Unit 2 study guide

Question 1

Federalist papers

Answer 1

a series of essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay to defend the Constitution and persuade Americans that it should be ratifies. These documents presented the concerns and issues the Farmers faced as they created a blueprint for the new government.

Question 2

Judicial Activism

Answer 2

term referring to the actions of a court that frequently strikes down or alters the act of the executive and/or legislative branches.

Question 3

Ticket Splitting

Answer 3

type of voting referring to when a voter in an election votes for candidates from different political parties when multiple offices are being decided by a single election.

Question 4

PACs (Political Action Committees)

Answer 4

the fundraising apparatus of interest groups. Donations to and contributions from PACs are regulated by federal law. PACs contribute heavily to the reelection campaigns of representatives and senators sympathetic to the PAC’s political agenda.

Question 5

1st Amendment

Answer 5

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Question 6

American Federalism

Answer 6

the constitutional relationship between U.S. state governments and the federal government of the United States. Since the founding of the country, and particularly with the end of the American Civil War, power shifted away from the states and towards the national government.

Question 7

Checks and Balances

Answer 7

the system that prevents any branch of government from becoming too powerful by requiring the approval of more than one branch for all-important acts.

Question 8

Voter participation

Answer 8

is the same as voter turn out which is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election.

Question 9

Demographic groups

Answer 9

Demographics are quantifiable characteristics of a given population. Demographic analysis can cover whole societies, or groups defined by criteria such as education, nationality, religion, and ethnicity

Question 10

“Elastic clause”

Answer 10

the section of the constitution that allows Congress to pass law “necessary and proper” to the performance of its duties. It is called the elastic clause because it allows Congress to stretch its powers beyond those that are specifically granted to it (enumerated) by the Constitution.

Question 11

Electoral College

Answer 11

Constitutionally established body created for the sole purpose of choosing the president and vice president. During general elections, voters choose a presidential ticket. The winner in each state usually receives all of that state’s electoral votes in the Electoral College. A majority of electoral votes is required for victory in the Electoral College; if such a majority cannot be reached, the House of Representatives determine the election result.

Question 12

U.S Census

Answer 12

the process, mandated by the Constitution, by which the population of the United States is officially counted every ten years. Census data is then used to help distribute federal money and to reapportion congressional districts.

Question 13

Interest Groups-

Answer 13

Political group organized around a particular political goal or philosophy. Interest Groups attempt to influence public policy through political actions and donations to sympathetic candidates.
- organizations dedicated to a particular political goal to to a set of undefined goals

Question 14

Third Party Groups

Answer 14

the term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties- Republican Party and Democratic Party.

Question 15

Miranda v Arizona

Answer 15

(1966) Supreme Court case in which the court ruled that, upon arrest, a suspect must be advised of the right to remain silent and the right to consult with a lawyer.

Question 16

selective incorporation

Answer 16

A judicial doctrine whereby most but not all of the protections found in the Bill of Rights are made applicable to the states via the Fourteenth Amendment

Question 17

Iron triangle

Answer 17

the policy-making relationship among congress, interest groups, and agencies of government

Question 18

5th amendment

Answer 18

Criminal Proceedings, guarantees Due Process; Eminent Domain; no Double Jeopardy; no Self incrimination; forbids trial for a major crime except after indictment by a grand jury, prohibits double jeopardy except in limited circumstances, forbids punishments without due process of the law. The accused person may “Plead the 5th” or not say anything that could be used against them

Question 19

Saliency

Answer 19

the extent to which people feel that issues are relevant to them. Salience serves as a major factor in determining intensity and latency. Salience changes over time and if personal concerns of individuals become connected with national issues, salience rises sharply.

Question 20

Political socialization

Answer 20

the process, through which individuals in a society acquire political attitudes, views, and knowledge, based on inputs from family, schools, the media, and others.

Question 21

Liberal

Answer 21

the ideology of democrats

Question 22

Conservatives

Answer 22

the ideology of republicans

Question 23

Ideological behavior

Answer 23

behavior reflecting a coherent set beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose, which helps give meaning to political events.

