| A | B |
|---|
| candidate | person seeking elected office |
| two-party system | where two major parties dominate the politics of a nation |
| Country with a 2 party system | United States |
| multi-party system | a system where many parties influence the politics of a nation |
| example of a multi-party system | most European countries |
| plurality | winning more votes than anyone else, but not necessarily half |
| majority | more than half (50.1%) |
| coalition | formed when no party receives a majority of votes |
| one-party system | one group completely dominates the political system |
| example of a one-party system | China |
| Federalist Party | first political party in the US. Supported by merchants and bankers |
| Democratic-Republican Party | early political party that was supported by farmers, planters, shopkeepers, and laborers |
| political party formed in 1850s to oppose slavery | Republican |
| third party | minor party that challenges the major parties |
| Populists | 3rd party that formed in 1890s that called for direct election for senators |
| Progressive Party | influential from early 1900s to WWI |
| number of 3rd party politicians who have served as president | 0 |
| patronage | giving special favors to party workers |
| precinct | geographic area that contains specific number of voters |
| political machine | local party organization that is able to get its candidates elected year after year |
| platform | statement of goals and positions on various public issues |
| plank | each item within a party's platform |
| grassroots movement | a political movement that begins with the people |
| nonpartisan | supporting neither party |
| electorate | people eligible to vote |
| apathy | lack of interest |
| literacy test | test given to voters to prove that the voter could read and write. Used to keep minorities from voting. |
| caucus | meeting of political party members to conduct party business |
| nominating conventions | more democratic method of nominating presidential candidate than caucus |
| primary election | used by party members to nominate candidates to run for office |
| closed primary | only declared party members can vote |
| open primary | members of both parties can vote for candidate to represent a party |
| endorsement | a famous or popular person supports or campaigns for a candidate |
| propoganda | attempt to promote a particular person or idea |
| canvassing | door-to-door advertising or phone calls to homes to enlist support |
| where most private money for election campaigns comes from | PACs |
| PACs | political fundraising organizations established by corporations, labor unions, and other special-interest groups. |
| Presidential Election Campaign Fund | designed to prevent wealthy candidates from buying their way into office by outspending their opponents |
| straight ticket | voting for all candidates from the same party |
| split ticket | voting for candidates from different parties |
| exit poll | asking voters how they voted in order to predict the outcome of the election |
| popular vote | votes cast directly by the people |
| electoral vote | votes cast by electors, who actually elect the president |
| Electoral votes | determined by number of Senators and Representatives a state has |
| Number of electoral votes needed to win election | 270 |
| gerrymandering | setting up oddly shaped districts for political purposes |
| initiative | citizens propose laws or state constitutional amendments |
| proposition | petition asking for proposed new law |
| referendum | voters can approve or reject a measure passed by the state legislature |
| recall | voters can remove a public official from office |
| direct democracy | all citizens vote in every election |
| representative democracy | system found in the US because we are too big to have a direct democracy |
| naturalization | process by which foreigners can become US citizens |
| Declaration of Intention | first step in the naturalization process |
| Oath of Allegiance | last step in the naturalization process |
| census | population poll taken every 10 years and used to determine each states' representation in Congress |
| Glorious Revolution | overthrow of King James II by Parliament in 1688 |
| common law | system of unwritten laws prevalent more so in Enlgand than in the US |
| House of Burgesses | representative democracy established in Virginia in 1619 |
| Mayflower Compact | established a direct democracy for the colonists in Massachusetts |
| First Continental Congress | sent a list of complaints to King George III of England of how the colonists rights were being violated |
| Second Continental Congress | issued the Declaration of Independence |
| Articles of Confederation | colonists first attempt at self-government following the Declaration of Independence |
| weaknesses of the Articles | Congress had no power to tax, to regulate trade, or to enforce laws. |
| strengths of the Articles | gave Congress power to control the army |
| Constitutional Convention | originally called to amend the Articles of Confederation, but threw it out and created a new document |
| Virginia Plan | called for a bi-cameral Congress with representation based on population |
| New Jersey Plan | called for a uni-cameral Congress with equal representation for all states |
| Great Compromise | established a bi-cameral Congress with one house based on population and the other with equal representation |
| 3/5 Compromise | dealt with how slaves should be dealt with for purposes of taxation and representation |
| Electoral College | established a system by which electors would chose the president |
| Federalists | fought for ratification of the Constitution |
| Anti-federalists | fought against ratification of Constitution because believed it gave the federal govt too much power |
| Preamble | sets out the goals of the US government |
| legislative branch | Congress |
| executive branch | President and cabinet |
| judicial branch | Supreme Court and lower courts |
| checks and balances | allows one branch of government to limit the power of the others |
| Article I | set up legislative branch |
| Article II | set up executive branch |
| Article III | set up judicial branch |
| popular sovereignty | priciple that establishes the peoples right to rule themselves |
| federalism | principle that split the right to rule between the states and the national government |
| enumerated powers | specifically given to the national government by the Constitution |
| reserved powers | specifically given to the states by the Constitution |
| concurrent powers | things tht both the states and the federal governments can do (ex. taxation) |
| supremacy clause | should any state law contradict the Constitution or a federal law, the federal law has higher authority |
| Constitution | the Supreme law of the land |
| Amendment | change in the Constitution. Hard to do, so not done often, but can be done. |
| Necessary and Proper (Elastic) Clause | used to give the government powers that are not specifically in the Constitution (ex - to make the Bank of the US) |
| Bill of Rights | first 10 Amendments to the Constitution |
| First Amendment | Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government |
| Second Amendment | right to bear arms |
| Third Amendment | came as a result of the British quartering soldiers in Americans homes before and during the American Revolution |
| Fouth Amendment | protects from unreasonable search and seizure |
| Fifth Amendment | right not to incriminate oneself and protection from double jeopardy |
| slander | limit on free speech. You cannot tell lies about someone else to ruin their reputaion |
| libel | limit of freedom of the press. You cannot print lies about someone |
