Civics Final Exam Study Guide
8 roles of the president EXECUTIVE BRANCH
1. Chief of State 2. Chief Executive 3. Chief Administrator 4. Chief Diplomat 5. Commander in Chief 6. Chief Legislator 7. Chief of Party 8. Chief Citizen
3/5 Compromise
-each slave would count for 3/5 of a person for taxation and representation purposes
Qualifications for President
1. Natural born citizen 2. At least 35 years old 3. 14 year resident (4 year term)
sales tax
A tax on a sale of merchandise or services
Brown v. Board of Education
Desegregation of schools
role of the judical branch
Interprets the laws
original jurisdiction
The jurisdiction of courts that hear a case first, usually in a trial. These are the courts that determine the facts about a case.
Judicial Review
The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional
10th Amendment
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Chief of State - president role EXECUTIVE BRANCH
The president as ceremonial head of the United States
Chief Legislator - president role EXECUTIVE BRANCH
The role of the president in influencing the making of laws.
civil court
a court dealing with noncriminal cases.
third party
a party that challenges the two major parties
Cracking Gerrymandering
dispersing a group into several districts to prevent a majority (diluting the voting power of the opposing party's supporters across many districts)
Political Parties
groups that help elect people and shape policies - Republican/Democrat
Anti-Federalists
people who opposed the Constitution
conference committee
special joint committee created to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate
Slander
spoken defamation
Covert Action
(under cover) a secret political, economic, or military operation sponsored by a government and designed to support a foreign policy objective
President's Legislative Powers
1.) Recommend legislation 2.) Sign or veto a bill 3.) Call congress into a special session
Mayflower Compact
1620 - The first agreement for self-government in America. It was signed by the 41 men on the Mayflower and set up a government for the Plymouth colony.
John Locke
17th century English philosopher who opposed the Divine Right of Kings and who asserted that people have a natural right to life, liberty, and property.(social contract)
Term length for House of Representatives
2 years
Term length of President
4 years (limit of 2 terms)
Term length for Senate
6 years
How are boundaries for each congressional district determined?
?
Popular Sovereignty
A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.
Federalist Papers
A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail.
Interventionism
A foreign policy characterized by a nation's willingness to participate and intervene in international situations, including another country's affairs.
Republicanism
A form of government in which people elect representatives to create and enforce laws
committee hearings
A meeting or session of a House or Senate committee to obtain information and opinions on proposed legislation, conduct an investigation, or evaluate/oversee the activities of a government department or the implementation of a federal law
adversarial model
A model of the criminal justice system that emphasizes fierce competition between prosecutors and defense attorneys
Initiative
A procedure by which voters can propose a law or a constitutional amendment.
executive order EXECUTIVE BRANCH
A rule issued by the president that has the force of law ex - COVID Vaccine forced on people/companies
Parliamentary System
A system of government in which the legislature selects the prime minister or president. A system of government in which the chief executive is the leader whose party holds the most seats in the legislature after an election or whose party forms a major part of the ruling coalition.
Checks and Balances
A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power. An example of checks and balances is that the president can veto any bill passed by Congress, but a two-thirds vote in Congress can override the veto. Other examples include: The House of Representatives has sole power of impeachment, but the Senate has all power to try any impeachment.
property tax
A tax on the value of a property
Articles of Confederation
A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War.
Libel
A written defamation of a person's character, reputation, business, or property rights.
Regulatory Agencies EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Administrative units, such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), that have responsibility for the monitoring and regulation of ongoing economic activities.
Social Contract
An agreement between the people and their government signifying their consent to be governed
United Nations
An international organization formed after WWII to promote international peace, security, and cooperation.
Speaker of the House EXECUTIVE BRANCH
An office mandated by the Constitution. The Speaker is chosen in practice by the majority party, has both formal and informal powers, and is second in line to succeed to the presidency should that office become vacant.
incumbent
An officeholder who is seeking reelection. (ex. was Trump wanting to get re-elected)
dissenting opinion
An opinion disagreeing with a majority in a Supreme Court ruling.
interest group
An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy
Treaty making power EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Article 2, section 2, of the constitution gives the president, with the advice and consent of the Senate, the power to make treaties with foreign nations.
Elastic Clause (Necessary and Proper Clause)
Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which allows Congress to make all laws that are "necessary and proper" to carry out the powers of the Constitution.
Impeachment
Charges against a president approved by a majority of the House of Representatives
Veto
Chief executive's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature (to reject)
Civil Law vs. Criminal Law
Civil law deals with disputes between individuals and criminal law punishes criminals.
