central government.

Front 12

Social Contract

Back 12

the theory in which people give up their individual sovereignty for peace and order provided by the state.

Front 13

Federal

Back 13

A form of government in which powers are shared among the central, state, and regional levels.

Front 14

Tyranny

Back 14

Absolutes rule by a government that ignores the rights and welfare of the people.

Front 15

Constitution

Back 15

a basic set of laws and principles establishing the nations government.

Front 16

Factions

Back 16

groups of people seeking to advance their own concerns.

Front 17

Gridlock

Back 17

lack of progression.

Front 18

Amendment

Back 18

Changes to the constitution.

Front 19

Cabinet

Back 19

advisory board that is made up of the heads of the governments executive departments.

Front 20

Government

Back 20

a system the markets and establishes laws to society.

Front 21

Anarchy

Back 21

absence of governmental authority.

Front 22

Laws

Back 22

set of rules enforced by the government.

Front 23

Delegates

Back 23

someone who is authorized to represent and act for others within a voting assembly.

Front 24

Boycott

Back 24

refusal to business with or buy the products of a company, industry, or a nation in order to pressure into changing politics.

Front 25

Ratify

Back 25

formal approval.

Front 26

Veto

Back 26

formal rejection of legislation of a chief executive.

Front 27

Judicial Review

Back 27

power of court to determine laws and other government actions are constitutional or lawful.

Front 28

Executive Agreements

Back 28

agreements between the president and the heads of other nations.

Front 29

Oligarchy

Back 29

system in which the political power and control is held by a small group of political elite.

Front 30

Revenue Sharing

Back 30

distribution by a government of a portion of its income to lower levels of government.

Front 31

Elastic Clause

Back 31

grants congress the authority to enact all laws

Front 32

Civil Law

Back 32

body of law that governs the relationships among individuals and that defines peoples legal rights; lawsuit brought upon another.

Front 33

Criminal Law

Back 33

body of law that regulates the conduct of individuals as members of the state.

Front 34

Inherent Powers

Back 34

power that is not specifically granted.

Front 35

Concurrent Powers

Back 35

power that is held by more than one level of government.

Front 36

Categorical Grants

Back 36

payment that the federal government distributes to a state or local government to fund specific activities.

Front 37

Grants-in-Aid

Back 37

federal payment to a state or local government for a specific purpose.

Front 38

Federal Mandates

Back 38

requirement that state or local government take specific action.

Front 39

Block Grants

Back 39

another form of grant-in-aid.

Front 40

PACs

Back 40

organization that is created to raise and distribute campaign money to candidates for elective political office

Front 41

Constituents

Back 41

resident of a district or state represented by an elected official.

Front 42

Apportion

Back 42

determination of how many legislatures should represent a jurisdiction

Front 43

Census

Back 43

official counting of a population

Front 44

Political Party

Back 44

group of people who seek to influence government actions and policies by electing its members to office

Front 45

Impeach

Back 45

charges against a public official

Front 46

Gerrymandering

Back 46

redrawing of legislative district boundaries to strengthen political power of one group or political party over another.

Front 47

Writ of Habeas Corpus

Back 47

a writ ordering a prisoner to be brought before a judge

Front 48

Franking Privilege

Back 48

right of a congress member to send mail without paying postage.

Front 49

Oversight

Back 49

power of a legislature to review and monitor the activities of an executive branch.

Front 50

Pocket Veto

Back 50

bills that the president dislikes but not enough to veto

Front 51

Party Whip

Back 51

monitors and influences how a voter votes for a party

Front 52

Appropriations

Back 52

funds set aside for specific purposes

Front 53

Expulsion

Back 53

requires 2/3rds vote and formally removes a member of office

Front 54

Speaker of the House

Back 54

most influntial position in the House of Representatives

Front 55

Select Committee

Back 55

committees created to deal with special issues not covered by standing committees

Front 56

Filibuster

Back 56

an effort by one or more senators to hold up the final vote on a bill

Front 57

Quorum

Back 57

majority of members must be able to conduct business

Front 58

Pork-barrel Spending

Back 58

awards projects and grants from the government to a members home district

Front 59

Majority Party

Back 59

political party that holds the most seats

Front 60

Mark-Up

Back 60

The process by which congressional committees and subcommittees debate, amend, and rewrite proposed legislation

Front 61

Incumbent

Back 61

political candidate who currently holds an elected office

Front 62

Conference Committee

Back 62

both members of both houses of congress meet together

Front 63

Allaince

Back 63

agreement between two or more nations to work together

Front 64

Commutation

Back 64

the reduction of a punishment to a less serious one

Front 65

Reprieve

Back 65

postponement of a sentence

Front 66

Party Platform

Back 66

a statement of a political party's opinion on issues

Front 67

Executive Order

Back 67

rule issued by the president or another executive branch on how to enforce and carry out legislation

Front 68

Executive Privilege

Back 68

principle that the executive branch may withhold information from congress and the courts to preserve national security

Front 69

Diplomacy

Back 69

art of negotiating, conducting, and maintaining relationships with other nations

Front 70

Nominating

Back 70

naming a political party member as a candidate for a particular public office

Front 71

Diplomatic Recognition

Back 71

acknowledgement by one nation's government that another nation's government is legitimate.

Front 72

Primary Election

Back 72

the election to choose a political party's candidates for an elective office

Front 73

General Election

Back 73

voters choose among candidates running for office

Front 74

Pardon

Back 74

release of a person charged with or convicted of a crime, at the request of a chief executive.