Poli 2051 quiz 1

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  1. democratic
    a political system in which the people rule
  2. republican
    freedom with little government interference
  3. tyranny
    the abused of an inalienable rights by government
  4. majority tyranny
    the suppression of the liberties of a minority by the majority
  5. democracy
    rule by the people/ self-government by many
  6. direct democracy
    a form of political decision making in which the public business is decided by all citizens meeting in small assemblies
  7. representative democracy
    indirect democracy; a form of political decision making in which the people rule through elected represntatives
  8. popular sovereignty
    the basic principle of democracy that the people ultimately
  9. majority rule
    polices are decided on the basis of what a majority of the people want
  10. political liberty
    principle citizens in a democracy are protected from government interference in the exercise of a range of basic freedoms(speech, association, conscience
  11. political equality
    the principle that each person carries equal weight in the conduct of the public business
  12. social contract
    philosophical device, used by Enlightenment thinkers, to suggest that governments are only legitimate if they are created by a voluntary compact among the people
  13. consititution
    the basic framework of law that prescribes how government is to operate
  14. Articles of Confederation
    America's first written constitution and the basis of the national government from 1777to 1789, when it was supplanted by the Constitution.
  15. Confederation
    A loose association of states or territorial divisions which very little power is lodged in the central government
  16. stay acts
    Enactments postponing the collection of taxes or mortgages payments
  17. Virginia Plan
    Proposal by the large states at the Constitutional Convention to create a strong central government with power in the government apportioned to the states on the basis of population
  18. New Jersey Plan
    proposal of the smaller states at the Constitution Convention to create a government based on the equal representation of the states in a unicameral legislature
  19. Great Compromise
    Aka Connecticut Compromise- the compromise between the New Jersey and Virginia plans put forth by the Connecticut delegates at the Constitutional Convention; called for a lower legislative house based on population size and an upper house based on equal representation of the states.
  20. Electoral College
    elected representatives of the state whose votes formally elect the president of the united states; equals senators and representatives of each state
  21. federal
    A system in which significant governmental powers are divided between a central government and smaller units, such as states
  22. supremacy clause
    the provision in Articles VI of the Constitution that the Constitution itself and the laws and treaties of the United states are the law of the land,taking precedence over state laws and constitutions.
  23. elastic clause
    Articles I, Section 8, of the Constitution, also called the necessary and proper clause; gives Congress the authoruty to make whatever laws are necesssary and proper to carry out its enumerated reponsibilities
  24. bill of rights
    The first ten amendmentsof the U. S. Constitution, concerned with basic liberties
  25. seperation of powers
    the distribution of the government legislative, executive, and judicial powers to separate branches of government
  26. checks and balances
    The constitutional principles that government power shall be divided and that the fragments should balance or check one another to prevent tyranny
  27. free enterprise
    An economic system characterized by competitive markets and private ownership
  28. federalists
    Proponents of the Constitution during the ratification fight; also the political party of Hamilton, Wasington, and Adams
  29. Anti-federalist
    opponents of the Constitution during the fight over ratification
  30. judicial review
    the power of the Supreme Court to declare actions of the other branches and levels of the government unconstitutional
  31. federalism
    a system in which significant government powers are divided between a central government and smaller units, such as states
  32. unitary system
    a system in which a central government has complete power over its constituent units or states

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Poli 2051 quiz 1
2011-02-09 20:46:34
terms quiz

poli sci quiz 1 Chapter 1,2,3,4
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