question

The origins of representative democracy can be traced to ___________________.

answer

ancient Rome

question

Who benefited from the Magna Carta?

answer

English Nobility

question

What was guaranteed in the English Bill of Rights?

answer

freedom from taxation without representation

question

Whose ideas about government greatly influenced the men who drafted the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution?

answer

John Locke

question

What was the colonists' primary complaint about the rule of the British Crown?

answer

They were subject to heavy taxes from the British Crown.

question

What four things were components of the Coercive Acts?

answer

*closure of the port of Boston *dissolution of the Massachusetts legislature *requirements to quarter British soldiers *Establishment of martial law

question

Which event directly resulted from the Coercive Acts?

answer

the meeting of the First Continental Congress

question

Which section of the Declaration of Independence contains arguments on the right to revolution?

answer

the second section, based on Lockean philosophy

question

Who was given the primary responsibility for drafting the Declaration of Independence?

answer

Thomas Jefferson

question

What were the main ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence?

answer

individual liberties and the government's duty to protect them

question

The Framers of the Constitution listed the following as the function(s) of American government:

answer

*promote the general welfare *establish justice *provide for the common defense *ensure domestic tranquility

question

The Articles of Confederation specified that the United States would be which form of government?

answer

a republic

question

What concerned the Founders in drafting the Articles of Confederation?

answer

*arbitrary monarchical power *the ability of the people to check the power of the government *the large size of the colonial territory *mob rule

question

True or False A bicameral legislature was a component of the Articles of Confederation.

answer

False A bicameral legislature was not a component of the Articles of Confederation(Congress had a single chamber).

question

What led the Founders to realize that the Articles of Confederation needed to be reconfigured?

answer

*the vulnerability of the new nation due to the lack of an executive *the disproportionate power held by the states *crises like Shays' Rebellion *the inability of the national government to control financial concerns and raise taxes

question

As the Constitution was being drafted, who was most in support of equal representation in the national legislature?

answer

small states, such as Rhode Island

question

What was the plan for representation that was incorporated into the Connecticut Compromise?

answer

Each state would be proportionally represented in one house of a bicameral legislature.

question

What was Shays' Rebellion?

answer

a rebellion by farmers in western Massachusetts attempting to prevent their lands from being foreclosed upon

question

What year was the Constitution ratified in?

answer

1788

question

What year was the Bill of Rights ratified in?

answer

1791

question

How many terms did George Washington serve as president before leaving office?

answer

2

question

Marbury v. Madison confirmed the Supreme Court's power to declare laws passed by Congress unconstitutional. What did the case involve?

answer

a disputed appointment to a minor government post

question

Virginia Plan

answer

a plan, unsuccessfully proposed at the Constitutional Convention, providing for a legislature of two houses with proportional representation in each house and executive and judicial branches to be chosen by the legislature.

question

New Jersey Plan

answer

a plan, unsuccessfully proposed at the Constitutional Convention, providing for a single legislative house with equal representation for each state.

question

Great Compromise

answer

a compromise adopted at the Constitutional Convention, providing the states with equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives.

question

Bicameralism

answer

(of a legislature) consisting of two chambers

question

3/5th's Compromise

answer

A compromise between the Northern States and the Southern States: slaves would not be counted as whole persons for the purposes of representations, but they would not be excluded from the population count either.

question

Republicanism

answer

U.S. government is not a direct democracy. Citizens elect officials to represent their interests in government. Designed to be efficient and help balance competing views.

question

Separation of Powers

answer

Each branch has its own power base and specific roles to perform. Prevents any one branch from being too powerful.

question

Checks and Balances

answer

Each branch has the ability to negate/cancel actions taken by the other branches.

question

Supremacy Clause

answer

Article VI, Section 2, of the U.S. Constitution is known as the Supremacy Clause because it provides that the \"Constitution, and the Laws of the United States ... shall be the supreme Law of the Land.\" It means that the federal government, in exercising any of the powers enumerated in the Constitution, must prevail over any conflicting or inconsistent state exercise of power.

