Constitutional Foundations
This 1787 compromise created a bicameral legislature, combining population-based representation in the House with equal representation in the Senate.
What is the Great Compromise (or Connecticut Compromise)?
This constitutional amendment states that powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved for the states.
What is the 10th Amendment?
The primary agent of political socialization that has the strongest influence on an individual's partisan identification.
What is Family?
This constitutional amendment lowered the legal voting age across the United States to 18.
What is the 26th Amendment?
The process of redistributing the 435 House seats among states based on population changes recorded by the Census.
What is Reapportionment?
Written by James Madison, this Federalist paper argues that the dangers of factions are best controlled by a large, diverse republic.
What is Federalist No. 10?
In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), the Supreme Court ruled that Congress had the power to charter a bank due to this clause.
What is the Necessary and Proper Clause (or Elastic Clause)?
Political ideology that generally favors limited government intervention everywhere?
What is Libertarianism?
Voting model where citizens make their choice based on a candidate’s past performance in office.
What is Retrospective Voting?
Drawing legislative district boundaries intentionally to favor one political party or group over another.
What is Gerrymandering?
This Anti-Federalist essay argued that the Necessary and Proper Clause and Supremacy Clause would make state governments useless.
What is Brutus No. 1?
In United States v. Lopez (1995), the Supreme Court limited federal authority by ruling that gun possession in a school zone was not covered by this clause.
What is the Commerce Clause?
When news media focus heavily on poll standings and who is "winning" a political race rather than policy issues, it is called this.
What is Horse Race Journalism?
This law eliminated literacy tests and placed federal overseers at voting sites in states with a history of voter discrimination.
What is the Voting Rights Act of 1965?
The practice of concentrating opposition voters into a few districts to weaken their influence in surrounding districts.
What is Packing?
This constitutional principle, defended in Federalist No. 51, ensures that no single branch of government gains total power over the others.
What are Checks and Balances (or Separation of Powers)?
This type of federal grant-in-aid gives states broad discretion and flexibility on how to spend federal money.
What is a Block Grant?
This polling term refers to the statistical margin that accounts for possible inaccuracy in a sample size.
What is the Margin of Error?
The single greatest advantage an incumbent has when running for re-election against a challenger.
What is Name Recognition?
The privilege allows members of Congress to send official mail to constituents for free.
What is the Franking Privilege?
The method required to ratify a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution requires approval by this fraction of the states.
What is 3/4 of the states?
Federal orders that require state governments to comply with national standards, often without providing funding, are known as these.
What are Mandates?
The tendency of individuals to seek out news media that reinforces their pre-existing political beliefs is known as this.
What is Confirmation Bias?
This constitutional amendment outlawed poll taxes in federal elections.
What is the 24th Amendment?
The total number of Electoral College votes required for a presidential candidate to secure victory.
What is 270?