Unit 1
What are natural rights?
The idea that humans are born with rights including the right to life, liberty, and property.
Name two powers of Congress
-Power to declare war
-Power to regulate interstate commerce
-Power to tax and spend
-Power to ratify treaties
-Power to confirm officials and justices
-Power to conduct oversight of the bureaucracy
-Power to pass laws
Which amendments give the people the right to bear arms?
The 2nd amendment
What is political socialization?
The process by which citizens discover their political identity.
Name the most powerful form of political participation that most people engage in
Voting
Name three weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
-No executive branch
-No federal courts
-No power to tax
-No power to fund military
-No uniform currency
What types of votes does a candidate need to win the presidency and how many of these votes?
270 electoral votes
What are at least three of the1st amendment rights?
Freedom of religion, speech, press, and petition and assembly.
A _______ _______ is a set of beliefs about politics and public policy.
Political ideology
Name two actions interest groups take to lobby the government.
-Protest
-Litigation
-Lobbying Congress
-Lobbying the executive
-Supporting political campaigns
What is a social contract?
An agreement where people give up some of their rights for protection from the government.
What amendment gave women the right to vote?
19th amendment
What was the ruling in Wisconsin v. Yoder? Include Constitutional provision.
The court ruled that the Free Exercise Clause allowed require Amish parents to take their children out of school in the 8th grade because it was a fundamental to their exercise of religion.
What is the difference between one liberal belief and one conservative belief?
Liberal - Supports a government that promotes individual welfare and supports civil rights, pro-abortion/pro-gay marriage, shrink the military, increase wellfare spending
Conservative - Supports a government that promotes national security, opposed to abortion and gay rights, decrease social wellfare spending
Our _____ _____ ______ system for House elections and the Electoral college votes benefits the two major parties at the cost to third parties.
Winner-take-all
How is representation for each chamber determined in our bicameral Congress?
-House: based on population
-Senate: based on equality
How many Supreme Court judges are there and what two things must happen for them to get their job?
There are 9 Supreme Court judges
-Nominated by president and confirmed by the Senate
What are the two clauses that protect freedom of religion, and what are they?
Establishment Clause - Congress can't establish any religion as the national religion.
Free Exercise Clause - Guarantees the right to practice any religion.
What is political efficacy?
The idea that individuals have the power to impact government and the political process
Name and describe two of the four models of voting behavior.
Rational choice voting - voting based on what voters perceive to be in their own best interest
Retrospective voting - voting based on past performance of the candidate
Prospective voting - voting based on how the voter believes the candidate will perform in office in the future
Party-line voting, or straight-ticket voting - voting for candidates based upon the party to which they belong, usually voting a straight ticket
McCulloch v. Maryland's ruling is based on two constitutional clauses. Name them and their impact on ruling.
-Supremacy Clause: national government is superior to the states, so therefore state's cannot interfere with enumerated power of national government to collect taxes.
-Necessary and Proper Clause: national government has implied power to open bank to help them accomplish enumerated power of taxation.
How does a bill become a law?
How can a bill become a law if the president vetoes it?
-Bill is approved by majority of the House and Senate. Signed into law by the president.
-Veto overriden by a 2/3rds majority in both the House and Senate
Name one right protected by the fifth, sixth, and eighth amendment?
Fifth Amendment - Right to remain silent
Sixth Amendment - Right to a lawyer
Eighth Amendment - No cruel or unusual punishment.
What is the difference between rule of law and limited government?
-Limited government: there are certain actions that our government cannot take
The Supreme Court ruled that political spending by corporations, associations, and labor unions is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment.
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission