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APUSGAP 150
150 terms you should know for APUSGAP
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| adversary system | a system of law where the court is seen as a neutral area where disputants can argue the merits of their cases |
| affirmative action | government-mandate programs that seek to create special employment opportunities for African Americans, women, and other victims of past discrimination |
| amendment | addition to the Constitution that require approval by two-thirds of both house of Congress and three-quarters of the states |
| amicus curiae briefs | "friend of the court" briefs that qualified individuals or organizations file in lawsuits to which they are not a party, so the judge may consider their advice in respect to matter s of law that directly affect the cases in question. |
| appellate jurisdiction | term used to describe courts whose role is to hear appeals from lower courts |
| Articles of Confederation | the first US constitution, the government lasted from 1781-1789 under this because it didn't have the power to collect taxes from states and regulate foreign trade to generate revenue from import/export tariffs |
| bicameral | consisting of two legislative houses (House of Representatives and Senate) |
| Bill of Rights | first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution that guarantee personal liberties and limits the power of the government |
| blanket primary | primary election in which voters may select a candidate from any party for each office |
| block grants | federal money given to states with only general guidelines for its use with states deciding how it will be spent |
| bread-and-butter issues | those political issues are specifically directed at the daily concerns of most working-class Americans, such as job security, tax rates, wages, and employee benefits |
| broad constructionism | belief that the Constitution should be interpreted loosely regarding the restrictions it places on federal power, it emphasizes the importance of the elastic clause, allowing Congress to pass laws "necessary and proper" to the performance of its duties |
| Brown v. Board of Education | the 1954 case in which the Supreme Court overturned the "separate but equal" standard as it applied to education |
| budget deficit | condition that arises when federal expenditures exceed revenues; when the government spends more money than it takes in |
| budget resolution | set of budget guidelines that must pass both houses of Congress in identical form by April 15, it guides government spending for the following fiscal year |
| categorical grants | federal aid given to states with strings attached, to receive it, the states must agree to adhere to federal mandated guideline for spending it |
| caucus | meeting of local party members for the purpose of choosing delegates to a national party convention also refers to Democratic members of the House of Representatives meeting |
| census | the process, mandated by the Constitution, by which the population of the U.S. is officially counted every 10 years, data is then used to help distribute federal money and to reapportion congressional districts |
| checks and balances | system that prevents any branch of government from becoming too powerful by requiring the approval of more than one branch for all important acts |
| civil court | court in which lawsuits are heard |
| civil disobedience | nonviolent act requiring activists to protest peacefully against laws they believe unjust and to be willing to accept arrest as a means of demonstrating the justice of their cause |
| civil liberties | those protections against government power embodied in the Bill of Rights and similar legislation, include free speech, free exercise of religion and right to a fair trial |
| civil rights | those protections against discrimination by the government and individuals, intended to prevent discrimination based on race, religion, gender, ethnicity, physical handicap, or sexual orientation |
| Civil Rights Act of 1964 | the federal law that made segregation illegal in most public places, increased penalties and sentences for those convicted of discrimination in employment, and withheld federal aid form schools that discriminated on the basis of race or gender |
| civil service system | method of hiring federal employees based on merit rather than on political beliefs or allegiances (replaced spoils system) |
| class action suit | a lawsuit filed on behalf of a group of people, and whose result affects that group as a whole, interest groups such as the NAACP often use these to assert their influence over policy decisions |
| clear and present danger | interpretation by Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes regarding limits on free speech if it presents clear and present danger to the public or leads to illegal actions (Fire!) |
| closed primary | primary election in which voting is restricted to registered members of a political party |
| cloture | a motion in the Senate to end debate, often used in the event of a filibuster that require three-fifths majority |
| coalition | a combo of groups of people who work together to achieve a political goal |
| commander-in-chief | the president's role as leader of all U.S. military forces |
| concurrent powers | Constitutional powers shared by the federal and state governments |
| conference committee | congressional committee that includes representatives of both house of Congress created to settle differences between the House and Senate versions of bills that have been passed by their respective legislatures |
