AMERICAN POLITICS EXAM 1 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS
AND VERIFIED ANSWERS, 100% GUARANTEE
Articles of Confederation - the original constitution of the US, ratified in 1781, which was
replaced by the US Constitution in 1789
checks and balances - A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers
of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
federalism - a structure of government that places the peoples authority in two or more
levels of government
representative v direct democracy - representative: a political system in which voters
select representatives who then vote on matters of public policy
direct: a political system in which citizens vote directly on public policies
Necessary and Proper Clause - a part of the constitution that grants the federal
government the authority to pass laws required to carry out its enumerated powers
Supremacy Clause - a part of the constitution that establishes the constitution and the laws
of the nation passed under its authority as the highest laws of the nation
categorical v block grants - categorical: grants in aid provide to states with specific
provisions on their use
block: a type of grant in aid that gives state officials more authority in the disbursement of the
federal funds
Mandates (unfunded) - Requirements that are imposed by the national government on the
state and local governments for programs such as Americans with Disabilities Act which
requires all building to accommodate the disabled. Many of these are unfunded and must be paid
for by local governments
, Connecticut Compromise - an agreement that large and small states reached during the
Constitutional Convention of 1787 that in part defined the legislative structure and representation
that each state would have under the United States Constitution.
Civil Rights Act of 1964 - outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or
national origin
civil liberties v civil rights - Liberties- Individual freedoms guaranteed to the people,
mostly by the bill of rights
Rights-Equal treatment under law
selective incorporation - the piecemeal process through which the supreme court has
affirmed that almost all of the protections within the bill of rights also apply to state governments
Three-Fifths Compromise - Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person
in determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (negated by
the 13th amendment)
faction - A group with a distinct political interested people who use the government to get
what they want, trampling the rights of others in the process
Bill of Rights - The first ten amendments to the Constitution
Snyder v. Phelps (2011) - involving inflammatory protest signs at the funeral of a slain
American soldier. Decisions like this one test our commitment to the protection of free speech
guaranteed by the First Amendment.
slander - expression in spoken form that defames a persons character
AND VERIFIED ANSWERS, 100% GUARANTEE
Articles of Confederation - the original constitution of the US, ratified in 1781, which was
replaced by the US Constitution in 1789
checks and balances - A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers
of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
federalism - a structure of government that places the peoples authority in two or more
levels of government
representative v direct democracy - representative: a political system in which voters
select representatives who then vote on matters of public policy
direct: a political system in which citizens vote directly on public policies
Necessary and Proper Clause - a part of the constitution that grants the federal
government the authority to pass laws required to carry out its enumerated powers
Supremacy Clause - a part of the constitution that establishes the constitution and the laws
of the nation passed under its authority as the highest laws of the nation
categorical v block grants - categorical: grants in aid provide to states with specific
provisions on their use
block: a type of grant in aid that gives state officials more authority in the disbursement of the
federal funds
Mandates (unfunded) - Requirements that are imposed by the national government on the
state and local governments for programs such as Americans with Disabilities Act which
requires all building to accommodate the disabled. Many of these are unfunded and must be paid
for by local governments
, Connecticut Compromise - an agreement that large and small states reached during the
Constitutional Convention of 1787 that in part defined the legislative structure and representation
that each state would have under the United States Constitution.
Civil Rights Act of 1964 - outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or
national origin
civil liberties v civil rights - Liberties- Individual freedoms guaranteed to the people,
mostly by the bill of rights
Rights-Equal treatment under law
selective incorporation - the piecemeal process through which the supreme court has
affirmed that almost all of the protections within the bill of rights also apply to state governments
Three-Fifths Compromise - Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person
in determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (negated by
the 13th amendment)
faction - A group with a distinct political interested people who use the government to get
what they want, trampling the rights of others in the process
Bill of Rights - The first ten amendments to the Constitution
Snyder v. Phelps (2011) - involving inflammatory protest signs at the funeral of a slain
American soldier. Decisions like this one test our commitment to the protection of free speech
guaranteed by the First Amendment.
slander - expression in spoken form that defames a persons character
