What determines how many members each state sends to the House of Representatives?
Population
Describe gerrymandering and the impact that it can have on popular sovereignty.
Republicans or Democrats may try to draw district lines so there are more of their party within those lines, making it easier for them to hold that seat.
Packing
Packing happens when the State legislators "pack" as many voters from the opposing party into a single district as possible. This makes the other districts "safe" for the party in power.
Cracking
Cracking happens when the party in power splits up the voters from the opposing party. This results in the minority party winning fewer seats.
Kidnapping
Kidnapping happens when the party in power redraws the district lines to move a minority-party incumbent into a different district where she or he is unlikely to win re-election.
What are the qualifications to be a member of the Senate?
30 years old
US citizens for at least 9 years
Most have a great deal of government experience
Many are former members of the HOR
The Senate is a continuous body. What does this mean?
They serve six year terms
How are the numbers of Senators for each state determined by the Constitution?
Each state has 2 Senators (a total of 100 in the Senate)
What is a Congressional Subcommittee and what is the major purpose of this group?
Smaller groups that more specialized problems
What is the role of a "whip" in Congress?
Assists each floor leader
What is a filibuster?
Occurs when defeating a bill in a legislative body by preventing a final vote.
Explain what a session and term of Congress is? Where are these timeframes defined?
A term is a two year period of time during which Congress meets
A session is a period of time during which, each year, congress assembles and conducts business
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?
Terms can be for however long
How long does a President have to sign or veto a law?
Ten days
What is a "pocket veto?
where congress adjourns its session within 10 days of submitting a bill to the president, and the president does not act, the bill dies.
Where are all of Congress' powers located in the Constitution (expressed and implied)?
Article I
Chief Citizen
The President serves as a representative for all of the people in the United States.
Chief Diplomat
The president decides what American diplomats and ambassadors shall say to foreign governments.
Chief of Party
The president helps members of his political party get elected or appointed to office.
Commander in Chief
The president is in charge of the U.S. armed forces: the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.
Chief Legislator
Only Congress has the actual power to make laws. But the Constitution gives the president power to influence Congress in its lawmaking.
Chief Administrator
The president is "boss" for millions of government workers in the Executive Branch, deciding how the laws of the United States are to be enforced and choosing officials and advisers to help run the Executive Branch.
Chief Executive
The president serves as the holder of all executive power vested by the Constitution.
Chief of State
This role requires a president to be an inspiring example for the American people.
Qualifications for the Presidency?
Be a natural born citizen of the United States of America
Be AT LEAST 35 years of age.
Be a resident of the United States for 14 years.
Presidential Line of Succession.
Vice President
Speaker of the House
President pro tempore of the Senate
Secretary of State
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of Defense
Attorney General
Secretary of the Interior
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Labor
Secretar
Who are the next 4 in line? What is their role in the government?
Vice President
Speaker of the House
President pro tempore of the Senate
Secretary of State
What Amendment created this.
25th
According to the Constitution, what is the maximum number of years a President can serve?
Two four year terms
What Amendment created this?
22nd
What is the main expressed power given to the Vice President?
The President enforces and carries out ALL federal laws.
What is the name given to the day when the President takes the Oath of Office and assumes the power of the Presidency?
Inaugoration
What is the name given to the leaders of the 15 Executive Departments?
Department of State
Department of Treasury
Department of Defense
Department of Justice
Department of the Interior
Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce
Department of Labor
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Housing and Urban
What is the purpose of the Executive Office of the President?
To make quick decisions without Congress
What is the State of the Union Address?
A yearly address delivered each January by the president of the US to Congress, giving the administration's view of the state of the nation and plans for legislation.
Where is the President's authority defined in the Constitution?
Article II of the Constitution gives the President his power.
What is the Electoral College?
The Electoral College is a group of people from each state who help select our president
What is the number of a state's electors equal to?
270
What states are the most important for a candidate to win?
California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina, and New Jersey
List the steps to the Presidency?
2-3 Years out
1-year out
August-September of Election Year
Election Day
Primaries and Caucuses
Primaries...narrowing down the candidates.
Convention
Party Conventions formally choose their nominee for President.
General Election
People cast their vote for electors...who then vote for the President "as they choose"...but they always vote how their state does.
WINNER TAKE ALL
Petit Jury
A jury of 9-12 people that determine guilt or innocence in a criminal case or fault in a civil case.
