Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Government Exam
Government Final Exam Study Guide
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Define amendment | is a minor change in a document. |
| Define anti - federalists | opponents of ratification of the United States Constitution, who favored the loose association of states established under the Articles of Confederation. |
| Define apportionment | the distribution of seats in a legislature according to law. |
| Define reapportionment | the act of redistributing the apportionment of something. |
| Define bicameral | the Congress has two houses. One based on population (House of Representatives) and one based on equal representation (Senate). |
| Define Boston Massacre | lead to American Revolution and declaring independence from Britain. Protestors in Boston provoked British soldiers, causing them to fire into the crowd, killing five people. |
| Define Boston Tea Party | colonists protesting the Tea Act dump taxed tea into Boston Harbor. |
| Define cabinet | the heads of the executive departments (15) of the federal government. |
| Define caseworkers | personal services provided by members of Congress to their Constituents. |
| Define caucus | a meeting of party members to choose party officials or nominees for elected office. |
| Define chief of staff | the President's most trusted advisor. |
| Define cloture | the process used to end a filibuster in the Senate; at least 60 Senators must support a cloture vote to overcome a filibuster. |
| Define commerce clause | grants the power to the federal government to regulate interstate commerce. |
| Define concurrent powers | powers shared by both the state and federal government. |
| Define Connecticut (Great) Compromise | combined the New Jersey and Virginia Plan resulting in a bicameral Congress. |
| Define constituent | a person that votes for an elected official. |
| Define direct democracy | people vote on every issue. |
| Define representative or republic democracy | people elect officials to represent them in government. |
| Define diplomacy | the art and practice of managing communication and relationships between nations. |
| Define divine right | the idea that European monarchs had a God given right to rule and thus deserved absolute power. |
| Define double jeopardy | can't be tried for the same crime twice. |
| Define due process clause | the principle that no person can be deprived of life, liberty, or property without fair legal procedures and safeguards. |
| Define elastic clause | also called the necessary and proper clause. Part of the Constitution that allows Congress to make laws. |
| Define enumerated (expressed) powers | those powers of the national government that are specifically listed in the U.S. Constitution. |
| Define equal protection clause | used to justify incorporation of the Bill of Rights. Part of the 14th Amendment. |
| Define establishment clause | the federal government cannot establish a state religion. 1st Amendment clause. |
| Define executive privilege | the right to keep discussions and documents of the White House private. |
| Define fascism | a totalitarian system in which business remain in private hands but under government control. |
| Define federal bureaucracy | all government agencies, departments, and all the staff. |
| Define federalist papers | a series of essays written to convince the Anti Federalists to ratify the Constitution. |
| Define filibuster | an attempt by Senators opposed to a bill to talk the bill to death. |
| Define Gerrymandering | when state legislators redraw district lines to favor an incumbent or a political party. |
| Define immigrant | a person that comes to a country looking to become a citizen. |
| Define implied powers | power of the national government that are not specifically listed in the Constitution. |
| Define incorporation | the process by which the Supreme Court applies the Bill of Rights to the state through Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. |
| Define incumbent | a public official seeking re - election to the position he or she currently occupies. Wins a majority of the time. |
| Define inherent powers | powers given to the federal government strictly because they are a government. |
| Define initiative | a form of direct democracy in which citizens propose laws and submit them directly to the voters for approval. |
| Define intolerable acts | passed by Britain to punish the colonists for Boston Tea Party. Lead to the American Revolution. |
| Define judicial review | the power of the Supreme Court to declare laws and executive acts unconstitutional. |
| Define lobbying | an organized effort to influence the policy process by persuading public officials to favor or oppose action of a specific issue. |
| Define monarchy | a system of government in which a single ruler exercises supreme power based on heredity or divine right. |
| Define natural rights | rights all people have by virtue of being a human being. |
| Define naturalization | a legal process through which a person becomes a citizen. |
| Define New Jersey Plan | a plan presented at the Constitution Convention calling for a unicameral legislature based on equal representation. |
| Define North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) | created a large free trade zone between Canada, the United States, and Mexico. |
| Define oligarchy | a government ruled by a few wealthy people. |
| Define parliamentary democracy | elected members of Parliament select a Prime Minister that serves as both the head of the executive branch and leader of the legislature. |
| Define precedent | prior cases serves as a guide for future decisions. |
| Define primary | an election in which voters determine their party's nominee for an elective office. |
| Define ratification | formal approval of an agreement, treaty or constitution. |
| Define referendum | a form of direct democracy in which citizens vote to approve or reject laws passed by a legislature. |
| Define reserved powers | powers kept by the states under the United States Constitution. Example: traffic violations, marriage laws, education. |
| Define seniority system (seniority rule) | the tradition that a congressional committee member's seniority - the number of years of unbroken service on a committee - determines that member's position on the committee. |
| Define social contract theory | the idea that the legitimacy of a government stems from an unwritten contract between the ruler and the ruled. A ruler who breaks this contract by abusing people's rights loses legitimacy and may be overthrown. |
| Define social security | entitlement payment to an individual because of age or disability. |
| Define sovereignty | the power of government comes from the people. |
| Define stamp act | a tax levied by Britain on all paper goods leading to the colonists declaring "no taxation without representation". |
| Define states rights | any powers not given to the federal government is reserved or the states. |
| Define supremacy clause | the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. |
| Define totalitarian dictatorship | a person that has almost complete control over the citizens. |
| Define veto | the power of the President to reject a bill and send it back to Congress. |
| Define Virginia Plan | a plan proposed at the Constitutional Convention that called for a bicameral legislature with two houses based on population. |
| Define war powers act | the President may commit troops for 60 days without Congressional approval. |
| List and describe the four features of a state. Which of these features does each of the 50 United States lack? | Territorial integrity, stable population, code of laws, and national sovereignty. Each of the 50 states lack national sovereignty. |
| Describe the relationship between the philosophy contained in Locke's Social Contract Theory, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. | Certain individual rights cannot be taken away by the government and individual liberty should be protected. |
| What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence? | State the colonist's reasons for separating from Britain for depriving them of their natural rights. |
| Describe the main arguments given in the Declaration of Independence. | The power of government comes from the people - popular sovereignty. |
| How did colonial experiences with self government influence the Revolution? | The colonists realized that they don't need the help of Great Britain to govern themselves that they believed that they could be separate themselves from Great Britain and still thrive. |
| How did colonial experiences with self government influence the Revolution? | When Britain started to take away rights from the colonists, they began to resist leading to "no taxation without representation." |
| Describe the weaknesses for the Articles of the Confederation and how those weaknesses lead to the need for a new constitution. | National government had no authority to tax and did not have the power to enforce. |
| Give examples of enumerated (expressed) powers. | coin money, make treaties, raise an army / navy. |
| Give examples of concurrent powers. | tax, make laws. |
| Give examples of reserved powers. | traffic laws, education, marriage laws. |
| Give examples of inherent powers. | immigration laws, control borders. |
| Describe each of the seven guiding principles of the Constitution? | limited government, popular sovereignty, rule of law, separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, an independent judiciary, and individual rights. |
| Describe the controversy surrounding ratification of the Constitution. | Federalists supported the ratification of the Constitution however, the Anti Federalists did not support its ratification because it gave the federal government too much power. |
| How was the controversy surrounding ratification of the Constitution resolved? | in order to resolve these issues, the Bill of Rights would be passed upon ratification of the Constitution to ensure the government does not infringe upon individual rights. |
| What are the rights protected by the first amendment? | Speech, religion, press, and assembly. |
| What provisions of the Bill of Rights ensure fair treatment for those accused and convicted of crimes? | 4th Amendment: protection from unreasonable search and seizure. 5th Amendment: protection of self incrimination and due process. 6th Amendment: speedy, fair trial, right to an attorney. 8th Amendment: protection from cruel and unusual punishment. |
| Describe the process by which amendments are added to the Constitution. | Congress proposes amendment by 2/3 vote and states ratify by 3/4 vote. |
| What amendments have expanded the right to vote? How did each of these amendments do so? | 15th Amendment: extended voting rights to African Americans. 19th Amendment: extended the right to vote to women. 26th amendment: lowered voting age from 21 to 18. |
| What rights do naturalized citizens receive? Are there any limits placed on their rights? | everything right of a native born citizen EXCEPT they cannot serve as President. |
| Describe how the Electoral College works. | each state receives electors equal to the number of seats that state has in the House and the Senate. In almost all of the states, there is a winner takes all system where the candidate that receives the majority of popular votes will receive all of that |
| Second part to how Electoral College works. | states electoral college votes. Therefore, a candidate could win the popular vote, but lose the election. A candidate needs 270 electoral college votes in order to win an election. |
| What strategies do presidential candidates use to win elections? | Candidates try to win electoral votes in key states and tend to focus their attention on those states while using less of their resources on other states. |
| How (and why) has the way campaigns are financed been reformed? | Attempts have been made to reform campaign finance because of public concern over the role of money in politics. |
| How do special interest groups influence government decisions? | Lobbying - try to persuade lawmakers to support or oppose actions on issues by talking to lawmakers' staff, testify before committees and offer comments. Research and policy proposals - research and write papers about specific issues. |
| Second part to how special interest group influence government decisions. | Litigation- bring lawsuits on behalf of others bring about change. Grassroots mobilization - rallying and public demonstrations. |
| What is the purpose of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)? | collects income tax. |
| What is the purpose of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC)? | regulates and censors what is broadcast on both radio and TV. |
| What is the purpose of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)? | gathers information from foreign entities. |
| What is the purpose of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)? | regulates interstate commerce. |
