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Political Science
Chapters 1, 2, 3, 20, 26
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| government | institutions and procedures through which a territory and its people are ruled |
| politics | conflict over the leadership, structure, and policies of governments |
| political efficacy | the ability to influence the government and politics |
| citizenship | informed and active membership in a political community |
| autocracy | form of government. single individual rules |
| what kind of person/people rules in an autocracy? | king, queen, or dictator |
| oligarchy | form of government. small group controls most of the governing decisions. |
| what kind of person/people rule in an oligarchy? | landowners, military officers, or wealthy merchants |
| democracy | system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process |
| how are citizens allowed to participate in government in a democracy? | through the elections of key officials |
| constitutional government | system of rule in which formal and effective limits are placed on the power of government |
| authoritarian government | system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits but may nevertheless be restrained by the power of other social institutions |
| totalitarian government | system of rule in which government recognizes no formal limits on its power and seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it |
| politics | conflict over the leadership, structure, and policies of governments |
| power | influence over a government's leadership, organization, or policies |
| representative democracy AKA ...? | republic |
| representative democracy/republic | system of government in which the populace selects representatives who play a significant role in decision making |
| republic AKA ...? | representative democracy |
| direct democracy | system of rule that permits citizens to vote directly on laws and policies |
| pluralism | theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government |
| what is the outcome of pluralism? | compromise and moderation |
| political culture | broadly shared values, beliefs, and attitudes about how the government should function |
| american political culture | emphasizes the values of liberty, democracy, and equality. |
| liberty | freedom from governmental control |
| limited government | principle of constitutional government. government's powers are defined and limited by a constitution |
| laissez-faire capitalism | an economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned and operated for profit with minimal or no government interference |
| equality of opportunity | widely shared american ideal. all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they possess to reach their fullest potential. |
| political equality | right to participate in politics equally. based on the principle of "one person, one vote." |
| popular sovereignty | principle of democracy in which political authority rests ultimately in the hands of the people |
| majority rule, minority rights | democratic principle that a government follows the preferences of the majority of voters but protects the interests of the minority |
| american's trust in their government... | increased immediately following 9-11, but declined shortly thereafter |
| generally speaking, how much do americans know about their government? | generally speaking, americans know very little about current political issues and are not able to identify high-profile issues and are not able to identify high-profile political leaders. |
| good citizenship requires... | political knowledge and political engagement |
| what is the basic difference between oligarchy and autocracy? | the number of people who control governing decisions |
| Harold Lasswell (political scientist) defined politics as... | the struggle over who gets what, when, and how |
| Who defined politics as "the struggle over who gets what, when, and how"? | Harold Lasswell, a famous political scientist |
| what form of rule: although not present at the national level, a number of states and cities permit citizens to vote directly on laws and policies. | direct democracy |
| what is this theory called: all interests in society should be free to compete for influence over governmental decisions | pluralism |
| what is this called: the idea that one can influence what the government does | political efficacy |
| since 1900, which group has increased as a percentage of the overall population in the united states? | hispanic and asian |
| the hispanic and asian population has been growing in the united states (becoming a larger percentage of the overall population in america) since when? | 1900 |
| the percentage of foreign-born individuals living in the united states... | has increased significantly since reaching its low point in 1970 |
| when was the number foreign-born individuals living in the united states the lowest? | 1970 |
| political equality is best summed up by what phrase? | one person, one vote |
| what are some important principles of american democracy? | popular sovereignty, majority rule, limited government, and minority rights |
| what freedoms are related to liberty? | freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and free enterprise |
| free enterprise | economic system in which private business operates in competition and largely free of state control |
| which restrictions on voting have been repealed in the last 182 years? | race, gender, property (any race can vote, any gender can vote, if you have property/type of property no longer matters) |
| articles of confederation | america's first written constitution. served as the basis for american's national government until 1789 |
| confederation | system of government in which states retain sovereign authority except for the powers expressly delegated to the national government |
| virginia plan | framework for the constitution (at the convention). called for representation in the national legislature based on the population of each state. |
