Unit 1
The fundamental rights inherent to all individuals, existing independently of government or law.
What are Natural Rights
This is also known as the Elastic Clause, is a provision in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution that grants Congress the power to make laws that are "necessary and proper" for executing its enumerated powers. This clause is crucial because it allows Congress to expand its authority beyond the specific powers listed in the Constitution, leading to the concept of implied powers.
What is the Necessary and Proper Clause
The personal freedoms that are protected from government interference.
What are Civil Liberties
A set of beliefs about the proper order of society and how it can be achieved.
What is a Political Ideology
Individuals make decisions by weighing the costs and benefits of different options to maximize their self-interest. Essentially, people choose the option that provides them with the most favorable outcome. This theory is often applied to political behavior, such as voting, where individuals are assumed to support the candidate whose policies they believe will most benefit them.
What is the Rational Choice Theory
The principle that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives.
What is Popular Sovereignty
This refers to a system where the legislative branch (Congress) is divided into two separate houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. This division is a key feature of the US political system, designed to create checks and balances within the legislative process.
What is Bicameralism
The protections against discriminatory treatment by the government or private individuals, often based on characteristics like race, gender, or religion.
What are Civil Rights
The statistical characteristics of a population, such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, income, education, and other relevant factors.
What are Demoprahics
A type of electoral behavior where voters make decisions based on the performance of the incumbent candidate or party in office. This approach often involves assessing how well the elected officials have addressed key issues and fulfilled their campaign promises, influencing voter decisions for future elections. By looking back at past policies and their outcomes, voters can determine if they believe the incumbent deserves re-election or if it's time for a change.
What is Retrospective Voting
The principle that legitimate government power comes from the people, who then elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.
What is Republicanism
The presiding officer and leader of the United States House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress. Elected by the entire House membership, the Speaker holds a powerful position that combines several roles: presiding officer, leader of the majority party, and an elected member of the House. They are responsible for maintaining order, managing proceedings, and administering the House's business.
Who is the Speaker of the House
The first ten amendments to the US Constitution. These amendments were ratified in 1791 and are crucial for guaranteeing individual liberties and limiting the power of the federal government.
What are the Bill of Rights
The shared beliefs, values, and attitudes that a society holds about its government and political system.
What is Political Culture
A model of electoral behavior in which voters make their decisions based on their expectations of how candidates will perform in the future, particularly regarding policies and governance. This contrasts with retrospective voting, where decisions are based on an evaluation of past performance. Prospective voting emphasizes the importance of candidates' platforms and promises, allowing voters to weigh the potential impacts of proposed policies on their lives and communities.
What is Prospective Voting
The idea that individuals implicitly or explicitly agree to give up some freedoms in exchange for the protection of their rights and the maintenance of social order by a government.
What is a Social Contract
This refers to the Vice President of the United States. Their primary constitutional duty in this role is to preside over the Senate and cast tie-breaking votes when the Senate is equally divided. Additionally, they sign enrolled bills alongside the Speaker of the House. In the Vice President's absence, the President pro tempore, who is a senator, takes over these duties.
Who is the President of the Senate
A legal doctrine where the Supreme Court applies the protections of the Bill of Rights to state governments on a case-by-case basis, primarily through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
What is Selective Incorporation
The process by which individuals develop their political attitudes, values, and beliefs.
What is Political Socialization
A voting behavior pattern where individuals cast their votes primarily based on their political party affiliation rather than on individual candidates or specific issues. This model highlights how party loyalty influences electoral outcomes, often leading voters to support candidates from their own party regardless of the candidates' personal qualifications or positions.
What is Party-Line Voting
The foundational document of the United States. It formally declared the thirteen American colonies independent from British rule, outlining the reasons for separation and articulating core principles of self-governance and individual rights
What is the Declaration of Independence
The leader of the political party holding the most seats in the Senate. They serve as the floor leader for their party, managing the legislative agenda and acting as a spokesperson for their party in the Senate. The Majority Leader also plays a key role in setting the Senate's schedule and influencing which bills are debated and voted on.
Who is the Senate Majority Leader
This prohibits the government from establishing a state-sponsored religion or favoring one religion over another.
What is the Establishment Clause
A method of gauging public opinion by surveying a representative sample of a population to make inferences about the views of the larger group.
What is Scientific Polling
A citizen's belief that they can understand and influence the government and politics. It's a sense of confidence that their actions, like voting or contacting their representatives, can have an impact on public policy. Individuals with high political efficacy are more likely to participate in political processes, while those with low efficacy may feel their involvement is futile.
What is Political Efficacy