Unit One: Our American Political Culture

Front 1

five concepts of democracy

Back 1

1) fundamental worth of the individual
2)equality of all persons
3)majority rule with minority rights
4)necessity of compromise
5)individual freedom

Front 2

concepts of limited government

Back 2

habeus corpus
freedom of speech
freedom of religion
right to bear arms
trial by jury

Front 3

the executive branch..?

Back 3

enforces the laws

Front 4

the legislature...?

Back 4

makes the laws

Front 5

the judiciary...?

Back 5

interprets the laws

Front 6

in the checks and balances system, the President can..?

Back 6

veto the law

Front 7

in the checks and balances system, Congress can...?

Back 7

override the President's veto

Front 8

in the checks and balances system, the Supreme Court can..?

Back 8

declare a law unconstitutional

Front 9

characteristics of a unitary system

Back 9

1)centralized power
2)state or local authority derived from central gov
3)ex. united kingdom, france

Front 10

characteristics of a federal system

Back 10

1)power divided
2)central/state or local governments act directly on citizens
3)both must agree to constitutional change
4)ex. canada, usa

Front 11

characteristics of a confederation

Back 11

1)power held by independent states
2)central government is a creation of constituent government
3)ex. USA under articles of confederation

Front 12

to approve

Back 12

ratify

Front 13

amendments are proposed at national level, but ratified...?

Back 13

on a state-by-state basis

Front 14

two parts of proposing amendments

Back 14

1) two-thirds vote of each house in Congree
2) national convention called by Congress at requests of two-thirds of the states

Front 15

appeal to

Back 15

petition

Front 16

a budget in which the federal governments spending never exceeds its income

Back 16

balanced budget

Front 17

two parts of ratifying amendments

Back 17

1) legislatures in three-fourths of the states ratify the amendment
2)each state calls a special ratifying convention, amendment is ratified when three-fourths of the conventions approve it

Front 18

prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender

Back 18

Equal Rights Amendment

Front 19

accuse

Back 19

impeach

Front 20

an agreement between nations

Back 20

treaty

Front 21

agreement made directly between President and the head of state or other country

Back 21

executive agreement

Front 22

law stating that the court should avoid taking the initiative on social/political questions

Back 22

judicial restraint

Front 23

law stating that court should play a role in shaping national policies

Back 23

judicial activism

Front 24

Political party that believes government is responsible for citizens, and are in favor of change over time

Back 24

Liberals

Front 25

political party that believes individuals are responsible for themselves, and seek to reduce government spending in favor of status quo

Back 25

conservatives

Front 26

Political party that believes in total government control, and are willing to use violence in their seek for change

Back 26

Radicals

Front 27

Political party that believes in a very limited government, and are willing to use violence in their seek for the "good old days"

Back 27

Reactionaries

Front 28

Aspects of globalization

Back 28

1) cheaper priced goods
2) reduction in poverty
3) enhanced technology
4) movement to urban areas
5) US Supreme power

Front 29

allowing information from criminal probes to be shared with intelligence agencies and other parts of the government is part of what policy?

Back 29

Patriot Act

Front 30

allowing one wiretap authorization to cover multiple devices is part of what policy

Back 30

Patriot Act

Front 31

allowing easier access to business records in foreign intelligence investigations is part of what policy

Back 31

Patriot Act

Front 32

gives all key powers to the national or central government

Back 32

unitary system

Front 33

divides powers between national government and statet or provincial government

Back 33

federal system

Front 34

loose union of independent states

Back 34

confederacy

Front 35

plan that provides rules for government

Back 35

constitution

Front 36

government in which a constitution has authority to place clearly recognized limits on powers of those who govern

Back 36

constitutional government (limited government)

Front 37

statement that sets forth goals and purposes to be served by the government

Back 37

preamble

Front 38

interpretation and application of constitution

Back 38

constitutional law

Front 39

effort to control or influence the conduct and polifices of government

Back 39

politics

Front 40

people govern themseles by voting on issues indiviually as citizens

Back 40

direct democracy

Front 41

people elect representatvies and give them the responsibility and power to make laws and conduct government

Back 41

representative democracy

Front 42

voters are the source of the governments authority

Back 42

republic

Front 43

system of limited government where the peoploe are ultimate source of governmental authority

Back 43

republic

Front 44

characteristics of democracy

Back 44

1) individual liberty
2) majority rule with minority rights
3) free elections
4) competing political parties

Front 45

group of individuals with broad common interests who organize to nominate candidates for office, win elections, conduct government, and determine public policy

Back 45

political party

Front 46

opportunity to control ones economic decisions, providing a base for making independent political decisions

Back 46

free enterprise