Government
The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies
Public Policy
A choice that government makes in response to a political issue. A policy is a course of action taken with regard to some problem.
Democracy
a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.
Direct Democracy
A form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives
Representative Democracy
A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people.
Pluralist Democracy
a theory of democracy that holds that citizen membership in groups is the key to political power
Elite Democracy
a theory of democracy that limits the citizens' role to choosing among competing leaders
Participatory Democracy
a theory of democracy that holds that citizens should actively and directly control all aspects of their lives
Hyperpluralism
a theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened
Social Contract
A voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules.
Natural Rights
the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property
Declaration of Independence
the document recording the proclamation of the second Continental Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain
Articles of Confederation
1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)
Federal System
a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and a number of individual states
Connecticut (Great) Compromise
Compromise agreement by states at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislature with a lower house in which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators.
Three-Fifths Compromise
Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person in determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (negated by the 13th amendment)
Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise
an agreement during the Constitutional Convention protecting slave holders; denied Congress the power to tax the export of goods from any State, and, for 20 years, the power to act on the slave trade
Ratification
Formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a constitution, constitutional amendment, or treaty
Federalist
A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during ratification debates in state legislatures.
Anti-Federalists
Anti-Federalists rose up as the opponents of the Constitution during the period of ratification. They opposed the Constitution's powerful centralized government, arguing that the Constitution gave too much political, economic, and military control. They instead advocated a decentralized governmental structure that granted most power to the states
Constitution
A document which spells out the principles by which a government runs and the fundamental laws that govern a society
Limited Government
The idea that certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect the natural rights of citizens.
Popular Sovereignty
Rule by the people
Separation of Powers
Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law
Checks and Balances
A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
Federalism
A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments
Amendments
Official changes, corrections, or additions to the Constitution
Bill of Rights
First 10 amendments to the Constitution
Judicial Review (Marbury v. Madison)
Most important case in Supreme Court history - first U.S. Supreme Court case to apply the principle of judicial review (the power of federal courts to void acts of Congress in conflict with the Constitution.) Written in 1803 by Chief Justice John Marshall, the decision played a key role in making the Supreme Court a separate branch of government on par with Congress and the executive.
Federalist Papers
A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail.
Federalist #10
An essay composed by James Madison which argues that liberty is safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such diversity makes tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always be unstable.
Federalist #51
addresses means by which appropriate checks and balances can be created in government and also advocates a separation of powers within the national government.
Brutus #1
To argue against a strong central government. The country would be too large for one central government and the government would have too much power.
Shay's Rebellion
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Delegated Powers
Constitutional powers granted solely to the federal government.
Implied Powers
powers that congress has that are not stated explicitly in the constitution
Necessary and Proper (Elastic) Clause
Allows Congress to pass laws that are "necessary and proper" for the benefit of the citizens (Implied Powers).
10th Amendment
Powers not given to federal government go to people and States
14th Amendment
Declares that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens and are guaranteed equal protection of the laws
Inherent Powers
Powers the Constitution is presumed to have delegated to the National Government because it is the government of a sovereign state within the world community
Concurrent Powers
Powers held jointly by the national and state governments.
Reserved Powers
Powers not specifically granted to the federal government or denied to the states belong to the states and the people
Full Faith and Credit Clause
addresses the duties that states within the United States have to respect the "public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state.
Privileges and Immunities Clause
Part of Article IV of the Constitution guaranteeing that the citizens of each state are afforded the same rights as citizens of all other states.
Extradition
The legal process by which a fugitive from justice in one state is returned to that state
Interstate Compacts
agreements between states that Congress has the authority to review and reject
Supremacy Clause
Federal law is supreme over state law
Dual Federalism
Doctrine holding that the national government is supreme in its sphere, the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate
Cooperative Federalism
A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs, administration, and even blame for programs that work poorly.
Devolution
Transferring responsibility for policies from the federal government to state and local governments.
Fiscal Federalism
Federal government using money (grants) to influence & control states.
Fiscal Policy
Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxing and spending.
Grants-In-Aid
federal money provided to states to implement public policy objectives
Categorical Grants
Federal grants that can be used only for specific purposes, or "categories," of state and local spending. They come with strings attached, such as nondiscrimination provisions.
Block Grants
federal grants-in-aid that allow states considerable discretion in how the funds are spent
Formula Grants
grants-in-aid in which a formula is used to determine the amount of federal funds a state or local government will receive
Project Grants
Federal categorical grants given for specific purposes and awarded on the basis of the merits of applications
Mandates
terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants
Unfunded Mandates
Programs that the Federal government requires States to implement without Federal funding.