American Government Final Exam Study Guide – Flashcards
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Government
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the governing body of a nation, state, or community
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Federalism
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the distribution of power in an organization between a central authority and the constituent units
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Congress
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the national legislative body of a country
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Legislative Branch
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the branch of the government that writes, debates, and passes laws
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President
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the elected head of a republican state
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Executive Branch
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the branch of government that implements, supports, and enforces laws
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Supreme Court
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the highest judicial court in a nation
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Judicial Branch
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the branch of the government that interprets laws as constitutional or not
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Radical Views
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-immediate, complete change toward the future -using peaceful or violent means
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Public Policy
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a course of action proposed/adopted by a government, party, business, or individual
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Judicial Review
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review by the Supreme Court of the constitutional validity of a legislative act
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House of Representatives
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-lower house of Congress -435 Representatives -part of the process of making bills into laws
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Commander in Chief
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the President as in charge of the armed forces
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Dual Court System
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-the US court system is divided into 2 seperate systems (Federal and State) -each is independent of the Executive and Legislative Branches of the government
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Liberal Views
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-some change over time toward the future -not using violent means
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State
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a nation considered as an organized political community under one government
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Elastic Clause/Necessary and Proper Clause
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a statement in the US Constitution granting Congress the power to pass all laws necessary and proper for carrying out the list of powers
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Apportionment
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the determination of the number of Representatives each state gets based on population
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Chief Executive
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the President as the head of the country
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Chief Justice
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the presiding Justice in the Supreme Court
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Legislative Power
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the Legislative Branch is empowered to make laws
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Re-apportionment
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redistributing the Representatives after the census
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Chief of State
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the President as an inspiring example for the American People
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Original Jurisdiction
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the power of a court to hear a case for the first time
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Executive Power
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the Executive Branch is empowered to enforce the laws
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Federal Government
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-the separation of powers among 3 branches -involves checks and balances
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Speaker of the House
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-the presiding officer of the House of Representatives -2nd in line for the Presidency (after the VP)
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Chief Diplomat
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the President as they conduct relations with other nations by peaceful means
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Appellate Jurisdiction
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the power of a court to review decisions and change outcomes of lower courts
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Judicial Power
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the Constitutional authority in courts and Justices to interpret constitutionality
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Expressed Powers
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powers specifically granted to the government by the Constitution -Ex: Declare war, Tax, Print/Coin money
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President Pro-Tempore
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presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President
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Chief Legislator
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the President having the power to accept or deny bills that are passed to him
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Majority Opinion
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a judicial opinion agreed on by more than half the justices of a court
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Dictatorship
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a government in which absolute power is exercised
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Enumerated/Expressed Powers
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the powers of Congress specifically listed in the Constitution
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Majority Leader
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the head of the majority party in a legislative body
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Chief Politician
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the President helping their party raise money and elect candidates
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Concurring Opinion
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an opinion that agrees with the majority opinion, but for a different reason
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Direct Democracy
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the People decide on policy initiatives directly
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Implied Powers
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the powers exercised by Congress which are not explicitly given by the Constitution but are necessary and proper to execute the powers that are -Ex: Military draft
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Minority Leader
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the head of the minority party in a legislative body
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Bureaucracy
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a system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives
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Dissenting Opinion
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an opinion disagreeing with the majority opinion
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Confederation
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a union of countries with most of the political power in a central authority
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Reserved Powers
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powers not explicitly given to the Federal Government, so they are reserved for the State Government -Ex: Grant driver's licenses
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Bill
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a draft of a proposal presented to Congress, but that is not yet a law
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Executive Departments
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the heads of the departments advise the President on their area of expertise -heads of the departments make up the Cabinet
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Presidential Government
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a system of government where an Executive Branch is led by a President who is head of both state and government
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Preamble
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an introduction stating a document's purpose and aims
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Committees
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a group of people who help make a bill into a law -first part of the process, before sending it to the full Houses
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Veto Power
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the President has the power to veto a bill that has been passed by Congress
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Aristocracy
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a form of government where the power is held by the upper class
