American Government
Name __________________________ Period______________ Date_________
Final Exam Review
Your final exam will consist of 100 multiple-choice questions and an essay. There are
graphs & charts, exerts from articles and other critical thinking skills on the exam.
Remember for vocab terms and major concepts, know definition and be able recognize
examples of the term or concept.
Principles of Government:
1. Main functions/purpose of a government:
2. Three basic powers of government:
Types of government: Who holds the power? How are they put in power?
3. Dictatorship
4. Monarchy
5. Democracy
How are the executive and legislative branches established in these two systems?
6. Presidential system7. Parliamentary systemSocial Contract theories:
8. John Locke9. Thomas Hobbes-
10. Central Functions of a government: What does the government do for the people?
The Constitution: Basic Principles
Types of Power
11. Reserved
12. Delegated
13. Concurrent
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14. Elastic Clause & Implied Powers (definition and how they relate to each other)
15. Preamble of the Constitution, what are the goals of our government?
16. Popular sovereignty
17. Separation of powers
18. Checks & balances
19. Judicial review
20. Amendment Process
Federalism:
21. Division of powers
22. Supremacy Clause
Political Parties:
23. Role/purpose of Parties in the American Political System:
24. Reasons for our Two-Party System
25. Political Spectrum: What terms do we use to describe an issue on the spectrum?
26. Splinter party-
The Electoral Process:
27. caucus vs. primary
28. national conventions: purpose
29. Who decides the winner of the general election if no candidates wins the 270 electoral
votes?
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30. Why do critics call for a change in the Electoral College?
The Role and Powers of Congress:
31. Current leaders in key positions – both Federal and Pennsylvania (7th PA congressional
District)
32. House of Representatives
a. Requirements for office
b. Leadershipc. Terms
i. Why did the framers give the House such short term?
33. Senate
a. Requirements for office
b. Leadershipc. Terms
34. How often do we have elections in the U.S.? How does that affect Congress?
35. How a Bill Becomes a Law. Identify the major steps.
36. What is the role of Congressional Committees?
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The Presidency:
37. President
a. Requirements for office
b. Terms
38. Roles of the President- identify actions that relate to each of these roles.
a. Commander in chief
b. Chief legislator
c. Chief diplomat
Powers of the President
39. Expressed or Explicit powers: What does that mean?
40. Identify expressed powers vs. implied powers?
41. Appointment Powers
a. Who/whom must approve the Presidential appointments?
42. Veto: define and describe how Congress can override the veto.
Other information related to the Presidency
43. Impeachment of the President
44. Executive privilege
45. Which president tried to invoke executive privilege to avoid impeachment, but was
overruled by the Supreme Court?
46. Power of recognition-
47. Pardon vs. reprieve48. President’s Executive office includes which groups or people?
49. Why are president’s limited to two terms?
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50. Executive branch & Merit System -people are hired on the bases of the Merit system,
must take completive exams.
Executive/Cabinet Departments
51. How many executive departments are there today?
52. How are the leaders/secretaries of these departments put in power?
53. Which cabinet position assists the President with foreign affairs?
54. Electoral Collegea. Who decides the winner of the general election if no candidates wins the 270
electoral votes?
b. Why do critics call for a change in the Electoral College?
55. Purpose of the National Convention
The Federal Court System
56. District Courts:
57. Supreme Court: Role, number of judges
58. judicial review 59. Precedent60. Chief Justice John Marshal –
61. Criminal Case:
found guilty?
What must be proven before you are found guilty? What happens if
62. Civil Case: What happens if your found guilty?
63. Military trial64. What did Brown v. Board of Education declare?
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Vocabulary terms
65. Hard money
66. Soft money
67. Filibuster68. Cloture
69. Closed Primary
70. Suffrage
71. Straight- ticket voting-
72. Census:
73. Impeachment74. PAC75. Super Pac
76. Individual donor limits to candidates?
77. Gerrymandering-
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