Government Comprehensive Final Study Guide
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Unit 1: Principles of Government
- Gives all key power to the national government
- Effort to control or influence the conduct of government
- Rule is by the people
- Divides power between the national and state government
- Plan or document that provides the rules for government
- Power by a few people (group)
- America; freedom of choice is emphasized
- Supreme and absolute authority within your borders
- Institution through which the state maintains order
- Thomas Hobbes and John Locke; people willingly give up power to the government who protects the people
Unit 2: Origins of American Government
- James Madison; larger states; basis of the Constitution
- Approve
- Divide power between the 3 branches of government
- Two Treatises of Government, social contract theory
- Smaller state, Articles of Confederation, weak executive (multiple people)
- Author of the Declaration of Independence
- People elect delegates to make laws
- Trade among states
- Father of the Constitution
- Bill of Rights
Unit 3: Constitution
- Refuses to sign a bill into law
- Executive Branch
- Rule is by the people
- ¾; state convention, state legislatures
- President and the head of another government that does not require congressional approval
- 7,000
- Adfhasd
- Supremacy Clause
- First 10 amendments
- Judicial Review
Unit 4: Political Parties
- America system
- Kentucky; vote for the party they are a member of
- Authoritarian or Theocratic; party=government
- Beliefs about government
- Basic local unit/person’s voting district
- Bull Moose Party; splinter party
- Politicians give favors (jobs) to reward party loyalty
- No matter how many people run, only one wins
- Parties principles, beliefs, and positions on issues
- Any party other than the major parties (D/R)
- Democrats and Republicans
Unit 5: Elections and voting
- “secret ballot”
- Private individuals
- PAC’s or individuals, general purpose, “party building activities”
- Right to vote
- One of the most successful suffrage laws; federal government directly into voting
- House of Representatives + Senators= Electoral Votes
- Organization formed to collect money and provide financial support to a candidate
- Enroll with the proper local government
- Absent of election day, fill out and send it back in
- First Tuesday after the first Monday in November
Unit 6: The President
- 10 years
- Given annually in front of Congress to promote the President’s upcoming agenda
- Body that elects the president
- Expressed will of support from the people
- Right of the President to refuse to testify before Congress or the Courts; Nixon
- Provides a medium for discussion
- Rules that have the force of law
- Formal agreement between two nations that need Congressional Approval
- Faithfully executes the law
- President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore
- Responsible for the nation’s military and security
- 35 years old
Unit 7: Federal Bureaucracy
- Victorious politicians reward their followers with jobs
- Civil servant who permanently works for the government
- Office of an ambassador overseas
- 1883; Civil Service System
- Government corporations, congressional committees, and client groups; make policy to benefit each other
- Run day-to-day operations
- Practice government employment based on open, competitive exams and merit
- Endless paperwork and regulations
- 15 cabinet departments
- Hierarchal organization which has specified missions and employees are assigned responsibility based on merit, knowledge, and experience
Unit 8: Legislative Branch
- Set up/draw new congressional districts after reapportionment
- Two houses of legislature
- President of the Senate
- Make the Laws
- District is drawn to favor one group/party
- Most important committees in the House; it determines how a bill will flow through the house
- Senate; “talk a bill to death”
- Approve governmental spending
- Presides over the House
- Reassigned congressional membership based on population
- Hired by special interest group; influence legislation
- Article 1, Section 8, Clauses 1-18; directly stated or written
- 100 Senators; 6 year
- 435 House; 2 year
- Someone already in office
- Proposed law
Unit 9: Judicial Branch
- Law is Constitutional; Marbury v. Madison
- Minimum # of Supreme Court justices need to agree to hear a case
- Attorney who represents the US in Supreme Court
- 9 Supreme Court Justices
- “Let the decision stand”
- Arena for two parties to bring their conflict before an impartial judge
- Plaintiff- Brings charges------Defendant-brought against them
- Authority of the court to hear a case
- Review Court; Supreme Court is the highest
- Written statement of legal arguments and facts of the case
- Written statement by a Justices discuss why they voted the way they did
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