| Congressional Budget Office | agency of budget experts who assess the feasibility of the president's plan and who help create Congress's version of the federal budget |
| conservative | a political ideology that tends to favor defense spending and school prayer and to disapprove of social programs, abortion, affirmative action, and a large active government |
| constitutional convention | an untried method by which the Constitution may be amended, two-thirds of all state legislatures must petition the federal government |
| cooperative federalism | the main form of U.S. federalism since the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment, national and state governments share many powers |
| criminal court | court in which criminal trials are heard |
| dealignment | a recent trend in which voters act increasingly independent of a party affiliation, a consequence of this is split-ticket voting which leads to a divided government |
| concurrent resolution | an expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the Houses and the Senate, but not the President. |
| delegated powers | form of government in which all enfranchised citizens vote on all matters of government |
| divided government | a government in which the presidency is controlled by one party and Congress is controlled by the other |
| double jeopardy | the act of trying an individual a second time after he has been acquitted on the same charges (prohibited by the Constitution) |
| dual federalism | form of U.S. federalism during the nation's early history, during this period the federal and state governments remained separate and independent |
| due process | established legal procedures for the arrest and trial of an accused criminal |
| elastic clause | the section of the Constitution that allows Congress to pass laws "necessary and proper" to the performance of its duties |
| electoral college | Constitutionally established body created for the sole purpose of choosing the president and vice president |
| eminent domain | the power of the government to take away property for public use as long as there is just compensation for property taken |
| entitlement programs | social insurance programs that allocate federal funds to all people who meet the conditions of the program, they are a form of mandatory spending so it is incredibly difficult to cut funds during the budgetary process |
| Equal Rights Amendment | failed Constitutional amendment that would have guaranteed equal protection under the law for women |
| establishment clause | section of the Constitution that prohibits the government from designating one faith as the official religion of the United States |
| ex post facto laws | if allowed, these laws would punish people for actions that occurred before such actions were made criminal |
| exclusionary rule | rule that prohibits the use of illegally obtained evidence at trial |
| executive agreement | presidential agreements made with foreign nations that have the same legal force as treaties but do not require the approval of the Senate |
| executive privilege | the right of the president to withhold information when doing so would compromise national security |
| extradition | process by which governments return fugitives to the jurisdiction form which they have fled |
| Federal Reserve Board | executive agency that is largely responsible for the formulation and implementation of monetary policy |
| federalism | term describing a system under which the national government and local governments share powers |
| Federalist Papers: | a series of essays written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay to defend the Constitution and persuade Americans that it should be ratified; they presented concerns and issues the framers faced as they created a blueprint for the new government |
| filibuster | a lengthy speech that halts all legislative action in the Senate |
| fiscal year | period starting on October 1; government budgets go into effect at the beginning of this and a budget resolution is agreed upon in April to guide government spending for the period |
| Freedom of Information Act (1974) | declassified government documents for public use |
| front-loading | a strategy in which states have pushed forward the date of their primary elections |
| full faith and credit clause | section of the Constitution that requires states to honor one another's licenses, marriages, and other acts of state courts |
| general election | election held on the first Tuesday of November, during which voters select officials |
| gerrymandering | the practice of drawing congressional district lines to benefit one party over the other |
| Gideon v. Wainwright | Supreme Court decision that a defendant in a felony trial must be provided a lawyer free of charge if the defendant cannot afford one |
| Grants-in-aid | money given by the national government to the states |
| Great Society | President Lyndon B. Johnson's social/economic program, aimed at raising the standard of living for the poor (Medicare, Medicaid, Project Head Start, Job Corps, and VISTA) |
| Griswold v. Connecticut | Supreme Court decision that the Constitution implicitly guarantees citizens' right to privacy |
| Hatch Act | law that forbade government officials from participating in partisan politics and protected government employees from being fired on partisan grounds |
| House Rules Committee | determines the rules for debate of each bill, including whether the bill may be amended (most powerful committee in the House) |
| impeachment | process by which a president, judge, or other government official can be tried for high crimes and misdemeanors |
