Unit 1

Question 1

Government

Answer 1

The institutions and processes through which public policies are made for a society

Question 2

Democracy

Answer 2

A system of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public’s preferences.

Question 3

Majority Rule

Answer 3

A fundamental principle of traditional democratic theory. In a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires that the majority’s desire be respected.

Question 4

Minority Rights

Answer 4

A principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to majorities

Question 5

Pluralist Theory

Answer 5

A theory of American democracy emphasizing that the policymaking process is very open to the participation of all groups with shared interests, with no single group usually dominating. Pluralists tend to believe that as a result, public interests generally prevails.

Question 6

Elite & Class Theory

Answer 6

A theory of American democracy contending that an upper-class elite holds the power and makes policy, regardless of the formal governmental organization.

Question 7

Hyperpluralism

Answer 7

A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government, seeking to please them all, is thereby weekend.

Question 8

Policy Gridlock

Answer 8

A condition that occurs when interests conflict and no coalition is strong enough to form a majority and establish policy, so nothing gets done.

Question 9

Liberals

Answer 9

A person who is open to change and innovation in political ideas as well as religion

Question 10

Conservatives

Answer 10

A person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values and cautions about change or innovation, in relation to politics and religion

Question 11

Constitution

Answer 11

A nation’s basic law. It creates political institutions, assigns or divides powers in government, and often provides certain guarantees to citizens. Constitutions can be either written or unwritten

Question 12

Limited Government

Answer 12

The idea that certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect the natural rights of citizens

Question 13

Articles of Confederation

Answer 13

The first constitution of the United States, adopted by Congress in 1777 and enacted in 1781. The articles established a national legislature, the continental Congress, but most authority rested with the state.

Question 14

Shay’s Rebellion

Answer 14

A series of attacks on courthouses by a small band of farmers by Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shay to block foreclosure proceedings

Question 15

New Jersey Plan

Answer 15

The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the State’s population

Question 16

Virginia Plan

Answer 16

The proposal at the COnstitutional Convention that called for representation of each state in Congress be proportional to the state’s share of the U.S. population.

Question 17

Connecticut Compromise

Answer 17

The Compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention that established the two houses of Congress: House of Representatives, in which the representation is based on state’s share of the U.S. population; and the Senate, in which each state has two representatives

Question 18

Writ of Habeus Corpus

Answer 18

A court order requiring jailers to explain to a judge why they are holding a prisoner in jail

Question 19

Separation of Powers

Answer 19

A feature of the COnstitution that requires each of the three branches of government- executive, legislature, and judicial- to be relatively independent of the others so that one cannot control the others. Power is shared among these three institutions.

Question 20

Checks & Balances

Answer 20

Features of the Constitution that limit government’s power by requiring that power be balanced among the different government institutions. These institutions continually constrain one another’s activities

Question 21

Republic

Answer 21

A form of government in which the people select representatives to govern them and make laws.

Question 22

Federalists

Answer 22

Supporters of the U.S. Constitution at the time the states were contemplating its adoption.

Question 23

Anti-federalists

Answer 23

Opponents of the U.S. Constitution at the time when the states were contemplating its adoption

Question 24

Federalist Papers

Answer 24

A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name “Publius” to defend the Constitution in detail.

Question 25

Marbury v. Madison

Answer 25

The 1803 case in which chief Justice John Marshall and his associates first asserts the night of the Supreme Court to determine the meaning of the U.S. Constitution. The decision established the Court's power of judicial review over acts of Congress in this case the Judiciary Act of 1789.

Question 26

Judicial Review

Answer 26

The power of the courts to determine whether acts of Congress and, by implication, the executive are in accord with the U.S. Constitution. Judicial Review was established by Marbury v. Madison.

Question 27

Federalism

Answer 27

A way of organizing a nation so that two or more levels of government have formal authority over the same land and people. It is a system of shared power between units of government.

Question 28

Supremacy Clause

Answer 28

The clause in Article VI of the Constitution that makes the Constitution national laws, & treaties supreme over state laws as long as the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.

Question 29

10th Amendment

Answer 29

The Constitutional amendment stating "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."

Question 30

McCulloch v. Maryland

Answer 30

An 1819 Supreme Court decision that established the supremacy of the national government over state government. The Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, held that Congress had certain implied powers in addition tot he enumerated powers found in the Constitution.

Question 31

Enumerated Powers

Answer 31

Powers of the federal government that are specifically addressed in the Constitution; for Congress, including the powers listed in Article I, section 8, for example, to coin money and regulate its value and impose taxes.

Question 32

Implied Powers

Answer 32

Powers of the federal government that go beyond those enumerated in the Constitution, in accordance with the Statement in the Constitution that Congress has the power to "make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution" the powers enumerated in Article I.

Question 33

Elastic Clause

Answer 33

The final paragraph of Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which authorizes Congress to pass all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out the enumerated powers.

Question 34

Devolution

Answer 34

Transferring responsibility for policies from the federal government to state and local government

Question 35

Full Faith & Credit

Answer 35

A clause in Article IV of the Constitution requiring each state to recognize the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of all other states.

Question 36

Extradition

Answer 36

A legal process whereby a state surrenders a person charged with a crime to the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed.

Question 37

Politics

Answer 37

The process by which we select our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders pursue. Politics produce authoritative decisions about public issues.