Constitution
shared state and federal powers that range from taxing, borrowing, and making and enforcing laws to establishing court systems
concurrent powers
limitations on the power of government, designed to ensure personal freedoms
civil liberties
guarantees of equal treatment by government authorities
civil rights
the process of learning the norms and practices of a political system through others and societal institutions
political socialization
a legislature with two houses
bicameral(ism)
any powers not prohibited by the Constitution or delegated to the national government; powers reserved to the states and denied to the federal government
reserved powers
a government action that stops someone from doing something before they are able to do it
the revocation of someone's right to vote
disenfranchisement
an informal and unofficial election poll conducted with a non-random population
straw poll
the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution; most were designed to protect fundamental rights and liberties
Bill of Rights
the powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution (Article I, Section 8)
enumerated powers
legal standard for determining whether a search or seizure is constitutional or a crime has been committed
probable cause
the provision in some southern states that allowed illiterate White people to vote because their ancestors had been able to vote before the Fifteenth Amendment was ratified
grandfather clause
ideologically slanted information presented as unbiased information in order to influence public opinion
covert content
a compromise between the northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention regarding slavery
Three-Fifths Compromise
a highly decentralized form of government; sovereign states form a union for purposes such as mutual defense
confederation / confederate system
a person who claims the right to refuse to perform military service on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion
conscientious objector
a legal status of married women in which their separate legal identities were erased
coverture
the difference between a poll result and an election result in which voters gave a socially desirable poll response rather than a true response that might be perceived as racist
Bradley effect
a system that allows one branch of government to limit the exercise of power by another branch; requires the different parts of government to work together
checks and balances
a style of federalism in which the states and national government exercise exclusive authority in distinctly delineated spheres of jurisdiction
dual federalism
the power of government to take or use property for a public purpose after compensating its owner;
Fifth Amendment
segregation that results from the private choices of individuals
de facto segregation
a political ideology focused on equality and supporting government intervention in society and the economy if it promotes equality
modern liberalism