Question 24

Splinter party

Answer 24

Parties that have split away from one of the major parties (ex Populists, Green, Libertarian)

Question 25

Democrat

Answer 25

One who is favor of less government intervention, support the military, private schools, tax reduction (especially for the wealthy), less social welfare, less government health insurance, and less restrictions on guns.

Question 26

Republican

Answer 26

one who believes in more government intervention, less military, libertarians, support gay marriage, support affirmative action, the environment, public funds, social welfare, public education, and stricter gun laws.

Question 27

Lobbying

Answer 27

communication, by someone other than a citizen acting on his or her own behalf, directed to a governmental decision maker with the hopes of influencing his or her decision.

Question 28

Habeas Corpus

Answer 28

latin word for “hold the body”- a writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court, especially to secure the person's release unless lawful grounds are shown for their detention.

Question 29

Factors shaping opinion

Answer 29

family, education level, income level, religion, society, school, peers, and media.

Question 30

Intensity

Answer 30

how strongly people feel about an issue or politician measured by a scale

Question 31

Articles weaknesses

Answer 31

gave power to pass laws but not to enforce them, gave only one vote per state, no power to regulate trade, levy taxes, uphold army, navy, or national courts.

Question 32

14th amendment

Answer 32

addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws, and was proposed in response to issues related to former slaves following the American Civil War.

Question 33

Gideon v. Wainwright

Answer 33

(1963) Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that a defendant in a felony trial must be provided a lawyer free of charge if the defendant cannot afford one

Question 34

Necessary and Proper

Answer 34

Clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress, in addition to its express powers, has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the national government.

Question 35

Powers of government

Answer 35

two main types of powers that the gov holds expressed powers, granted by and laid out in the text of the constitution, and implied powers, derived from the necessary and proper clause

Question 36

Ideology

Answer 36

A consistent pattern of beliefs about political values and the role of government

Question 37

527 Groups

Answer 37

name after a section of the U.S tax code, tax-exempt organizations created primarily to influence the nomination, election, appointment, or defeat of candidates for public office

Question 38

Single issue party

Answer 38

a party or interest group that is centered on a single issue

Question 39

Amicus Curiae

Answer 39

translates to “friend of the court”, they are briefs that qualified individuals or organizations file in lawsuits to which they are not a party, so the judge may consider their advice in respect to matters of law that directly affect the cases in question.

Question 40

Citizens United v FEC

Answer 40

(2010) Supreme Court case that decided that the part of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law that prevents corporations and labor unions from spending money on advertisements independent of political candidates or parties is unconstitutional.

Question 41

Soft money

Answer 41

political donations made to parties for the purpose of general party maintenance and support, such as get-out-the-vote campaigns, issue advocacy, and advertisements that promote the party (but not the individual candidates). Soft money contributions were banned in 2002

Question 42

McCain

Answer 42

Feingold Act- McCain lost the republican primary because George Bush outspent him, McCain created the bill in 2002 to eliminate soft money campaign finance to avoid that happening again, act said no more soft money from parties, upheld by the supreme court. also restricted hard money contributions to 2000 per candidate, including to self, up to 95000 per 2 years

Question 43

Dealignment

Answer 43

A recent trend in which voters act increasingly independent of a party affiliation, partially the result of television because candidates can appeal directly to the electorate without relying on their party. One consequence is split-ticket voting, which leads to a divided government in which neither party controls both the executive and the legislative branch.

Question 44

Stability

Answer 44

political stability refers to the consistency between a voter’s political party and their opinions. Dealignment is an example of the opposite of stability

Question 45

exit Polls

Answer 45

public opinion surveys used by media companies that ask election-related questions to voters right after they vote; used to predict electoral winners.

Question 46

Role of Media

Answer 46

the media plays a role in not only promoting or criticizing candidates but also to predict the winner with speed and precision.

Question 47

elite theory

Answer 47

Elite theory a theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization.

Question 48

FEC

Answer 48

- Federal Election Committee | - six-member bipartisan agency created by the FECA of 1974. The FEC administers and enforces campaign finance laws.

