Constitutional Underpinnings
Court Cases
Vocabulary
Interactions Between Institutions
Miscellaneous
100
This compromise decided the issue of the representation of slaves.
What is the Three-Fifths Compromise?
100
This court case established that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal."
What is Brown v. Board of Education?
100
The process, mandated by the Constitution, by which the population of the United States is officially counted every 10 years.
What is a census?
100
The official head of the Senate.
What is the vice president?
100
It is in charge of planning out the national budget for the president.
What is the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)?
200
Some problems with this document were that there was no strong federal army to prevent revolutions and that states were establishing ties with foreign powers.
What is the Articles of Confederation?
200
Supreme Court decision that established the principle of judicial review.
What is Marbury v. Madison?
200
A primary election in which voting is restricted to registered members of a political party.
What is a closed primary?
200
These are chosen by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
What are cabinet members?
200
These were formed to allow unions and corporations to funnel limited amounts of money to candidates of their choice.
What is Political Action Committees (PACs)?
300
This event scared American elites, leading to the adoption of the Constitution.
What is Shays's Rebellion?
300
Court case in which the Court ruled that upon arrest, a suspect must be advised of the right to remain silent and the right to consult with a lawyer.
What is Miranda v. Arizona?
300
Political donations made to parties for the purpose of general party maintenance and support, such as advertisements that promote the party.
What is soft money?
300
The closed, mutually supportive relationships that often prevail in the United States between the government agencies, the special interest lobbying organizations, and the legislative committees or subcommittees with jurisdiction over a particular functional area of government policy.
What is an iron triangle?
300
A candidate must receive this in order to win the election for the presidency.
What is a majority of the votes in the electoral college?
400
The principle of American government that establishes concurrent state and national governments.
What is federalism?
400
Court case that established the "clear and present danger" principle in determining what type of speech could be restricted.
What is Schenck v. United States?
400
The practice of drawing congressional district lines to benefit one party over the other.
What is gerrymandering?
400
It is in charge of advising the president and helping to coordinate American foreign policy.
What is the National Security Council (NSC)?
400
The strength of the public's feelings about an issue.
What is intensity?
500
This proposal would have created a legislature dominated by the big states.
What is the Virginia Plan?
500
Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that a defendant in a felony trial must be provided a lawyer free of charge if the defendant cannot afford one.
What is Gideon v. Wainwright?
500
A lengthy speech that halts all legislative action in the Senate.
What is a filibuster?
500
When the president gets the approval of the two Senators from a state where he is about to name a federal judge.
What is senatorial courtesy?
500
The primary goal of this act in 1985 and 1987 was to reduce federal deficit.
What is the Gramm-Rudman Act?