Poli Sci Key Terms

Question 1

A series of laws passed by the British government on the American colonies in 1767. They placed new taxes and took away some freedoms from the colonists including the following: New taxes on imports of paper, paint, lead, glass, and tea.

Answer 1

The Townshend Acts

Question 2

Focus on aspects of the political system that affect voter turnout.

Answer 2

System explanations

Question 3

Is a political doctrine that a state can interpose itself between the people of the state and the federal government when the federal government exceeds its authority.

Answer 3

Interposition

Question 4

Is one that advocates for an issue that benefits society as a whole.

Answer 4

Public interest group

Question 5

The partisan press changed to a commercial press with the emergence of came to be called the penny press. Advances in printing technology allowed newspapers to be produced at a far cheaper rate (1 cent rather than 6 cents)

Answer 5

Commercial Media

Question 6

Emphasizes effective crime fighting more than protecting the individual’s rights; the due process model of __ emphasizes protecting individual rights by among other things providing due process of law to suspects and defendants because it is better for 100 guilty to go free than one innocent person found guilty

Answer 6

The Crime Control and Due Process Models of Justice

Question 7

Officially selects the president.

Answer 7

Electoral College

Question 8

Treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs to rather than individual merit

Answer 8

Legal Discrimination

Question 9

The long and expensive war with the French and Indians ended with the British in control of most of North America.

Answer 9

Seven Years War

Question 10

Are those that are not specifically mentioned but which can be logically implied to flow from those that are enumerated.

Answer 10

Implied powers

Question 11

Is defined as the principle that governmental authority is exercised only in accordance with public laws that are adopted and enforced according to established procedures.

Answer 11

Rule of Law

Question 12

Is the party with the second number of seats.

Answer 12

Minority party

Question 13

Is the term for the apathy that the electorate can experience when they are required to vote too often in too many elections.

Answer 13

Voter Fatigue

Question 14

Have members from the House and the Senate and are concerned with specific policy areas. These committees are set up as a way to expedite business between the houses, particularly when pressing issues require quick action by Congress.

Answer 14

Joint committees

Question 15

Means a judge is expected to decide a current issue the way a previous issue was decided. Is a system where the past guides the present.

Answer 15

Precedent

Question 16

The budget controlled by the House of Representatives.

Answer 16

Appropriations

Question 17

Overseeing the administration and investigating scandals.

Answer 17

Legislative oversight

Question 18

Is a governing document that sets forth a country’s basic rules of politics and government.

Answer 18

Constitutions

Question 19

Primarily the function of appellate courts. is the controversial function of courts because it gets courts involved with policy making.

Answer 19

Law interpretation

Question 20

Slaves were brought to America from Africa; sugar, cotton, and tobacco were exported to England; and manufactured goods, textiles, and rum were sent to Africa to pay for slaves.

Answer 20

The triangle trade

Question 21

Is a prejudgment, an assumption or belief that is made about someone or something without knowledge of the facts.

Answer 21

Prejudice

Question 22

Specifically granted to the government that includes the power to coin money, regulate commerce, declare war, raise and maintain armed forces, and establish a post office

Answer 22

Delegated powers

Question 23

Is the power of courts to review the actions of government officials to determine whether they are constitutional. It is a power that all courts have, not just the Supreme Court, and it is a power to review the actions of any government official: laws passed by Congress; presidential actions or executive orders; regulations promulgated by administrative agencies; laws passed by state legislatures; actions of governors; county commission decisions; school board policies; city regulations; and the rulings of lower courts.

Answer 23

Judicial review

Question 24

Is the ability to make another person do what you want, to force others to do what you want. It is the use of coercion or force to make someone comply with a demand.

Answer 24

Power

Question 25

Is the belief that one’s participation matters, that one’s decision to vote really makes a difference.

Answer 25

political efficacy

Question 26

1764 taxed sugar, wine, coffee, and other products commonly exported to the colonies. The colonists resented these taxes and began to cry “no taxation without representation!”

Answer 26

The Sugar Act

Question 27

The liberty of an individual to do his or her will freely except for those restraints imposed by law to safeguard the physical, moral, political, and economic welfare of others.