question

Full Faith & Credit Clause

answer

Article IV, Section 1, of the U.S. Constitution—provides that the various states must recognize legislative acts, public records, and judicial decisions of the other states within the United States. It states that \"Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State.\"

question

Enumerated powers

answer

The enumerated powers are a list of items found in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution that set forth the authoritative capacity of Congress.[1] In summary, Congress may exercise the powers that the Constitution grants it, subject to explicit restrictions in the Bill of Rights and other protections in the Constitution.

question

Reserved powers

answer

a political power that a constitution reserves exclusively to the jurisdiction of a particular political authority.

question

Federalism

answer

Power & authority are divided between national & state governments. The national government is supreme.

question

Which civil liberties are found in the First Amendment?

answer

• right to peaceful assembly • freedom of religion • right to petition the government • freedom of the press • freedom of speech

question

What is a fundamental principle found in the Articles of Confederation?

answer

Each state retained ultimate control and power within its boundaries

question

What was one aspect of the Great Compromise?

answer

There would be a bicameral legislature incorporating both equal and proportional representation.

question

Which aspect of the Constitution is not found within the Articles of Confederation?

answer

representatives elected by popular vote

question

What is the definition of republicanism?

answer

vesting political power in representatives

question

How were the writers of the Constitution able to resolve the issue of any one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

answer

They divided power among three distinct and separate branches of government.

question

Why did the Framers of the Constitution build gridlock and delay into the structure of the government?

answer

to prevent the abuse of political power through checks and balances

question

Which Article of the Constitution discusses the legislative power of government, including the bicameral Congress, congressional selection, and 17 enumerated powers?

answer

Article I

question

Why did the Founders want the amendment process to be difficult?

answer

to allow for only the most important changes to be implemented

question

Which topics were discussed in the five sections of the Declaration of Independence?

answer

• the colonists' philosophical right to revolt • the Crown's oppressive actions against the colonies • the circumstances leading to the colonists' revolt • the colonists' absolution of allegiance to the Crown • the colonists' failed attempts at reconciliation with the Crown

question

How can the Constitution be amended?

answer

• by having both houses of Congress pass a proposal by two thirds vote, which is then ratified by the states • by having three fourths of the state legislatures ratify proposed amendments

question

What advantage does a proposed constitutional amendment have once it is approved by Congress?

answer

It has a good chance of being ratified

question

How did the states finally resolve the Federalist/anti-Federalist debate?

answer

the Great Compromise

question

What is true of representative democracy?

answer

• It requires more attention from voters. • It is a slower and more deliberate process

question

Why would state governments object to the expansion of federal power via mandates?

answer

• The national government often provides no funding to assist states in meeting new national standards. • The national government can penalize states with lack of funding if they do not meet new national standards.

question

to impose federal requirements on states based on Supremacy Clause

answer

Commerce Clause

question

enumerated power given to federal government to regulate interstate business

answer

Commerce Clause

question

division of power between the federal government and state governments

answer

federalism

question

to reduce government rules and allow more freedom for business

answer

new federalism

question

federal and state governments working independently of each other

answer

dual federalism

question

federal programs that require state compliance but do not proved resources

answer

unfunded mandates

question

What is the definition of federalism?

answer

the division of power between the national and state governments

question

How has Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal expanded the power of the federal government?

answer

President Roosevelt created new programs and agencies to assist states fiscally, thus mixing national and state responsibilities.

question

What is a weakness found within the principle of federalism as it relates the U.S. government?

answer

It multiplies government programs and services and leads to budgetary inefficiency.

question

What are some policy areas were states are now required by the federal government to follow federal laws because of coercive federalism?

answer

• national defense • poverty • education

question

What is a key concept of federalism in the U.S. government?

answer

Dividing power between two levels of government prevents either from becoming too powerful.

question

What impact did the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954) have on changing the judicial precedent of the past 70 years?

answer

The Court determined that the \"separate but equal\" concept was false when it came to education.

question

Which four tactics were used by disenfranchised ethnic minorities to pursue full civil rights protections in the United States?

answer

• boycotts • sit-ins • picketing • voting

question

What is a key change to civil rights for women that can be found in U.S. history?

