Unit 1-Vocab Test

Question 1

Personal liberty

Answer 1

a key characteristic of U.S. democracy. Initially meaning freedom from governmental interference, today it includes demands for freedom to engage in a variety of practices free from governmental discrimination

Question 2

Political equality

Answer 2

The theory that all citizens have equal rights and responsibilities in the eyes of the government and legal systems

Question 3

Politics

Answer 3

the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.

Question 4

Popular consent

Answer 4

The principle that government must draw their powers from the consent of the governed.

Question 5

Popular sovereignty

Answer 5

The notion that the people are the ultimate source of the authority of their government; a basic idea of democracy.

Question 6

Social conservative

Answer 6

a political ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. The accepted goals and ideologies related to preserving traditions and morality often vary from group to group within social conservatism.

Question 7

Enumerated powers

Answer 7

powers of the federal government that are specifically described in the Constitution; usually refers to the powers of Congress listed in Article 1, section 8;
sometimes called ‘delegated’ or ‘expressed powers

Question 8

Federalism

Answer 8

a system of government in which entities such as states or provinces share power with a national government
United States government functions according to the principles of federalism

Question 9

Implied Powers

Answer 9

A political power not expressly named in a constitution but that is inferred because it is reasonably necessary and appropriate to the performance of an enumerated power.

Question 10

Shay’s Rebellion

Answer 10

rebellion to stop high taxes and farm foreclosures when soldiers returned from the Revolution;had to be stopped by state militia; showed weakness of Confederation and need for national govt. and led to the Constitution

Question 11

Block Grant

Answer 11

Federal grant given to states or communities to support broad programs; contrast with categorical grants

Question 12

Categorical Grant

Answer 12

federal grants that can be used only for specific purposes, or “categories,” of state and local spending.
They come with strings attached, such as nondiscrimination provisions.

Question 13

Concurrent Powers

Answer 13

Powers that the Constitution gives to both the national and state governments, such as the power to levy taxes

Question 14

Confederation

Answer 14

political union in which states or regional governments retain ultimate authority;
ie the U.S. after the revolution under the Articles of Confederation until the Constitution

Question 15

Cooperative Federalism

Answer 15

A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government

Question 16

Dual Federalism

Answer 16

A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies

Question 17

Interstate Compact

Answer 17

An agreement among two or more states. The Constitution requires that most such agreements be approved by Congress.

Question 18

New Federalism

Answer 18

Political philosophy that seeks to shift power back to the states; aka devolution
Saw an increased use of block grants by Congress.

Question 19

Preemption

Answer 19

The right of a federal law or regulation to preclude enforcement of a state or local law or regulation;
Allows the national government to override state or local actions in certain areas

Question 20

Unfunded Mandates

Answer 20

National laws that direct states or local governments to comply with federal rules or regulations but contain little or no federal funding to defray the cost

Question 21

Unitary System

Answer 21

the central government is ultimately supreme and states/districts only have powers that their central government chooses to delegate. The majority of states in the world have a unitary system
Contrasts with federalism

Question 22

Formal Amendment Process

Answer 22

Article V; the process of adding or deleting words to the constitution (only 27 times since 1788); Step1 propose by 2/3 vote of Congress or Constitutional Convention (never used); Step 2 ratify by 3/4 vote of state legislators or state convention (only used once)

Question 23

Indirect Democracy

Answer 23

a system of government that gives citizens the opportunity to vote for representatives who will work on their behalf

Question 24

Informal Amendment a Process

Answer 24

doesn’t actually amend the Constitution; refers to changes in how we interpret and use it. ie when Congress passes or revises legislation, when the president expands or revises his role through executive actions, and when the courts interpret the meaning of the Constitution, long-held customs can also be considered informal changes or amendments.

Question 25

Pluralism

Answer 25

The view that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies.

Question 26

Elitism

Answer 26

Belief that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization.

Question 27

Majoritarianism

Answer 27

traditional political philosophy or agenda which asserts that a majority of the population makes decisions

Question 28

Natural law

Answer 28

a system of right or justice held to be common to all humans and derived from nature rather than from the rules of society/positive law.

Question 29

Checks and Balances

Answer 29

fundamental principle of American government, guaranteed by the Constitution, whereby each branch of the government (executive, judicial, and legislative) has some measure of influence over the other branches

Question 30

Separation of Powers

Answer 30

A fundamental principle of the United States government, whereby powers and responsibilities are divided among the legislative branch, executive branch, and judicial branch.

Question 31

Limited Government

Answer 31

The government has only the powers that the Constitution gives to it; it must follow its own laws and can only act using powers given to it by the people