Describe and define states concurrent powers
Concurrent powers are powers that are shared by both the State and the federal government. These powers may be exercised simultaneously within the same territory and in relation to the same body of citizens. These concurrent powers including regulating elections, taxing, borrowing money and establishing courts.
Separation of Powers
Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law
Chief Executive - president role EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Decides how the laws of the US are to be enforced and choosing officials and advisors to help run the Executive Branch
Marbury v. Madison
Established judicial review
Mapp v. Ohio
Evidence illegally gathered by the police may not be used in a criminal trial
Political Continuum - 4 ideologies
Far left Far Right Radical Liberal Moderate conservative reactionary
Bill or Rights
First 10 amendments to the Constitution
core democratic values
Fundamental beliefs and constitutional principles of our society, which unite all Americans. They include the ideas of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, justice, equality, diversity, truth, popular sovereignty, patriotism, and the rule of law.
19th Amendment (1920)
Gave women the right to vote
veto override
If the President vetoes a bill, the Congress may override the veto by a two-thirds majority vote in both houses. The bill would then become law, the President's objections notwithstanding.
European Union
International organization comprised of Western European countries to promote free trade among members.
Role of Majority Leader
Is the lead speaker for the majority party during floor debates Develops the calendar Assists the president or speaker with program development, policy formation and policy decisions.
English Bill of Rights
King William and Queen Mary accepted this document in 1689. It guaranteed certain rights to English citizens and declared that elections for Parliament would happen frequently. By accepting this document, they supported a limited monarchy, a system in which they shared their power with Parliament and the people.
Zoning Ordinance
Law that specifies how and for what purpose each parcel of private real estate may be used. Also called zoning code.
district courts
Lowest level of fed. courts, where fed. cases begin &trials are held (bank robbery, environmental violations, tax evasion)
Magna Carta
Magna carta definition, the "great charter" of English liberties, forced from King John by the English barons and sealed at Runnymede, June 15, 1215. (lord signed over power)
Role of Congress
Make Laws/Pass Laws -Hold hearings, draft laws, declare war, fiscal policy -Eager to please the people
Department of Defense EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Manages the armed forces
military intervention
Military action to change what is happening or might happen in another country
Amending the Constitution
Needs approval of 2/3 of Congress and 3/4 of the states
Diplomacy
Negotiation between nations
8th Amendment
No cruel or unusual punishment
What limits are put on states by the US Constitution?
No state can ally with another country; make war; make their own money; allow private boats and vessels to catch and arrest enemy ships; or issue their own bills for credit. States must make only silver and gold to pay for things. States cannot pass any law to disgrace people accused of dishonor.
NAFTA
North American Free Trade Agreement; allows open trade with US, Mexico, and Canada.
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an alliance made to defend one another if they were attacked by any other country; US, England, France, Canada, Western European countries
Organization of American States
OAS, regional trade organization working for economic and political cooperation
President Pro Tempore
Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president
What determines how many representatives are for each state>
Population
4th Amendment
Protection against Unreasonable Search and Seizure
6th Amendment
Right to a fair, speedy trial
Gideon v. Wainwright
Right to an attorney
5th Amendment
Right to remain silent
7th Amendment
Right to trial by jury
14th Amendment
Rights of Citizens Declares that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens and are guaranteed equal protection of the laws
Natural (Inalienable) Rights
Rights which belong to us by nature and can only be justly taken away through due process. Examples are life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness.
Major sources of revenue for state and local governments
State and local governments collect tax revenues from three primary sources: income, sales, and property taxes. Income and sales taxes make up the majority of combined state tax revenue, while property taxes are the largest source of tax revenue for local governments, including school districts.
15th Amendment (1870)
States cannot deny any person the right to vote because of race.
What are the roles assigned to the President by the constitution?
The Constitution explicitly assigns the president the power to sign or veto legislation, command the armed forces, ask for the written opinion of their Cabinet, convene or adjourn Congress, grant reprieves and pardons, and receive ambassadors.
Role of Amendments in Modifying Consititution
The Constitution provides that an amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures.
Department of State EXECUTIVE BRANCH
The Department of State advises the President and leads the nation in foreign policy issues. The State Department negotiates treaties and agreements with foreign entities, and represents the United States at the United Nations.
Rule of Four
The Supreme Court will hear a case if four justices agree to do so.