answer

The Nineteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution.

question

What key change was made to the Constitution to allow greater civil rights?

answer

slavery and the subsequent ratification of the Fourth Amendment

question

What is an example of how the Supreme Court has had an impact on the First Amendment right to freedom of speech?

answer

Political advertising by corporations is considered a First Amendment right.

question

How does the \"clear and present danger\" test intersect with the First Amendment?

answer

Anti-American speech-making is not considered dangerous according to the Supreme Court.

question

How did the Supreme Court's decision in Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) affect religious establishment?

answer

It created a standard of three criteria for weighing the constitutionality of any government action involving religion.

question

What is the Supreme Court's role in interpreting civil rights?

answer

*They use their power of judicial review to define what civil rights are and who they should be extended to. *They determine the cases on which to base rulings.

question

What was a major provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

answer

banned any discrimination based on race, color, religion, and national origin

question

What is the difference between civil liberties and civil rights?

answer

Civil liberties protect citizens from government infringement, whereas civil rights deal with guaranteeing freedom to all citizens.

question

granted women the right to vote

answer

Nineteenth Amendment

question

unwelcome advances, favors, and other verbal or physical conduct affecting employment, work performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

answer

sexual harassment

question

guarantees equal treatment and bans discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin

answer

Civil Rights Act of 1964

question

state and local acts that mandated segregation in public places

answer

Jim Crow Laws

question

positive liberties associated with protective actions that the government must take

answer

civil rights

question

policies aimed at expanding educational and employment opportunities for minority groups

answer

affirmative action

question

favoring rights of minority groups at the expense of the majority

answer

reverse discrimination

question

time period when confederate states were rebuilt and reintegrated into the Union

answer

reconstruction

question

prohibits government from favoring religion

answer

Establishment Clause

question

protection against illegal imprisonment requiring the detained to have access to judge

answer

habeas corpus

question

government must protect legal rights of citizens and mandates equal treatment

answer

due process

question

protects rights of citizens to practice religious beliefs

answer

Free Exercise Clause

question

restraints on government to protect individual freedom

answer

civil liberties

question

political speech, symbolic speech, and freedom of assembly and the press

answer

protected speech

question

evidence gathered illegally cannot be used in a trial

answer

exclusionary rule

question

How was congress able to use the political conditions of the Reconstruction to pass amendments addressing the rights of African Americans?

answer

• Several Southern states were denied representation in congress as a result of their rebellion against the Union. • Several Southern states had to accept the new amendments focusing on the rights of African Americans in order to be fully admitted back into the Union.

question

How many Senate representatives and House representatives does the Constitution guarantee each state will minimally have?

answer

two senators, one house representative

question

granted power to try impeachment cases, approve presidential appointments, and ratify treaties

answer

Senate

question

granted power to originate revenue bills and initiate impeachment proceedings

answer

House of Representatives

question

less formal in organization and more personal in communications

answer

House of Representatives

question

435 member, apportioned according to state population

answer

House of Representatives

question

100 members, apportioned equally among states

answer

Senate

question

Members tend to become issue specialists within their policy niches

answer

House of Representatives

question

Order the process in which bills become law from first (1) to last (6).

answer

1. Bill is drafted and introduced 2. referred to a committee and subcommittee for a hearing , vote, and markup 3. sent to a conference committee to reconcile discrepancies between the House version and the Senate version 4. reported to the full chamber for a hearing and vote 5. sent to both the House and Senate for approval 6. sent to the president for a signature

question

Which two ways can the majority party influence legislation through committees?

answer

*The majority party decides which committees to send legislation to, which can help or harm a bill. *The majority party selects committee chairs, who can choose to work on or sit on bills.

question

Which federal bureaucracies were added to the executive branch by President George W. Bush in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001?

answer

• Transportation Security Administration (TSA) • Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

question

In regards to foreign policy, which step is necessary if the president wants to sign a treaty?

answer

gaining consent of 2/3 of the senate

question

What is the primary purpose of the federal bureaucracy?

answer

to help the executive branch implement and enforce laws that have been passed by congress

question

What is the primary purpose of the judicial branch?