| who proposed the virginia plan? | edmund randolph |
| new jersey plan | framework for the constitution (at the convention). called for equal state representation in the national legislature regardless of population. |
| who proposed the new jersey plan? | william paterson |
| great compromise | agreement reached at the constitutional convention of 1787. each state had equal number of senators regardless of its population, but linked representation in the house of representatives to population |
| 3/5 compromise | agreement reached at the constitutional convention of 1787 that stipulated that for purposes of apportionment of congressional seats, every slave would count as three-fifths of a person |
| at the constitutional convention of ___ the constitution was drafted. | 1787 |
| checks and balances | mechanisms through which each branch of government is able to participate in and influence the activities of the other branches. |
| what are some examples of checks and balances? | presidential veto power over congressional legislation, power of senate to approve presidential appointments, and judicial review of congressional enactments |
| electoral college | presidential electors from each state who meet after the popular election to cast ballots for president and vice president |
| bill of rights | first 10 amendments of the constitution. ensures certain rights and liberties to the people |
| when was the bill of rights ratified? | 1791 |
| separation of powers | division of governmental power among several institutions that must cooperate in decision making |
| federalism | system of government in which power is divided, by a constitution, between a central government and regional governments |
| expressed powers | specific powers granted by the constitution to congress and to the president |
| where in the constitution are the expressed powers for congress? | article 1, section 8 |
| where in the constitution are the expressed powers for the president? | article 2 |
| elastic clause | enumerates the powers of congress and provides congress with the authority to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry them out |
| where in the constitution is the elastic clause? | article 1, section 8 |
| elastic clause AKA | necessary and proper clause |
| bicameral | having a legislative assembly composed of two chambers or houses |
| opposite of bicameral? | unicameral |
| judicial review | the power of the courts to review and (if necessary) declare actions of the legislative and executive branches invalid or unconstitutional. |
| supremacy clause | laws passed by the national government and all treaties are the supreme law of the land and superior to all laws adopted by any state or any subdivision |
| when did the supreme court first assert their power of judicial review? | marbury v madison |
| where is the supremacy clause found in the constitution? | article 6 |
| federalists | those who favored a strong national government and supported the constitution proposed at the american constitutional convention of 1787 |
| antifederalists | those who favored strong state governments and a weak national government and who were opponents of the constitution proposed at the american constitutional convention of 1787 |
| federalist papers | a series of essays written by alexander hamilton, james madison, and john jay supporting ratification of the constitution |
| tyranny | oppressive government that employs cruel and unjust use of power and authority |
| amendment | change added to a bill, law, or constitution |
| which british taxes were new england merchants fighting against? | the stamp act and the sugar act of 1764 |
| to fight against british taxes, new england merchants paired with which groups? | artisans, southern planters, and laborers |
| how did the british attempt to raise revenue in the north american colonies? | taxes on commerce |
| what was the first governing document in the united states? | the articles of confederation |
| where was the execution of laws conducted under the articles of confederation? | the states |
| what were some reasons that the articles of confederation proved inadequate? | lack of a single voice in international affairs, weakness of the national government, persistent economic turmoil among states, power of radical forces in several states |
| which event led directly to the constitutional convention? | shay's rebellion |
| shay's rebellion provided evidence that the government... | the government that was created under the articles of confederation was unable to act decisively in times of national crisis |
| who authored the first draft of the constitution at the start of the constitutional convention? | edmund randolph |
| which state's proposal embodied a principle of representing states according to size? | virginia |
| what is this called: agreement reached at constitutional convention that determined that every slave would be counted as a fraction of a person for the purpose of taxation and representation in the house of representatives. | three-fifths compromise |
| what mechanisms are instituted in the congress to guard against "excessive democracy"? | selection of senators by state legislatures, checks and balances, staggered terms in office, bicameralism |
| which of the following best describes the supreme court as understood by the founders? | a supreme court of the nation and its states |
| Which theorist refereed to the principle of giving each branch of government a distinctly different constituency? | Montesquieu |
| what is this principle: giving each branch of government a distinctly different constituency | mixed regime |
| what were the antifederalists most concerned with? | the potential for tyranny in the central government |
| amending the constitution... | is very difficult and has rarely been used successfully to address specific public problems |
| unitary system | centralized government system in which lower levels of government have little power independent of the national government |