Grand Jury
A larger jury (around 25 people) that listens to the fact of a case and determines if there is enough evidence for a trial to take place (criminal jury only).
Criminal Case
In criminal cases, the government brings a case against one or more defendants. The defendant in a criminal case is the person being accused of committing a crime by the government.
Examples: Financial fraud, Bank robbery, Counterfeiting, Kidnapping, Thre
Civil Case
In a civil suit, the person bringing the case against another party is called the plaintiff. The party the plaintiff is suing is called the defendant. Though you have the right to sue someone in federal court, not every civil lawsuit is a federal case.
Ex
Plaintiff
The person or company that is suing or the entity or group prosecuting a criminal.
Defendant
The individual that is accused of committing a crime or the individual or company accused of some sort of wrongdoing.
Precedent
If something in the court comes up multiple times, the same consequences are use. This provides stability in the judicial system.
Judicial Restraint v. Judicial Activism
Judges should decide cases based upon:
The intent of the Framers and Congress when the law was originally written
Argues that judges should take into account how social values and conditions may have changed over time when they interpret the law
What is Judicial Review?
Which lets the Court interpret the meaning of the Constitution.
What are US District Courts?
General Trial Courts of the US
What are US Courts of Appeals?
There are 13 courts of appeals today.
The nation is divided into 12 circuits, each with its own court of appeals.
Each court of appeals hears cases on appeal from one of the district courts within its circuit.
What is the Supreme Court?
The Court hears few original cases.
Most of the Court's cases are appeals of rulings made by lower courts. The Court may ask to hear these cases or be asked by lower courts to hear them.
Where are the vast majority of federal court cases heard?
State Courts
How does the Supreme Court decide which cases they will hear?
If a court has made a decision that conflicts with precedents. If a court has come up with a new question. If one court of appeals has made a decision that conflicts with another. If there are inconsistencies between courts of different states. If there i
How many justices serve on the US Supreme Court?
9
How long do Federal judges serve?
They have a life tenure, or the right to stay in office forever once appointed and approved.
What are the chances that the US Supreme Court will hear your case?
Your chances are low. Most of the Court's cases are appeals of rulings made by lower courts. The Court may ask to hear these cases or be asked by lower courts to hear them.
What happens if a cases is remanded by a Court of Appeals or a Supreme Court?
Returns to a lower court without the Court ruling on them
Who has the power to create courts at the national level?
Congress
How are federal judges appointed?
The president appoints federal judges and the Senate confirms or rejects them.
Where is the Judicial Branch explained in the US Constitution?
Article III
Original Jurisdiction
The court in which a case is first heard has original jurisdiction for that case
Appellate Jurisdiction
A court with appellate jurisdiction rules on cases that were first tried in other courts.
Concurrent Jurisdiction
Cases with concurrent jurisdiction can be tried in either a federal or state court.
Exclusive Jurisdiction
Where one court has the power to adjudicate a case to the exclusion of all other courts.
Why is the judicial system of the United States known as a "dual court system?
The new nation would have both federal courts, including lower-level district courts, and state courts
Miranda v. Arizona
Ernesto Miranda accused of committing a crime. Police arrested Miranda without informing him of his rights. Miranda signed a confession. Miranda appealed to the supreme court
Officers of the law must inform defendants of their rights immediately upon arre
Brown v. The Topeka Board of Education
Linda Brown, a black student in Topeka, KS, has to walk through a dangerous area to get to her all black school. Does not believe that schools between blacks and whites are equal.
Segregation is ruled unconstitutional. Desegregation is ordered to take pla
Plessy v. Ferguson
Homer Plessy arrested for sitting in a train car designated for Whites. Cites 14th amendment which states that all people are equal under the law.
Established "Separate but Equal" doctrine that led to segregation of blacks and whites in all phases of life
McCulloch v. Maryland
President Madison creates 2nd National Bank of the United States. State banks had to compete with the National Bank. Maryland Taxes McCullough's bank (national) and he refuses to pay.
Necessary and Proper Clause (Article 1, Section 8).
Gives Congress auth
Marbury v. Madison
John Adams makes midnight appointments. T.J. orders Madison to not deliver remaining appointments. Marbury believes that Madison is breaking the law by not appointing him
Decision established Judicial review. Court has the right to overrule acts of other