Unit IConstitutional UnderpinningsOf United States Government
VocabularyChapters 1-3
Q1. The characteristic and deep-seated beliefs of a particular people
A1. Political culture
Q2. What is liberty?
A2. The principle that individuals should be free to act and think as they choose, provided they do not infringe unreasonably on the rights and freedoms of others
Q3. The notion that all individuals are equal in their moral worth, in their treatment under the law, and in their political voice
A3. Equality
Q4. The principle that the people are the ultimate source and proper beneficiary of governing authority; in practice, a government based on majority rule
A4. Self-government
Q5. What is Individualism?
A5. The idea that people should take the initiative, be self-sufficient, and accumulate the material advantages necessary for their well-being
Q6. The principle that Americans are one people and form an indivisible union
A6. Unity
Q7. The principle that individual and group differences should be respected and are a source of national strength
A7. Diversity
Q8. The process through which a society makes its governing decisions
A8. Politics
Q9. A voluntary agreement by individuals to form government, which is then obliged to act within the confines of the agreement
A9. Social contract
Q10. A form of government in which the people govern, either directly or through elected representatives.
A10. Democracy
Q11.A form of government in which control rests with a few persons
A11. Oligarchy
Q12. A form of government in which absolute control rests with a single person
A12. Autocracy
Q13. Constitutionalism
A13. The idea that there are definable limits on the rightful power of a government over its citizens
Q14. Socialism
A14. An economic system in which government owns and controls many of the major industries
Q15. An economic system in which government owns most or all major industries and also takes responsibility for overall management of the economy
A15. Communism
Q16. An economic system based on the idea that government should interfere with economic transactions as little as possible. Free enterprise and self-reliance are the collective and individual principles
A16. Capitalism
Q17. Power
A17. The ability of persons or institutions to control policy
Q18. A decision of government to pursue a course of action designed to produce an intended outcome
A18. Public policy
Q19. A form of government in which the leaders claim complete dominance of all individuals and institutions
A19. Totalitarian government
Q20. A form of government in which leaders, though they admit to no limits on their powers, are effectively limited by other centers of power in the society
A20. Authoritarian government
Q21. Authority
A21. The recognized right of an individual or institution to exercise power
Q22. The idea the majority prevails not only in elections but also in policy determination
A22. Majoritarianism
Q23. A theory of American politics that holds that society’s interests are substantially represented through the activities of groups
A23. Pluralism
Q24. The view that the United States essentially is run by a few individuals (composed of wealthy or well-connected individuals) who control public policy through both direct and indirect means
A24. Elitism
Q25. The tendency of large-scale organizations to develop into the bureaucratic form, with the effect that administrators make key policy decisions
A25. Bureaucratic rule
Q26. Political system
A26. The various components of American government. The parts are separate, but they connect with one another, affecting how each performs
Q27. A government that is subject to strict limits on its lawful uses of power, and hence on its ability to deprive people of their liberty
A27. Limited government
Q28. The principle that the people are the ultimate source and proper beneficiary of governing authority; in practice, a government based on majority rule
A28. Self-government
Q29. Those rights that persons theoretically possessed in the state of nature, prior to the formation of governments. These rights, including life, liberty, and property, are considered inherent. Since government is established by people, government has the responsibility to preserve these rights.
Q29. Inalienable (natural) rights
Q30. Virginia (large-state) Plan
A30. A constitutional proposal for a strong Congress with two chambers, both of which would be based on numerical (population) representation, thus granting more power to the larger states
Q31. New Jersey (small-state) Plan
A31. A constitutional proposal for a strengthen Congress but one in which each state would have a single vote, this granting a small state the same legislative power as a large state
Q32. The agreement at the constitutional convention to create a two-chamber Congress with the House of Representatives apportioned by population and the Senate apportioned equally by state (2 Senators per state)
A32. Great (Connecticut) Compromise
Q33. A term used to describe opponents of the Constitution during the debate over ratification
A33. Anti-Federalists
Q34. A term used to describe proponents of the Constitution during the debate over ratification
A34. Federalists
Q35. The fundamental law that defines how a government will legitimately operate
A35. constitution
Q36. The method of limiting the U.S. government by confining its scope of authority to those powers expressly granted in the Constitution
A36. Grants of power
Q37. A constitutional means of limiting government by listing those powers that government is expressly prohibited from using
A37. Denials of power
Q38. Requires each of the three branches of government – executive, legislative, and judicial – to be relatively independent of the others so that one cannot control the others
A38. Separation of powers
Q39. The elaborate system of divided spheres of authority provided by the U.S. Constitution as a means of controlling the power of government. The separation of powers among the branches of the national government, federalism, and the different methods of selecting national officers are all part of this system
A39. Checks and balances
Q40. Bill of Rights
A40. The first ten amendments to the Constitution. They include such basic liberties as freedom of religion, speech, and press and offer protections against arbitrary searches by the police and being held without talking to a lawyer
Q41. The power of courts to decide whether a governmental institution has acted within its constitutional powers and, if not, to declare its action null and void
A41. Judicial review
Q42. The potential of a majority to monopolize power for its own gain to the detriment of minority rights and interests
A42. tyranny of the majority
Q43. Historically, the form of government in which representative officials met to decide on policy issues. These representatives were expected to serve the public interest but were not subject to the people’s immediate control
A43. Republic
Q44. Representative Democracy