| federal system | systemof government in which the national government shares power with the lower levels of government, such as states |
| implied powers | powers derived from the necessary and proper clause. such powers are not specifically expressed but are implied through the expansive interpretation of delegated powers. |
| reserved powers | powers derived from the 10th amendment to the constitution that are not specifically delegated to the national government or denied to the states |
| police power | power reserved to the state government to regulate the health, safety, and morals of its citizens |
| concurrent powers | authority possessed by both state and national governments, such as the power to levy taxes |
| full faith and credit clause | the states that normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions that take place in another state |
| where is the full faith and credit clause in constitution? | article 4 section 1 |
| privileges and immunities clause | a state cannot discriminate against somene from |
| where is the privileges and immunities clause found in the constitution? | article 4 section 2 |
| home rule | power delegated by the state to a local unit of government to manage its own affairs |
| dual federalsim | system of government that prevailed in the united states from 1789 to 1937 in which most fundamental governmental powers were shared between the federal and state governments |
| commerce clause | delegates to congress the power to "regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states and with the indian tribes." clause was interpreted by the supreme court in favor of national power over the economy. |
| where is the commerce clause found in the constitution? | article 1 section 8 |
| states' rights | the principle that the states should oppose the increasing authority of the national government. this principle was most popular in the period before the civil war |
| grants-in-aid | programs through which congress provides money to state and local governments on the condition that the funds be employed for purposes defined by the federal government |
| categorical grants | congressional grants given to states and localities on the condition that expenditures be limited to a problem or group specified by law |
| project grants | grant programs in which state and local governments submit proposals to federal agencies and for which funding is provided on a competitive basis |
| formula grants | grants-in-aid in which a formula is used to determine the amount of federal funds a state or local government will receive |
| cooperative federalism | type of federalism existing since the new deal era in which grants-in-aid have been used strategically to encourage states and localities (w/o commanding them) to pursue nationally defined goals |
| cooperative federalism AKA... | intergovernmental cooperation |
| intergovernmental cooperation AKA... | cooperative federalism |
| regulated federalism | form of federalism in which congress imposes legislation on states and localities, requiring them to meet national standards |
| preemption | principle that allows the national government to override state or local actions in certain policy areas. in foreign policy the willingness to strike first in order to prevent an enemy attack |
| unfunded mandates | regulations or conditions for receiving grants that impose costs on state and local governments for which they are not reimbursed by the federal government |
| devolution | policy to remove a program from one level of government by delegating it or passing it down to a lower level of government, such as from the national government to the state and local governments |
| block grants | federal grants-in-aid that allow states considerable discretion in how the funds are spent |
| new federalism | attempts by presidents nixon and reagan to return power to the states through block grants |
| general revenue sharing | process by which one unit of government yields a portion of its tax income to another unit of government, according to an established formula. typically involves national government providing money to the state governments |
| redistributive programs | economic policies designed to control the economy through taxing and spending, with the goal of benefitting the poor |
| sharing the power between the national and the state government is known as.. | federalism |
| what amendment to the constitution stated that the powers not delegated to the national government or prohibited to the states were "reserved to the state"? | tenth amendment |
| first amendment | freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition |
| second amendment | right to bear arms |
| third amendment | no quartering of soldiers |
| fourth amendment | no unreasonable searches or seizures |
| fifth amendment | not incriminate oneself/witness against oneself, can't be subject to trial for the same offense twice |
| sixth amendment | speedy trial |
| seventh amendment | right of trial by jury |
| eighth amendment | no excessive bail or fines, no cruel or unusual punishment |
| ninth amendment | rights not emphasized by the constitution cannot be taken away by the government |
| tenth amendment | powers not delegated to the federal government by the constitution are the responsibility of the states |
| a state government's authority to regulate the health, safety, and morals of its citizens is referred to as... | the reserved powers |
| which constitutional clause has been central in debates over gay and lesbian marriage? | full faith and credit clause |
| why is the full faith and credit clause being used in debates over gay and lesbian marriage? | because it requires that states normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions of other states |
| many states have amended their constitutions to guarantee that large cities will have the authority to manage local affairs without interference from state government. this is called.. | home rule |
| system of federalism that allowed states to do most of the fundamental governing from 1789 to 1937 was ... | dual federalsim |
