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US Political History: Key Concepts and Definitions, Quizzes of Local Government Studies

Definitions and context for key concepts in us political history, including the constitutional convention, political philosophers, the exclusionary rule, natural rights, federalism, the us constitution, political culture, political ideology, and various supreme court cases and amendments.

Typology: Quizzes

2009/2010

Uploaded on 04/20/2010

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TERM 1
At the Constitutional Convention, which of the
following was intended to merely modify and
amend, not replace, the Articles of
Confederation:
DEFINITION 1
The New Jersey Plan
TERM 2
The political philosopher who argued that life
in the "State of Nature" was "solitary, poor,
nasty, brutish and short" was:
DEFINITION 2
Thomas Hobbes
TERM 3
The exclusionary rule is designed
to:
DEFINITION 3
Prevent the introduction of evidence seized unconstitutionally
TERM 4
In the minds of most American Colonists, the
essential rights they demanded from the
British- life, liberty, and property- derived
primarily from:
DEFINITION 4
Certain natural rights ordained by God
TERM 5
The formal constitutional powers of Congress
are found in:
DEFINITION 5
Article I of the US Constitution
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At the Constitutional Convention, which of the

following was intended to merely modify and

amend, not replace, the Articles of

Confederation:

The New Jersey Plan

TERM 2

The political philosopher who argued that life

in the "State of Nature" was "solitary, poor,

nasty, brutish and short" was:

DEFINITION 2

Thomas Hobbes

TERM 3

The exclusionary rule is designed

to:

DEFINITION 3

Prevent the introduction of evidence seized unconstitutionally

TERM 4

In the minds of most American Colonists, the

essential rights they demanded from the

British- life, liberty, and property- derived

primarily from:

DEFINITION 4

Certain natural rights ordained by God

TERM 5

The formal constitutional powers of Congress

are found in:

DEFINITION 5

Article I of the US Constitution

Plessy v. Ferguson

The Supreme Court decision that held that the practice of

segregating whites and blacks into separate by equal schools

and other physical facilities was constitutional.

TERM 7

For the founders, federalism was a device

to:

DEFINITION 7

Protect Liberty

TERM 8

The Father of the modern constitution is

considered to be:

DEFINITION 8

James Madison

TERM 9

New England town meetings are commonly

cited as the closest approach in the United

States to:

DEFINITION 9

Pure Democracy

TERM 10

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence

DEFINITION 10

Thomas Jefferson

Anti-Federalist

-Did not support proposed US Constitution -Were in favor of

weak central government and strong state governments

TERM 17

Political Culture

DEFINITION 17

Commonly shared attitudes, beliefs, and core values about

how government should operate. Basic Elements of US

political culture: personal liberty, equality, popular consent

and majority rule, popular sovereignty, civil society, and

individualism.

TERM 18

Political Ideology

DEFINITION 18

The coherent set of values and beliefs about the purpose and

scope of government held by groups and individuals. 2

TERM 19

The term "bicameral" used to describe the US

Legislature means that the legislature:

DEFINITION 19

Has two chambers, or legislative bodies

TERM 20

The era of 1836 to 1932 in American politics

is commonly viewed as one of:

DEFINITION 20

Congressional Dominance

The formal constitutional powers of the head

of the executive branch are found in:

Article II of the Constitution

TERM 22

Judicial Review

DEFINITION 22

Gives the Supreme Court the power to review the

constitutionality of acts of Congress.

TERM 23

The powers that the president shares with the

Senate include:

DEFINITION 23

-Making treaties

TERM 24

Todays federal bureaucracy is largely a

product of which two key events in American

history?

DEFINITION 24

The depression of the 1930's and World War II

TERM 25

The chief judicial weapon in the government's

system of checks and balances is known as:

DEFINITION 25

Judicial Review

What is "impeachment" and what are the two

major steps in the impeachment process?

  • Impeachment: The power delegated to the House of

Representatives in the Constitution to charge the president, vice

president, or other "civil officers," including federal judges, with

"Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." This is

the first step in the constitutional process of removing such

government officials from office. The second step is authority of

only the Senate to conduct the trials of impeachment, with a two-

thirds vote being necessary before a federal official can be

removed from office.

TERM 32

Three types of federal courts and their

functions:

DEFINITION 32

Trial Courts: At bottom of system. Where litigation begins.

Appellate Courts and Court of Appeals: Review on appeal only

cases that already have been decided in lower courts. Hear

matters of civil and criminal law. Supreme Court: Often at the

center of the storm of highly controversial issues that have yet to

be resolved successfully in the political process. Handles very few

cases a year.

TERM 33

Public Opinion

DEFINITION 33

What the public thinks about a particular issue or set of

issues at a particular time.

TERM 34

How is public opinion measured?

DEFINITION 34

Public Opinion Polls- interviews with samples of citizens that

are used to estimate what the public is thinking.

TERM 35

Why is public opinion often unstable?

DEFINITION 35

Because public opinion changes so quickly.

What are the origins of public opinion/political

attitudes?

The Federalist Papers were one of the first major attempts to

change pubic opinion. Prior to the Federalist Papers, Thomas

Paine's Common Sense and late the Crisis were distributed

widely throughout the colonies to stimulate patriotic feelings

and increase public support for the Revolutionary War.

TERM 37

What are some of the main causes of

cleavages in public opinion?

DEFINITION 37

- Education - Class - Religion

TERM 38

How do we traditionally define the terms

liberal and conservative?

DEFINITION 38

Conservative- believes it is the responsibility of the individual

to do whatever it can for themselves before asking for

assistance. Liberal- believes that individual freedom can be

compromised for the greater good of the collective group.

TERM 39

What are common problems with drafting

surveys?

DEFINITION 39

Wording. Wording can put people on the spot and can also

lead to skewed responses depending on the wording of a

particular question.

TERM 40

What is the definition of a political party?

DEFINITION 40

A group of office holders, candidates, activists, and votes

who identify with a group label and seek to elect to public

office individuals who run under that label.