Vocabulary Flashcards
(201 cards)
0
Q
Citizens
A
Members of the state
1
Q
State
A
Political unit that people live in
2
Q
Government
A
Institution with the power to make and enforce rules for a group of people
3
Q
Sovereignty
A
Absolute authority that a government has over its citizens
4
Q
Law
A
Set of rules made and enforced by a government
5
Q
Natural law
A
System of justice derived from nature rather than from rules of society. It would apply if government or laws did not exist
6
Q
Public policies
A
Plans a government makes in a particular area of public concern
7
Q
Divine right of kings
A
Kings and queens receive their authority to govern from God
8
Q
Legitimacy
A
The rightful authority any government has over its citizens
9
Q
Social contract
A
People give up their individual sovereignty to the state
10
Q
Politics
A
The process by which people participating in government express opinions about what government should or should not do
11
Q
Values
A
Basic principles by which people act and live their lives
12
Q
Public good
A
Another term for the public interest or well being of society as a whole
13
Q
Feudalism
A
Political system based on the rule of local lords bound to a monarch by ties of loyalty
14
Q
Absolut monarchy
A
King or queen has complete power
15
Q
Constitutional monarchies
A
Monarch is primarily a ceremonial head of state
16
Q
Republic
A
Governments authority comes only from the people
17
Q
Classic republic
A
Ancient Greek city states that allowed all adults to participate in government decisions
18
Q
Dictatorship
A
Power concentrated in the hands of a single person or small group
19
Q
(Dictatorship) autocracy
A
Single person holds power
20
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(Dictatorship) oligarchy
A
Rule by few
21
Q
Authoritarian
A
Rulers answer only to themselves
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Q
Totalitarian
A
Seek to control all aspects of citizens lives
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Q
Despotism
A
Totalitarian
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Unitary system
All legal power is held by the central government
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Federal systems
Powers divided among national, state, and local governments
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Confederal system
Independent states join together to accomplish common goals
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Presidential system
The legislative and executive branch are independent and separate
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Parliamentary system
The chief executive (prime minister) is chosen by the parliament (legislature)
29
Anarchy
State of political disorder resulting from the absence of rules or government
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Liberal democracy
Form of democracy that protects the rights of the minority
31
Direct democracies
System in which laws may be made directly by all citizens
32
Representative democracies
People elect representatives to conduct the business of the government for them
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Constitution
Basic set of laws and principals establishing the nations government
34
Magma carta
Document limiting the monarchy's power by helping establish the rule of law
35
Rule of law
Government leaders act according to a set of laws
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Bicameral
Two chamber legislature
37
English bill of rights
Established that the monarchy could not rule without the consent of parliament
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Charter
An agreement where English monarchs have settlers the right to establish a colony
39
New England confederation
Agreement between colonies to work together to defend against American Indian attacks
40
Albany plan of union
Council of colonial representatives that could levy taxes and raise an army
41
Stamp act
Requires colonists to pay a tax on many paper goods
42
Tyranny
Absolute rule by a government that ignored the rights and welfare of the people
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Boycott
Agreement to stop buying or using a good or service
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Delegate
Someone who officially represents the interests of other people or of a government
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Unicameral
One chamber legislature
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Articles of confederation
Loosely tied together the 13 independent states
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Ratification
Formal approval
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Virginia plan
Plan calls for a strong government bicameral legislature
Strong executive
Judiciary
49
New Jersey plan
National government with legislative, executive, abd judiciary branches
50
Great compromise
Called for bicameral legislature. Representation in House of Representatives based on population. Senate has two representatives from each state
51
Federalists
Supported a stronger federal form of government
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Republicanism
Belief that the citizens of a state have political authority. They are bound by social contract to obey laws and their rights are garunteed by the constitution
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Popular sovereignty
Governments authority comes from the people
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Separation of powers
Makes sure no one branch has too much power
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Checks and bAlances
Divers power within the government
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Judicial review
Power of the courts to decide if something is unconstitutional
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Unconstitutional
Law or government action that is found to violate any part of the constitution
58
Amendments
Changes made to the constitution
59
Repealed
Reversed by legislative act
60
Bill of Rightf
First 10 amendments designed as a protection for individual freedoms
61
Executive agreements
Arrangements that presidents establish with foreign governments that do not require senate approval
62
Political party