answer

to interpret the law

question

What is the Appellate Jurisdiction power of the Supreme Court?

answer

It allows the Supreme Court to hear cases that have been tried in lower courts.

question

Which roles and responsibilities under judicial review are unique to the federal Supreme Court?

answer

*can declare acts of other branches of government unconstitutional *can decide how a law should be enforced

question

Who appoints and approves Supreme Court justices?

answer

the president appoints, the Senate approves

question

a tactic used to delay or prevent action on a bill by extending the debate on it

answer

filibuster

question

those who currently hold political office

answer

incumbents

question

one political party controls presidency and another controls parts of the legislative branch

answer

divided government

question

required regular redistricting based on latest census data

answer

Baker v Carr

question

congressional direction of money spent on specific projects benefiting personal districts

answer

earmarks

question

the powers and responsibilities of the president specifically listed in the constitution

answer

expressed powers

question

the right of the Chief executive to withhold information from Congress or the courts with the understanding that secrecy is necessary to maintain the freedom of information inside the White House

answer

executive privilege

question

a law that limits presidential use of military forces to 60 days, with an automatic extension of 30 additional days if requested by the president

answer

War Powers Resolution

question

powers of the national government that are not listed in the Constitution, but that the president claims are necessary to fulfill the constitutional powers

answer

implied powers

question

powers given to the president by congressional vote

answer

delegated powers

question

independent bureaucracies with jurisdiction over commerce, economics, communications, and elections

answer

cabinet department

question

executive and congressional review of the actions of government bureaucracy

answer

regulatory commissions

question

largest federal government bureaucracies within the president's cabinet

answer

government corporations

question

government sponsored and funded businesses that provide public services for fees, e.g. Amtrak, US Postal Service

answer

government corporations

question

a term describing the powerful alliance among congressional committees, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups

answer

iron triangle

question

government services awarded to outside contractors

answer

privatization

question

a complex set of relationships between individuals, groups of citizens, the media, the bureaucratic agency, and the congressional committee with jurisdiction over those policies

answer

issue network

question

the authority of a court to hear cases that have been tried, decided or reexamined in other courts

answer

appellate jurisdiction

question

the ability of the Supreme Court to determine if an action taken by the executive branch or a law passed by congress is in accordance with the Constitution

answer

judicial review

question

the authority of a court to hear a case before any other court does

answer

original jurisdiction

question

an order to a lower court to produce a certified record of a case so that the Supreme Court can determine if any errors occurred during the trial that warrant a review of the case

answer

writ of certiorari

question

an approach to judicial decision making whereby judges apply their authority to bring about specific goals

answer

judicial activism

question

a document submitted by interest groups interested in a case whereby they attempt to provide information that may be used to decide the case

answer

amicus curiae

question

an approach to judicial decision making whereby judges defer to the democratically elected branches of government

answer

judicial restraint

question

the Supreme Court practice by which the court agrees to hear a case if four or more justices vote to hear it

answer

rule of four

question

What are three Express Powers granted to the president in the Constitution?

answer

• grant pardons and reprieves • enter treaties • appoint judges and ambassadors

question

What do \"trustee\" elected representatives base their political action and legislative votes on?

answer

personal beliefs and goals

question

What were the main factors that allowed the executive branch to expand its size during the New Deal?

answer

• The Supreme Court interpreted the commerce clause of the Constitution in a way that allowed federal government to grow. • The Great Depression caused widespread hardship, prompting a desire for the federal government to act.

question

Political Scientist Richard Neustadt wrote that along with the expressed, implied and delegated powers a president also has the power of persuasion which is:

answer

how the president's job performance depends on his interpersonal and practical political skills

question

In what way did the Progressive Era stimulate bureaucratic growth?

answer

Progressives called for policy reforms and increased regulation of businesses in order to protect workers

question

Which factors strongly impact how broadly bureaucratic powers are interpreted?

answer

• the specificity of the legislation • the administrator enforcing the legislation

question

In which ways has it been suggested that the functioning of bureaucracy be changed?

answer

• through privatization-outsourcing government services to private contractors • through devolution-shifting federal programs to be state-run

question

Which court case first established the rule of judicial review that is still used today?

