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AP Government and Politics > Chapter 1-10 > Flashcards

Chapter 1-10 Flashcards

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1
Q

government

A

the institutions and processes through which public policy is created for a society

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2
Q

unitary government

A

a way of organizing a nation so that all of the power resides in the central government

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3
Q

monarchy

A

form of government where a king, queen, or emperor holds supreme power (authoritarian)

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4
Q

oligarchy

A

a small group of people who have all of the political power (authoritarian)

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5
Q

direct democracy

A

procedures such as initiative, referendum, and the recall, by which voters can have a direct impact on policy making and the political process by means of the voting booth

citizens themselves vote on a law and create policies for the country

(democratic)

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6
Q

referendum

A

a state level method of direct legislation that gives the voters a chance to approve or disapprove legislation or a constitutional amendment proposed by the state legislature

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7
Q

Representative democracy (presidential)

A

citizens elect officials to make laws and these representatives are accountable to those they govern

citizens elect both the legislative and executive branch
(democratic)

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8
Q

representative democracy (Parliamentary)

A

citizens elect officials to make laws and these representatives are accountable to those they govern

citizens elect the legislative branch (parliament) and the legislative branch appoints the executive (prime minister)
(democratic)

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9
Q

dictatorship/totalitarianism

A

one single individual retains all of the power (authoritarian)

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10
Q

confederate

A

most of the power resides with the states

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11
Q

federal

A

power is divided between the states and the national government

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12
Q

Authoritarian government

A

citizens don’t influence government, freedom is restricted, no rights; leaders are above the rule of the law, retain power for life and keep it with force; media is censored, government controls all businesses, limits freedoms of citizens choosing what job they want, COMMAND ECONOMY

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13
Q

Democratic Government

A

citizens participate in government by voting and running for office; leaders obey the rule of the law, gov’t power is separated and officials place limits on each others powers; media is owned by citizens and is uncensored, citizens have rights guaranteed by a constitution; citizens own and run businesses MARKET ECONOMY/CAPITALISM

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14
Q

what should a government do

A 
provide a national defense
public services (public goods)
preserve order
socialize the youth
collect taxes
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15
Q

legislative branch (WHO)

A

national: CONGRESS
state: MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY (STAE SENATE and HOUSE OF DELEGATES
local: BALTIMORE CITY COUNCIL

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16
Q

executive branch (WHO)

A

national: PRESIDENT
state: GOVERNOR
local: MAYOR

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17
Q

judicial brach (WHO)

A

national: SCOTUS
state: COURT OF APPEALS
local: DISTRICT COURT

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18
Q

politics

A

the process by which we select our governmental leaders and the polices these leaders pursue. it produces authoritative decision about public issues

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19
Q

party-platform

A

a political party’s statement of its goals and polices for the next four years. the platform is drafted prior to the party convention by a committee whose members are chosen in rough proportion to each candidates strength. it is the best formal statement of what a party believes in.

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20
Q

political participation

A

all activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the politics they pursue. voting is the most common but not the only means of political participation in a democracy (others include protest and civil disobedience)

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21
Q

single-issue groups

A

groups that have a narrow interest, tend to dislike compromise, and often draw membership from people new to politics. (this makes them different from interest groups)

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22
Q

policy-making system

A

the process by which policy comes into being and evolves over time. people’s interests, problems, and concerns create political issues for government policy makers. these issues shape policy, which in turn impacts the people, generating more interests, problems, and concerns

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23
Q

policy-making system flow chart

A

people (interests, problems, concerns) –> linkage institutions (parties, elections, media, interest groups) –> policy agenda (political issues) –> policymaking insinuations (legislative, executive, court, bureaucracy) –> policy (expenditures, taxes, laws, regulations, non-decisions) –> people (impacts of policy)

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24
Q

linkage institutions

A

the political channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the political agenda. (elections, political parties, interest groups, media)