Organized group that seeks to wine lectins in order to influence the activities of government
63
Cabinet
Group of department heads that advise the president
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Factions
Groups of people usually motivated by self interest
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Expressed powers
Powers that the constitution expressly grants to the federal government
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Implied powers
Powers suggested by the expressed powers
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Elastic clause
Congress power to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper
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Inherent powers
Powers that naturally belong to any government of a sovereign country
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Reserved powers
Powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution. Are powers not given to the federal government nor specifically forbid to the states
70
Concurrent powers
Neither granted exclusively to the federal government nor denies to the states
71
Revenue sharing
Federal tax dollars were shared with state and local governments
72
Grants-in-aid
Money or other resources that the federal government provides to pay for state and local activities
73
Categorical grants
Payments by the federal government to carry out specific activities
74
Block grant
Can be used by a state or locality in a broadly defined area
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Federal mandates
Requirements that the federal government imposes on state and local governments
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Enabling act
Legislation that directs the territory to draft a state constitution establishing a representative government
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Act of admission
Legislation that makes the territory a state with status equal to that of all the other states
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Civil laws
Laws that govern relationships among individual parties and that define people's legal rights
79
Criminal laws
Forbid certain actions and provide punishment for violations
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Extradition
Process of sending a suspect or criminal back to the state from which he or she fled
81
Interstate compacts
Agreements with other states if congress approves
82
Constituents
The residents of a district or state
83
Interest groups
People acting together to achieve shared political goals
84
Political action committees
Separate political branches of interest groups formed for the purpose of participating in politics and giving money to candidates
85
Oversight
Conducting investigations of agency actions and programs
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Census
Official population count taken every 10 years
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Apportion
Distribute
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Gerrymandering
Establishing district lines that favor one political party over another
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Franking privilege
Allows someone to send official mail for free
90
Immunity
Legal protection
91
Impeached
Formally accused
92
Ex post facto law
Law that applies to an action that took place before the law was passed
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Bill of attainder
Law that punishes a person who has not been convicted in a court of law
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Writ of habeas corpus
Court order requiring police to bring all persons accused of a crime to court and to show sufficient reason to keep them in jail
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Quorum
Majority of members
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Term limits
Legal limits on number on terms a person can serve
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Incumbents
Office holders
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Majority party
Political party that holds the most seats
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Minority party
Political party with fewer seats
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Speaker
Most influential position position in House. Controls floor debates and decides who speaks
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Floor leader
Assists speaker and is second most influential member of the House(majority floor leader)
102
Party whips
Monitors and influences how their party's members vote on legislation
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President pro tempore
Formal head of senate if Vice President is absent. Person in the majority party who had been in the senate the longest
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Expulsion
Removal. Requires two thirds vote
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Bills
Proposed legislation
106
Appropriations
Funds set aside for specific purposes
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Standing committees
Permanent committees in each house
108
Subcommittees
Standing committees that are divided into specialized bodies
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Select committees
Committees created to deal with special issues not covered by standing committees
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Joint committees
Committees made up of members from both house and senate
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Conference committees
Temporary bodies appointed to work out a compromise between house and senate
112
Seniority system
Length of time someone serves on the committee
113
Filibuster
Effort by which on or more senators hold up the final vote on a bill
114
Cloture
Stops a filibuster
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Roll call vote
Each member is called on individually to declare their vote
116
Pocket veto
President holds onto bill without signing it
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Interest groups
Use donations and other tactics to control members of congress
118
Pork barrel spending
Awards grants from the government barrel to a members home district
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Home district
State
120
State of the Union address
