American Government Final Exam Review – Flashcards
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the institution through which a society makes and enforces public policies
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Government
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all of the many goals that government pursues in all of the many areas of human affairs in which it is involved
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Public policies
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the power to make laws and to frame public policies
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Legislative power
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The power to execute, enforce and administer laws
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Exceutive power
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the power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning and to settle disputes that arise within the society
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Judicial power
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the body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of a government
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Constitution
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a form of government in which the leader has absolute power and authority
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Dictatorship
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a form in government in which the supreme authority rests with the people
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Democracy
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a body of people living in a defined territory, organized politically and with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority
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State
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when a state has absolute power in its own territory
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Sovereign
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ideas from John Locke (England) and Jean Jacques Rousseau (France) the theory argues that the states arose out of a voluntary act of free people
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Social Contract Theory
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"centralized government" all powers held by the government belong to a single, central agency
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Unitary government
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a form of government in which the powers of government are divided between a central government and several local government
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Federal government
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an alliance of independent states
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Confederate government
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a separation of powers between the executive and the legislative branches of the government
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Presidential government
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the executive branch is made up of the prime minister or premier and that official's cabinet
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Parliamentary government
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in a democracy, the majority of the people will be right more often than they will be wrong, and will be right more often than will any one person or small group
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Majority rule
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the process of blending and adjusting competing views and intrests
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Compromise
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a system of government in which a written constitutional divides the powers of the government on territorial basis between a central government and several regional governments usually called states or provinces
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Federalism
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the powers given to the National Government that are stated in the Constitution
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Expressed powers
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the powers given to the National Government that are not stated in the Constitution, but can be implied
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Implied powers
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powers the Constitution is presumed to have delegated to the National Government because it is the government of a sovereign state within the world community
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Inherent powers
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the powers that the Constitution does not grant to the National Government and does not, at the same time, deny to the states
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Reserved powers
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most of the powers the Constitution delegates to the National Government
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Exclusive powers
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the powers delegated to both the National Government and the state government
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Concurrent powers
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a provision of the Constitution that states that the Constitution, federal law, and treaties of the US are the "supreme Law of the Land"
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Supremacy Clause
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Legislature made up of two houses
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Bicameral
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two year period in which the House meets
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House Term
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period of time during which, each year, Congress assembles and conducts business
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Session
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When Congress suspends until its next session
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Adjourns
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a time when both the House and the Senate temporarily suspend business
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Recess
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a meeting to deal with some emergency situation
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Special session
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distribute, as in seats, in a legislative body
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Apportion
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redistributing of seats in a legislative body
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Reapportion
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congressional elections that occur nonpresidential years
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Off year elections
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districts that have been drawn to the advantage of the political party that controls the state's legislature
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Gerrymandering
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At least 25 years of age, Citizen of the USA for at least 7 years, and a citizen of the state he/she is elected in
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Qualifications- House
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six year period in which the Senate meets
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Senate Term
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at least 30 years of age, citizen of the USA for at least 9 years, and a citizen of the state he/she is elected in
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Qualifications- Senate
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representatives, members of Congress who cast votes based on the wishes of their constituents
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Delegates
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lawmaker who votes based on his or her conscience and judgement, not the views of his or her constituents
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Trustees
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lawmaker who owes his or her first allegiance to his or her political party and votes according to the party line
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Partisans
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lawmaker who attempts to balance the basic elements of the trustee, delegate and partisan roles
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Politicos
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a salary, franking privilege (allows them to mail letters and other materials postage free
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Compensations
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the power of Congress to regulate interstate and foreign trade
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Commerce power
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passing laws to the president, taxing citizens, borrowing money, commerce, currency and bankruptcy
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Legislative powers of Congress
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to accuse and bring charges
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impeachment
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the presiding officer of the House, chosen by and from the majority party in the House, John Boehner (Rep.)
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Speaker of the House
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provides that the most important posts in Congress, both the formal party and the party organizations, will be help by those party members with the longest record of service
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Seniority Rule
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chief of state, chief executive, chief administrator, chief diplomat, commander in chief, chief legislator, chief of party, chief citizen
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Presidential roles
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term for the president as the ceremonial head of the US, symbol of all the people in the nation
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Chief of State
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term for the president as vested with the executive power of the US
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Chief executive
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Term for the president as head of the administration of the Federal Government
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Chief administrator
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term for the president as the main architect of foreign policy and spokesperson to other countries
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Chief diplomat
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term for the president as commander of the nation's armed forces
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Commander in chief
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term for the president as architect of public policy and the one who sets the agenda for Congress
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chief legislator
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term for the president as the lead of his or her political party
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Chief of party
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term for the president as the representative of the people, working for the public intrest
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Chief citizen
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be a natural born citizen of the US, be at least 35 years old, have been a resident of the US for 14 years
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Qualifications for President
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a large, complex administrative structure that handles the everyday business of an organisation
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bureaucracy
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the guarantees of the safety of persons, opinions, and property from the arbitrary acts of government including freedom of speech and freedom of religion
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Civil liberties
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freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly and petition
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1st amendment
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right to bear arms
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2nd amendment
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the right to (or deny) quartering of troops
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3rd amendment
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no search and seizures without a warrant
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4th amendment
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criminal proceedings, due process, no double jeopardy, no self incrimination
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5th amendment
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criminal proceedings, right to a speedy public trial, right to an attorney
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6th amendment
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asserts that cases may not be re-examined by another court.
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7th amendment
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no cruel or unusual punishment
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8th amendment
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there are other rights that are not stated in the bill of rights
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9th amendment
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the bill of rights is also reserved to the states
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10th amendment
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the lower federal courts, those beneath the Supreme court
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inferior courts
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the authority of a court to hear a case
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Jurisdiction
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federal and state courts share the power to hear cases
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Concurrent jurisdiction
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the person who files a suit in a civil case
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plaintiff
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the person against whom the complaint is made in a civil case
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defendant
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the power of a court to hear a case first, before and other court
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original juristiction
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the authority of a court to review decisions of inferior courts
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appellate jurisiction
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a judicial decision that serves as a guide for settling later cases of similar nature
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precedent
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sets out the facts of a case, identifies the issues it presents, and the majority opinion
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majority opinion
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to be written by the justices that do not agree with the majority's opinion
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dissenting opinion
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agreed upon action to limit a debate, 60% must agree
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cloture
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allows the President to send troops to a conflict without actually declaring war
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Wars Power Act
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after the fact
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ex post facto
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under 1 year in jail
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Misdemeanor
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1+ years in jail
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Felony
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lowered voting age to 18 years of age
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26th amendment
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gave blacks the right to vote
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15th amendment
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gave women the right to vote
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19th amendment