answer

Marbury v. Madison

question

Why is it important that the power to appoint and approve judges be split between the executive branch and the legislative branch?

answer

• judges have a large effect on both the executive and legislative branches, so it is important that the decision be split • judges serve for life and therefore have a long-lasting effect on policy, so both branches should have a say

question

What are the two judicial philosophies that often influence decisions of judges?

answer

• judicial restraint • judicial activism

question

If a particular voter tends to be conservative concerning economic issues but liberal concerning social issues, which socialization factors have likely contributed to this?

answer

• religious affiliation • education

question

Ensures that one sector of the population is not overrepresented

answer

random sampling

question

Guards against people being led to respond a certain way based on wording

answer

phrasing

question

Guards against people being led to respond a certain way based on how questions are arranged

answer

order of presentation

question

Minimizes the margin of error by using a large enough group of people

answer

size of the poll sample

question

What do political parties do?

answer

seek to influence government by getting members elected to public office

question

What two tasks would a person working for the national party organization not perform?

answer

• dictate the campaign strategy to the candidates competing for office • lobby Congress on behalf of their favored policy items

question

What are three disadvantages of the two-party system?

answer

• It leads to increased polarization. • It is slow to change. • It limits voter choice.

question

Republican or Democrat? reforming the TSA for security and privacy

answer

Republican

question

Republican or Democrat? lowering government spending on social programs

answer

Republican

question

Republican or Democrat? Support affirmative action programs

answer

Democrat

question

Republican or Democrat? rebuilding lower class security

answer

Democrat

question

Republican or Democrat? maintaining government spending for the military

answer

Republican

question

Republican or Democrat? continuing space exploration

answer

Democrat

question

process by which one develops political values and opinions

answer

political socialization

question

views about the purposes and scope of government

answer

political values

question

basic knowledge of state, national, and global politics

answer

political knowledge

question

an organized coalition of interests that seeks to influence government and policy by getting members elected to public office and by coordinating the actions of elected officials

answer

political party

question

produces a lasting electoral realignment where groups of voters shift their loyalty from one party to another over several elections

answer

critical election

question

the document or statement developed by a political party to include its official positions on issues of public concern

answer

party platform

question

an electoral system with two dominant political parties dominating national elections

answer

two-party system

question

What is the reasoning that some elected leaders use when choosing to ignore public opinion?

answer

• Public opinion can change rapidly, so elected officials should protect against inconsistent laws and policies. • The public is often not educated enough to fully know all factors surrounding an issue.

question

Which of the following scenarios demonstrates a likely influence political parties may have on voters?

answer

*An incumbent president has told voters to reelect him to office, so the voters do reelect him and other member of his political party. *An outgoing president has left the economy in a recession so voters will not vote for the candidate from the same party.

question

As political knowledge and education increases and in turn shapes political opinion, what also increases?

answer

political participation

question

Which individuals would be most likely to participate in voting?

answer

• individuals whose parents are politically engaged • individuals who have a master's degree

question

What are two aspects of a candidate's character that voters commonly look at to influence their voting decisions?

answer

• intellect • religion

question

How has a decline in civic engagement affected the United States?

answer

reduced voter turnout

question

How is the president of the United States elected?

answer

indirectly through elector's votes from each state

question

What is an open primary system?

answer

a system where voters are not required to be registered with a political party and may choose the ballot of either party when voting

question

What is an example of a hard-money contribution?

answer

small individual donations to the campaign of the candidate

question

statistic representing the number of voters who cast a ballot in a given election

answer

voter turnout

question

combination of education, occupation, and income use to gauge one's position in society

answer

socioeconomic status

question

federal elections occurring between presidential election years

answer

midterm elections

question

degree of civic connectedness within a political community

answer

social capital

question

culturally acceptable political activity that communicates preferences through established institutions

answer

conventional participation

question

unregulated donations to party organization to cover their operational expenses

answer

soft money

question

a national election held every two years as required by the Constitution

answer

general election

question

party meetings held every four years to establish the party platforms and officially nominate presidential candidates to run in the general election

answer

national conventions

question

A preliminary election conducted within a political party to select its candidates for the general election

answer

primary election

question

donations given directly to a candidate for congressional office or the presidency

answer

hard money

question

What are two strengths of the Electoral College system?

