Foundations
Branches
Rights and Liberties
Ideologies
Linkage Institutions
100

Key parts of the Constitution that require each branch of the federal government to acquire the consent of the other two branches in order to act

Checks and balances

100

Part of Article 1 of the Constitution that allows Congress to regulate the buying and selling of goods across state lines

Commerce clause

100

A citizen's entitlement to fair treatment through the judicial system.

Due process

100

ideology which favors more government regulation of business and support for social welfare, but less regulation of private social conduct.

Liberal

100

The act of setting boundaries for electoral districts so as to favor political interests within legislative bodies or hurt the political interests of an opposing group.

Gerrymandering

200

Powers held by the federal government that are mentioned by name in the U.S. Constitution

Enumerated powers

200

An instance in which one political party controls the executive branch, and another political party controls one or both houses of Congress.

Divided Government

200

A constitutional doctrine that makes the Bill of Rights binding on state governments, effectively holding them to the same standards as the federal government.

Selective Incorporation

200

The process by which individuals learn and acquire a political lens and there own set of political beliefs 

Political socialization

200

A specific type of monetary contribution that is made directly to an individual candidate who is running for political office.

Hard Money

300

A system of government in which the powers of the government are not absolute and kept in check by laws or a written Constitution

Limited government

300


A relationship among Congress (particularly sub-committees of Congress), government agencies, and interest groups that helps create U.S. policy.

Iron Triangle

300

The practice or policy of allocating resources or employment to individuals belonging to groups that have a history of being discriminated against.

Affirmative action

300

Refers to the citizens' faith and trust in their government and also refers to the citizens' feeling that they can have an influence on the political system.

Political efficacy

300

This role of the media informs the public about events and happenings in government institutions and politics, particularly goings-on that may provoke a change in public opinion. Also, alerts the public of any wrongdoing. 

Watchdog

400

A political system that organizes a government into two or more levels that hold independent powers (state and federal)

Federalism

400

A practice used by members of Congress in which two or more members of Congress agree to vote on each other's bills.

Logrolling

400

A section of the First Amendment that reserves the right of citizens to accept any religious belief and freely engage in religious rituals. This clause protects violation of certain laws, as long as these violations are made for religious reasons.

Free exercise clause

400

A political philosophy and essential element of democracy that promotes and encourages a diversity of political stance and participation. These stances often fight for your attention.

Pluralism

400

The act of attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials usually done by interest groups

Lobbying

500


An agreement between a government and the people, in which the people consent to be governed and give up  certain freedoms so long as the government protects the natural rights of the people

Social contract

500

A legal doctrine that requires judges to follow the precedents established in prior court decisions and historical court cases.

Stare decisis

500

Latin for "that you have the body." The federal courts in the U.S. system may use the writ of habeas corpus to determine whether a state's detention of a prisoner is legally valid.

Writ of habeas corpus

500

A trend whereby a significant portion of the electorate abandons its previous party affiliation without developing a new partisan affiliation to replace it.

Dealignment

500

A process whereby personnel move between roles as legislators or regulators and roles as members of industries (interest groups) affected by legislation and regulation.

Revolving Door

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