| in which case did the supreme court create the potential for increased national power by ruling that congress could use the necessary and proper clause to interpret its delegated powers broadly? | mcculloch v maryland |
| in 1937, the supreme court laid the groundwork for a stronger federal government by... | issuing a number of decisions that dramatically expanded the definition of the commerce clause |
| one of the most powerful tools by which the federal government has attempted to get the states to act in ways that are desired by the federal government is... | defending states' rights |
| the form of regulated federalism that allows the federal government to hand over/pass down areas of regulation formerly overseen by states or local governments is called.. | devolution |
| when state and local governments must conform to costly regulations or conditions in order to receive grants but do not receive reimbursements for their expenditures from the federal government is called.. | unfunded mandate |
| the process of returning more of the responsibilities of governing from the national level to the state level is known as.. | dual federalism |
| the efforts to return more policy making discretion to the states through the use of block grants is... | new federalism |
| a recent notable example of the process of giving the states more responsibility for administering government programs is known as.. | welfare reform |
| constitution | the legal structure of a government, which establishes its power and authority as well as the limits on that power |
| unicameral | comprising one body or house as in a one-house legislature |
| confederacy | the confederate states of america; southern states that seceded from the united states in 1860 and 1861 and argued that the power of the states was more important than the power of the central government |
| radical republicans | bloc of republicans in the US congress who pushed through the adoption of black suffrage as well as an extended period of military occupation of the south following the civil war |
| grange | militant farmers' movement of the late 19th century that fought for improved conditions for farmers |
| republican government | representative democracy, system of government in which power is derived from the people |
| plural executive | an executive branch in which power is fragmented because the election of statewide officeholders is independent of the election of the governor |
| impeachment | under the texas constitution, the formal charge by the house of representatives that leads to trial in the senate and possible removal of a state official |
| texas constitution article 1 | bill of rights (free and equal rights that cannot be denied, republican government, forbids monopolies, when bail can/cannot be denied, rights of crime victims) |
| texas constitution article 2 | powers of government (3 branches, no one branch attached to either of the other branches, separation of powers) |
| texas constitution article 3 | legislative department (senate/house and their rules/limits, lotteries, emergency service districts, problem of debt creation, ...) |
| texas constitution article 4 | executive department (governor, lieutenant governor over the senate, secretary of state keeps official seals of state, comptroller of public accounts, commissioner of general land office, attorney general) |
| texas constitution article 5 | judicial department (courts, lower courts, state judges are elected) |
| texas constitution article 6 | suffrage |
| texas constitution article 7 | education (free public schools, school finance, state universities) |
| texas constitution article 8 | taxation and revenue (income tax, proceeds must be dedicated to education and tax relief) |
| texas constitution article 9 | local government (creating, organizing, and operating counties and municipal corporations) |
| texas constitution article 11 | local government (creating, organizing, and operating counties and municipal corporations) |
| texas constitution article 10 | railroads. (empowers state to regulate railroads and to establish railroad commission) |
| texas constitution article 12 | private corporations. (create general laws creating private corporations and protect public and individual stockholders.) |
| texas constitution article 13 | spanish and mexican land titles. NOW ENTIRELY DELETED FROM THE CONSTITUTION |
| texas constitution article 14 | public lands. (general land office to deal with registration of land titles) |
| texas constitution article 15 | impeachment |
| texas constitution article 16 | general provisions. (official oaths of office, community property, banking corporations, stock laws, election of texas railroad commission, state retirement systems) |
| texas constitution article 17 | amending the constitution (legislature meets in regular or special session and proposes amends, amends approved by 2/3 vote of members of each house, brief statement published twice in appropriate newspapers, amends approved by majority of state voters) |
| which idea is contained in both the texas and us constitutions? | separation of powers |
| what are important functions of the state constitution? | prevent concentration of political power, delegates power to individuals/institutions, legitimizes political institutions, limits application of the US constitution |
| which part of the US constitution reserves power to the states? | 10th amendment |
| under the US constitution, the government of texas is most limited by... | the 14th amendment of the US constitution |
| the constitution of 1861... | accepted the existing constitutional framework, guided texas' entry into the confederate states of america, supported slavery, and defended states' rights |
| a unique feature of the constitution of 1869... | it was never submitted to the voters |
| constitution of 1876: | reaction to the reconstruction constitution of 1869 |
| constitution of 1869 was seen as... | giving the governor too much power |
