Civics Final Exam Study Guide

Please write answers on a separate sheet of paper.

Directions:
Section One: Political Heritage

Terms (explain their significance and key concepts that originate from each term)
1. Magna Carta 14. Rule of law
2. English Bill of Rights 15. Separation of powers
3. Mayflower Compact 16. Checks and balances (list examples)
4. Declaration of Independence 17. Social Contract/Compact
5. Articles of Confederation 18. Natural/Inalienable Rights
6. John Locke (Second Treatise) 19. Republicanism
7. Montesquieu (Spirit of Laws) 20. Federalism
8. Federalist Papers 21. Parliamentary System
9. Great Compromise 22. Presidential System
10. Anti-Federalists 23. 13th amendment
11. 3/5 Compromise 24. 14th amendment
12. Bill of Rights 25. 15th amendment
13. Popular Sovereignty 26. 19th amendment

Questions
27. List and explain the “Core Democratic Values” (Example: Limited Gov, Majority Rules/Minority Rights, ect)
28. Explain the major debates and compromises underlying the formation and ratification of Constitution.
29. Describe the role of amendments in modifying American constitutional government.
30. What is the process for amending the Constitution?

Section Two: Continuum, Parties, Interest Groups, & Other Actors

Terms (explain their significance and key concept or duties that originate from each term)
31. Interest Groups
32. Grassroots
33. Lobbyist
34. Political parties
35. Third (minor) parties
36. Political Action Committees

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Questions (thoroughly explain and describe each question):
37. Draw the political continuum and label the four main ideologies (political labels).
38. Explain how political parties, interest groups, the media, and individuals can influence and determine the public agenda.
39. Explain the different goals of political parties, interest groups, and third parties.
40. Describe the goals of minor (third) parties in the American Political System.
41. Explain how citizens can impact the electoral process without voting.
42. Explain the concept of public opinion, factors that shape it, and contrasting views on the role it should play in public policy.
43. Explain the significance of campaigns and elections in American politics, current criticisms of campaigns, and proposals for their
reform.
44. Explain the trends in voter turnout (in regards to age, race, religion, income, education, ect)
45. Explain the role of television, radio, the press, and the internet in political communication

Section Three: Legislative Branch

Terms (explain their significance and key concept or duties that originate from each term) Bicameral
46. Speaker of the House ( role of) 58. Liberal Constructionist
47. Majority/Minority Leader (role of ) 59. expressed powers
48. Majority/Minority Whip (role of) 60. necessary and proper clause (elastic clause)
49. Major/ Minority Leader- Senate (role of) 61. impeachment
50. President Pro Tempore (role of) 62. Conference Committee
51. Committee 63. Veto
52. Committee chairpersons 64. Veto Override (explain the process)
53. committee hearings 65. (Re) Apportionment
54. Constituents 66. Gerrymandering
55. Incumbent (and list advantages) 67. Packing (Gerrymandering)
56. public policy 68. Cracking (Gerrymandering)
57. Strict Constructionist

Questions (thoroughly explain and describe each question):

69. What is the role of Congress?
70. What are the qualifications to serve as a Senator (age, residency, citizenship, ect)? Representative?
71. What is term length of a Senator? Representative?
72. What is the purpose of differing term lengths for senators and representatives?
73. What determines how many representatives for each state?
74. How are the boundaries for each congressional district determined?
75. Explain the specific powers (tax, borrow, coin money and war) delegated to the United States Congress by the Constitution.
76. How are congressional districts determined? Why is gerrymandering an important issue related to district boundaries?
77. Draw a diagram and explain each step of the legislative process (how a bill becomes a law).
78. Why does Congress create committees?
79. Why are committee chairpersons powerful?