War powers EXECUTIVE BRANCH
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 (also known as the War Powers Act) "is a congressional resolution designed to limit the U.S. president's ability to initiate or escalate military actions abroad." As part of our system of governmental "checks and balances," the law aims to check the executive branch's power when committing U.S. military forces to an armed conflict without the consent of the U.S. Congress. It stipulates the president must notify Congress within 48 hours of military action and prohibits armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days.
Executive Office of the President EXECUTIVE BRANCH
The cluster of presidential staff agencies that help the president carry out his responsibilities. Currently the office includes the Office of Management and Budget, the Council of Economic Advisers, and several other units.
Majority and Minority Leaders
The majority and minority leaders have the job of trying to guide certain bills for their parties to get passed in either the House of Representatives or Congress depending on where he/she works. The majority party is the party has the most members and the minority party is the party with the fewest members.
Senate Majority/Minority Leader
The majority and minority leaders of the Senate are the elected spokesmen on the Senate floor for their respective political parties.
Role of Minority Leader
The minority leader speaks for minority party and its policies and works to protect the minority's rights.
Chief Administrator - president role EXECUTIVE BRANCH
The president as the leader of the executive branch of the federal government
rights of the accused
The protections that the Constitution guarantees to citizens who are accused of crimes.
Chief Diplomat - president role
The role of the president in recognizing foreign governments, making treaties, and effecting executive agreements.
What is the role of the presidents cabinet/white house advisors?
The staff work for and report directly to the president, including West Wing staff and the president's senior advisers.
comander-in-chief - president role EXECUTIVE BRANCH
The supreme commander of a nation's military force.
Explain how the constitution is maintained by supreme court law of the land
The supreme court.....
Electoral College
The system calls for the creation, every four years, of a temporary group of electors equal to the total number of representatives in Congress. Technically, it is these electors, and not the American people, who vote for the president. In modern elections, the first candidate to get 270 of the 538 total electoral votes wins the White House
Bureaucracy EXECUTIVE BRANCH
The term bureaucracy refers to a complex organization that has multilayered systems and processes.
Kyllo v. US
Thermal imaging is a search and a warrant is required.
Why did founding fathers pick electoral college
They couldnt agree on anything else. It doens't count the number of votes by each person (popular vote). So someone could get more votes but not win because the number of votes come from the number of elector each state has.
Montesquie/ Spirit of the Laws
This work by Montesquieu called for a separation of powers and heavily influenced the formation of American government
President's Judicial Powers
To appoint federal court judges. To pardon people convicted of federal crimes (except in cases of impeachment). To reduce a person's jail sentence or fine.
What is the purpose of differing term lengths for senators and representatives?
To guarantee senators' independence from short-term political pressures, the framers designed a six-year Senate term, three times as long as that of popularly elected members of the House of Representatives. Madison reasoned that longer terms would provide stability.
Electoral College EXECUTIVE BRANCH
When people cast their vote, they are actually voting for a group of people called electors. The number of electors each state gets is equal to its total number of Senators and Representatives in Congress. A total of 538 electors form the Electoral College. Each elector casts one vote following the general election.
Pardoning and Commutation of Sentences EXECUTIVE BRANCH
While a pardon deletes a conviction, a commutation keeps the conviction but deletes or lowers the punishment. The conviction stays on the record, and the person who receives the commutation does have any rights restored
Majority/Minority Whip
\Party whips and assistant party leadersThey are reckoned as the third-ranking member of his or her party behind the Speaker and the Majority Leader. The Minority Whip is a member of the minority party who assists the minority leader in coordinating the party caucus in its responses to legislation and other matters. (counts votes and counts is you're there)
majority opinion
a court opinion reflecting the views of the majority of the judges
dual court system
a court system made up of both federal and state courts
presidential system
a form of government headed by a president who is elected by the people for a limited term of office and whose powers are balanced by an elected legislature
Federalism
a form of government in which power is divided between the federal, or national, government and the states
committee
a group of people appointed for a specific function, typically consisting of members of a larger group.
interest group
a group of people with common goals who organize to influence government
exclusionary rule
a law that prohibits the use of illegally obtained evidence in a criminal trial.
Referendum
a legislative act is referred for final approval to a popular vote by the electorate
strict constructionist
a person who interprets the Constitution in a way that allows the federal government to take only those actions the Constitution specifically says it can take
Consitiuent
a person whom a member of Congress has been elected to represent
Isolationism
a policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries.
