Question 1

"friend of the court" brief filed by an interest group to influence a Supreme Court decision

Accepted Answer

Amicus Curiae Brief

Question 2

Agreement between the two major political parties about a particular bill, policy, or issue

Accepted Answer

Bipartisan

Question 3

(1) A group of members of Congress with shared goals or interests, such as the democratic or Republican caucuses (2) A method for choosing delegates to the national nominating convention used in some states instead of a primary election, in which voters meet in person to discuss and vote on candidates for president

Accepted Answer

Caucus

Question 4

fundamental rights and freedoms protected from infringement by the government guaranteed in the Constitution and especially the Bill of Rights that protect individuals. These constitutional protections have been applied to the state governments through the process of selective incorporation under the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause

Accepted Answer

Civil Liberties

Question 5

Policies designed to protect people against arbitrary or discriminatory treatment by government officials or individuals.

Accepted Answer

civil rights

Question 6

A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate.

Accepted Answer

Cloture

Question 7

The clause in the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 1) that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.

Accepted Answer

Commerce Clause

Question 8

consists of all members of the House and meets in the House chamber but is governed by different rules, making it easier to consider complex and controversial legislation

Accepted Answer

Committee of the Whole

Question 9

Powers that are granted to both federal and state governments, such as the power to tax, spend, and borrow money.

Accepted Answer

concurrent powers

Question 10

A temporary committee of members of both the House and Senatecreated to resolve differences in a bill that has passed both chambers of Congress.

Accepted Answer

conference committee

Question 11

The duty of elected officials to act in the best interest of the citizens they represent

Accepted Answer

Constituent Accountability

Question 12

A model of federalism that involves that shared state and federal exercise of power. Often called marble cake federalism to emphasize the complex interplay between the levels of government.

Accepted Answer

cooperative federalism

Question 13

Political campaign contributions made under legal circumstances where donors' names are not required to be disclosed.

Accepted Answer

Dark Money

Question 14

A general decline in party identification and loyalty to the major parties among the electorate, leading to an increase in the number of individuals who identify as independent.

Accepted Answer

Dealignment

Question 15

The theory that the role of an elected representative is to vote in a manner consistent with the views of his or her constituents.

Accepted Answer

Delegate Model

Question 16

The process of transferring responsibility for policy development and implementation from the federal government to state and local government.

Accepted Answer

Devolution

Question 17

A tool for releasing a bill from a committee in the House, requiring the signatures of 218 members (a majority).

Accepted Answer

Discharged petition

Question 18

A model of federalism that involves creating district state and federal exercises of power; often described as layer cake federalism to emphasize the sharp division of powers between the two levels of government.

Accepted Answer

Dual Federalism

Question 19

A clause found in both the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments designed to ensure that laws and the judicial process are fair and impartial. The Fourteenth Amendment´s Due Process Clause has been used as the vehicle to apply federalism civil liberties protections against state actions through selective incorporations.

Accepted Answer

Due Process Clause

Question 20

The theory that power in a democracy is controlled by a few powerful people who have the greatest influence on policy decisions.

Accepted Answer

Elite Democracy

Question 21

Mandatory spending on government programs that provide benefits to qualified individuals. Examples include Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Accepted Answer

Entitlements

Question 22

The power or areas of authority of federal government that are directly listed in the constitution.

Accepted Answer

Enumerated (EXPRESSED) Powers

Question 23

Fourteenth Amendment clause that forms the basis for civil rights claims. Courts have interpreted the clause to require the federal government to address and prevent discriminatory practices.

Accepted Answer

Equal Protection Clause

Question 24

First Amendment clause preventing the government from supporting or association with any religion, except in the most limited ways.

Accepted Answer

Establishment Clause

Question 25

A rule established by the Supreme Court providing that otherwise admissible evidence cannot be used in a criminal trial if it was the result of illegal actions by the government,

Accepted Answer

Exclusionary rule

Question 26

A type of law, prohibited by the constitution, that punishes individuals for actions committed before the law was enacted.

Accepted Answer

Ex Post Facto Law

Question 27

An agreement entered into by the president and a foreign head of state. It is similar to a treaty, but does not require Senate ratification.

Accepted Answer

Executive Agreement

Question 28

A declaration by the president that impacts Policy and has the force of law without congressional approval.

Accepted Answer

Executive Order

Question 29

The idea that the president can keep conversations and documents within the executive branch confidential from the other branches of government and the public.

Accepted Answer

Executive Privilege

Question 30

-a strong, united republic would be more effective than the individual states at controlling "factions"

-a large republic will help control factions because when more representatives are elected, there will be a greater number of opinions. Therefore, it is far less likely that there will be one majority oppressing the rest of the people.

Accepted Answer

Federalist 10

Question 31

-an Antifederalist series of essays designed to encourage New Yorkers to reject the proposed Constitution

-the immense power of the federal government requires the people to sacrifice their liberties

-a bill of rights was necessary to protect the people from the government

-Congress possesses far too much power: taxation, standing army, taxes, Elastic Clause

-a free republic cannot exist in such a large territory as the United States

-Judicial authority will broaden federal gov't's power (thus, tyranny)

Accepted Answer

Brutus No. 1

Question 32

-All people created equal (Natural Rights of life, liberty, property)

-Governments are created to protect these rights

-If the government does not protect these rights, then the people have the duty to change or destroy

-Imperfect governments should not be destroyed, only ones that seek to subject the people to tyranny (destruction of Natural Rights)

Accepted Answer

Declaration of Independence

Question 33

A balance between governmental power and individual rights has been a hallmark of american political development.