Answer 27

Personal Liberty

Question 28

The good form of government of the few

Answer 28

Aristocracy

Question 29

Is, as the term suggests, a political system with one level of government.

Answer 29

Unitary system

Question 30

Are temporary committees that serve only for a very specific purpose. These committees conduct special investigations or studies and report back to whichever chamber established the committee.

Answer 30

Select or special committees

Question 31

Refers to the context that the media provide for the information that they provide or the stories they tell. Influences the consumer’s thinking about the topic.

Answer 31

Framing

Question 32

Are the most prominent of the committees. These are the permanent committees that focus on specific area of legislation, such as the House Committee on Homeland Security or the Senate Committee on Armed Forces.

Answer 32

Standing committees

Question 33

Or the Intolerable Acts, which allowed Britain to blockade Boston harbor and placed 4,000 more soldiers in Boston. These actions increased resentment on both sides of the Atlantic.

Answer 33

The Coercive Acts

Question 34

First 10 amendments of the constitution. It provides for freedom of speech, religion, and press, as well as providing protection against unreasonable search and seizure, due process of law, the right to a trial by jury, and protection against cruel and unusual punishment.

Answer 34

The Bill of Rights

Question 35

Are those that are specifically mentioned. Sometimes called delegated powers because they are powers that the Constitution actually delegates to the government.

Answer 35

Enumerated Powers

Question 36

Representatives are rational actors whose voting behavior reflects the delegate or trustee theory of representation depending on the situation.

Answer 36

Politico

Question 37

Meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement

Answer 37

Caucus

Question 38

Is a theory of federalism that describes both the federal government and the state governments as coequal sovereigns.

Answer 38

Dual federalism

Question 39

Is the primary function of trial courts. The function of courts is to settle disputes according to law.

Answer 39

Dispute resolution

Question 40

Is the process of self-government.

Answer 40

Democracy

Question 41

Fair treatment. Fairness means that individuals or groups should get what they deserve: good or appropriate behavior is recognized, encouraged, and rewarded, while bad or inappropriate behavior is also recognized, discouraged, and even punished.

Answer 41

Justice

Question 42

Forced colonists to either provide barracks for British soldiers or house them in their homes. The colonists, who were already mad about paying taxes, started protesting that they have to pay for soldiers to live in their homes.

Answer 42

Mutiny Act

Question 43

Campaigns that now use social media to post material on the radio, television, or internet (twitter, Spotify, Pinterest)

Answer 43

“Air” campaigns

Question 44

Refers to the appropriate ability to make others do what you want, the legal right to make others comply with demands.

Answer 44

Legitimacy

Question 45

Focus on an individual’s motivations. (rational choice model and civic duty model)

Answer 45

Individual explanations

Question 46

Is a loose association of sovereign states that agree to cooperate in a kind of voluntary “league of friendship.”

Answer 46

Confederation

Question 47

Where voters choose public policies themselves.

Answer 47

Direct Democracy

Question 48

The party with the most seats. The __ in each house organizes the sessions of Congress and selects its leadership.

Answer 48

Majority party

Question 49

Elections and representation; and it grants and limits the powers of government.

Answer 49

A republican system of government

Question 50

Is about beliefs about the right size and the proper role of government. Ideally, it is about establishing a just political system.

Answer 50

Politics

Question 51

Primary elections where voters are required to register with a specific party before the election and are only able to vote in the party’s election for which they are registered.

Answer 51

Closed primaries

Question 52

Developed by Anthony Downs, who argued that individuals are self-interested actors who use a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether it is in their self-interest to vote, According to this model, a person’s decision whether to vote is based on an individual’s assessment of whether the vote will affect the outcome of the election, the expected benefit of voting and not voting and the sense of civic duty (the personal gratification or satisfaction from voting. The __ model is based on the assumptions in economic models of human behavior.

Answer 52

rational choice model

Question 53

Is the proportion of the voting-age public that participates in an election.

Answer 53

voter turnout

Question 54

When the accused pleads guilty in exchange for a reduction in the number of charges or the sentence.