A44. A system in which the people participate in the decision-making process of government not directly but indirectly, through the election of officials to represent their interests
Q45. Elected representatives whose obligation is to act in accordance with their own consciences as to what policies are in the best interests of the public
A45. trustees
Q46. An unofficial term that refers to the electors who cast the states’ electoral votes
A46. Electoral College
Q47. Electoral votes
A47. The method of voting that is used to choose the U.S. president. Each state has the same number of electoral votes as it has members in Congress (House and Senate combined). By tradition, electoral voting is tied to a state’s popular voting. The candidate with the most popular votes in a state receives its electoral votes (in a few states, they use the most votes in a congressional district)
Q48. Elected representatives whose obligation is to act in accordance with the expressed wishes of the people they represent
A48. delegates
Q49. A form of election in which voters choose a party’s nominees for public office. In most states, eligibility to vote in a party’s primary election is limited to voters who are registered members of the party
A49. Primary election
Q50. A governmental system in which authority is divided between two sovereign levels of government: national and state/local
A50. federalism
Q51. Sovereignty
A51. The ultimate authority to govern within a certain geographical area
Q52. A governmental system in which sovereignty is vested entirely in subnational (state) governments
A52. confederacy
Q53. A governmental system in which the national government alone has sovereign (ultimate) authority
A53. unitary system
Q54. The seventeen powers granted to the national government under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. These powers include taxation and the regulation of commerce as well as the authority to provide for the national defense
A54. enumerated (expressed) powers
Q55. Article VI of the Constitution, which makes national law supreme over state law when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits
A55. Supremacy clause
Q56. The authority granted Congress in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution “to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper” for the implementation of its enumerated powers
A56. “necessary and proper” (elastic) clause
Q57. The federal government’s constitutional authority (through the “necessary and proper” clause) to take action that is not expressly authorized by the Constitution but that supports actions that are so authorized
A57. implied powers
Q58. Reserved powers
A58. The powers granted to the states under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution
Q59. A doctrine based on the idea that a precise separation of national power and state power is both possible and desirable (layer cake)
A59. dual federalism
Q60. Commerce clause
A60. The clause of the Constitution (
Article I, Section 8) that empowers the federal government to regulate commerce among the states and with other nations
Q61. The situation in which the national, state, and local levels work together to solve problems (marble cake)
A61. Cooperative federalism
Q62. A term that refers to the expenditure of federal funds on programs run in part through states and localities
A62. fiscal federalism
Q63. Federal cash payments to states and localities for programs they administer
A63. grants-in-aid
Q64. Federal grants to states and localities that can be used only for specific purposes. They come with strings attached, such as nondiscrimination provisions
A64. categorical grants
Q65. Federal grants that permit state and local officials to decide how the money will be spent within a general area, such as education or health
A65. block grants
Q66. The passing down of authority from the national government to the state and local governments
A66. devolution
Q67. Linkage institutions
A67. The channels or access points through which issues and people’s policy preferences get on the government policy agenda
Q68. The issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people actually involved in politics at any given point of time
A68. policy agenda
Q69. political issue
A69. An issue that arises when people disagree about a problem and a public policy choice
Q70. A fundamental principle of traditional democratic theory. In a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires that the majority’s desire be respected
A70. majority rule
Q71. A principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to majorities and allows that they might join majorities through persuasion and reasoned argument
A71. minority rights
Q72. hyperpluralism
A72. A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened. Hyperpluralism is an extreme, exaggerated, or perverted form of pluralism
Q73. The document approved by representatives of the American colonies in 1776 that stated their grievances against the British monarch and declared their independence
A73. Declaration of Independence
Q74. consent of the governed
A74. According to John Locke, the required basis for government. The Declaration of Independence reflects Locke’s view that governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed (people are the source of government power)
Q75. The first constitution of the United States, adopted by Congress in 1777 and enacted in 1781. It established a national legislature, the Continental Congress, but most authority rested with the state legislatures
A75. Articles of Confederation
Q76. A series of attacks on courthouses by a small band of farmers to block foreclosure proceedings
A76. Shays’ Rebellion
Q77. A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name “Publius” to defend the Constitution in detail. Collectively, these papers are second only to the U.S. Constitution in characterizing the framers’ intents
A77. Federalist Papers
Q78. A clause in Article IV, Section I, of the Constitutional requiring each state to recognize the official documents and civil judgments rendered by the courts of other states
A78. full faith and credit clause
Q79. A clause in Article IV, Section 2, of the Constitution according citizens of each state most of the privileges of citizens of other states
A79. privileges and immunities clause
Q80. Extradition
A80. A legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed
Q81. Powers shared by the national and state governments
A81. concurrent powers
Q82. An order to produce an arrested person before a judge. Constitutional guarantee that cannot be suspended except during invasion or rebellion
A82. habeas corpus
Q83. A law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime
A83. bill of attainder
Q84. A law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it was committed
A84. ex post facto law
Q85. Federal programs that require action by states or localities but provide no or insufficient funds to pay for it
A85. unfunded mandates