Congress
Representation and Redistricting
President
Courts
Checks and Balances
Bureaucracy
100

This chamber of Congress was designed to be more directly responsive to the people.

 What is the House of Representatives?

100

Under this model of representation, an elected official uses personal judgment rather than simply following constituent opinion.

What is the trustee model?

100

A presidential directive to executive branch agencies that does not require Congress to pass a new law.

What is an executive order?

100

This principle means courts generally follow decisions established in earlier cases.

What is stare decisis?

100

This presidential power allows the executive to reject legislation passed by Congress.

What is the veto

100

This process occurs when federal agencies create detailed regulations to implement laws passed by Congress.

What is bureaucratic rulemaking?

200

This House committee determines the conditions and length of debate for many bills.

What is the House Rules Committee?

200

When the presidency and at least one chamber of Congress are controlled by different political parties, this condition exists.

What is divided government?

200

This informal presidential power uses public visibility and speeches to influence the national agenda.

What is the bully pulpit?

200

This 1803 Supreme Court case established judicial review.

What is Marbury v. Madison?

200

This congressional authority over federal spending is commonly called the power of the ______.

What is the power of the purse?

200

This authority allows agencies to decide the specific details of how broad laws will be implemented.

What is delegated discretionary authority?

300

This Senate tactic allows extended debate in an attempt to delay or block legislation.

What is a filibuster?

300

This term describes difficulty passing legislation because institutions or political actors block one another.

What is gridlock?

300

The president may use this to object to part of a bill but still want the rest of the legislation to become law.

What is a signing statement?

300

This power allows courts to determine whether acts of the legislative or executive branches violate the Constitution.

What is judicial review?

300

This Senate power allows senators to approve or reject presidential nominees for federal judges and many executive positions.

What is confirmation?

300

This congressional function involves monitoring executive agencies to determine whether laws are being implemented properly.

What is congressional oversight?

400

This Senate procedure can be used to end a filibuster.

What is cloture?

400

This 1962 Supreme Court case established that federal courts could hear constitutional challenges involving legislative redistricting.

What is Baker v. Carr?

400

Hamilton defended a strong, energetic, and unified executive in this required foundational document.

What is Federalist No. 70?

400

Hamilton defended the federal judiciary and described it as the weakest branch in this foundational document.

What is Federalist No. 78?

400

This constitutional principle allows each branch to limit powers exercised by the other branches.

What is checks and balances?

400

A cabinet secretary being required to appear before a congressional committee is an example of this congressional activity.

What is an oversight hearing?

500

This constitutional clause allows Congress to make laws needed to carry out its enumerated powers.

What is the Necessary and Proper Clause?

500

This 1993 required Supreme Court case dealt with racial gerrymandering and the Equal Protection Clause.

What is Shaw v. Reno?

500

This term describes concerns that presidential power has expanded excessively at the expense of the other branches.

What is the imperial presidency?

500

This judicial philosophy favors judges being cautious about overturning precedent or making broad policy changes from the bench.

What is judicial restraint?

500

If Congress dislikes the Supreme Court’s interpretation of a federal statute, this action allows lawmakers to change the underlying law rather than order the Court to reverse its ruling.

What is passing or amending legislation?

500

Congress directs an environmental agency to create specific national pollution standards but leaves the technical details to the agency. This is an example of this bureaucratic power.

What is delegated discretionary authority?