Sets forth the programs, policies, and legislation that the president wants congress to enact
121
Diplomacy
The art of conducting negotiations with foreign countries
122
Foreign policy
Plans for dealing with other countries
123
Presidential succession
Who should fill the presidency and in what order
124
Executive orders
Detailed instructions that have the force of law
125
Executive privilege
Presidents right not to hand over documents or to testify over matters believed to be confidential business
126
Alliances
Agreements between two or more countries to help each other
127
Executive agreement
More informal understanding
128
Diplomatic recognition
Determine whether US officially recognizes a government as the proper representative of its country's people
129
Pardon
Grants a release from punishment to a convicted criminal
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Reprieve
Postpones carrying out of prison sentence
131
Commutation
Lessens severity of prison sentence
132
Nominate
Propose people to run for an elective office
133
Electoral college
Special body made up of people selected by each of the states
134
Electoral
Electoral college member
135
Caucus
Meeting of people such as political party members
136
Conventions
Party gatherings held to determine candidates and rules
137
Primary elections
State elections held before the national conventions that determine the candidates for each party
138
General election
Nationwide voters choose officials after the conventions
139
Party platform
Party's positions on issues of the day
140
Planks
Makes up the party platform. Each represents the party's position on a particular issue
141
Popular votes
Votes cast by the General public
142
Plurality
Most
143
Secretaries
Heads of cabinet departments
144
Attorney general
Head of the department of justice
145
Bureaucracy
Highly organized system of people and their work
146
Bureaucrats
People who work in the bureaucracy
147
Public comment
Interested parties can give their opinion on a proposed rule
148
Independent agencies
Executive branch agencies outside the cabinet departments
149
Regulatory commissions
Independent agencies that have the power to establish and enforce regulations
150
Government corporations
Independent agencies run as nonprofit businesses
151
Civil servants
People employed by the federal government
152
Spoils system
Created by Andrew Jackson its a lengthy few paragraphs so that's all I got
153
Merit system
Federal employees secure jobs through competitive exams and then stay on the job even after new presidents take office
154
Privatization
Turning of an entire government function over to a private company
155
Revenue
Income government collects
156
Taxes
Charges laid on individuals and businesses by a government
157
Exemption
An amount of income upon which the government does not levy a tax
158
Deductions
Amounts the government allows taxpayers to subtract from their taxable income
159
Excise taxes
Levied on the manufacture, sale, or consumption of certain things
160
Estate tax
Tax placed on deceased persons assets
161
Gift tax
Tax placed on the transfer of certain gifts
162
Customs duties
Taxes levied by the federal government on goods brought into the U.S. from other places
163
Standard of living
How well people in general are doing
164
Free enterprise
Business can be conducted freely with little government intervention
165
Recession
Economic downturns
166
Inflation
General rise in prices often accompanied by economic booms
167
Fiscal policy
Set of government spending, taxing, and borrowing policies used to achieve desired levels of economic performance
168
Monetary policies
Set of procedures designed to regulate the economy by controlling the amount of money in circulation
169
Disposable income
Amount to spend after accounting for financial obligations like taxes
170
Federal reserve system
Central banking system of the U.S.
171
Reserve requirements
Determine the amount of money the bank must keep on hand
172
Discount rates
Interest rates that it charges to banks
173
Open market operations
Purchase of bonds in order to finance the operations of government
174
Bonds
Certificates issued by the government to a lender from whom it has borrowed money
175
Keynesianism
Economic doctrine supporting active government stabilization
176
Deficit
To let expenses exceed revenue
177
Monetarism
Idea that a market economy working properly and left alone will operate at full employment and low inflation
178
Federal budget
US national spending budget
179
Congressional budget office
Provides economic data to both houses of congress
180
Resolution
Formal declaration or statement that does not require a signature
181
Gross domestic production GDP
Total dollar value of all finished goods and services produced within a country during one year
182
Entitlements
Benefits that federal law requires be given to all persons who legally qualify for them
183
National debt
Sum of all money the U.S. government owes as a result of borrowing
184
National security
To protect the rights, freedoms and property of the US
185
Trade embargo
Stoppage of commerce and trade
186
Isolationist
View that a nation should tend to its domestic affairs rather than to international ones
187
Presidential doctrines
Presidents asserting their leadership in foreign policy by issuing foreign policy statements
188
Summit conferences
Meetings between the heads of state of two or more nations
189
Embassies
Diplomatic centers
190
Consulates
Deals with US commercial interests
191
Ambassador
Chief diplomatic official at each embassy
192
Consul
Heads each consulate who is also appointed by a president and confirmed by the senate
193
Foreign policy
Men and women of the state department who serve abroad from it
194
Passport
Formal document issued by a government to one of its citizens for travel to other countries
195
Visas
Seals that are placed on foreign passports and entitle their holder to enter the U.S.
196
Containment
Reflected idealist and realist principles and was based on the view that communism threatened democratic values and that soviet expansion must be stopped
197
Glasnost
Greater openness
198
Perestroika
Economic restructuring
199
Multilateral treaty
Agreement signed by several countries
200
Bilateral alliances
Security agreements between two nations
