US History Unit 1 Key Terms

Bias

A tendency (either known or unknown) to prefer one thing over another that prevents objectivity, that influences understanding or outcomes in some way.

Equality

As a political value, the idea that all people are of equal worth.

Disenfranchisement

Being deprived of a right or a privilege, especially the right to vote.

Federalism

Created to strengthen the central government but still preserve the rights of the states. Power divided between the federal government and state government. A key principle in the Constitution.

Checks and Balances

Each branch of the government has some measure of influence over the other branches and may choose to block procedures of the other branches.

Liberty

Idea that even in a democracy, individuals have rights that no majority should be able to take away.

Direct Democracy

In a true direct democracy, every single law, bill, or issue of justice is voted on by all the people. Direct democracies may work well for smaller groups, but in a country the size of the United States, it would be nearly impossible to try to hold an election every time a decision needed to be made efficiently

Conservative

Moving toward the right of the spectrum, to the C, you'll find conservatism. Conservatism is a right-wing political perspective characterized by the belief that existing traditions and institutions should be maintained. Conservatives value stability and believe change should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Unlike liberals, conservatives believe government intervention and regulation should be minimized. Conservatives favor low taxes and large tax cuts. For example, in the U.S., many conservatives identify with the Republican Party

Civiil Rights Amendments

The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth amendments are known as the Civil War Amendments. The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery. The Fourteenth Amendment guaranteed citizenship to former slaves. The Fifteenth Amendment declared that states may not deny the vote to any citizen on the basis of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." This guaranteed African American men the right to vote.

Civic Responsibility

Civic responsibility means active participation in the public life of a community in an informed, committed, and constructive manner, with a focus on the common good. Examples: Support and defend the Constitution. Stay informed of the issues affecting your community. Participate in the democratic process. (vote) Respect and obey federal, state, and local laws. Respect the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others. Participate in your local community. Pay income and other taxes honestly, and on time, to federal, state, and local authorities. Serve on a jury when called upon. Defend the country if the need should arise

Declaration of Indpendence

The Declaration of Independence was the first formal statement by a nation's people asserting their right to choose their own government. The Declaration of Independence was designed for multiple audiences: the King, the colonists, and the world. It was also designed to multitask. Its goals were to rally the troops, win foreign allies, and to announce the creation of a new country. The introductory sentence states the Declaration's main purpose, to explain the colonists' right to revolution.

Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights is the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. It spells out Americans' rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, press, and religion. It sets rules for due process of law and reserves all powers not delegated to the Federal Government to the people or the States. And it specifies that "the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." 1: The First Amendment provides several rights protections: to express ideas through speech and the press, to assemble or gather with a group to protest or for other reasons, and to ask the government to fix problems. It also protects the right to religious beliefs and practices. It prevents the government from creating or favor. 2: The Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms.The right to keep and bear arms 3. The Third Amendment prevents government from forcing homeowners to allow soldiers to use their homes. 4: The Fourth Amendment bars the government from unreasonable search and seizure of an individual or their private property. 5: The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for people accused of crimes. It states that serious criminal charges must be started by a grand jury. A person cannot be tried twice for the same offense (double jeopardy) or have property taken away without just compensation. People have the right against self-incrimination and cannot be imprisoned without due process of law (fair procedures and trials 6. The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections to people accused of crimes, such as the right to a speedy and public trial, trial by an impartial jury in criminal cases, and to be informed of criminal charges. Witnesses must face the accused, and the accused is allowed his or her own witnesses and to be represented by a lawyer. 7:The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections to people accused of crimes, such as the right to a speedy and public trial, trial by an impartial jury in criminal cases, and to be informed of criminal charges. Witnesses must face the accused, and the accused is allowed his or her own witnesses and to be represented by a lawyer. 8: The Eighth Amendment bars excessive bail and fines and cruel and unusual punishment. 9: The Ninth Amendment states that listing specific rights in the Constitution does not mean that people do not have other rights that have not been spelled out. 10: The Tenth Amendment says that the Federal Government only has those powers delegated in the Constitution. If it isn't listed, it belongs to the states or to the people

Legislative branch

The legislative branch, Congress, which is divided into two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives has 435 members from all 50 states. Each state's population decides how many members in the House it will receive. Members of the House serve for a two-year term and must be at least 25 years old. The Senate has 100 members with each state elects two senators apiece. Each member of the Senate must be at least 30 years old. The legislative branch is the only branch that can create laws or change existing laws. Once a bill is passed through the legislative branch, the president must sign the bill in order for it to become a law. The executive branch does have an important check on the legislative branch when the president vetoes a law. However, the legislative branch can override the president's veto if both houses agree to do so with a two-thirds vote by all of its members. The Constitution specifically lists the powers of the legislative branch. These listed powers include the power: to tax, borrow money, to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the states, to establish rules for the naturalization of foreigners seeking citizenship, to establish a post office, to raise and maintain an army and navy, declare war.