Answer 54

Plea bargaining

Question 55

The media are expected to provide information about public affairs and current events so that voters can make good political decisions. Reporters report politics. The television and radio broadcast media are even required by law to perform this role as one of the conditions for the government to issue broadcast licenses.

Answer 55

Educative Role

Question 56

Is a term for efforts to mobilize local support for an issue position the group has taken.

Answer 56

Grassroots lobbying

Question 57

These powers are not actually mentioned in the Constitution but are logically related to them. The president is not limited to those powers that are specifically granted. Ex: (firing of officials, executive privilege, executive agreements, and executive orders

Answer 57

Implied Powers

Question 58

Defined as a belief that it is appropriate for courts to play a limited role in the government, that judges should be very hesitant to overturn decisions of the political branches of government, and that judges should wherever possible defer to legislative and executive actions.

Answer 58

Judicial restraint

Question 59

Is a political system where the constituent units (the states, provinces, or regional governments) are more powerful than the central (or national) government.

Answer 59

Confederation

Question 60

Assumes that the national and state governments have separate areas of responsibility. The Court developed the __ to decide whether a matter was for local or national regulation.

Answer 60

Cooley Doctrine

Question 61

Describes the national and state governments as sharing power over areas of public policy.

Answer 61

Cooperative federalism

Question 62

Is the right to make other people do what you want.

Answer 62

Authority

Question 63

Is a collection of individuals or organizations that share a common interest and advocate or work for public policies on behalf of the members’ shared interests.

Answer 63

Interest Group

Question 64

Who, as government officials, make laws for the people.

Answer 64

Representative

Question 65

Are the system of rules that 1) define what behaviors are considered illegal and therefore criminal; 2) the legal procedures used to investigate, prosecute, and try those who are accused of crimes; and 3) the punishments (i.e., the sentences) that are considered appropriate for convicted offenders. __ is public law for two reasons. First, crimes are considered harmful to both the individual victim and society in general: crimes are offenses against the public order. Second, the government prosecutes and punishes offenders.

Answer 65

Criminal law

Question 66

Independent voters and registered party members are allowed to vote in the nomination contest.

Answer 66

open primaries

Question 67

Describes presidents who are too strong, too powerful for their and our own good

Answer 67

Imperial Presidency

Question 68

A series of staggered electoral contests in which members of a party choose delegates to attend the party’s national convention which officially nominates the party’s presidential candidate.

Answer 68

presidential primary

Question 69

Are created to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill. This committee is made up of members from both the House and the Senate who work to reach compromises between similar pieces of legislation passed by the House and the Senate.

Answer 69

Conference committee

Question 70

Is the only leadership position in the House that is created by the Constitution.

Answer 70

Speaker of the House

Question 71

Is an election to determine party candidates for office.

Answer 71

Primary elections

Question 72

Can be defined as the institutions and processes that make and implement a society’s legally authoritative decisions.

Answer 72

Government

Question 73

The institutional media are part of the system of checks and balances. The media coverage of public affairs includes investigative reporting on government affairs.

Answer 73

Watchdog Role

Question 74

Is a contract in the sense that it includes specific terms and conditions that bind both parties: the people give up a measure of individual freedom in exchange for the government providing public safety and security.

Answer 74

Social Contract

Question 75

Or the official chair of the Senate, is a largely honorary position awarded to the most senior senator of the majority party.

Answer 75

President pro tempore

Question 76

Is the process by which new issues are brought to the attention of political decision-makers.

Answer 76

Agenda building:

Question 77

Was designed to create a political system where institutions and political organizations provided a measure of protection against corruption and abuse of power. Whereby the national and state governments check one another’s powers.

Answer 77

Checks and balances

Question 78

The rights and powers held by the individual U.S. states rather than by the federal government

Answer 78

States’ rights

Question 79

The greatest number of interest groups is ____ groups including business, trade and other associations, labor, and professional associations.

Answer 79

Economic interest group

Question 80

Is the pre-eminent law enforcement agency in the U.S. It is responsible for investigating interstate crimes and crimes violating federal laws.

Answer 80

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Question 81

All other powers—those not delegated to the national government, or prohibited to the states—were to be reserved (or left with) the states or the people.

Answer 81

Reserved powers

Question 82

A geographic division of power between the national government and state governments

Answer 82

Federalism

Question 83

Government of the rich or powerful.

