| A | B |
|---|
| Who do special interest groups hire to influence elected officials to support their cause? | lobbyists |
| What was the first colonial legislature to be established in the British colonies? | House of Burgesses |
| What document established self-government for the Pilgrims? | Mayflower Compact |
| What are the groups formed by citizens to support a particular cause called? | special interest groups |
| Prior to the French and Indian war, what term described the British policy of allowing colonies to govern their own day-to-day affairs? | salutary neglect |
| After the French and Indian War, which act levied the first-ever direct tax on the colonies? | Stamp Act |
| What is the primary form of revenue for the U.S. govenrment? | income taxes |
| Which historical event involved a protest by the Sons of Liberty against the taxes levied by the Tea Act? | Boston Tea party |
| Which acts were passed by Parliament to try to regain control over the colonists in Boston, Massachusetts? | Coercive or "Intolerable" Acts |
| What was the primary cause of the American Revolution? | taxation without representation |
| What did Thomas Paine’s Common Sense urge colonists to do? | declare independence from Britain |
| Which document described American political beliefs and listed the reasons for breaking away from Great Britain? | Declaration of Independence (1776) |
| Which document established the national government of the United States after the Revolutionary War? | Articles of Confederation |
| Which event showed that a constitutional convention was needed to strengthen the national government? | Shays Rebellion |
| Which plan resulted in the creation of a bicameral Congress for our legislative branch? | Great Compromise/Connecticut plan |
| Which political group supported the ratification of the Constitution? | Federalists |
| Which political group opposed the Constitution because it didn’t have a Bill of Rights? | Anti-Federalists |
| What was the name of the essays that were written to gain support for ratification of the Constituton? | Federalist papers |
| What form of government allows the people to choose representatives who will make and enforce the laws? | republic or representative democracy |
| What features of the U.S. Constitution limit the power of government? | separation of powers and checks & balances |
| At the Constitutional Convention, which plan favored a new government with representation based on population? | Virginia plan |
| At the Constitutional Convention, which plan favored a government with equal representation for each state? | New Jersey plan |
| Which part of the U.S. constitution protects personal freedoms such as expression, right to bear arms, and rights of the accused? | Bill of Rights |
| Which constitutional principle is reflected in the Preamble when it says "We the people...do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America"? | popular sovereignty |
| Which constitutional principle divides powers between the different branches of government? | separation of powers |
| Which branch of government makes laws? | legislative (U.S. Congress) |
| What constitutional principle enables one branch to counteract the powers of another branch? | checks & balances |
| Which branch of government enforces or carries out the law? | executive (President and executive agencies) |
| Which branch of government interprets the law? | judicial (Supreme Court and lower federal courts) |
| What constitutional principle enables the Supreme Court to strike down a law or government action that it has determined to be unconstitutional? | judicial review |
| How can the president's power to select federal judges and executive officials be limited or blocked? | majority vote in the Senate |
| What enumerated powers are specifically delegated to Congress in Article I, Sec. 8 of the Constitution? | tax, declare war, borrow, coin money, regulate interstate commerce |
| What powers are delegated to Congress by the “necessary and proper” or "elastic" clause? | implied powers |
| According to the 10th Amendment, who do the reserved powers belong to? | the states |
| Which clause in the U.S. Constitution makes the national government and all laws made under it the "supreme law of the land"? | the supremacy clause |
| Which clause in the U.S. Constitution requires each state to honor any public acts, records, or legal contracts that are made in another state? | "full faith and credit" |
| Which power enables the House of Representatives to bring charges against the president for "high crimes or misdemeanors"? | impeachment |
| Which constitutional protection limits government by preventing people from being jailed without charge? | writ of habeus corpus |
| Which power of the president can be used to forbid a bill passed by Congress? | veto |
| Which two legislative bodies make up the U.S. Congress? | the House of Representatives and the Senate |
| What is the most basic function of the U.S. Congress? | to make laws |
| How can the Constitution be changed? | amendment process |
| How are amendments to the U.S. Constituion normally proposed? | passage by a 2/3 majority in each house of Congress |
| How are amendments to the U.S. Constitution normally ratified? | by a majority vote in 3/4 of the state legislatures |
| Which constitutional principle divides powers between the national government and the states? | federalism |
| What freedoms are guaranteed by the 1st Amendment? | expression (speech), the press, assembly, religion, petition |
| Which freedom is protected by the principle of “separation of church and state”? | religious freedom |
| What right is protected by the 2nd Amendment? | right to bear arms |
| What freedom is protected by the 4th Amendment? | no unreasonable searches and seizures |