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Oligarchy
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a small group of people having control of a nation
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Article I of the Constitution
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expresses Legislative Branch powers
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Filibuster
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an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly until the meeting is adjourned
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War Powers Act
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established that the President must tell Congress that he has deployed troops to war
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Unitary Government
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a sovereign state governed as a single entity
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Article II of the Constitution
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expresses Executive Branch powers
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Cloture
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a procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote
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Informal Powers
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powers given to the President that are not defined by the Constitution -Ex: Power to persuade
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Rider
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an additional provision added to a bill
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Electoral College
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a group of Electors tasked with electing the President based on the popular vote
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Parliamentary Government
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a government headed by a Prime Minister
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Conference Committee
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composed of the senior members of each committee; resolves disagreements on bills -After bill goes to full Houses
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6 Principles of the Constitution
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-Popular sovereignty -Limited government -Separation of powers -Checks and balances -Federalism -Judicial review
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Constituents
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a person who is represented by an elected representative
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"Winner-Takes-All"
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the majority winner in the Electoral College wins the Presidency
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Magna Carta
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any fundamental Constitution or law guaranteeing rights
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Popular Sovereignty
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the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people
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Limited Government
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legalized force is restricted through delegated and enumerated powers
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Checks and Balances
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each branch has influence over the other two branches
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Representative Democracy
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a democracy in which elected officials represent a group of constituents
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Whips
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an official in a party who ensures party discipline in a legislature
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Cabinet
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a body of advisors to the President
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Article III of the Constitution
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expresses Judicial Branch powers
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Separation of Powers
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the legislative, executive, and judicial powers are separated into 3 separate branches
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Veto
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the President has the power to reject a bill
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English Bill of Rights
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the first act that created separation of powers, limited powers, democratic election, and freedom of speech
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English Petition of Right
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a document that set out specific liberties that the King is prohibited from infringing
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Articles of Confederation
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original Constitution of the US -provided a loose Federal government
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Amendment Process
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-2/3 vote in both Houses
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Pocket Veto
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President leaves bill on his desk until it is too late to be dealt with
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Stamp Act
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an act that taxed stamps -encouraged revolution
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Veto Override
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2/3 vote by Congress to override a bill vetoed by the President
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Boston Tea Party
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colonists dumped tea into the Boston Harbor after a tax on developed
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First Continental Congress
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12 delegates that met early in the American Revolution that created the Articles of Confederation
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Declaration of Independence
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document that established the United States as a nation
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Powers of the Purse
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the influence that legislatures have over public policy because of their power to vote money for public purposes
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First Amendment
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freedom of speech, expression, religion, and assembly
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Shay's Rebellion
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a series of protests by American farmers against state and local enforcements of tax collection
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Virginia Plan
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proposal for a bicameral legislative branch
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New Jersey Plan
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proposal for a unicameral legislative branch
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Connecticut Compromise
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a compromise between the Virginia and NJ plans that had 2 houses, with the lower house having apportionment and the upper having equal representation
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Taxing Power
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Congress has the power to tax
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Borrowing Power
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the amount of money the government can borrow -determined by Congress
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Three-Fifths Compromise
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determined that slaves counted as 3/5 of a person
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Presidential Succession
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1) Vice President 2) Speaker of the House
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Deficit Spending
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spending more than you are making
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Ratification
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officially confirming something, usually by vote
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National Debt
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the total amount of money a country has borrowed since its independence
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Federalists
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-favored the Constitution -stressed that a strong government was needed -protection of property rights
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Anti-Federalists
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-opposed Constitution -wanted strong state government; feared strong national government -created a strong executive, similar to a Monarchy
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Super PAC
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an independent committee that may raise unlimited funds from corporations and donors for a particular candidate; created because it was ruled that corporations deserve free speech and can raise as much money as they want to back political candidates -Americans for Prosperity -Senate Majority PAC
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6 Purposes of Government
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-Form a more perfect union -Establish justice -Ensure domestic tranquility -Provide for the common defense -Promote the general welfare -Secure the blessings of liberty
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Midterm Elections
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elections for the Representatives in the House in the middle of the President's term