| What is the purpose of the Department of Homeland Security (include why it was created)? | in change of immigration and protection of our borders. Is the most recently added executive department in response to September 11th. |
| List and explain the role of the 3 branches of government. | Executive Branch - execute or enforce the laws. Legislative Branch - make laws. Judicial Branch - interprets laws. |
| Describe the basic powers delegated to Congress by the Constitution. | Make laws, declare war, regulate interstate commerce. |
| How are the leadership positions in the House and Senate chosen? | The majority party appoints the leadership positions. The chairperson is chosen by the majority party based on the seniority rule. |
| Describe the process by which a bill becomes a law. | Bills are proposed and sent to committee for research. Committees report on their findings. Floor debate. Bill may return to committee for revision or be voted on. If the bill passes, it heads to the other house for debate and vote. |
| How a bill becomes a law extended. | Once the bill passes both houses and it is reconciled. The bill then goes to the President for his approval or veto. If the bill is vetoed, Congress can override a veto by a 2/3 vote. |
| What role do committees play in the legislative work of Congress? | Most of the legislative work takes place at the committee level. Committees research bills and listen to testimony regarding that bill. |
| In order for there to be some stability in the Senate, the Constitution requires that senators serve __ year terms, but that __ of the senators are elected every __ years. | 6, 1/3, 2. |
| Explain the impeachment process. | Charges are brought by the House and Senate considers the charges and decides whether to remove the official from office. |
| How long is a President's term? | 4 years. |
| What is the purpose of the 22nd Amendment? what event led to its passage? | term limits. FDR being elected to his 4th term led to this amendment being passed. |
| What is the maximum length of time a president may serve? | 10 years. |
| Describe each of the 7 roles of the president. | Chief citizen, Chief of party, Chief diplomat, Commander in chief, Chief policymaker, Chief of state, Chief executive, Chief manager of the economy. |
| What is the order of succession of the presidency? | Vice President, Speaker of the House, President pro tempore, Secretary of State. |
| What powers are given to the president by the Constitution? | appoint federal judges. |
| Give examples of how times of national crisis have led to increased presidential powers. | Lincoln - civil war, FDR - Great Depression, WWII, Bush - 9/11. |
| What is the role of the Supreme Court in our system of government? | judicial review - reviews for constitutionality. |
| Who appoints federal judges? Who must confirm those appointments? | president appoints federal judges with the confirmation by the Senate. |
| What is the difference between original and appellate jurisdiction? | Original jurisdiction is the authority to hear a case for the fist time. Appellate jurisdiction is the authority to review decision made by the lower court for errors of law. |
| What is the role of a grand jury? | decides whether there is enough evidence to charge a suspect with a crime. |
| What type of jury is used to decide the verdict in a criminal and civil cases? | petit jury. |
| What type of law deals with disputes between two or more parties? | civil law. |
| What type of law deals with cases involving conduct prohibiting by government? | criminal law. |
| What is the significance of the court case Marbury v. Madison? | judicial review. |
| What is the significance of the court case Brown v. Board of Education? | desegregation of schools. |
| What is the significance of the court case Mapp v. Ohio? | expanded the rights of the accused. |
| What is the significance of the court case Gideon v. Wainwright? | expanded the rights of the accused - right to an attorney. |
| What is the significance of the court case Miranda v. Arizona? | expanded the rights of the accused. |
| Which government official is primarily responsible for implementing the president's (and nation's) foreign policy? | Secretary of State. |
| Name the basic foreign policy followed by the United States during most of the Cold War and describe what is sought to do. | containment - stop the spread of Communism. |
| What is the role of ambassadors? | maintain relations in foreign countries. |
| Who is responsible for negotiating treaties with foreign countries? How are those treaties then ratified? | Secretary of State and then approved by the Senate. |
| What is the largest source of federal revenue? What is the largest federal expenditure? | income taxes and mandatory spending (entitlement programs). |
| Who is the head of the states executive branch? | governor. |
| Describe the organization of Michigan's legislature. | bicameral - House and Senate. |
| What types of public services are provided by the state and local governments? | trash collection, police protection, education. |
| What are the constitutional and informal requirements for the office of the President? | constitutional - 35 years old, natural born citizen, and 14 years of residency. Informal - male, college graduate, political experience. |
| Describe the make - up of the federal bureaucracy. | Executive departments. |
| Describe the basic beliefs about government held by a liberal, a conservative, and a libertarian. | Liberal - larger government, more social programs, higher taxes. Conservative - smaller government, less social programs, lower taxes. Libertarian - personal freedom. |
| How many members are in the Senate and House? | Senate - 100, House - 485. |
| What is the term length in the Senate and House? | Senate - 6 years, House - 2 years. |
| What are the Constitutional requirements to be part of the Senate and House? | Senate - 30 years old, must have been citizen for at least 9 years, they must be inhabitants of the states they seek to represent at the time of there election. House - 25 years old, citizen for over 7 years, be an inhabitant of the state they represent. |
| what are the number of Senators and Representatives per state? | Senate - 2 people, House - depends on population of state. |
| Who are the constituents of a member of the senator and representative? | Senator - are all the inhabitants of the state they have been elected as senator for. Representative - are the districts they represent. |
Created by:
sheeba1cindy
Popular American Government sets