American Government

1
American Government

• Final Review

2
Theory behind US Govt.?

• Social Contract

3
When People are the source of Power?

• Popular Sovereignty

4
A Govt. based upon rule of law?

• Limited Government

5
What keeps branches from becoming too powerful?

• Separation of Powers
• Checks and Balances

6
Rule by the Many?

• Democracy

7
Two Types of Democracy

• Direct
• Indirect (representatives)

8
Rule by one or a Few?

• Dictatorship

9
Essays written to encourage ratification of the
Const.

• Federalist Papers

10
What part of the Constitution expresses popular
sovereignty?

• Preamble

11
Protections under 1st Amendment

• free speech
• freedom of religion
• freedom of press
• free to assemble and petition

12
Elastic Clause

• Necessary and Proper Clause that supports
  Implied Powers of our government

13
Powers given only to Nat. Government

• Exclusive Powers
• (coin money, declare war)

14
These powers create most conflict between St. and
Nat. Govt.

• Implied Powers
• (not expressly written in the Constitution)

15
Separation of Church and State

• Establishment Clause

16
Formal Amendment Process

• Proposal (by Congress)
• Ratification (by States)

17
How are most changes in our Govt. made?

• Informally--by custom and tradition political
  party practices Supreme Ct. decisions and acts
  of Congress and the President

18
Division of Govt. between State and National
Govt.?

• Federal Government

19
Separation of Powers

• Legislative
• Executive
• Judicial

20
Three Branches of Govt.

• Legislative (make)
• Executive (enforce)
• Judicial (interpret)

21
This means two houses

• Bicameralism

22
Main Function of Congress?

• Lawmaking

23
Which house is based on population?

• House of Representatives

24
How many members are in the House of Rep?

• 435

25
Minimum or Reps. from each State?

• One

26
What type of bill must start in the House of Rep.?

• Money Bills

27
Which house has the power of the purse?

• House of Representatives

28
Committee use to settle differences of the two
houses

• Conference Committee

29
Taking care of constituents needs

• Casework

30
Talking a Bill to Death

• Filibuster

31
Congressional check on Pres.

• override veto (2/3 vote)
• Senate refuses to ratify an presidential nominee
  or a treaty

32
Pork Barrel Politics

• When members of Congress get federal funds for
  projects in their own districts

33
Steps to become President

• Primary/Caucus
• National Conventions
• General Election
• Electoral Vote

34
Presidential Term

• 4years can be elected 2xs--total ten years

35
Electoral Votes Needed

• 270

36
When are electoral votes cast?

• December of election year--counted in January.

37
Total of Electors?

• 538

38
Minimum from each State?

• 3

39
Party Election?

• Primary

40
Purpose of Nat. Convention?

• Nominate Pres./VP. Candidates
• Choose Party Platform

41
SIMPLE MAJORITY?

• 50 1

42
PARTY MEETINGS ARE CALLED?

• CAUCUSES

43
When the winner takes all the popular vote in a
state?

• Winner-take-all

44
Who runs the campaign?

• Candidate and his/her staff

45
What happens if noone wins enough electoral votes?

• House selects Pres.
• Senate selects VP.

46
T/F Popular vote winner can lose election

• Electoral Vote winner, wins election--candidates
  must win in states that have most electoral votes

47
Requirements in Texas

• 18 years old, US citizen
• registered 30 days prior to election
• resident of state and county

48
Number of Texas Electors

• 34
• (2 Senators 32 Representatives)

49
An example of a Presidential check on Congress

• Veto
• Pocket Veto

50
Ultimate Umpire?

• Supreme Court

51
Supreme Ct. check on Congress and President

• Judicial Review

52
Case that ended Segregation

• Brown vs Board of Education in Topeka, Kansas

53
Term of a federal judge

• Life

54
When illegal evidence is thrown out of court

• Exclusionary Rule

55
Reading of your rights

• Miranda Rights

56
The two Major Political Parties?

• Democratic Party
• Republican Party

57
Roles of Minor Parties?

• Critics
• Innovators
• Spoilers

58
Role of Party out of power

• Watchdog

59
What role does a Minor Party Play?

• Spoiler

60
One Trend in Voting

• Split Ticket Voting

61
Main Source of Information

• Television

62
An Organization with a focused opinion on a
single topic

• Special Interest Group

63
Special Interest Group that is opposed to gun
control.

• NRA

64
Why do incumbents have an advantage?

• more campaign money
• better known

65
Political Arms of special interest groups used to
raise campaign money

• PACs

66
A belief that women are more likely to favor
Dem. over Rep.

• Gender Gap

67
This group favors extreme change

• Radicals

68
This group believes govt. should be active in
change

• Liberals

69
Motto of Liberals

• Freedom over Order
• Equality over Economic Freedom

70
This groups favors status quo

• Conservatives

71
Conservative Motto

• Order over Freedom
• Eco. Freedom over Equality

72
Drawing of district lines to favor the party or
race in power

• Gerrymandering

73
To bring charges against

• Impeach

74
Methods used to prevent African Americans from
voting

• literacy tests
• poll taxes
• grandfather clauses
• white primaries

75
Hierarchical arrangement of govt. doing
specialized tasks

• Bureaucracy