| What rights for the accused are guaranteed by due process in the 5th Amendment? | no double jeopardy, right to remain silent, indictment by grand jury |
| What features of the 6th Amendment protect the rights of the accused? | right to an attorney and trial by jury |
| Which Amendment guarantees “equal protection” under the law? | Fourteenth Amendment |
| Which court case upheld the principle of "separate but equal"? | Plessy v. Ferguson |
| Which court case overturned the principle of “separate but equal” by declaring that segregation in schools was unconstitutional? | Brown v. Board of Education |
| What enables school officials to search the personal belongings of students, based on the ruling of the Court in New Jersey v. T.L.O.? | reasonable suspicion |
| Which court case protected students' freedom of expression to wear armbands in protest against the Vietnam War? | Tinker v. DesMoines |
| According to the exclusionary rule established in the case of Mapp v. Ohio, illegally obtained evidence must be thrown out in court because of which constitutional protection? | 4th Amendment: no unreasonable searches or seizures |
| Which court case expanded the rights of criminal suspects by requiring law enforcement officers to inform them of their rights? | Miranda v. Arizona |
| What court case confirmed that the right to an attorney is guaranteed by the 6th Amendment? | Gideon v. Wainwright |
| What powers are specifically delegated to Congress in Article I, Sec. 8 of the Constitution? | enumerated powers |
| What powers are delegated to Congress by the “necessary and proper” or "elastic" clause? | implied powers |
| Which non-legislative power enables the House of Representatives to bring charges against the president for "high crimes or misdemeanors"? | impeachment |
| Who is the presiding officer that leads the House of Representatives? | Speaker of the House |
| Which elected official acts as the "president of the Senate"? | Vice-president |
| Which two legislative bodies make up the U.S. Congress? | the House of Representatives and the Senate |
| What is the most basic function of the U.S. Congress? | to make laws |
| What is the name of the process used to distribute legislative seats in Congress amongst the states? | apportionment |
| How long is the term for a member of the House of Representatives? | two years |
| How long is the term for a member of the Senate? | six years |
| How many U.S. Senators does each state have in Congress? | two |
| On what basis are seats in the U.S. House of Representatives allocated to the states? | population |
| How are amendments to the U.S. Constituion normally proposed? | passage by a 2/3 majority in each house of Congress |
| What is it called when two sides give in to each other to reach an agreement? | compromise |
| Where is most of the debate, compromise, and changes to bills made during the legislative process? | committees |
| What is it called when a political party draws a state's congressional districts to increase their chances of winning the next elections? | gerrymandering |
| What procedure can be used in the Senate to block a bill by "debating it to death"? | filibuster |
| In the U.S. Senate, what is needed to pass a motion of cloture to end a filibuster? | 60-vote majority |
| What is needed to over-ride a president's veto of a bill? | a 2/3 majority vote in each house of Congress |
| Who has the power to confirm the president's appointees to government agencies and federal courts? | the Senate |
| Who has the power to begin impeachment proceedings? | the House of Representatives |
| What is required for the approval of treaties? | a 2/3 majority vote in the Senate |
| What is required for the removal of an official who has been impeached? | a 2/3 majority vote in the Senate |
| Who has the power to re-draw the congressional district lines after each census? | the state legislatures |
| Which power gives an executive such as the president or a governor the authority to officially forgive an individual for a crime? | pardon |
| Which power of the president can be used to forbid a bill passed by Congress? | veto |
| What power can the president use to instruct a government agency how to carry out a law? | executive order |
| Which power refers to the president's ability to direct the nation's armed forces? | commander-in-chief |
| Which power refers to the president's authority to carry out the law | chief executive |
| Who is the next-in-line to the president in the order of presidential succession? | Vice-president |
| What is the term-limit for the president of the United States? | two |
| How long is the term in office for the president of the United States? | four years |
| Who selects the president if no candidate has won a majority in the electoral college? | the House of Representatives |
| Which federal government agencies have the duty of protecting national security? | Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Department of Homeland Security |
| Which federal government agency carries out policies to respond to natural disasters? | Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) |
| Which federal government agency provides population information so that legislative seats can be re-apportioned every ten years? | the Census Bureau |
| Which federal government agency is responsible for administering the nation's welfare programs? | Department of Health and Human Services |
| Which government agency collects taxes for the federal government? | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) |
| What cabinet-level department is responsible for federal law enforcement? | U.S. Department of Justice |
| Which government agency investigates and apprehends persons suspected of committing federal crimes? | Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) |
| Which public official serves as the head of the Department of Justice? | Attorney General |