Answer 83

Oligarchy

Question 84

Is based on the belief that the best way to discover the truth of “what happened” is to have each side tell its story to a neutral third party which then determines which set of facts is most believable.

Answer 84

Adversarial system

Question 85

Members of Congress should act as instructed delegates of their constituents. According to this theory, elected representatives are not free agents: representatives have a political obligation to do what their constituents want. A legislator who votes on bills based strictly on public opinion polls from the district, for example, is acting as a __

Answer 85

Delegate

Question 86

Describes non-material, non-rational incentives for voting. According to this model, a person votes out of a sense of responsibility to the political unit, or a commitment to democratic government and the obligations and duties as well as the rights of citizens to maintain self-government.

Answer 86

civic duty model

Question 87

One of whose benefits cannot be limited to those who have paid for it once the good is provided. Clean air, clean water, safe streets, national security, and an educated citizenry are often considered.

Answer 87

Public Good

Question 88

Are the individuals who represent and advocate on behalf of an interest group.

Answer 88

Lobbyist

Question 89

Congress can make “all laws which shall be necessary and proper” to achieve its enumerated powers. In effect, it gives Congress power to choose the means it considers necessary to achieve its legislative ends.

Answer 89

Necessary and proper clause

Question 90

Or the formal charging of a government official with treason, bribery, other high crimes and misdemeanors.

Answer 90

Impeachment

Question 91

Intended to achieve "local justice." The jurors would be familiar with the community, its values, and maybe even the defendant as the victim

Answer 91

Jury of Peers

Question 92

The relationship between law and politics that is complicated due to the culture (democratic theory); legal culture ( the strong commitment to popular justice as the will of the people); and constitutionalism (limits on power of justice)

Answer 92

Jury Justice

Question 93

Is a political arm of a business, labor, trade, professional, or other group.

Answer 93

Political Action Committee (PAC)

Question 94

Is when individuals or groups keep track of the government’s actions to determine whether and how a bureaucracy or other administrative agency is implementing legislation.

Answer 94

Program monitoring

Question 95

Defined as a belief that it is appropriate for courts to play a broad role in the government—that judges should be willing to enforce their view of what the law means regardless of political opposition in the legislative or executive branches.

Answer 95

Judicial activism

Question 96

Dividing government into three branches (the legislative, the executive, and the judicial branches). Is the functional division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government

Answer 96

Separation of powers

Question 97

Is a two-tiered system of government in which power is divided between a national (or central) government and the subnational units (states, provinces, or regional governments).

Answer 97

Federalism

Question 98

How much power to centralize in the national government and how much power to leave decentralized with the states.

Answer 98

The power problem

Question 99

Parliament further angered the colonists by passing the __in 1765, which required all printed documents to bear a stamp. The printer had to pay for the stamp.

Answer 99

The Stamp Act

Question 100

Members of Congress should do what they think is in the best interest of their constituents. According to this theory, elected representatives are free agents: they can vote according to what they think is right or best regardless of public opinion in the district. A __ uses his or her judgment when deciding how to vote on a bill, for example.

Answer 100

Trustee

Question 101

Are generally the rules that govern interactions between individuals or organizations. sometimes called private law because it does not usually involve the government.

Answer 101

Civil law

Question 102

Was an armed uprising in Massachusetts during 1786 and 1787. Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays led four thousand rebels in an uprising against perceived economic and civil rights injustices. The economic crisis caused by the war debts incurred during the Revolutionary War led to the introduction of a high poll tax, based on the same head tax, regardless of income. Gold and silver was scarce and paper money was printed which quickly devalued. Farmers in Massachusetts were hit hard, unable to sell their harvest or pay their taxes, their lands were sold at auctions at low prices and many were thrown in debtors' prison. There were protests and riots which escalated into a rebellion led by Daniel Shays

Answer 102

Shays’ Rebellion

Question 103

Is the requirement that a person checks in with some central registry in order to be allowed to vote in an election.

Answer 103

Voter registration

Question 104

Solving constituent problems. Is helping constituents solve problems that they may have with the government.

Answer 104

Constituency service