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AP Government
Vocab and other stuff
245
Other
10th Grade
09/13/2007

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Term
Unalienable
Definition
A human right based on nature or God.
Term
Articles of confederation
Definition
A week constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War.
Term
Constitutional Convention
Definition
Meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution.
Term
Shays's Rebellion
Definition
A 1787 rebellion which ex-Revolutionary War soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes.
Term
Virginia Plan
Definition
Proposal to create a strong national government.
Term
New Jersey Plan
Definition
Proposal to create a week national government.
Term
Great Compromise
Definition
Plan to have a popularly elected house based on state population and a state-selected Senate, with two members for each state.
Term
Republic
Definition
A government in which elected representatives make the decisions.
Term
Judicial review
Definition
The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional.
Term
Federalism
Definition
Government authority shared by national and state government.
Term
checks and balances
Definition
Authority shared by three branches of government.
Term
enumerated powers
Definition
Powers given to the national government alone.
Term
reserved power
Definition
Powers given to the state government alone
Term
concurrent powers
Definition
powers shared by national and state government.
Term
separation of powers
Definition
Constitutional authority is shared by three branches of government.
Term
faction
Definition
A group with distinct political interest.
Term
Federalists
Definition
Those who favor stronger national government.
Term
Antifederalists
Definition
Those who favor a weaker national government
Term
coalition
Definition
An alliance of factions
Term
habeas corpus
Definition
An order to produce an arrested person before a judge
Term
bill of attainder
Definition
A law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime.
Term
ex post facto law
Definition
A law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it was committed.
Term
Bill of Rights
Definition
First ten amendments to the Constitution.
Term
amendment
Definition
A new provision in the Constitution that has been ratified by the states.
Term
line-item veto
Definition
An executives ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature.
Term
amendment XIV
(ratified in 1868)
Definition
-people naturalized or born in the United States, are citizens of the Untied States, and the State inwhich they reside.
-reduction in congressional reprsentation for states denying adult males the right to vote.
-no one that was in Congressional, Military, or Executive office my take oath again, if in rebellion with the United States.
-rebel debts shall not be questioned, but the United States, nor any Union state shall assume the position to repay the debt owed to the Union by rebellious states.
-Congress has the right to enforce this amendment.
Term
amendment XIII
(ratified in 1865
Definition
-slavery is not allowed in the United States, unless it is punishment for a crime, that you have be convicted of.
-Congress has the power to enforce this article.
Term
amendment XII
(ratified in 1804)
Definition
-electors for each state shall meet and vote by ballot for Presidentand Vice President, that is not from the same state.
-the President of the Senate shall be entitled to count each vote in front of the House and Senate.
Term
amendment XI
(ratified in 1795)
Definition
limits suits against states.
Term
amendment X
Definition
powers not underlined in the United States Constitution, nor prohibited by the states, are for the state to decide.
Term
amendment IX
Definition
unenumerated rights are protected.
Term
amendment VIII
Definition
-excessive bail shall not be required.
-excessive fines imposed.
-no cruel or unusual punishment.
Term
amendment VII
Definition
common law suits that exceed $20.00 have the right of trial by jury.
Term
amendment VI
Definition
right to a speedy and public trial.
Term
amendment V
Definition
no one shall be held to answer for a horrible crime, unless in front of a Grand Jury, or in the cases of the Army.
Term
amendment IV
Definition
no warrent for search and seizure with out reasonable cause
Term
amendment III
Definition
no solider shall in a time of peace be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner.
Term
amendment II
Definition
right for people to keep and bear arms.
Term
amendment I
Definition
-Congress can not pass a law restricting religion, speech, press, peaceful assembly, and government petition
Term
article V
Definition
-2/3 House proposes amendments
or 2/3 Senate calls to propose amendments
-must be ratified by 3/4 states, or 3/4 of Legislature
-No State can be deprived suffrage in the Senate
Term
article IV
Definition
-every citizen is given the priviliges and immunities of citizens in the state.
-if convicetd of a crime in one state, and fled to another and caught, you are tried in the state of conviction.
