Foundations
Constitution
Federalism
Civil Liberty
Civil Rights
100
The first constitution of the United States that provided for a very limited federal government.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
100
The constitutional doctrine that establishes separate branches of government with distinct powers, staffs and basis for selection from different constituencies.
What is Separation of Powers?
100
The form of federalism firmly established after the introduction of the New Deal that increased the power of the federal government.
What is Cooperative Federalism?
100
The case in which the Supreme Court overturned the concept of Separate but Equal in public education (k-12).
What is Brown v. Board of Education? (Bonus: What court case did this overturn?)
200
A group of Americans who opposed the adoption of a new constitution because it gave too much power to the federal government.
What are the Anti-Federalists?
200
The constitutional doctrine that gives overlapping powers to each branch of government to insure that no one branch becomes too powerful.
What is Checks and Balances? (Bonus: Give one example for EACH branch).
200
The court case in which the Supreme Court ruled that the US Federal Bank did not have to pay state taxes thereby establishing the Doctrine of Supremacy?
What is McCulloch v. Maryland?
200
A civil liberty not explicitly stated in the Bill of Rights that protects access to contraception and abortions although under an increasingly narrow set of circumstances.
What is the right to privacy? (Bonus: What are the FOUR Amendments that demonstrate a right to privacy according to the Supreme Court?)
200
The legislation that extended the historic Civil Rights Act of 1964 to Americans who are handicapped.
What is the Americans with Disabilities Act?
300
A system of government in which only the national government is sovereign and all power comes from this centralized government.
What is a Unitary System?
300
A Constitutional clause that permits Congress to pass legislation beyond its stated powers in Article I as long as the laws are related to those stated powers.
What is Necessary and Proper Clause? (Bonus: What is its nickname?)
300
A type of financial assistance provided by the Federal Government to the States with minimal requirements ('strings') attached in order to devolve (return) more power to state and local governments.
What are Bloc Grants? (Bonus: What is the other way the Federal government financially assists States but with more guidelines or strings attached?)
300
The two clauses associated with Freedom of Religion in the First Amendment.
What are the Establishment and Free Exercise Clause?
300
The form of discrimination that is associated with legal constraints that deny a group of citizens their civil rights.
What is de jure discrimination? (Bonus: What is the other form of discrimination that arguably continues to exist?)
400
The armed insurrection (uprising) that forced American politicians to recognize and address the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation
What is Shay's Rebellion?
400
A clause in the Constitution that establishes national laws, federal court rulings and presidential decrees to be superior to those adopted at the state or local level.
What is Supremacy Clause?
400
The Congressional agreement overturned in Dred Scott v. Sanford case that permitted Maine to enter as a "free state."
What is Missouri Compromise?
400
The legal principle by which the Supreme Court has ruled that application of capital punishment cannot extend to the mentally impaired and juveniles due to changes in popular opinion.
What is evolving standards?
400
The case in which the Supreme Court ruled that quotas in admissions policies are reverse discrimination and thus unconstitutional.
What is University of California v. Alan Bakke?
500
A political philosophy upon which American politics was founded in which government is based on consent from the governed and must therefore protect their interests or they have a right to rebel.
What is Social Contract Theory? (Bonus: Name the British Philosopher whose ideas are captured in the Declaration of Independence)
500
An alternative to the Electoral College, this type of electoral system assures a majority president in a single election by having voters cast a ballot for their first and second choice candidates.
What is a Instant Runoff electoral system?
500
The case in which the Supreme Court ruled that the Commerce Clause did not give the Federal Government the Implied Power to pass legislation regarding guns in schools.
What is US v. Lopez?
500
The case in which the Supreme Court ruled that the 2nd Amendment is no longer a protection limited to State militia but an individual right to bear arms.
What is District of Columbia v. Heller?
500
Prior to the passage of the US Patriot Act, police were prevented by the 4th Amendment from conducting these types of investigations in which they enter your home without notifying you before or after.
What is Sneak and Peak Search?
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