| What system is used to elect the president of the United States? | the electoral college |
| How many electoral votes does each state get in the electoral college system? | number equal to the # of Senators and Representatives that the state has in Congress |
| In the electoral college system, what must a candidate attain in order to be elected president? | a majority (270) of the electoral votes |
| Who has the power to block the president's appointments to the federal courts, executive departments and other government agencies? | the Senate |
| Which independent executive agency makes and enforces regulations to protect the environment? | Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
| Which independent executive agency makes and enforces regulations to ensure the safety of the nation's food and medicine? | Food and Drug Administration (FDA) |
| Which cabinet-level department is responsible for preventing and responding to terrorist attacks and natural disasters? | Department of Homeland Security |
| What are the 15 department heads called that provide advice and assistance to the president in carrying out the law? | the cabinet |
| Which government agency was created to prohibit unfair business practices? | Federal Trade Commission (FTC) |
| Which cabinet-level department carries out the nation's foreign policy? | Department of State/State Department |
| In which form of government features one-person or one-party rule? | dictatorship |
| Which characteristic of American government divides powers between the national government and the state governments? | federalism |
| What is the most basic civic responsibility that a person can take to influence their government? | voting |
| What are some of the legal responsibilities (duties) that citizens have? | obeying the law, paying taxes, jury duty, defending the nation |
| What are some of the civic responsibilities that citizens have? | voting, volunteering, getting informed |
| What qualifies as person as a "natural born" citizen? | American birth or parents who are citizens |
| What is the process called by which aliens can become U.S. citizens? | naturalization |
| What form of government does the United States have? | republic or representative democracy |
| Which word is used to refer to "politics, elections, and govenrment"? | political |
| Which word is used to refer to "business, money, and taxes"? | economic |
| Which word means "more than half of the voters"? | majority |
| Which form of government uses elections to allow citizens to choose public officials who will make and enforce laws? | republic or representative democracy |
| What is required in order to vote in North Carolina? | must be 18 year old citizen who is registered to vote |
| Who registers voters and conducts elections? | County Board of Elections |
| What type of election is used to select the party's candidates that will run for office? | primary election |
| What word means “having unlimited wants and needs but limited resources”? | scarcity |
| What term is used to describe the value of an alternative that is not chosen? | opportunity cost |
| What are the Four Factors of Production? | land, labor, capital, entrepreneurship |
| The work done by humans is an example of which factor of production? | labor |
| Tools, machines, money and buildings are examples of which factor of production? | capital |
| Which factor of production is being used when an individual decides to start a business? | entrepreneurship |
| What word means “the additional cost of producing one more unit of a good or service”? | marginal cost |
| What is it called when production is divided into a set of specific tasks? | division of labor |
| What is it called when worker specializes in a single, specific task in the production process? | specialization |
| What components must be considered when a producer is calculating the total cost of production? | fixed costs + variable costs |
| What is the result of using innovation, technology, specialization, and division of labor? | mass production |
| What type of resources can a business invest in to help it lower its production costs? | human capital, capital goods, technology |
| What is exemplified when a business reaches a point at which producing additional units is less and less profitable? | law of diminishing returns |
| What is the primary duty of the judicial branch? | interpret or apply the law |
| Which trial court has original jurisdiction over cases involving federal law? | U.S. District Court |
| What is the highest court in the U.S. legal system? | U.S. Supreme Court |
| What cases are heard in the federal courts? | cases involving the U.S. Constitution, federal law, the U.S. government, disputes between states |
| Which court in the N.C. legal system hears appeals for cases involving the death penalty and the N.C. Constitution? | N.C. Supreme Court |
| Which court in the N.C. legal system hears appeals that come from the Superior and District courts? | N.C. Court of Appeals |
| Which N.C. court is the trial court where cases involving felonies and lawsuits over $10,000 are heard? | N.C. Superior Court |
| Which N.C. court is the trial court for misdemeanors and lawsuits involving amounts less than $10,000? | N.C. District Court |
| How are judges selected in the North Carolina court system? | elected |
| How are judges in the federal court system selected? | appointed by the President |
| Who is responsible for the confirmation process to approve (or block) the appointment of federal judges to the courts? | U.S. Senate |
| What type of judicial interpretation involves a more conservative approach that focuses on original intent? | strict interpretation |
| What type of judicial interpretation involves a more liberal interpretation that changes the way that a law is applied? | loose interpretation |