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25
policy agenda
the issues that attract serious attention of public officials and other people actually involved in optics at any given point in time
26
politcal issue
a result of people disagreeing about a problem or about the public policy needed to fix it
27
policy-making institutions
the branches of government charged with taking action on political issues. US constitution established the three, and political scientists today consider bureaucracy an institution
28
public policy
a choice that government makes in response to a political issue. a policy is a course of action taken in regard to some problem
29
policy impacts
the effects a policy has on people and problems. impacts are analyzed to see how well a policy met its goal and at what cost
30
democracy
a system of selecting policy makers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public's preferences
31
framers view of democracy
no fondness for it because they doubted the ability of the ordinary American to make informed judgments about what the government should do
32
traditional democratic theory
``` equality in voting effective participation enlightened understanding citizens control the agenda inclusion ```
33
15th amendment
Africans Americans can vote; ever race can vote
34
17th amendment
the citizens can vote for senators as well as house members in congress
35
19th amendment
women can vote
36
23 amendment
gave DC electors
37
24th amendment
no more poll taxes
38
26th amendment
people at and above the age of 18 can vote
39
majority rule
part of the inclusion part of traditional democratic theory | choosing among alternatives requires the majority's desire to be respected
40
minority rights
part of the inclusion part of traditional democratic theory guarantees rights to those who do not belong to the majorities and allows that they might join majorities through persuasion and reasoned argument
41
representation
a basic principle of traditional democratic theory; | describes the relationship between the few leaders d the may followers
42
pluralist theory
a theory of government and politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a completion among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred polices
43
majority v. plurality
In elections, a majority happens when more than half of the electorate votes for one candidate. For example, if a candidate gets 50.1% of the vote, she gets a majority. A plurality happens when less than half vote for a candidate that wins because the vote is split among more than two candidates.
44
elite and class theory (ELITISM)
a theory of government and politics contending that societies are are divided along class lines and an upper elite class rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization
45
hyperpluralism
a theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that the government is weakened. gridlock
46
challenges to democracy
increased technical expertise limited participation in government escalating campaign costs diverse political interests
47
policy gridlock
a condition that occurs when no coalition is strong enough to form a majority and establish policy (nothing gets done)
48
political culture
an overall set of values widely shred within a society
49
American political culture
liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, laissez-faire, populism
50
texas v johnson
SCOTUS agreed with Johnson that the law prohibiting the burning of the flag violates the freedom of speech
51
constitution
a nations basic law. creates political institutions, assigns or divides power in gov't, and often provides certain guarantees to citizens. can be written or unwritten
52
French and Indian War
vast acquisition of land. British Parliament made colonists pay for the defense of the land (lots of taxes on lots of shit)
53
stamp act
an act of the British Parliament in 1756 that exacted revenue from the American colonies by imposing a stamp duty on newspapers and legal and commercial documents. Colonial opposition led to the act's repeal in 1766 and helped encourage the revolutionary movement against the British Crown.
54
revolutionary war
The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence[N 1] and the Revolutionary War in the United States, was the armed conflict between Great Britain and thirteen of its North American colonies, which had declared themselves the independent United States of America.
55
Declaration of Independence
the document approved by representatives of the American colonies in 1776 that stated their grievances against the British monarch and declared their independence
56
natural rights
John Locke rights inherent to human beings, not dependent on governments, which include life, liberty, and property.
57
consent of the governed
John Locke the idea that government derives it authority by sanction of the people
58
limited government
John Locke the idea that certain restrictions should be places on government to protect the natural rights of citizens
59
social contract theory
Rousseau | the condition in which people give up some individual liberty in exchange for some common security
60
conservative revolution
the revolution didn't drastically change the colonists way of life, simply restored the rights of the colonists that they felt were already theirs as British subjects
61
Articles of Confederation
the first constitution of the US adopted by Congress in 1777. the articles established a national legislature, the continental congress but most authority reseted with the state legislatures