-new states are allowed, but must be admitted through Congress.
-each state is administerd protection against domestic violence.
Term
article III
(judicial)
Definition
-Supreme Court.
-judge and interpret the Consititution, and all acts aginst it, deciding if they are unconstitutional, or not.
Term
article II
(executive)
Definition
-President
-4 year terms.
-states use electorl college to vote for president((electors equal to house and senate)).
-American Born.
-35 years old.
-live in States 14 years total.
-Compensation for job.
-take an Oath.
-Commander and Cheif.
-pardons.
-make treaties but recive 2/3 Senate vote.
-fill up Senate and House Vacancies.
-give Congress information on State of the Union.
-Impeachment for treason/bribery/etc.
Term
article I
(legislature)
Definition
-consists of House and Senate.
House of Representitives
-House reps. chosen every 2 years, must be 25 years old, been resident 7 years in state.
-1 Rep. for every 30,000 people.
Senate
-2 from each state.
-6 year term,each have 1 vote.
-30 years old, live in state 9 years.
-Power to try Impeachment.
Legislature
-assemble the first monday in December.
-all Bills originate in the House, the Senate may amend the Bills.
-power to lay/collect Taxes.
-borrow money.
-regulate trade.
-coin money.
-restrict power of states.
Term
Article 6
Definition
Debts, Supremacy, Oaths
Term
Article 7
Definition
Ratification
Term
Amendment 1
Definition
Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression
Term
Amendment 15
Definition
Race No Bar to Vote
Term
Amendment 16
Definition
Status of Income Tax Clarified
Term
Amendment 17
Definition
Senators Elected by Popular Vote
Term
Amendment 18
Definition
Liquor Abolished
Term
Amendment 19
Definition
Women's Suffrage
Term
Amendment 20
Definition
Presidential, Congressional Terms
Term
Amendment 21
Definition
Amendment 18 Repealed
Term
Amendment 22
Definition
Presidential Term Limits
Term
Amendment 23
Definition
Presidential Vote for District of Columbia
Term
Amendment 24
Definition
Poll Taxes Barred
Term
Amendment 25
Definition
Presidential Disability and Succession
Term
Amendment 26 - Voting Age Set to 18 Years
Definition
Amendment 26 - Voting Age Set to 18 Years
Term
Amendment 27
Definition
Limiting Congressional Pay Increases
Term
Devolution
Definition
The effort to transfer responsibility for many public programs and services from the federal government to the states.
Term
Block grants
Definition
Money from the national government that the states can spend within broad guidelines determined by Washington
Term
Sovereighnty
Definition
supreme or ultimate political authority
Term
Unitary system
Definition
Sovereignty that is wholly in the hands of the national government,so that the states and localities are dependent on its will.
Term
Confederation or confederal system
Definition
the states are sovereign and the national government is allowed to do only that which the states permit.
Term
Federal system
Definition
one in which sovereignty is shared in some matters the national government is supreme and in other matters the states are supreme; capable of over ruling other governmental decisions
Term
"necessary and proper" clasue
Definition
Section of the Constitution allowing congress to pass all laws "unnecessary and proper"" to its duties, and which has permitted Congress to exercise powers not specifically given to it (enumerated) by the constitution.
Term
Nullification
Definition
The doctrine that the state can declare null and void a federal law that, in the states opinion, violates the constitution.
Term
Dual federalism
Definition
Doctrine holding that the national government is supreme in its sphere, the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept seperate
Term
Police power
Definition
State power to enact laws promoting health, safety, and morals.
Term
Initiative
Definition
Process that permits voters to put legislative measures directly on the ballot
Term
Referendum
Definition
Procedure enabling voters to reject a measure passed by the legislature
Term
Recall
Definition
Procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office
Term
Grants-in-aid
Definition
Money given by the national government to the states
Term
Categorical grants
Definition
Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport
Term
Revenue sharing
Definition
Federal sharing of fixed percentage of its revenue with the states
Term
Constitutions of aid
Definition
Terms set by the national government that states must meet if they are to receive certain federal funds
Term
Mandates
Definition
Terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants
Term
external efficacy
Definition
the willingness of the state to respond to the citizenry.