| What does a law enforcement officer need to have before they can arrest a criminal suspect? | probable cause |
| What do you call the party that files charges against another party in court? | plaintiff |
| What do you call the party that is charged with a crime or wrongdoing? | defendant |
| In the judicial process, who has the authority to indict a criminal suspect for a felony crime? | grand jury |
| What is it called when a person is ordered by the court to appear and testify as a witness? | subpoena |
| In which phase of the judicial process is the testimony and credibility of the witnesses questioned? | cross-examination |
| What is it called when two parties settle their dispute out of court? | settlement |
| Who is elected to represent the state as the plaintiff in a criminal case? | prosecutor/district attorney |
| What grants a person release from jail in exchange for their promise to attend their court date? | bail |
| What is a lighter sentence offered in exchange for a guilty plea called? | plea bargain |
| What do you call a complaint filed against a defendant in a civil case? | civil suit/lawsuit |
| What type of law is based on precedent? | common law |
| What type of law sets procedures for arresting, prosecuting, and punishing people who violate the penal code? | criminal law |
| What type of law is used to settle disputes between parties? | civil law |
| Who enforces traffic laws on North Carolina’s public highways? | Highway Patrol (State troopers) |
| Who is responsible for law enforcement in the county? | Sheriff's Department |
| Who is responsible for law enforcement within a city? | Police Department |
| What is a conditional release that sets certain requirements on a person convicted of a crime? | probation |
| What is it called when a convicted criminal is given an early release from prison for good behavior? | parole |
| What is the primary goal of the juvenile justice system? | rehabilitation |
| What is it called when the law requires a mandatory sentence for a particular criminal conviction? | structured sentencing |
| What type of punishment is most likely for a person convicted of a felony? | incarceration (prison) |
| What types of punishments are most likely for a person convicted of a misdemeanor? | community service, probation, fines |
| What is it called when the criminal justice system has the goal of preparing a criminal to re-enter society? | rehabilitation |
| Who is responsible for enforcing federal laws? | U.S. Department of Justice/Attorney General |
| Who has the burden of proof in a criminal case? | the prosecutor/district attorney |
| What burden of proof is necessary for a plaintiff to win a judgement in a civil suit? | preponderance of the evidence |
| Which part of the NC Constitution protects the individual liberties of citizens? | Declaration of Rights |
| What does the North Carolina General Assembly do? | make the state's laws, set the state budget |
| Who is the president of the Senate in the NC General Assembly? | Lieutenant Governor |
| In the NC General Assembly, who is the presiding officer in the House? | Speaker of the House |
| What are the duties of the governor? | carry out the state laws, propose a budget, appoint state officials |
| Which state government official is elected to oversee law enforcement in North Carolina? | attorney general |
| Which state government agency is responsible of collecting taxes in North Carolina? | Department of Revenue |
| What is the primary source of revenue for the state of North Carolina? | state income taxes |
| What type of tax do counties and municipalities in North Carolina rely on for most of their revenue? | property tax |
| What is it called when the state or local governments acquire a grant of money from the federal government? | intergovernmental revenue or "grant-in-aid" |
| What public services do state and local governments spend the largest portion of their budget on? | education and health & human services (public welfare) |
| Who is responsible for providing emergency services in the case of a natural disaster or fire? | Emergency services (EMS), local law enforcement and fire department |
| Who is elected to adopt a budget, make ordinances, and set local property tax rates for the county? | county board of commissioners |
| What is a local law called? | ordinance |
| Which public official is appointed to administer the county government? | county manager |
| What form of local government is most commonly used in North Carolina municipalities? | council-manager |
| Who is elected to adopt a budget and make ordinances for the city? | city council |
| Which public official is appointed to carry out the city council’s policies and oversee the operations of the city government? | city manager |
| What term is defined as “the rules for land use that are set by a local county or municipal government”? | zoning |
| What process enables a municipality to expand its territory? | annexation |
| Which body is elected to establish public schools, hire teachers, and set policies for the local school district? | Board of Education |
| Who sets the graduation requirements and curriculum standards for public schools in the state of North Carolina? | State Board of Education |
| Which tax used by state and local governments is regressive? | sales tax |
| How do state and local government borrow money to build large projects like schools and stadiums? | bonds |
| What process is used to approve of amendments to the N.C. Constitution and bond issues for funding schools and other public construction projects? | referendum |
| Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution extends due process rights to the citizens of a state? | Fourteenth Amendment |
| In the Fourteenth Amendment, which clause guarantees the civil rights of all citizens of a state? | "equal protection" clause |