| a new texas constitution was written when? | when reconstruction ended |
| which texas constitution limits the power of the governor and other state officials severely? | the current texas constitution |
| those who wrote the constitution of 1876 wanted... | to return the control of the government to the people (meaning all adult white male citizens) |
| which article of the texas constitution contains the bill of rights? | article 1 |
| the texas bill of rights compared to the US bill of rights | texas bill of rights guarantees some rights not found in the us bill of rights |
| texas constitution requires that texas judges.. | be elected by the people |
| Today, a new texas constitution... | has a very small chance of being written and/or ratified |
| voter turnout for constitutional amendment elections could be improved if.. | they were held at the same time as presidential elections, there were more voter awareness of the proposed amendments, or the amendments involved significant issues for voters |
| county commissioners court | the main governing body of each county; has the authority to set the county tax rate and budget |
| county judge | the person in each of texas' 254 counties who presides over the constitutional county court and county commissioners court with responsibility for the administration of county government; some county judges carry out judicial responsibilities |
| how many counties in texas? | 254 |
| county commissioner | government official on the county commissioners court whose main duty is the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges |
| how many county commissioners per county? | 4 |
| constable | precinct-level county officials involved with serving legal papers and, in some counties, enforcing the law |
| county attorney | county official who prosecutes lesser criminal cases in the county court |
| district attorney | public official who prosecutes the more serious criminal cases in the district court |
| county clerk | public official who is the main record-keeper of the county |
| district clerk | public official who is the main record-keeper of the district court |
| county tax assessor-collector | public official who maintains the county tax records and collects the taxes owed to the county |
| county auditor | public official appointed by district judges that receives and disburses county funds; in large counties, this official also prepares the county budget |
| home-rule charter | the rules under which a city operates |
| mayor-council form of government | form of city government. mayor is chief executive. city council is legislative body. can be strong or weak mayor-council governments. |
| strong mayor council form of government | mayor's powers enable him or her to control executive departments and the agendy of the city council |
| weak mayor council form of government | mayor's power is more limited |
| at-large election | election where officials are selected by voters of the entire geographical area, rather than from smaller districts within that area |
| single-member district | district whose voters elect only one representative to represent that district |
| commissioner form of government | city government in which the city is run by a small group of elected commissioners who act in both legislative and executive capacities |
| council-manager form of government | city government in which public policies are developed by the city council and executive and administrative functions are assigned to a professional city manager |
| special district | unit of local government that performs a single service, such as education or sanitation, within a limited geographical area |
| school district | specific type of special district that provides public education in a designated area |
| nonschool special district | any special district other than a school district. examples include municipal utility districts (MUDs) and hospital districts |
| MUD | municipal utility district. special district that offers services such as electricity, water, sewage, and sanitation outside the city limits |
| property tax | tax based on an assessment of the value of one's property, which is used to fund the services provided by local governments (such as education) |
| user fee | fee paid for public goods and services, such as water or sewage service |
| hidden government | term that refers to special districts of which many citizens are unaware |
| COG | council of government. a regional planning board composed of local elected officials and some private citizens from the same area |
| what type of local government is not found in texas? | council of government (city, county, special district, and parish are in texas) |
| the basic governing body of a county is known as... | county commissioner's court |
| all county commissioner's precincts must be equal in population according to.. | avery v midland county |
| who does this describe: presides over the constitutional county court and the county commissioner's court | county judge |
| which county officials are responsible for the jail and the safety of the prisoners? | sheriff |
| to adopt a home-rule charter, a city must have a minimum population of.. | 5,000 |
| the two legal classifications of texas cities are.. | general law and home rule |
| the form of city government that allows the mayor to establish control over most of the city's government is called.. | strong mayor-council form of government |
| who is the city's chief financial officer? | the city controller |
| which local government provides a singer service not provided by any other local government? | special district |
| what are the two types of special districts found in texas? | school and nonschool |
| what is a unit of local government that provides a special service to a limited geographical area? | special district |
| what serves the needs of developers? | MUD |
| comprehensive planning and service delivery in a specific geographic location is the function of a ... | council of government |
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Leelanicole28