Term
internal efficacy
Definition
the ability to understand and take part in politics.
Term
political efficacy
Definition
a belief that you can take parts in politics (internal efficacy) or that the government will respond to the citizenry (external efficacy)
Term
progressive
Definition
a belief that personal freedom and solving social problems are more important than religon.
Term
orthodox
Definition
a belief that morality and religion ought to be of decisive importance.
Term
class consciousness
Definition
a belief that you are a member of an economic group whose interests are opposed to people in other such groups
Term
civic competence
Definition
a belief that one can affect government policies.
Term
civic duty
Definition
a belief that one has an obligation to participate in civic and political affairs.
Term
political culture
Definition
a coherent way of thinking about how politics and government ought to be carried out.
Term
United States v. Leon (1984)
Definition
Illegally obtianed evidence may be used in a trial if it was gathered in good faith without violating the principles of the Mapp decision.
Term
Rasul v. Bush, 03-334 (2004)
Definition
Terrorist detainees must have access to a neutral court to decide if they are legally held.
Term
Miranda v. Arizona, 324 U.S. 436 (1966)
Definition
Court described ruling that police must give to arrested persons.
Term
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
Definition
Evidence illegally gathered by police my not be used in a criminal trial.
Term
Gideon v. Wainwright (1964)
Definition
Persons charged with a crime have the right to an attory even if they cannot afford one.
Term
Dickerson v. United States (2000)
Definition
The Mapp decision is based on the Constitution and it cannot be altered by Congress passing a law.
Term
Zourauch v. Clauson (1952)
Definition
States may allows students to be released from public schools to attend religious instruction.
Term
Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, 536 U.S. 639 (2000)
Definition
Voucher plan to pay school bills is upheld.
Term
Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe (2000)
Definition
Students may not lead prayers before the start of a football game at a public school.
Term
Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S. 602 (1971)
Definition
Three tests are described for deciding whether the government is improperly involved with religion.
Term
Lee v. Weisman (1992)
Definition
Public schools may not hav clergy lead prayers at graduation ceremonies.
Term
Everson v. Board of Education (1947)
Definition
The wall-of-seperation is annonunced.
Term
Engel v. Vitale (1962)
Definition
There may not be prayer, even a nondenominational one, in public schools.
Term
Texas v. Johnson (1989)
Definition
There may not be a law to ban flag-burning.
Term
Shenck v. United States (1919)
Definition
Speech may be punished if it creates a clear-and-present-danger test of illegal acts.
Term
Reno v. ACLU (1997)
Definition
A law that bans sending "indecent" material to minor over the internet is unconstitutional because "indecent" is too vague and broad a term.
Term
New York Times v. Sullivan (1964)
Definition
To libel a public figure, there must be "actual malice".
Term
Miller v. California (1973)
Definition
Obscenity is defined as appealing to prurient interests of an average person with materials that lack literacy, artistic, political, or scientific value.
Term
McConnell v. Federal Election Commission (2003)
Definition
Upholds 2002 campaign finance reform law.
Term
Collin v. Smith (1978)
Definition
The Nazi Party may march through a largely Jewish neighborhood.
Term
Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire (1942)
Definition
"Fighting words" are not protected by the First Amendement.
Term
Least-restrictive means
Definition
if it is necessary to restrict the exercise of another, the restriction should employ the least-restrictive means to achive its end.
Term
Clarity
Definition
if you obtain a permit to hold a parade, the law must set forth clear (as well a neutral) standards to guide administrators in issuing a permit.

if you obtain a permit to hold a parade, the law must set forth clear (as well a neutral) standards to guide administrators in issuing a permit.

if you obtain a permit to hold a parade, the law must set forth clear (as well a neutral) standards to guide administrators in issuing a permit.

if you obtain a permit to hold a parade, the law must set forth clear (as well a neutral) standards to guide administrators in issuing a permit.
Term
Nutrality
Definition
any restriction on speech, such as a requirement that parades or demonstrations not disrupt other people in the exercise of their rights, must be neutral.