62
changes in the states made by the articles of confederation
``` middle class were brought to power (farmers, manorial landholders, and artisans) (extended political participation to them) dramatic increase in liberty for white males structure of government in the states became more responsive to the people ```
63
economic turmoil caused by the AoC
economic issues were at the top of the political agenda postwar depression left many small farmers unable to pay there debts few states even passed laws favoring the debtors over th creditors
64
Shay's rebellion
a series of attacks on the courthouses by a small band of farmers led by revolutionary war captain Daniel Shays to block foreclosure proceedings
65
the Annapolis meeting
a handful of leaders assembled and planned a full-scale meeting of all of the states in may in Philadelphia Continental Congress approved this meeting and called for a meeting of the states which became known as the Continental Convention
66
delegates demographics at the Continental Convention
they were the minority, | college educated and rich
67
agenda in philadelphia
meant to just fix the AoC, but they decided to create a whole new Constitution altogether
68
Equality issues
Constitution is silent on equality | Three main issues: state representation, slavery, voting
69
New jersey plan
called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population
70
Virginia Plan
called for representation of each state to be proportional to the state's share of the US population
71
Connecticut Compromise
2 houses of Congress
72
Slavery issue in the Constitution
nothing really said about it; but the possible top of importing them after 1808 3/5 compromise
73
equality in voting in the Constitution
left to the states; those who can vote in state stuff can vote in national stuff too
74
economic issues the Continental Congress had to deal with
states had erected tariffs against products of other states paper money in each state was vitally worthless, but some states would force creditors to accept the worthless money Congres was having trouble raising money because the economy was in a recession PEOPLE AT CONVENTION WANTED TO WIDEN THE SCOPE OF THE NATIONAL GOV'T IN ECONOMY CONGRESS HAD CLEAR ECNOMIS POWERS IN CONSTITUION
75
individual rights in the constitution
``` few but there are: bills of attainder writ of habeas corpus ex post facto laws strict scrutiny for treason (colonists had been treasonous themselves) no religious qualifications for office right to trial in criminal cases ```
76
write of habeas corpus
a court order requiring jailers to explain to a judge why they are holding prisoner in custody
77
bills of attainder
punish people without judicial trial
78
ex post facto laws
punish people or increase the penalties for acts which were not illegal or not punishable when the act was committed
79
the madisonian model
a way of organizing government to thwart tyranny of the majority through: 1. placing as much of the gov't as possible away from the direct control of the marjory 2. checks and balances 3. separation of powers 4. federalism (feared majority and minority factions taking total control of gov't)
80
factions
groups of people, currently known as political parties or interest groups, who arise as a result of the unequal distribution of wealth to seize the reins of the gov't in their own interest
81
Madisonian model: limited majority control
the people really have direct control of voting house members, and the house members have more frequent elections
82
Madisonian Model: separation of powers
Senate, judicial , and executive have separate powers, outlined in the Constitution (Article I,II,III) Montesquieu each branch is relatively independent so that one cannot control the other
83
Checks and Balances
limit government's power by requiring that power be balanced among the different gov't institutions
84
Madisonian Model: establishing a federal system
outlined in Articles I,II, III,IV
85
republic
what the constitution created in America | a form of gov't in which the people select representatives to govern them and make laws
86
federalists
supported the ratification of the Constitution
87
anti-federalists
did not support the ratification of the constitution
88
federalists papers
a collection of 85 articles written by alexander hamilton, john jay, and James madison under the name publius to defend the constitution in detail
89
Federalist 10
supported Constitution as the only way to control factions
90
bill of rights
first 10 amendments to the US Constitution drafted in response to the anti-federlist concerns.
91
ratification
the formal validation of a document
92
marbury v. madison
established judicial review
93
judicial review
the power the courts to determine whether acts of Congress and by implication the executive are in accords with the US constitution
94
federalism
a way of organizing a nation so that two or more levels of government have formal authority over the same land an people
95
intergovernmental-relations
the workings of the federal system- the entire set of interactions among state, local, and national gov't
96
supremacy clause
article VI of the constitution, which makes the constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is working within constitutional limits
97
tenth amendment
powers not delegated to the national gov't or not given to the states are given to the states

AP Government and Politics (2 decks)

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