Foundations of Government
This principle states that ultimately the people are the source of a government's authority.
What is popular sovereignty?
The first constitution of the U.S., replaced due to its weak central government.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
A consistent set of beliefs about politics and the role of government.
What is political ideology?
A group of people with broad common interests who organize to nominate candidates and win elections.
What is a political party?
Organizations that try to influence public policy without running their own candidates.
What are interest groups?
The idea that government should be limited and protect individual rights traces back to which English philosopher?
Who is John Locke?
The Constitutional clause stating that federal law is superior to state law.
What is the Supremacy Clause?
This amendment protects freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.
What is the First Amendment?
The type of election where voters choose a party's nominee for the general election.
What is a primary election?
A tactic where interest groups contact officials directly to influence policy.
What is lobbying?
This form of democracy involves citizens voting directly on laws, rather than electing representatives.
What is direct democracy?
This compromise settled how enslaved people would count toward representation and taxation.
Error caused by only sampling certain types of people when running a poll.
What is sampling bias?
The type of voting where citizens vote for candidates based on past performance.
What is retrospective voting?
The idea that media coverage determines which issues the public sees as important.
What is agenda-setting?
The theory arguing that many competing groups influence policymaking, preventing any one group from dominating.
What is pluralism?
The type of federalism often compared to "layer cake," with clear seperate between state and national powers.
The theory that citizens learn political values from family, school, and media.
What is political socialization?
The Supreme Court case that ruled money is a form of political speech, limiting campaign finance regulations.
What is Citizens United v. FEC?
An interest group that focuses on a narrow set of issues, such as the NRA or Sierra Club.
What is a single-issue group?
This elite-focused theory claims a small number of wealthy people or corporations dominate policy decisions.
What is elitism?
Powers that are not explicitly listed but are allowed because they are "necessary and proper" for carrying out enumerated powers.
What are implied powers?
What is the age-turnout gap?
Political scientists describe the U.S. system where two major parties dominate as this model.
What is a two-party system?
This theory says that powerful interest groups create an unbreakable relationship with congressional committees and bureaucracies.
What is the iron triangle?