Term
Imminent danger
Definition
Punishment for uttering inflammatory sentiments will be allowed only if there is an imminent danger that utterances will incite an unlawful act.
Term
Prior restraint
Definition
with scarcely any exceptions, the Court will not tolerate a prior restraint on expression, such as censorship, even when it will allow subsequent punishment of improper expressions.
Term
Preferred position
Definition
the right to free expression though not absolute, occupies a higher, or more preferred, position that many other constitutional rights, such as property rights.
Term
4 forms of speaking that are not automatically granted full constitiutional protection:
Definition
libel, obscenity, symbolic speech, and false advertising.
Term
Palko v. Connecticut (1937)
Definition
Supreme Court says that states must observe all "fundamental" liberties.
Term
Gitlow v. New York (1925)
Definition
Supreme Court says the Frist Amendment applies to states.
Term
Smith Act (1940), Internal Security Act (1950), Communist Control Act (1954)
Definition
-illegal to advocate the overthrow the American government by force or violence (Smith Act),

-required members of the Communist Party to register with the government (Interal Security),

-and declared the Communist Party to be part of a conspiracy to overthrow the government (Communist Control Act).
Term
the Espionage and Sedition Acts (1917-1918)
Definition
making it a crime to utter false statements that would interfere with the American military.
Term
the Sedition Act (1798)
Definition
making it a crime to write, utter, or publish "any false, scandalous, and malicious writing" with the intention of defaming the president, Congress or the Government.
Term
due process of law
Definition
Denies the government the right, without due process to deprive people of life, liberty, and property.
Term
equal protection of the law
Definition
A standard of equal treatment that must be observed by the government
Term
selective incorporation
Definition
Court cases that apply Bill of Rights to states
Term
freedom of expression
Definition
Right of people to speak, publish, and assemble
Term
freedom of religion
Definition
People shall be set free to exercise their religion, and government may not establish a religion
Term
prior restraint
Definition
Censorship of a publication
Term
Clear-And-Present-Danger Test
Definition
Law should not punish speech unless there was a clear and present danger of producing harmful actions
Term
libel
Definition
Writing that falsely injures another person
Term
symbolic speech
Definition
An act that conveys a political message
Term
free-exercise clause
Definition
First Amendment requirement that law cannot prevent free exercise of religion
Term
establishment clause
Definition
First Amendment ban on laws "respecting an establishment of religion"
Term
wall of separation
Definition
Court Ruling that government cannot be involved with religion
Term
exclusionary rule
Definition
Improperly gathered evidence may not be introduced in a criminal trial
Term
search warrant
Definition
A judge's order authorizing a search
Term
probable cause
Definition
Reasonable cause for issuing a search warrant or making an arrest; more than mere suspicion
Term
good-faith exception
Definition
n error in gathering evidence sufficiently minor that it may be used in a trial
Term
equality of opportunity
Definition
giving people and equal chance to succeed.
Term
reverse discrimination
Definition
using race or sex to give preferential treatment to some people.
Term
equality of result
Definition
making certian that people achieve the same result.
Term
affirmative action
Definition
programs designed to increase minority participation in some institution (businesses, schools, labor unions, or government agencies) by taking positive steps to appoint more minority-group members.
Term
police powers
Definition
state power to effect laws prooting health, safety, and morals.
Term
civil disobedience
Definition
opposing a law one considers unjust by peacefully disobeying it and accepting the resultant punishment
Term
de facto segregation
Definition
racial segregation that occurs in schools, not as a result of the law, btu as a result of paterns of residential settlement.
Term
de jure segregation
Definition
racial segregation that is required by law.
Term
separate-but-equal doctrine
Definition
the doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) that African Americans could constitutionally be kept in seperate but equal facilities.
Term
strict scrunity
Definition
a Supreme Court test to see if a law denies equal protection because it does not serve a compelling intrest and is not narrowly tailored to achive that goal.
Term
suspect classification
Definition
classification of people on the basis of their race or ethnicity
Term
civil rights
Definition
the rights of people to be treated without unreasonable or unconstitutional differences
Term
Reed v. Reed
Definition
Gender discrimination violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution.