Section Four: Executive Branch

Terms (explain their significance and key concept or duties that originate from each term)
80. The roles (8) of the President (explain and give an 83. Vice President
example) 84. Speaker of the House
1) Commander-in-Chief 85. The Bureaucracy
2) Chief Legislator 86. The Department of State
3) Chief of Party 87. The Department of Defense
4) Chief Citizen 88. The Department of Justice
5) Chief Diplomat 89. Executive orders
6) Chief of State 90. Treaty making powers
7) Chief Administrator 91. War powers
8) Chief Executive The Cabinet 92. Pardoning and commutation of sentences
81. Regulatory Agencies (e.g.EPA, FCC) 93. Primary Election
82. Executive Offices of the President 94. Electoral College

Questions (thoroughly explain and describe each question):

95. What is the role of the executive branch?
96. What are the qualifications to serve as president?
97. What is term length of a president? How many terms may the president serve? How are these limits established?
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98. What duties are assigned by the Constitution to the President of the United States?
99. Explain the president’s legislative powers.
100.Explain the president’s Judicial powers.
101.Explain the role of independent regulatory agencies (ex: the federal bureaucracy)
102.What is the role of the president’s Cabinet/ /White House advisors.
103.Explain the responsibilities of the Executive Office of the President?
104.Describe how the Electoral College works.
105.Why did the founding fathers choose to use the Electoral College to elect the president? What are criticisms of the Electoral
College?

Section Five: Foreign Policy

Terms (explain their significance and key concept or duties that originate from each term)

106.Isolationism 111.economic assistance

107.Interventionism 112.military and humanitarian aid
108.bilateral 113.sanctions
109.multilateral 114.military intervention
110.diplomacy 115.covert action

Questions (thoroughly explain and describe each question):

116.Describe the process by which United States foreign policy is made, including the powers the Constitution gives to the president;
Congress and the judiciary; and the roles federal agencies, domestic interest groups, the public, and the media play in foreign
policy.

Section Six: Judicial Branch

Terms (explain their significance and key concept or duties that originate from each term

117.Supreme Court 135.exclusionary rule

118.Dual Court System – jurisdiction 136.Due Process
119.District Courts 137.Rights of the Accused
120.Circuit Courts 138.Marbury v. Madison
121.Appellate Court 139.Roe v. Wade
122.U.S. Supreme Court 140.Gideon v. Wainwright
123.Appointment of judges 141.Miranda v. Arizona
124.Adversarial model 142.Brown v. Board
125.Criminal Court 143.Citizens United v. FEC
126.Burden of proof 144.Gratz v. Bollinger
127.Civil Court 145.Kyllo v. United States
128.rule of four 146.DC v. Heller
129.majority opinion 147.Masterpiece Cake v. Colorado
130.dissenting opinion 148.Mapp v. Ohio
131.concurring opinion 149.Libel
132.judicial review 150.Slander
133.precedent 151.Clear and present danger test
134.original jurisdiction

Questions (thoroughly explain and describe each question):

152.What is the role of the judicial branch?
153.Explain how the principles of key terms (listed above) serve to limit the power of government.
154.Explain how the Constitution is maintained as the supreme law of the land.
155.What due process rights and rights of the accused are given to individuals by the Bill of Rights?
156.Outline the dual court system.
157.What is the difference between civil and criminal law
158.What are the grounds for appeal?
159.Describe the appeals process.
160.Beginning with written appeals, describe the process in which cases are selected and decided upon by the Supreme Court.
161.Write your name, date, and hour.
162.Using the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Amendments, describe the rights of the accused.
163.Use examples to explain why rights are not unlimited and absolute.

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Section Seven: Federalism (State and Local)
Terms (explain their significance and key concept or duties that originate from each term)
See your book for any terms you may not be familiar with!!!

164.Property tax 168.Concurrent powers

165.Sales tax 169.Reserved powers
166.City council/board of trustees 170.Referendum
167.Zoning ordinances 171.Initiative
172.Recall

Questions (thoroughly explain and describe each question):

173.Describe limits the U.S. Constitution places on powers of the states (what are states not permitted to do)
174.Identify and define states’ reserved powers.
175.Describe and define state’s concurrent powers.
176.Write your name, date, and hour.
177.Explain the tension among federal, state, and local governmental power using the necessary and proper clause, the commerce
clause, and the Tenth Amendment.
178.Evaluate the major sources of revenue for state and local governments.

Section Eight: Foreign Policy/International Affairs

Terms (explain their significance and key concepts that originate from each term)
179.United Nations 182.European Union
180.NAFTA 183.Organization of American States
181.NATO

Questions (thoroughly explain and describe each question):

184.Describe how different political systems interact in world affairs with respect to international issues.
185.Analyze the impact of political, economic, technological, and cultural developments around the world on the United States (e.g.,
terrorism, emergence of regional organizations like the, multinational corporations, and interdependent world economy).
186.Evaluate the role of the United States in important bilateral and multilateral agreements