| indictment | a written statement of criminal charges brought against a defendant, guarantee that defendants know the charges against them so they can plan a defense |
| inevitable discovery | exception to the exclusionary rule that allows the use of illegally obtained evidence at trial if the court determines that the evidence would eventually have been found by legal means |
| initiative | process through which voters may propose new laws, one of several Progressive Era reforms that increased voters' power over government |
| interest group | political group organized around a particular political goal or philosophy, they attempt to influence public policy though political action and donations to sympathetic candidates |
| iron triangle | situation formed by the close working relationship among interest groups, congressional committees, and executive agencies that enforce federal regulations; they may collectively exert a powerful influence over legislation and law enforcement |
| Jim Crow laws | state and local laws passed in the post-Reconstruction Era South to enforce racial segregation and otherwise restrict the rights of African Americans |
| joint committee | congressional committee composed of members of both houses of Congress, usually to investigate and research specific subjects |
| judicial activism | term referring to the actions of a court that frequently strikes down or alters the acts of the executive and/or legislative and executive acts |
| judicial review | the power of the Supreme Court to declare laws and executive actions unconstitutional |
| killer amendment | amendment to a bill proposed by its opponents for the specific purpose of decreasing the bill's chance of passage |
| Gross Domestic Product | The total of all goods and services produced in an economy in a given year. |
| legislative oversight | one of Congress's most important tasks, the investigation and evaluation of the performance of corresponding executive agencies and departments to check the power of the executive branch |
| limited government | principle of government that states that government powers must be confined to those allowed it by the nation's Constitution |
| line-item veto | power held by some chief executives (not the President) to excise some portions of a spending bill without rejecting the entire bill |
| mandate | level of support for an elected official as perceived through election results |
| Marbury v. Madison | Supreme Court decision that established the principle of judicial review |
| Miranda v. Arizona | Supreme Court decision that, upon arrest, a suspect must be advised of the right to remain silent and the right to consult with a lawyer |
| national convention | occasion at which a political party officially announces its presidential nominee and its party platform for the next four years |
| habeas corpus | an order to produce an arrested person before a judge |
| National Security Council | presidential advisory board established in 1947. The NSC consults with the president on matters of defense and foreign policy |
| nomination | endorsement to run for office by a political party |
| good faith | exception to a rule, allowing the use of illegally obtained evidence at trial if the court determines that police believe they were acting within the limits of their search warrant when they seized the evidence |
| Office of Budget and Management | executive branch agency responsible for drawing up the president's proposals for the federal budget |
| open primary | primary election in which voters may vote in whichever party primary they choose, though they must select that part before entering the voting booth |
| original jurisdiction | term used to describe a court's power to initially try a case. Courts in which cases are first heard are those with original jurisdiction in the case, appellate courts hear challenges to earlier court decisions |
| override | the Constitutional power of Congress to supersede a president's veto by a two-thirds majority in both houses |
| pardon | the power held by presidents and governors to cancel criminal punishment |
| platform | statement of purpose and policy objectives drafted and approved by political parties at their national conventions; they rarely exert much influence on day-to-day politics |
| Plessy v. Ferguson | Supreme Court ruling that "separate but equal" facilities for different races are not unconstitutional |
| dissenting opinion | a signed opinion in which one ore more justices disagree with the majority view |
| Political Action Committee | the fundraising apparatus of interest groups; its donations and contributions are regulated by federal law |
| political party | group of people with common political goals which hopes to influence policy through the election process |
| enumerated powers | powers given to the national government alone |
| pork barrel | budget items proposed by legislators to benefit constituents in their home state or district |
| president pro tempore | individual chosen to preside over the Senate whenever the vice president is unavailable to do so, chosen by the Senate from among its members |
| primary election | form of election held by the majority of the states, during which voters select the nominees for political parties |
| prior restraint | censorship of news material before it is made public |
| privileges and immunities clause | section of the Constitution stating that a state may not refuse police protection or access to its courts to U.S. citizens because they live in a different state |