Term
Craig v. Boren
Definition
Gender discrimination can only be justifies if it serves " important governmental objectives" and be " substancialy related to those objectives.
Term
Rostker v. Goldberg
Definition
Congress can draft men without drafting women.
Term
United States v. Virginia
Definition
State may not finance an all-male military school.
Term
Griswold v. Connecticut
Definition
Found a "right to privacy" in the Constitution that would ban any state law against selling contraceptives.
Term
Roe v. Wade
Definition
State laws against abortion were unconstitutional.
Term
Stenberg v. Carhart
Definition
States may not ban partial birth abortions they fail to allow exceptions to protect the health of the mother.
Term
United Steelworkers v. Weber
Definition
race in an employment agreement between the steelworkers union and steel plant
Term
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Definition
In a confused set of rival opinions, the decisive vote was cast by Justice Powell, who said that a quotalike ban on Bakke's admission was unconstitutional but that "diversity" was legitimate goal that could be pursued by taking race into account.
Term
Lawrence v. Texas
Definition
State law may not ban same-sexual relationships
Term
Richmond v. Croson said what
Definition
Affirmative action plans must be judged by strict scrutiny standard that requires any race-conscious plan to be narrowly tailored to serve a compelling interest
Term
Green v. County School Board of New Kent COunty
Definition
Banned a freedom of choice plan for intergrating schools, suggesting that blacks and whites must actually attend racially mixed schools
Term
Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education
Definition
Apporved busing and redrawling district lines as ways of intergrating public schools
Term
poll
Definition
A survey of public opinion
Term
public opinion
Definition
How people think or feel about particular things
Term
exit polls
Definition
Polls based on interviews conducted on Election Day with randomly selected voters.
Term
Random sample
Definition
Method of selecting from a population in which each person has an equal probability of being selected.
Term
Sampling error
Definition
The difference between the results of two random samples taken at the same time.
Term
Political socialization
Definition
Process by which background traits influences one's political views.
Term
Elite
Definition
People who have a disproportionate amount of some valued resource.
Term
Gender gap
Definition
Difference in political views between men and women.
Term
Political ideology
Definition
A more or less consistent set of beliefs about what policies government ought to pursue
Term
Political elites
Definition
Persons with disproportionate share of political power.
Term
Norm
Definition
A standard of right or proper conduct.
Term
activists
Definition
people who tend to praticipate in all forms of politics.
Term
Australian ballot
Definition
a government-printed ballot of uniform dimensions to be cast in secret that many states adopted around 1890 to reduce voting fraud associated with party-printed ballots cast in public.
Term
white primary
Definition
a pratice of keeping blacks from voting in the southern states' primaries through arbitrary use of registration requirements and intimidation.
Term
grandfather clause
Definition
a clause in registration laws allowing people who do not meet regsteration requirements to vote if they or their ancestors had voted before 1867.
Term
poll tax
Definition
a requirement that citizens pay a tax in orfer to register to vote.
Term
literacy test
Definition
a requirement that citizens pass a literacy test in order to register to vote.
Term
registered voters
Definition
people who are registered to vote.
Term
voting-age population
Definition
citizens who are eligible to vote after reaching the minimum age requirement
Term
Voting specialist
Definition
People who vote but do little else;They tend ,not to have much schooling and income and are older.
Term
Campaigner
Definition
They vote and like to get involved in involved in campaign activities. they are better educated then the average voter and are interested in political struggles.
Term
Communalists
Definition
They are like the campaigner but do not like getting involved in the struggles and tension of politics.
Term
Parochial participants
Definition
they don't really get involved in anything
but they will call local officials about, often about personal matters.
Term
Fractional parties
Definition
Parties that are created by a split in a major party, usually over the identity and philosophy of the major party's presidential candidate.
Term
Economic-protest parties
Definition
Parties, usually based in a particular region, epsically involving farmers, that protest against depressed economic condition. These tend to disappear as conditions improve.
Term
One-issue parties
Definition
Parties seeking a single policy, usually revealed by their names, and avoiding other issues.