Primary Election EXECUTIVE BRANCH
a preliminary election to appoint delegates to a party conference or to select the candidates for a principal, especially presidential, election.
concurring opinion
a signed opinion in which one or more members agree with the majority view but for different reasons
13th Amendment
abolished slavery
Gratz v. Bollinger
affirmative action case; a point system for admission in which points were given for race was ruled unconstitutional; too much like a quota system; upheld Bakke case
Great Compromise
agreement providing a dual system of congressional representation
precedent
an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances.
Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado
case asking whether a private business' 1st amendment rights are violated by a law requiring non-discrimination based on sexual orientation
Packing Gerrymandering
combining like-minded voters into one district to prevent them from affecting elections in other districts
Political Action Committee
committee formed by a special-interest group to raise money for their favorite political candidates
Citizens United v. FEC
corporate funding of independent political broadcasts can't be limited
criminal court
court in which criminal trials are heard
appellate court (appeal)
court that generally reviews only findings of law made by lower courts
Appointment of Judges
done by president and supreme court with senate confirmation
What is the role of the executive branch?
enforce and carry out laws
Due Process
fair treatment through the normal judicial system, especially as a citizen's entitlement.
dual court system - jurisdiction
federal and state courts
bilateral
having two sides
grassroots lobbying
indirect lobbying efforts that spring from widespread public concern
Polical party
is an organization of people with a common purpose of trying to attain political power. political party is a group of people who organize to win elections, operate the government, and determine public policy
clear and present danger test
law should not punish speech unless there was a clear and present danger of producing harmful actions
appeal process
legal proceedings in which a person requests that a decision or ruling be changed
Roe v. Wade
legalized abortion
economic assistance
loans and outright grants of funds or equipment to other nations
mulitilateral
many-sided
Committee Chairperson
member who heads a standing committee in a legislative body
Qualifications for Senate
minimum age 30, U.S. citizen for 9 years, and resident of the state represented
liberal constuctionist
one who argues a broad interpretation of the provisions of the Constitution, particularly those granting powers to the Federal Government
States reserved powers
ownership of property. education of inhabitants. implementation of welfare and other benefits programs and distribution of aid. protecting people from local threats. maintaining a justice system. setting up local governments such as counties and municipalities.
Lobbyist
person who seeks to influence political events
concurrent powers
powers shared by the national and state governments
expressed powers
powers that congress has that are specifically listed in the constitution
reserved powers
powers that the Constitution does not give to the national government that are kept by the states
Rule of Law
principle that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern
Recall
procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office
Military and humanitarian aid
promoting peace and stability in regions of tension and by providing aid and relief in the aftermath of natural or manmade disasters.
gerrrymandering
redrawing district lines to favor one party at the expense of the other
Role of independent regulatory agency
regulatory agency, independent governmental body established by legislative act in order to set standards in a specific field of activity, o These include the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Chief Citizen - president role EXECUTIVE BRANCH
representative of all the people
Department of Justice EXECUTIVE BRANCH
responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice,
Vice President EXECUTIVE BRANCH
second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president
Sanctions
something that forces obedience with a law or rule
Chief of Party - president role EXECUTIVE BRANCH
term for the president as the leader of his or her political party
DC v. Heller
the 2nd Amendment protects the right of individuals to possess a firearm for personal use; specifically, there is a constitutional right to keep a handgun in the home for self defense
Miranada v. Arizona
the court ruled that police must inform suspects that they have the right to remain silent, that anything they say may be used against them and they have a right to a lawyer before they question them
public opinion
the distribution of the population's beliefs about politics and policy issues. Should be considered when creating public policy
Declaration of Independence
the document recording the proclamation of the second Continental Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain
U.S. Supreme Court
the highest court of the United States; it sits at the top of the federal court system
Supreme Court
the highest federal court in the United States
city council/board of trustees
the lawmaking body of a city
Speaker of the House
the leader of the majority party who serves as the presiding officer of the House of Representatives
Circuit Courts
the major trial courts in the state that handle felonies
burden of proof
the obligation to present evidence to support one's claim
voter turnout
the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election The three cleavage-based voting factors focused on in research are class, gender and religion. Firstly, religion is often a factor which influences one's party choice.
public policy
the principles, often unwritten, on which social laws are based. (Recycling/Speed limit/J-Walking)
Apportionment
the process of allotting congressional seats to each state according to its proportion of the population, following the decennial census
political communication
the use of media to convey messages or information related to government issues, campaigns or public offices
core democratic values
things people believe in that bring people together as Americans