answer

• it preserves the principle of federalism in the Constitution • it makes the election process easier from a technical perspective

question

Why are opinion polls important to politicians?

answer

• they can predict election • they can inform policy by showing what the people want

question

What is a reason that campaigning has become more candidate-centered?

answer

Political reforms to the primary system have put more electoral power into the hands of the voters.

question

Classify the following interest group as either a private interest group or a public interest group. business

answer

private

question

Classify the following interest group as either a private interest group or a public interest group. civil rights

answer

public

question

Classify the following interest group as either a private interest group or a public interest group. professional

answer

private

question

Classify the following interest group as either a private interest group or a public interest group. trade

answer

private

question

Classify the following interest group as either a private interest group or a public interest group. consumer advocacy

answer

public

question

Classify the following interest group as either a private interest group or a public interest group. environmental

answer

public

question

How do professional lobbyists persuade lawmakers?

answer

• by providing current and meaningful information to the politicians • by making campaign contributions to targeted elected officials

question

Which actions do interest groups perform to affect change in government?

answer

• establish political action committees to raise money to contribute to campaigns *lobby politicians to persuade them about a certain cause

question

What might be a primary reason that an interest group would stage a demonstration?

answer

to get media attention

question

those who benefit from a collective effort without working toward its achievement

answer

free riders

question

groups that are created primarily to support or oppose candidates for elective office, although they are not allowed to coordinate their activities with a specific candidate or political party

answer

527 organization

question

organization that are established by individuals or private groups with the aim of raising money to contribute to candidates for elective office

answer

political action committee

question

political activity that aims to influence government policy making

answer

lobbying

question

Categorize the following statement as an advantage or disadvantage of interest group politics. slow down policy making process and sometimes obstruct policy action altogether

answer

disadvantage

question

Categorize the following statement as an advantage or disadvantage of interest group politics. provide organizational framework necessary or mobilization of shared interest and collective action

answer

advantage

question

Categorize the following statement as an advantage or disadvantage of interest group politics. provide valuable resources and expertise on complex policy issues for decision makers and general public

answer

advantage

question

Categorize the following statement as an advantage or disadvantage of interest group politics. foster a less transparent and accountable mode of politics

answer

disadvantage

question

Categorize the following statement as an advantage or disadvantage of interest group politics. encourage conflict

answer

disadvantage

question

Categorize the following statement as an advantage or disadvantage of interest group politics. pressure government for change

answer

advantage

question

How do interest groups mobilize followers to their cause and overcome the collective action problem?

answer

• by providing material benefits such as discounts, services, and information • by offering social advantages from working with people with a common goal

question

What do interest groups do?

answer

• educate voters about a set of issues • raise money for their cause

question

How do news media play a role in setting the political agenda?

answer

by determining which and how much coverage issues will receive

question

From which mass media do a majority of individuals receive their news?

answer

television

question

What are some of the roles of the media in a democratic society?

answer

A: choose two: * persuade voters to change their opinion on policy issues ** to help judges become aware of the ramifications of their decisions * to elected officials to office ** to set the political agenda for elected leaders and the public (Not sure of the answer, can't seem to find it anywhere.)

question

What is the media functioning as when it is being critical of the actions taken by political leaders and warns the public about those actions?

answer

watchdog journalism

question

Which is a benefit of new media for the electorate?

answer

stories that may not have received attention through mainstream media may be available through other outlets

question

private ownership of media which encourages journalistic practices driven by increasing advertising revenue, circulation, and profit margins

answer

market-driven journalism

question

defamation in oral form

answer

slander

question

the process of presenting issues to catch the government's attention

answer

agenda setting

question

groups that are organized to monitor government activity and educate the public on various aspects of the political process

answer

watchdogs

question

defamation in written form

answer

libel

question

the process by which media encourages viewers to interpret journalistic stories in a particular way

answer

framing

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