| progressive income tax | a tax that takes a larger percentage from high-income earners than it does from low-income individuals |
| quorum | the minimum number of people required for the legislature to act |
| realignment | when a party undergoes a major shift in its electoral base and political agenda, the groups of people composing the party coalition may split up, resulting in a vastly different party |
| reapportionment | process by which congressional districts are redrawn and seats are redistributed among states in the House, occurs every 10 years, when census data reports shifts in the population of districts |
| recall election | process through which voters can shorten an office holder's term |
| referendum | process through which voters may vote on new laws |
| regulatory agency | executive agency responsible for enforcing laws pertaining to a certain industry, the agency writes guidelines for the industry, such as safety codes, and enforces them through methods such as inspection |
| representative democracy | form of government under which citizens vote for delegates who in turn represent citizens' interests within the government |
| reserved powers | Constitutional powers that belong solely to the states, according to the Tenth Amendment, these powers include any that the Constitution does not either specifically grant the national government or deny the state governments |
| Roe v. Wade | Supreme Court decision which stripped the states of the power to permit or prohibit abortion |
| in forma pauperis | a method whereby a poor person can have his or her case heard in a federal court without charge |
| sampling error | margin of error in public opinion poll, most are accurate within a margin of +/- 4 percent |
| saving amendment | amendment to a bill proposed in hopes of softening opposition by weakening objectionable elements of the bill |
| Schenck v. United States | Supreme Court case involving limits on free speech rights; it established the "clear and present danger" principle |
| exit polls | polls based on interviews conducted on election day with randomly selected voters |
| select committee | temporary committee of Congress, usually created to investigate specific issues |
| selective incorporation | process by which the Supreme Court has selectively applies the Fourteenth Amendment to state law |
| senatorial courtesy | a check placed on the president by which candidates for the federal bureaucracy must first be approved by a vote within the Senate |
| shield law | a guarantee to news reporters the right to protect the anonymity of their sources |
| soft money | political donations made to parties for the purpose of general party maintenance and support, such as get-out-the-vote campaigns, issue advocacy, and advertisements that promote the party |
| split-ticket voting | choosing candidates from different parties for offices listed on the same ballot |
| spoils system | the political practice of trading government jobs and preferences for political and financial support |
| standing committee | a permanent congressional committee |
| strict constructionism | belief that the Constitution should be read in such a way as to limit the powers of the federal government as much as possible, strict constructionists emphasize the Tenth Amendment |
| supremacy clause | section of the Constitution that requires conflicts between federal and state law to be resolved in favor of federal law; state constitutions, federal laws, international treaties and unconstitutional laws can be invalidated through this clause |
| Patriot Act | laws passed in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, granting broad police authority to the federal, state, and local governments to interdict, prosecute, and convict suspected terrorists |
| three-fifths compromise | agreement between Southern and Northern states stating that three-fifths of a state's slave population would be counted toward both congressional apportionment and taxation |
| unanimous consent decree | agreement passed by the Senate that establishes the rules under which a bill will be debated, amended, and voted upon |
| franking privilege | the ability of members of Congress to mail letters to their constituents free of charge |
| free rider problem | the tendency of individuals to avoid contributing to public goods |
| veto | the power held by chief executives to reject acts of legislature; it may be overridden by a two-thirds majority vote of both houses of Congress |
| Voting Rights Act of 1965 | federal law that increased government supervision of local election practices, suspended the use of literacy tests to prevent people from voting, and expanded government efforts to register voters |
| War on Poverty | President Lyndon Johnson's programs specifically aimed at assisting the poor |
| War Powers Act | law requiring the president to seek periodic approval from Congress for any substantial troop commitment, passed in 1973 in response to national dissatisfaction over the Vietnam War |
| writ of certiorari | a legal document issued by the Supreme Court to request the court transcripts of a case, indicated that the Court will review a lower court's decision |
| incumbent | the person already holding an elective office |
| issue network | a combination of interest groups , congressional staffs, universities, think tanks, and the mass media who regularly discuss and advocate for public policy |
| per curiam opinion | a brief, unsigned court opinion |
| lobbyist | a person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of an interest group |
Created by:
mrwalberg
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