MIDTERM FLASHCARDS

US Gov't with Peterson/cummings/korman at Lauralton Hall High School

About this deck

By: Meredith Peloso
Textbook: Magruder's 2008 American Government (Magruder's American Government)
Created: 2011-12-05
Size: 103 flashcards
Views: 23

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Popular Sovereignty

sovereign power is vested in the people; can only govern with consent of the governed

Limited Government

the government is limited in what they can/cannot do; restricted with reference to governing powers by limitations prescribed in laws and in a constitution

Separation of Powers

the separation of governmental powers within the judicial, executive, and legislative branches

Checks and Balances

the actual distribution of the powers to each branch

Judicial Review

the power of the courts to judge the constitutionality of the laws

Federalism

the federal prinicple of government

John Locke

English philosopher who believed that perfect freedom leads to anarchy; governments should be formed by the will of the majority; people living under such governments are willing to trade perfect freedom for increased security

Democracy

government by the people; all power is vested in the people; power is exercised by them or by elected agents

Democratic Republic

democratic principles where a monarch is not the head of state

Dictatorship

a form of government where the leader has absolute power and authority

Autocracy

a form of government in which a single person holds unlimited political power

Oligarchy

a form of government in which the power to rule is held by a small, usually self-appointed elite

Totalitarian Government

modern dictatorships; leaders exercise complete power over nearly every aspect of human affairs

Anarchy

a state of society without government or law

Social Contract Theory

the view that persons’ moral and/or political obligations are dependent upon a contract or agreement among them to form the society in which they live

Dictator

one who leads a dictatorship; a person exercising absolute power in a government without hereditary rule

Sovereignty

having supreme power within its own territory

Presidential form of Government

a form of government in which the executive and legislative branches of the government are separate, independent, and coequal

Parliamentary form of Government

a form of government in which the executive branch is made up of the prime minister, or premier, and that official's cabinet

Salutary Neglect

British policy of avoiding the strict enforcement of parliamentary laws

Articles of Confederation

plan of government adopted by the Continental Congress after the Revolution; established a "firm league of friendship" among the states, but allowed a few important powers to the central government

Declaration of Independence

justified its revolution through the social contract theory; proved the existence of our nation

Great Compromise

combined the VA plan and NJ plan creating our current legislature with two houses, one based on population and elected by the people and the other house allowing two senators per state being appointed by state legislatures

New Jersey Plan

unicameral Congress with each of the states represented equally

Virginia Plan

new government with three separate branches; legislative would be bicameral

Executive Branch

one of the three branches of Congress

Election Process for President

primaries > conventions > delegates > Electoral College

Functions/Powers of President

1: power to issue orders (ordinance power)

2: appointment power (names top ranking officers of Federal Government)

3: removal power (power to remove other side of the appointment coin; critically important to presidential success)

Roles of the President

1. chief of state

2. chief executive

3. chief administrator

4. chief diplomat

5. commander in chief

6. chief legislator

7. party chief

8. chief citizen

Executive Privilege

cover up some wrongdoing or shield the President from personal embarassment

Executive Agreement

the pact between the President and the head of a foreign state

Clemency Powers

mercy powers; may only be used in cases involving federal offenses

Judicial Branch

judging branch of the government; can judge something unconstitutional

3/5 Compromise

all "free persons" should be counted as well as "3/5 of all other people"; for 3/5 won by the southerners, the northerners paid

Bill of Rights

the first 10 amendments to the Constitution

Constitution

the body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of a government

Amendments

a change to the Constitution or law

Amendment Process

1: 2/3 vote in each house and ratified by 3/4 state leg.

2: prop. by Congress then ratified by conventions in 3/4 of the states

3. prop. by nat convention at the request of 2/3 state leg.

4. prop. by nat convention then ratified by 3/4 states

Bicameral

2 houses

Legislative Branch

lawmaking branch of government

House and Senate Committees

20 in House, 16 in Senate

Congressional Shared Powers

both help make laws

Piegeon Hole

to ignore a bill, forget about it

Qualifications for Senators

Senate has higher qualifications

- Senator must be at least 30 years old

- citizen of US for at least 9 years

- inhabitant of the state they're elected from

Qualifications for House Members

- at least 25 years old

- citizen for at least 7 years

- inhabitant of the state they're elected to

- party identification

- name familiarity

- gender

Terms of Office

House: 2 year terms

Senate: 6 year terms; no limit to number of terms

Number of Senators

100

Number of Congressmen

435 members

Congressional Leadership

Floor leaders, party whips

Quorum

majority of the full membership of the House must be present to do business

Filibuster

prolonging a bill as long as possible; talking a bill to death

Cloture (closure rule)

limiting debate

Inherent Powers

powers that have evolved over time

Implied Powers

not specifically laid out in the Constitution

Enumerated Powers

Congress can exercise the powers the Constitution grants them

Necessary and Proper Clause

Congress has the power to make all laws that are NECESSARY and PROPER to carrying into execution the powers vested by the Constitution

