American Government Unit 1 Test

Front 1

The economic system in which the market regulates prices, wages, etc.

Back 1

Free Market Economy

Front 2

A system that favors private control of business & minimal government regulation

Back 2

capitalist

Front 3

founder of capitalism

Back 3

Adam Smith

Front 4

written by Adam Smith

Back 4

"Wealth of Nations"

Front 5

"Hands off" economy

Back 5

"Laissez-Faire"

Front 6

Belief or doctrine that a society should be governed by certain ethical principles that are part of nature and, as such, can be understood by reason

Back 6

Natural Law

Front 7

A great intellectual movement of the 17th, 18th, and early 19th cetnuries

Back 7

Enlightenment

Front 8

a document that is an explanation of how government came into being and how it should work

Back 8

Social Contract (ie. a Written document)

Front 9

These two men believed in the theory of a social contract

Back 9

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke

Front 10

society sets up a government and gives to that government certain responsibilities(powers); If government violates those responsibilities; Man has the right to change that government

Back 10

Locke's Social Compact Theory

Front 11

"Mob Rule"

Back 11

Democracy

Front 12

town meeting, House of Burgesses 1619

Back 12

Direct Democracy

Front 13

Representative

Back 13

Indirect Democracy

Front 14

A government structure ruling w/ the consent of the governed, by either way

Back 14

Republic

Front 15

Characteristics of American Democracy:

Back 15

1)Popular consent & majority rule
2)Popular sovereignty
3)Individualism
4)Equality
5)Personal Liberty
6)Civil Society

Front 16

An individual's values and beliefs about the purpose & scope of government

Back 16

Political Ideology

Front 17

Favor extensive government involvement in the economy and the provision of societal servies

Back 17

Liberals

Front 18

Believe that a government is best that governs least and that big government can only infringe on rights

Back 18

Conservatives

Front 19

served as the government of the United States from 1781-1789; had no real power and was very decentralized; consisted of a unicameral legislature in which each state had one vote

Back 19

Articles of Confederation

Front 20

The national constitution gives the national government this power

Back 20

"Delegated powers"

Front 21

State's retain this type of power

Back 21

"Reserved Powers"

Front 22

The Father or author of the U.S. Constitution

Back 22

James Madison

Front 23

(National & state) Kept the states intact, but set up a national government to exercise its own powers and share powers w/ states

Back 23

Federalism

Front 24

(Big States) Representation set by population

Back 24

Virginia Plan

Front 25

(Small states) Equal representation for each state

Back 25

New Jersey Plan

Front 26

combined both plans together

Back 26

The Great Compromise

Front 27

for the small states

Back 27

Senate

Front 28

for population

Back 28

House of Representatives

Front 29

counting of slaves for purposes of representation in the national government

Back 29

Three-Fifths Compromise

Front 30

Chief executive

Back 30

President

Front 31

president would be elected by

Back 31

Electoral college

Front 32

charges brought before a high official

Back 32

impeachment

Front 33

Basic Principles of the U.S. Constitution:

Back 33

1) Federalism
2) "Separation of Powers"
3) "Checks and Balances"
4) Supremacy Clause

Front 34

The splitting of powers

Back 34

"Separation of Powers"

Front 35

government structure that gives each branch of government a degree of oversight or control over the others

Back 35

"Checks and Balances"

Front 36

the national laws take precedence

Back 36

Supremacy clause

Front 37

Constitutional Structure:

Back 37

Article I) The legislative branch
Article II) The executive branch
Article III) The judicial branch
Article IV) Relations btwn. state and national govt.; provides for the admission of new states
Article V) How to amen/change the constitution
Article VI) Supremacy clause: The constitution "Shall be the supreme law of the land"
Article VII) Ratification or approval of the constitution

Front 38

forms the bedrock of american political tradition

Back 38

preamble

Front 39

powers granted to the national congress

Back 39

enumerated powers

Front 40

supreme court allowances for national govt. conduct

Back 40

"Implied Powers"

Front 41

Powers to cover anything else

Back 41

Elastic clause

Front 42

authority of the supreme court to determine the constitutionality of acts of congress

Back 42

Judicial review

Front 43

favored a strong national govt; wanted the constitution ratified

Back 43

federalists

Front 44

favored strong state govt., keep the national govt. weak; they were anti-constitutional

Back 44

anti-federalists

Front 45

85 essays penned by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay; They are the best written defense of the constitution

Back 45

The Federalist Papers

Front 46

Reasons this procedure for ratification:

Back 46

1) democratic intent: Power from the people
2) Avoid state legislatures: They would be losing power

Front 47

wrote An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

Back 47

Charles Beard

Front 48

New Hampshire was the 9th state to ratify on June 21, 1788, but on two conditions:

Back 48

1) As soon as adopted, a "Bill of Rights" would be attached to it
2) George Washington would be the first President of the U.S.

Front 49

Formal provisions for amending the Constitution:

Back 49

Proposal: 1) 2/3rds vote by members in both Houses OR 2) 2/3rds vote by state legislatures calling Congress to call special convention
Ratification: 1) A favorable vote in 3/4ths of state legislatuers OR 2) A favorable vote in specially called ratifying conventions in 3/4ths of the states

Front 50

there were 10 made and they were called the "Bill of Rights"

Back 50

Amendments

Front 51

the first case to define the relationship btwn. national and state govt.

Back 51

McCulloch vs. Maryland

Front 52

belief that separate and equally powerful levels of government is best

Back 52

Dual Federalism

Front 53

the onset of the Great Depression ended dual federalism; the alphabet soup programs of the New Deal increased national govt's power

Back 53

Cooperative Federalism

Front 54

monies allocated by the national government to states for specific purpose

Back 54

categorical grants

Front 55

Proposed by then Minority Whip Newt Gingrich by the 1994 Republican

Back 55

"Contract w/ America"

Front 56

powers that are held by both the states and the federal government

Back 56

Concurrent Powers

Front 57

United States Congress shall have power "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes.

Back 57

Commerce Clause

Front 58

The distribution of a portion of federal tax revenues to state and local governments.

Back 58

Revenue Sharing

Front 59

A grant from a central government that a local authority can allocate to a range of services.

Back 59

Block Grants

Front 60

A grant-in-aid is money coming from central government for a specific project.

Back 60

Grants-In-Aid

Front 61

An official order or commission to do something

Back 61

mandates

Front 62

in recognition of the political realignment both within and beyond the U.S. in favor of his brand of conservatism and his faith in free markets

Back 62

"Reagan Revolution"