Question 49

PAC

Answer 49

- political action committee - funding vehicles created by the 1974 campaign finance reforms. A corporation, union, or some other interest group can create a PAC and register it with the FEC, which will meticulously monitor the PAC's expenditures. - A popular term for a political committee organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates. Most PACs represent business, labor or ideological interests. PACs can give $5,000 to a candidate committee per election

Question 50

Caucus

Answer 50

A meeting of people, often in an auditorium or church basement, where they vote on who they would like their party's nominee to be.

Question 51

Dual federalism

Answer 51

also referred to as divided sovereignty, is a political arrangement in which power is divided between the federal and state governments in clearly defined terms, with state governments exercising those powers accorded to them without interference from the federal government.

Question 52

Gibbons v Ogden

Answer 52

Regulating interstate commerce is a power reserved to the federal government

Question 53

What state proposed the great compromise?

Answer 53

Connecticut

Question 54

Marbury v Madison

Answer 54

This case establishes the Supreme Court's power of Judicial Review

Question 55

Roe v. Wade

Answer 55

1973 ruling that decriminalized abortion.

Question 56

Unicameral

Answer 56

a legislature with one chamber

Question 57

Bicameral

Answer 57

a legislature with two branches or chambers.

Question 58

father of the constitution

Answer 58

James Madison

Question 59

3/5s compromise

Answer 59

- Southern states wanted greater representation in the House (reps chosen based on population in each state) so they asked for their slaves to be included in the population count - It was agreed that slaves could count as 3/5's of a person until the abolishment of slavery

Question 60

bill of attainder

Answer 60

State that an individual can't be sent to prison without a trial by jury

Question 61

agency of government

Answer 61

??

Question 62

Pluralism

Answer 62

A condition or system in which two or more states, groups, principles, sources of authority, etc., coexist.

Question 63

Affirmative action

Answer 63

An action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer from discrimination, especially in relation to employment or education; positive discrimination.

Question 64

Things that politically socialize you

Answer 64

family, media, friends, school

Question 65

exit poll

Answer 65

A poll of people leaving a polling place, asking how they voted.

Question 66

gender gap

Answer 66

The discrepancy in opportunities, status, attitudes, etc., between men and women.

Question 67

reapportionment

Answer 67

determine how many representatives come from each state

Question 68

census

Answer 68

- Process (mandated by Congress) that counts the population of the united states every ten years. This data is then used to help distribute federal money and reapportion congressional districts. - The main reason is reapportionment

Question 69

Brown vs. Board of education

Answer 69

Ended legal segregation in public schools

Question 70

fiscal

Answer 70

Of or relating to government revenue, especially taxes.

Question 71

enumerated powers

Answer 71

- Powers of the federal government that are specifically addressed in the Constitution - coinage of money, regulate commerce, and provide a national defense

Question 72

concurrent powers

Answer 72

powers that the constitution gives to both the national and state govs (power to levy taxes, make laws, punish lawmakers, enforce laws, have a two ct syste, charter banks, borrow money)

Question 73

reserved powers

Answer 73

powers set aside by the constitution for that states of for the people (not mentioned in the constitution) examples: - create a public school system, enact uniform marriage, establish local gov, divorce law, give licenses

Question 74

civil liberties

Answer 74

- liberties protected by the Bill of Rights - Right to privacy - Right to a jury trial - Right to freedom of religion

Question 75

Civil rights

Answer 75

- right to be free from unequal treatment - freedom of speech, press, and assembly the right to vote - freedom from involuntary servitude - the right to equality in public places

Question 76

John Locke

Answer 76

Wrote Two Treatises on Government as justification of Glorious Revolution and end of absolutism in England. He argued that man is born good and has rights to life, liberty, and property. To protect these rights, people enter social contract to create government with limited powers. If a government did not protect these rights or exceeded its authority, Locke believed the people have the right to revolt. The ideas of consent of the governed, social contract, and right of revolution influenced the United States Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. He also laid the foundations for criticism of absolute monarchy in France.

Question 77

what is protected by the 5th amendment?