Term
Ideological parties
Definition
Parties professing a comperhensive view of American society and government that is radically different from that established parties. Most have been Marxist in outlook, but some are quite the opposite such as the Libertarian party.
Term
First presidential nominee to make an acceptance speech at the party convention
Definition
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Term
Only person nominated four times by a major political party
Definition
Franklin D. Roosevelt, by Democrates in 1932, 1936, 1940, and 1944
Term
First Catholic nominated for president by a major party
Definition
Al Smith, by Democrates in 1928
Term
Closest vote in convention history
Definition
543 3/20 to 542 7/20, defeating a motion to condemn the Ku Klux Klan at 1924 Democratic convention
Term
Most ballots needed to choose a presidential nominee
Definition
103, by Democrates in 1924 to select John W. Davis
Term
First year in which woment attended conventions as delegates
Definition
1900(one woman at both Democratic and Republican conventions)
Term
First African American to recieve a vote at a national party convention
Definition
Frederick Douglass, at Republican convention in 1888
Term
First-time incumbent governors were nominated for president
Definition
Rutherford B. Hayes of Ohio, by Republicans in 1876
Samuel J. Tilden of New York, by Democrats in 1876
Term
First national political convention
Definition
Anti-Masonic party, 1831, in Baltimore.
Term
1980 Hunt Commission (rules)
Definition
- Equal division of delegates between men and women.
- Establisment of "goals" for the representation of African Americans, Hispanics, and other groups in proportion to their presence in a states's Democratic electorate.
- Open delegate selection procedure, with advance publicity and written rules.
- Selection of 75% of the delegates at the level of the congressional district or lower.
- No "unit rule" that would require all delegates to vote with the majority of their state delegation.
- Restrictions on the number of party leaders adn elected officals who could vote at the convention.
- A requirement that all delegates pledged to a condidate vote for that candidate.
Term
Democrates(creation)
(1796-2000)
Definition
(1796) Democratic-Republicans, (1824) Democrates, (1860) Democrates/Southern Democrates/Constitutional Unionists, (1864) Democrates, (1896) National Democrats/Bryan Democrates, (1900) Democrats, (1948) Henry Wallace Progressives/States' Rights Democrats, (1952) Democrates, (1964) George Wallace Democrates/Democrates, (1968) Democrates.
Term
Republicans (creation)
(1796-2000)
Definition
(1796)Federalists, (1824) National Republicans, (1836) Whigs, (1852)Republicans/Whigs (split), (1856) Republicans, (1912) Republicans/Bull Moose Progressives (split), (1916) Republicans.
Term
Political party
Definition
a group that seeks to elect candidates to public office.
Term
mugwumps or progressives
Definition
Republican party faction of the 1890's to the 1920's, composed of reformers who opposed patronage
Term
Critical or realignment period
Definition
Periods when a major, lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties
Term
split ticket
Definition
the process of voting for candidates in more than one party for different positions.
Term
straight ticket
Definition
Voting for candidates of the same party for multiple positions
Term
office-bloc ballot
Definition
A ballot listing all candidates of a given office under the name of that office; also called a "Massachusetts" ballot
Term
party-column ballot
Definition
a ballot listing all candidates of a given party under the name if that party; also called an "Indiana" ballot.
Term
National convetion
Definition
a meeting of party delegates held every four years
Term
National comittee
Definition
delegates who run party affairs between national conventions
Term
congressional campaign committee
Definition
A party committee in Congress that provides funds to members and would-be members
Term
National Chairman
Definition
Day-to-day party manager elected by the national committee
Term
superdelegate
Definition
party leaders and elected officials who become delegates to the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses.
Term
Political machine
Definition
A party organization that recruits members by dispensing patronage.
Term
ideological party
Definition
A party that values principle stands on issues above all else.
Term
Solidary incentives
Definition
The social rewards that lead people to join political organizations.
Term
Sponsored party
Definition
A local or state political party that is largely supported by another organization in the committee
Term
Personal following
Definition
The political support provided to a candidate on the basis of popularity and networks.
Term
Two-party system
Definition
An electoral system with two dominant parties that compete in national elections.