Accepted Answer

Big Idea No.1

Question 34

-United States first Constitution -Confederation of the states, with an extremely limited central government

-limitations placed upon the central government rendered it ineffective at governing continually growing american states

-Unicameral legislature, each state only one vote

-Could not force taxation, No standing army

Accepted Answer

Articles of Confederation

Question 35

-Outline of federal government structure, powers, and limits to those powers

-Three branches (L, E, J) that can limit each other

-Supreme law

-Amendments are additions to constitution, there are 27 Amendments

-Generally amendments are expansions of peoples rights

Accepted Answer

Constitution (+Bill of Rights/Amendments)

Question 36

The constitution emerged from the debate about the weaknesses in the articles of confederation as a blueprint for limited government.

Accepted Answer

Big Idea No.2

Question 37

-Proposes a government broken into three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial

- Checks and Balances

- Separation of Powers

Accepted Answer

Federalist 51

Question 38

the shifting of groups in a coalition, usually before a critical election. Groups leave one party and support the other party.

Accepted Answer

Realignment

Question 39

Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen's individual interest

Accepted Answer

Rational-choice voting

Question 40

voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office

Accepted Answer

Retrospective voting

Question 41

voting based on the imagined future performance of a candidate

Accepted Answer

Prospective voting

Question 42

A subset of a population chosen to take part in a poll based on the principle of equal probability of selection

Accepted Answer

Random sampling

Question 43

The redistribution of the 435 house seats among the 50 states to account for population shifts. This occurs every ten years following the national census

Accepted Answer

reapportionment

Question 44

The redrawing of new district boundaries within states for congressional districts to account for an increase or decrease in the total number of representatives each state has, and to make sure each district is roughly the same in Total population

Accepted Answer

redistricting

Question 45

areas of governments authority that are not specifically granted to the federal government and not denied to states.These powers belong to the states and the people, according to to the tenth amendment and the principle of division of powers

Accepted Answer

reserved powers

Question 46

The movement of individuals who have worked in government into positions within the industries they previously regulated and affiliated interest groups or lobbying firms, or vice versa.

Accepted Answer

revolving door

Question 47

Important standing committee in the House of Representatives responsible for putting bills on the calendar, setting limits for the amount of time for debate, and deciding if amendments can be added.

Accepted Answer

rules committee

Question 48

The predicted difference between a poll's results and the opinion of the larger population. In general, a larger sample size will decrease the margin of error in a poll.

Accepted Answer

sampling error (margin of error)

Question 49

The piecemeal (one case at a time), rather than complete, process of applying the civil liberties in the bill of rights to the states through the Due process Clause of fourteenth amendment

Accepted Answer

selective incorporation

Question 50

A written declaration that a president may make when signing a bill into law. Usually, such statements point out sections of the law that the president deems unconstitutional.

Accepted Answer

signing statement

Question 51

political campaign contribution donated directly to political parties for party-building activities that were banned by the bipartisan campaign reform act, but that have been replaced by independent expenditures

Accepted Answer

soft money

Question 52

A congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation. these committees rarely work on legislation and often focus on collating data and examining potential policy options

Accepted Answer

special (select) committee

Question 53

voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election

Accepted Answer

split ticket

Question 54

permanent groups of legislators that continue from one congress to the next that focus on all bills related to a particular policy area

Accepted Answer

standing committee

Question 55

the practice by courts of following etablished precedent in deciding subsequent cases

Accepted Answer

stare decisis

Question 56

the practice of voting for one party's candidates for all office on a ballot

Accepted Answer

straight-ticket

Question 57

Legal doctrine that government actions that infringe on a fundamental liberty or affect a protected class of individuals - such as race or gender - must be based on a compelling government interest, be narrowly tailored to achieve that interest, and utilize the least restrictive method to achieve that interest.

Accepted Answer

Strict Scrutiny

Question 58

Individuals who are delegates to the presidential nominating convention who were not chosen by primary elections or caucuses. Superdelegates are typically members of Congress or party leaders who are free to vote for any candidate (as opposed to pledged delegates, who are not). Mostly associated with the Democratic nominating convention.

Accepted Answer

superdelegate

Question 59

1819 case in which the Supreme Court ruled that congress has the authority to take actions necessary to fulfill its constitutional duties

Accepted Answer

mcculloch vs. maryland

Question 60

the national government used commerce clause to ban guns near schools, which the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional when the clause had no correlation with the actual case, upheld states' rights

Accepted Answer

United states Vs Lopez

Question 61

The 1962 Supreme Court decision holding that state officials violated the First Amendment when they wrote a prayer to be recited by New York's schoolchildren.

Accepted Answer

Engel v. Vitale

Question 62

Amish people refused to send their children to school past the 8th grade when the state required public schooling for all children until age 16. Result: This law is in conflict with the Free Exercise clause. The statute is in direct conflict with Amish beliefs. The Amish may teach themselves.

Accepted Answer

Wisconsin v. Yoder

Question 63

U.S. Supreme Court case that upheld a student's First Amendment right to engage in symbolic speech in school

Accepted Answer

Tinker v. Des Moines

Question 64

Supreme Court case protecting the freedom of the press by allowing the New York Times to publish the "Pentagon Papers" despite the Justice Department's order to restrict it

Accepted Answer

New York Times v. US

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