association of people or organizations that attempt to influence gov’t decision-making and/or the making of public policy

an org whose purpose is to raise and distribute campaign funds to candidates

independent PACS which may raise unlimited sums of money from corps, unions, and individuals

the results of the general election

vote cast by members of the electoral college

body of people representing each state in the U.S. who formally cast votes for the election of the President and VP

lawfully attempting to influence gov't action by devoting time/resources to communicating with gov't officials

direct interaction with gov’t officials for the purpose of influencing policy decisions

an attempt to influence legislation by influencing public opinion

protections against gov’t interference

gov’t guarantees of equality

the process by which the Supreme Court decides which liberties in the Bill of Rights it wants to apply to the states

represents the lowest possible protection state laws can provide

freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition

right to bear arms

protection against unreasonable search and seizure

right to remain silent, protection against double jeopardy, right to due process

right to fair and speedy trial, a lawyer, and an impartial jury

protection against excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishments

powers not given to federal government go to people and states

abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime

granted citizenship and equal protection under the law regardless of race, prohibits gov’t from taking away rights without due process

gave all men right to vote, regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude

granted women the right to vote

prohibited the use of poll taxes in any elections for federal officials

all citizens 18 and older have the right to vote

reduced restrictions on law enforcement agencies’ ability to gather info on people that might be a potential threat to the U.S.

things that citizens MUST do, or there will be a penalty

things that citizens SHOULD do to because they can

supreme and absolute power within its own territory to make decisions and maintain order

The principle that the government must follow the laws and cannot act arbitrarily

The system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches

The concept that political power rests with the people who can create, alter, and abolish government

interprets laws; includes the Supreme Court and state/local courts

enforces laws; includes the President, governors, and various gov't agencies

makes laws; includes Congress and state law-making bodies

“pure democracy,” policies and laws are decided by a majority of people rather than by a body of elected representatives

“republic” or “representative democracy,” policies and laws are decided by a small group of representatives chosen by the people

a single person holds unlimited political power

one level of gov’t, one uniform law for the whole country

two levels of gov’t, federal AND state laws

central gov’t required to support states, few federal laws

power is divided between federal and state/local gov’ts

The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to prevent any one branch from exercising the core functions of another

principle that allows courts to decide if a law or government action violates the Constitution

citizens have constitutional protection against unfair government actions and laws

powers that the federal and state gov’ts share

the government's power is restricted by laws written in a constitution

the idea that all government power comes from the people

gov’t branch whose purpose is to make new laws or change existing laws

powers not written in the Constitution, but belong to all national governments

powers that are clearly written in the Constitution

not written in the Constitution, but drawn from the expressed powers

the non-legislative power of Congress to oversee the people and departments serving in the executive and judicial branches

a legislative proposal before Congress

two houses of Congress

committee in the house that creates rules and procedures for when a bill is debated

“talking a bill to death,” holding the floor until majority compromises

a joint committee in charge of working out the different versions of a bill to create a compromise bill

presidential rejection of a proposed bill

president choosing to leave a bill unsigned until it is too late for it to be dealt with during the legislative session

permanent subject matter committee in each house of Congress

consists of members from both the House and Senate; act as researchers who report to Congress

investigates issues of immediate concern or conduct oversight

gov’t branch whose purpose is to interpret the constitutionality of laws

reviewing laws to determine whether they follow or conflict with the Constitution

tendency to follow strict interpretation of the Constitution

tendency to loosely interpret and apply the Constitution

idea that the Supreme Court is the final voice on the constitutionality of actions taken by national and state gov'ts

deals w/ issues relating to powers granted by the Constitution

deals w/ issues of law relating to the matters not granted to the federal gov’t nor denied to states

having the authority to hear a case for the first time

having the authority to hear reviews or appeals of decisions from lower courts

lowest court, trial courts that hear civil and criminal cases

hears cases from party who is unhappy with district court judgment

highest court, hears cases by parties who are not satisfied with the decision of a lower court

authored by the majority to announce the Court’s decision in a case and the reasoning on which it was based

authored by Justices when they agree with the outcome of the case, but not the majority's rationale for it

authored by the Justices who do not agree with the majority opinion

established the right of the courts to determine the constitutionality of the actions of the other two branches (judicial review)

ruled that the federal gov’t had the right and implied power to set up a federal bank

ruled that separating children in public schools on the basis of race was unconstitutional

ruled that the right to privacy implied in the 14th Amendment protected abortion as a fundamental right

ruled that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in elections cannot be limited under the first amendment

gov’t branch whose purpose is to implement and enforce the laws written by Congress

advisory body made up of the heads of the executive departments; president's closest confidants

gov’t departments and agencies that implement public policy

the president is “boss” for millions of gov’t workers in the executive branch, decides how the laws of the United States are to be enforced

the president is a living symbol of the nation and is expected to uphold U.S. values/ideals

the president is in charge of the military

the president oversees all interactions with foreign gov’ts

the president is able to influence Congress in its lawmaking

the president helps the economy run smoothly

the president is the figurehead of their political party

legal forgiveness of a crime

blanket pardons to a group

power to issue executive orders to carry out constitutional duties

power to appoint people to leadership positions in the government

a directive or regulation that has the effect of law but does not need congressional approval

charge of misconduct made against a gov’t official

programs created by FDR that greatly expanded the power of the gov't and size of the bureaucracy

describes the relationship between congressional committees, the federal bureaucracy and interest groups during the policy-creation process

served as the U.S.' first constitution

british laws were loosely or not enforced on the American colonies

meeting held to address the problems of the weak central gov’t created by the AOC

favored by large states; proposed a bicameral legislature, representation in Congress based on population, and a stronger national gov't

favored by small states; proposed a unicameral legislature, each state has equal representation in Congress, and a weaker national gov't

two houses of Congress

one house of Congress

compromise over representation that established a bicameral legislature

agreement agreed to count enslaved men & women as 3/5 of a person towards total state population

wanted a stronger federal gov't and believed that the Constitution did not need a Bill of Rights

wanted states to have more power than the federal gov't and wanted a Bill of Rights added to the Constitution to protect citizens’ rights

collection of 85 articles intended to influence the voters of New York to ratify the Constitution

one of the world’s oldest “codes of law” written by a Mesopotamian king

first Roman laws put in writing that guaranteed equal treatment under the law

document guaranteeing English civil liberties after King John imprisoned people without cause

document reasserting the rights of English citizens after King Charles violated the Magna Carta

first governing document of Plymouth Colony in North America

document that guaranteed several civil rights and liberties to the people

political pamphlet that convinced many colonists to support independence from the British gov’t

announced that the 13 colonies no longer considered themselves as part of the British empire

a theory of gov’t that emphasizes the participation of citizens for the common good

founding principle in a democracy that the power of the gov’t comes from the people

policies and laws are decided by a majority of people rather than by a body of elected representatives

policies and laws are decided by a small group of representatives chosen by the people

his idea of a "social contract" involves people coming together to decide what’s best for the general good

he believed that all people are born free and equal, with three natural rights — life, liberty, and property

his idea of a "social contract" involves people handing over some rights in exchange for law and order