Answer 77

Protection from being compelled to be a witness against himself

Question 78

miranda vs. Arizona

Answer 78

upon arrest, suspect is advised of the right to remain silent and the right to a lawyer (Miranda Rights)

Question 79

Gideon vs. Wainwright

Answer 79

Supreme Court unanimously ruled that states are required under the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to provide counsel in criminal cases to represent defendants who are unable to afford to pay their own attorneys. Gideon couldn't pay for his own attorney and the state of Florida didn't give him one because it wasn't a capital offense so he was his own attorney.

Question 80

14th amendment

Answer 80

due process and equal protection

Question 81

FCC

Answer 81

- Federal Communications Commission (FCC) - an independent agency of the United States government, created by Congressional statute (see 47 U.S.C. § 151 and 47 U.S.C. § 154) to regulate interstate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.

Question 82

interest group with the largest membership

Answer 82

AARP

Question 83

how many electoral votes it gets to be elected

Answer 83

270

Question 84

ticket splitting

Answer 84

When a voter in an election votes for candidates from different political parties when multiple offices are being decided by a single election

Question 85

political parties

Answer 85

group of people with a common political goals which hope to influence through the electron process

Question 86

two party/bipartisan system

Answer 86

the US has 2 major political parties- Democrats and Republicans. Major purpose is to get candidates elected to office.

Question 87

Primary elections

Answer 87

form of election held by the majority of states, during which voters select the nominees for political parties. Winner appears on ballet during the general election

Question 88

Splinter/bolter parties

Answer 88

- 3rd parties - smaller parties that form around a feeling that the major parties ar enot responding to the demands of some segment of the electorate

Question 89

Doctrine parties

Answer 89

Third parties that represent radical ideology and resect the prevailing attitudes and policies of the political system

Question 90

Single-issue parties

Answer 90

form to promote one principle

Question 91

Independent candidate

Answer 91

runs without party affiliation

Question 92

national convention

Answer 92

occasion where a political party announces its presidential nominee and reveals party platform for the next 4 years

Question 93

split-ticket voting

Answer 93

choosing candidates from different parties for offices listed on the same ballot

Question 94

divided government

Answer 94

a government in which the presidency is controlled by one party and congress is controlled by the other

Question 95

dealignment

Answer 95

recent trend in which voters act increasingly independent of a party affiliation

Question 96

coalition

Answer 96

a combination of groups of people who work together achieve a political goal

Question 97

party bases

Answer 97

voters who parties have in their pocket

Question 98

realignment

Answer 98

when a party undergoes a major shift in its electoral base and political agenda, when they fall apart (rare- usually because of a major traumatic event)

Question 99

critical election

Answer 99

when a new party comes to dominate politics.

Question 100

dealignment

Answer 100

a recent trend in which voters act increasingly independent of a party affiliation

Question 101

Lobbying

Answer 101

when interest groups try to influence legislature

Question 102

class action suits

Answer 102

lawsuits by interest groups to proect and advance their interest

Question 103

amicus curiae breifs

Answer 103

- (friend of the court) - briefs that qualified individuals/organizations file in the lawsuits to which they are not a party, so the judge may consider their advice in respect to matters of the law that directly affect the case in questions

Question 104

influence peddling

Answer 104

the practice of using personal friendships and inside information to get political advantage

Question 105

federal election campaign acts

Answer 105

allowed corporation unions, and trade associations to form a political action committee as a means of raising campaign funds

Question 106

bipartisan campaign reform act

Answer 106

aka McCain Feingold Act- further regulated campaign finance and PAC donations

Question 107

citizens united v federal election commission

Answer 107

the supreme court overturned BCRA's limits on PAC fundraising for "corporate independent expenditures". PACs that donate to specific candidates must operate under limits of contractions and donations, but PACs that don't donate to specific conditions are not limited in their fundraise.

Question 108

Super PACs

Answer 108

unlimited PACs financed my the ultra-rich

Question 109

527 group

Answer 109

a tax-exempt organization that promotes a political agenda, although they cannot expressively advocate for air against a specific candidate

Question 110

Soft money

Answer 110

political donations made to parties for the purpose of general party maintenance and support.