American Exceptionalism

A belief that America has had a unique historical experience -set "apart from history" A belief that American values are superior to all others A belief that America has a unique role to play in the world

Executive Branch

Article II of the U.S. Constitution gives the executive branch the power to enforce laws. Although government agencies, such as the FBI, CIA and FDA are all included in the executive branch of government, the ultimate power and responsibility to enforce our nation's laws belongs to the president. While our president has power to enforce the laws of the government, he must make sure he doesn't overstep his authority and do things that the other two branches of the government are responsible for. Presidential powers explicitly listed in the U.S. Constitution include: Being able to veto, or reject, a proposal for a law Appoint federal posts, such as members of government agencies Negotiate foreign treaties with other countries Appoint federal judges Grant pardons, or forgiveness, for a crime

Impeachment

Article One of the Constitution gives the House of Representatives the sole power of impeachment and the Senate the sole power to try impeachments of officers of the federal government. Most state constitutions include similar measures, allowing the state legislature to impeach the governor or other officials of the state government. Impeachment does not necessarily result in removal from office. It is only a legal statement of charges. An official who is impeached faces a second legislative vote, which determines conviction (or failure to convict) on the impeachment charges. Most constitutions require a supermajority to convict. At the federal level, conviction requires a 2/3 vote in the Senate. Although the subject of the charge is criminal action, it does not constitute a criminal trial; the only question under consideration is the removal of the individual from office, and the possibility of a subsequent vote preventing the removed official from ever again holding political office from which he or she was removed. The Constitution defines impeachment at the federal level and limits impeachment to "The President, Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States" who may be impeached and removed only for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." Congress alone must decide what constitutes a "high crime or misdemeanor." In 1970, then-House Minority Leader Gerald R. Ford defined the criterion as he saw it: "An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history."

Egalitarianism

Egalitarianism is a trend of thought in political philosophy. People should be treated as equals, should treat one another as equals, should relate as equals, or enjoy an equality of social status of some sort. Egalitarian doctrines tend to rest on a background idea that all human persons are equal in fundamental worth or moral status.

Popular sovereignty

Government power resides from the consent of the people.

Seperation of Powers

Helps prevent one branch of government from becoming too powerful. Encourages cooperation between branches as well as debate on controversial policies.

Electoral College

In other U.S. elections, candidates are elected directly by popular vote. But the president and vice president are not elected directly by citizens. Instead, they're chosen by "electors" through a process called the Electoral College. The process of using electors comes from the Constitution. It was a compromise between a popular vote by citizens and a vote in Congress

Individualism

Individualism is believing in individuality, diversity, and freedom over authority and conformity. Individualism emphasizes the separateness, independence, and uniqueness of different people. The early ideas of individualism in social and political theory included the ideas of the maximum welfare and freedom of the individual, with society existing only for the sake of its members. More specifically, individualism is a 'political and social philosophy that places high value on the freedom of the individual and generally stresses the self-directed, self-contained, and comparatively unrestrained individual or ego. The individualistic theory of human nature holds that the interests of the normal adult are best served by allowing him maximum freedom and responsibility for choosing his objectives and the means for obtaining them, and acting accordingly.

Judicial Review

Judicial review means that the judicial branch has the power to review legislation passed by the legislative branch or policies enacted by the executive branch. The way judicial review works is that the judicial branch interprets the Constitution to determine if the Constitution allows these laws and policies. Simply, the judicial branch determines whether the Constitution allows certain laws to be passed. If the Supreme Court decides that a law passed by Congress is not allowable, then the law is considered unconstitutional and is erased. This gives the Supreme Court a tremendous amount of power. Imagine a law that everyone wants, Congress passes, and the president signs, only to have the Supreme Court determine it to be invalid and erase the whole thing. When the United States was just getting started as a country, the role of the judicial branch was uncertain. It wasn't until a dispute between a president and his predecessor reached the Supreme Court that the judicial branch's role became defined. This case, Marbury v. Madison, held that the Supreme Court's role was to settle questions about the interpretation of the Constitution.

Liberal

Liberalism is a left-wing political perspective characterized by the belief that individuals take priority over society. Unlike radicals, liberals believe individuals should have the right to make their own choices as long as those choices don't infringe on the rights of others. Like radicals, liberals support change through government involvement; however, they support gradual, gentle change. Liberals favor high taxes in order to provide a high level of government services, especially social services. They also value freedoms, such as free speech and freedom of religion. For example, in the U.S., many liberals identify with the Democratic Party,

Rule of Law

Means laws are fair, they're enforced and nobody is above the law. When a country has the rules of law, everyone must follow the law- the government, governmental leaders, and even the president. Citizens feel secure that the government can't just do what it wants, and there are procedures in place to make sure the law is enforced.

Representative Democracy (Republic)

Power rests with the citizens who elect leaders. These leaders will then make government decisions on their behalf.

Political spectrum

Refers to the range of political positions or opinions that exist from the progressive left wing to the conservative right wing.

Voting Amendments

The Nineteenth Amendment, ratified in 1920, gave women the right to vote. Women achieved this victory after more than 70 years of struggle. In 1971, changing attitudes toward the rights and responsibilities of young people led to the Twenty-sixth Amendment. It lowered the minimum voting age from 21 to 18.

Limited Government

a system in which the primary leaders have very little governing powers over the decisions and laws that are created without approval from other branches or leaders within the government.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch includes criminal and civil courts and helps interpret the United States Constitution. The main body of the judicial branch is the Supreme Court. It is the top court in the United States, and no other court can challenge it. The main job of the Supreme Court is to interpret the Constitution. In addition to the Supreme Court, the judicial branch is made up of lower courts. These courts serve under the Supreme Court and help manage the workload. There are simply too many cases in the court system for the Supreme Court to hear them all, so these other courts help. The Supreme Court then handles the most important cases.

Populism

populism is the idea that society is separated into two groups at odds with one another - "the pure people" and "the corrupt elite". The true populist leader claims to represent the unified "will of the people". He stands in opposition to an enemy, often embodied by the current system. At its simplest, populism is the belief that government policies should be determined by the will of the masses, rather than any elite. Democracy is, arguably, the closest philosophy to pure populism. However, populism has come to mean opposition, often revolutionary opposition, to the elite minority of citizens in any nation who have most of the economic or political power in a nation. Populist rhetoric normally casts the elite who rule as abusing the masses, trampling on their rights, and ignoring their voices. Populism can be both left-wing and right-wing.