american gvt study guide

AMERICAN GVT AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT—CHAPTER 1  Politics and political power  What is government and types of government ( democracy; oligarchy; monarchy; totalitarianism )  The democratic political system ( direct democracy; representative democracy; tyranny of the majority; minority rights; majoritarian principle or majority rule )  Types of goods ( common goods; public goods; private goods; toll goods )  Who governs America ( elite theory; majoritarianism; pluralism; tradeoffs perspective )  Civic engagement in a democracy ( ideology; social capital; intense preferences; latent preferences; partisanship ) THE CONSTITUTION AND ITS ORIGINS—CHAPTER 2  Pre-revolutionary era ( natural rights; social contract )  The American Revolution era ( taxation without representation ; Declaration of Independence )  The Articles of Confederation ( unicameral legislature; the republic or republican form of government; confederation; weakness of the Articles; Shays’ Rebellion )  Writing the Constitution ( Virginia Plan; New Jersey Plan; Connecticut Plan or Great Compromise; Three-Fifths Compromise; debate about Ratification of the Constitution between Federalists and Anti-Federalists )  Limiting power ( separation of powers; checks and balances; Federalism; bicameral legislature, enumerated powers; reserved powers; supremacy clause )  The Bill of Rights  The Federalist Papers  The Constitution key articles ( Article I- the Legislative Branch; Article II- The Executive Branch; Article III - The Judiciary Branch; Article IV - National Unity; Article V- the amendment process; Article VI- Supremacy; Article VII -Ratification ) AMERICAN FEDERALISM—CHAPTER 3  Federalism ( devolution; Bill of attainder; Ex post facto law; Writ of habeas corpus )  Intergovernmental systems or relations ( unitary, federalism; confederal )  Constitutional division of powers ( national powers; state reserved powers; concurrent powers; denied powers )  National powers ( Article I, Section 8; enumerated or expressed powers; implied powers )  Implied powers ( necessary & Proper Clause or elastic clause )

 Reserved Powers ( Tenth Amendment ; Police Powers )  State to state relations ( Article IV - Rules regulating the relations between states; Full Faith & Credit  Privileges & Immunities; State Rights )  McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)  Article VI - The Supremacy Clause  Evolution of American federalism ( Dual Federalism; Cooperative Federalism; Block Grants; Categorical Grants; General revenue sharing; New federalism; Unfunded mandates; Venue shopping ) POLITICAL BEHAVIOR MODULE (CHAPTERS 6-10) THE POLITICS OF PUBLIC OPINION—CHAPTER 6  Public opinion  Political socialization and agents of political socialization ( covert content; overt content )  Socialization and Ideology  Ideologies ( traditional and modern conservatisms; classical and modern liberalisms; socialism; communism; fascism )  Measuring public opinion and its problems ( straw poll; exit poll; push poll; random sample and polling; representative sample; margin of error; leading question; Bradley effect; diffuse support; heuristics )  Effects of public opinion ( theory of delegate representation; horserace coverage; favorability poll; bandwagon effect ) VOTING AND ELECTIONS—CHAPTER 7  Voter turnout ( voting-age population [VAP]; voting-eligible population [VEP] ; residency requirement)  Incumbent or incumbency advantage  Elections ( early voting; closed primary; open primary; top-two primary; caucus; delegates; platform; chronic minority )  The Electoral College  District system  Midterm elections ( coattail effect )  Political action committees (PACs)  Shadow campaigns  Straight-ticket voting  Super PACs  Winner-take-all system

 Inside and outside lobbying  Public and private interest groups ( particularized benefits; collective goods )  Interest groups and political participation ( astroturf movement; grassroots movement; fragmentation )  Citizens United Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission  Collective action problems ( free rider problem; disturbance theory; solidary, material, and purposive incentives )  Representativeness of the interest group system ( pluralist vs. elite; efficacy; iron triangle; issue network; neopluralist; revolving door laws )  Soft money  Voting cues sources CONGRESS—CHAPTER 11  The Constitution and the Legislative Branch  Functions of Congress ( representation; lawmaking; oversight; educational )  Reapportionment ( reapportionment; redistricting; gerrymandering; constituency )  o House & Senate Differences ( bicameralism; size; terms; qualifications; structure; debate; filibustering and cloture )  Powers of Congress ( enumerated powers; implied powers; inherent powers )  o Members of Congress ( Trustee model; Delegate model; Politico model )  o Descriptive representation o Surge-and-decline theory  How Congress is Organized ( House of Representatives; The Speaker of the House; Majority Leader; Majority Whip; Minority Leader; Minority Whip; The President of the Senate; President Pro Tempe; Majority Floor Leader; Majority Whip; Minority Leader; Minority Leader, Minority Whip )  Committee Structure ( Standing Committees; Joint Committees; Conference Committees; Ad hoc, special or select Committee; Pork Barrel; Committee Chairs )  How a Bill becomes a law ( Bill; Cloture; Congressional process; Presidential Action; Markup )