Reapportionment

redistribute the seats in the House after each decennial census (ten years)

Gerrymandering

drawn to the advantage of the political party that controls the state's legislature

Party Caucus

closed meeting of the members of each party in each house

Majority and Minority Leaders

Majority: Floor leader of the majority party

Minority: assist the majority leader

Party Whips

assist the floor leaders

War Powers Resolution of 1793

Congress claimed the power to restrict American forces in combat in areas where war doesn't exist

Electoral College

group of people chosen in each state every 4 years who make a formal selection of the President and VP

Characteristics of a Dictatorship

-militaristic

-gain power by force

-popular elections closely controlled

-military hold many major posts in government

-crush opposition

Worth of Individual in a Democracy

decisions in a democracy rest with the individuals

Four Fundamentals

Private Ownership, Individual Initiative, Profit, & Competition

Mixed Economy

private enterprise exists with considered government regulation; pharmaceutical industries

Magna Carta

influenced us; trial by jury, due process of law, protection against the taking of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness

Royal Colonies

8: NH, MA, NY, NJ, VA, NC, SC, GA

bicameral, governor's council became upper house of colonial legislature

Proprietary Colonies

3: MD, PA, DE

king appointed land to a proprietor, bicameral legislatures except PA > unicameral

Charter Colonies

2: RI, CT

governors elected by white, male property owners; self governing

Albany Plan

Ben Franklin proposed the annual congress of delegates from each of the 13 colonies

-power to raise military

-make war and peace

-regulate trade

1st Continental Congress

sent Declaration of Rights; told the colonies to refuse all trade with England until the taxes and trade regulations were repealed

2nd Continental Congress

Hancock was chosen as president; army was created with GW as commander0in0chief

Declaration of Independence

proclaimed the existence of a new nation; mostly TJ wrote it; significant because

Powers of the New Congress

make war and peace, make treaties, borrow money, establish post offices, and build a navy

Weaknesses

one vote for each state, congress powerless to lay and collect taxes, no national court system, 9/13 majority vote required to pass laws

Constitutional Convention

called to discuss new government

Deficit

the yearly shortfall between revenue and spending

National Debt

deficits pile up and we get national debt; 14 trillion

Debt Ceiling

the limit on a debt; can be raised

Authorization

to approve the money spending of a committee

Taxes

the money we pay the government for different things

Succession to the Presidency with Regards to Congress

VP > President Pro Tempore > Speaker of the House

Constituencies

the people and interests that an elected official represents

Committees

Standing Committees > all bills can be sent here; select committees > panels for specific purpose; joint committee > people from both houses; conference committee > temp. joint committee

Subcommittees

divisions of existing committes formed to address specific issues

Standing Committee

all similar bills can be sent here

Joint Committee

made up of members from either house; permanent groups that serve on a regular basis

Conference Committee

temporary joint body

Congressional District

district from which a congressman is from

Impeachment Process

only requires a 2/3 vote in House, Senate's 2/3 vote is conviction; 17 impeachments and 7 convictions

13th Amendment

- no slavery

- Congress has the power to enforce the article

15th Amendment

- black suffrage

- no one will be denied right to vote because of race, color, or previous enslavement

16th Amendment

Congress can lay/collect taxes

17th Amendment

Senate will have 2 senators from each state, and each senator gets one vote

18th Amendment

prohibition of alcohol

19th Amendment

women's suffrage

August 18th, 1920

21st Amendment

repeal of alcohol prohibition

22nd Amendment

no president can be elected more than 2x; no running again after 2 terms and someone else is already president

25th Amendment

if president dies in office, VP replaces him

27th Amendment

congressional pay

About this deck

By: Meredith Peloso
Textbook: Magruder's 2008 American Government (Magruder's American Government)
Created: 2011-12-05
Size: 103 flashcards
Views: 23

About StudyBlue

“I have used this website for three exams, and I see a huge difference in my test results.”
Naj