Term
plurality system
Definition
An electoral system in which the winner is the person who gets the most votes, even if he or she does not receive a majority; used in almost all American elecions.
Term
Caucus
Definition
A meeting of party members to select delegates backing one or another primary candidate.
Term
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, kansas (1954)
Definition
it was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court, which overturned earlier rulings going back to Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896, by declaring that state laws which established separate public schools for black and white students denied black children equal educational opportunities. Handed down on May 17, 1954, the Warren Court's unanimous (9-0) decision stated that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." As a result, de jure racial segregation was ruled a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, this victory paved the way for integration and the Civil Rights Movement.
Term
Baker v. Carr (1962)
Definition
It was a landmark United States Supreme Court case that retreated from the Court's political question doctrine, deciding that reapportionment issues (attempts to change the way voting districts are delineated) present justiciable questions, thus enabling federal courts to intervene in and to decide reapportionment cases. The defendants unsuccessfully argued that reapportionment of legislative districts is a "political question," and hence not a question that may be resolved by federal courts.
Term
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)
Definition
It was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States on affirmative action. It bars quota systems in college admissions but affirms the constitutionality of affirmative action programs giving equal access to minorities.
Term
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
Definition
It was a landmark case in the area of U.S. criminal procedure, in which the United States Supreme Court decided that evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment protection against "unreasonable searches and seizures" may not be used in criminal prosecutions in state courts, as well as federal courts.
Term
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Definition
Is a landmark case in United States Supreme Court history. In the case, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that state courts are required by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution to provide lawyers in criminal cases for defendants unable to afford their own attorneys.
Term
Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
Definition
It was a landmark 5-4 decision of the United States Supreme Court which was argued February 28–March 1, 1966 and decided June 13, 1966. The Court held that criminal suspects must be informed of their right to consult with an attorney and of their right against self-incrimination prior to questioning by police. The Miranda warning required by the Supreme Court in this case is an example of a prophylactic rule formulated by the judiciary in order to protect a constitutional right.
Term
blog
Definition
series, or log, of disccusions items on a page of the world wide web.
Term
sound bite
Definition
A radio or movie clip of someone speaking.
Term
equal time rule
Definition
An FCC rule that if a brodcaster sells time to one candidate, it must sell equal time to other candidates
Term
trial baloon
Definition
Infromation leaked to the media to test public reaction to a possible policy
Term
loaded language
Definition
Words that imply a value judgment, used to persuade the reader without having made a serious argument.
Term
routine stories
Definition
Media stories about events that are regularly covered by reporters.
Term
feature stories
Definition
Media stories about events that, though public, are not regularly covered by reporters
Term
insider stories
Definition
Media stories about events that are not usually made public.
Term
selective attention
Definition
Paying attention only to those news stories with witch one already agrees.
Term
adversarial press
Definition
The tendency of the national media to be suspicious of officials and eager to reveal unflattering stories about them.
Term
backround
Definition
A public official's statement to a reporter that is given on condition that the official not be named
Term
"rules" of politics
Definition
all secrets become public knowledge. THe more important the secret, the sooner it becomes known.

-all stories written about me are inaccurate; all stories written about you are entirely accurate.

-the rosier the news, the higher ranking the official who announces it.

-always release bad news on Saturday night. Fewer people notice.

-never argue with a person that buys ink by the barrel.
Term
Miami Herald v. Tornillo (1974)
Definition
a newspaper cannont be required to give someone to reply to one of its stories.
Term
New York Times v. Sullivan (1964)
Definition
public officals may not win a libel suit unless they can prove that the statement was made knowing it to be false or with reckless disreguard of its truth.
Term
Near v. Minnesota (1931)
Definition
freedom of the press applies to state governments, so that they cannot impose proir restraint on newspapers.
Term
watchdog
Definition
once the scorekeeper watches you, they then basically watch your every move.
Term
scorekeeper
Definition
national media can keep track of and help make political reputations.
Term
gatekeeper
Definition
role of the national government, which can influence what subjects become national political issues and for how long.
Term
the "big three"
Definition
ABC, CBS, NBC
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