politics
the process of influencing the actions and policies of government
government
the rules and institutions that make up that system of policymaking
democracy
a system of government where power is held by the people
natural rights
the right to life, liberty, and property, which government cannot take away
social contract
people allow their governments to rule over them to ensure an orderly and functioning society
American political culture
the set of beliefs, values, customs, and traditions that Americans share
popular sovereignty
the idea that the government's right to rule comes from the people
republicanism
a system in which the government's authority comes from the people
inalienable rights
rights the government cannot take away
liberty
social, political, and economic freedoms
participatory democracy
a theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government
civil society groups
independent associations outside the government's control
Pluralist theory
theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of groups in the policymaking process
elitist theory
theory of democracy that the elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process
political institutions
the structure of government including the executive, legislature, and judiciary
constitutional republic
a democratic system with elected representatives in which the Constitution is the supreme law
Constitution
a document that sets out the fundamental principles of goverance and establishes the institutions of government
republic
a government ruled by representatives of the people
Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union
a governing document that created a union of 13 sovereign states in which the states, not the national government, were supreme
unicameral
a one-house legislature
Shay's Rebellion
a popular uprising against the government of Massachusetts
Constitutional Convention
a meeting attended by state delegated in 1787 to fix the Articles of Confederation
writ of habeas corpus
the right of people detained by the government to know the charges against them
bill of attainder
when the legislature declares someone guilty without a trial
ex post facto laws
laws punishing people for acts that were not crimes at the time they were committed
Virginia Plan
a plan of government calling for a three-branch government with a bicameral legislature, where more populous states would have more representation in Congress
New Jersey Plan
a plan of government that provided for a unicameral legislature with equal votes for each state
Grand Committee
a committee at the Constitutional Convention that worked out the compromise on representation
Great (Connecticut) Compromise
an agreement for a plan of government that drew upon both the Virginia and New Jersey plans; it settled issues of state representation by calling for a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives apportioned proportionately and a Senate proporti
bicameral
a two-house legislature
Three-Fifth Compromise
an agreement reached by delegates at the Constitutional Convention that a slave would count as 3/5 of a person in calculating a state's representation
Compromise on Importation
Congress could not restrict the slave trade until 1808
Separation of Powers
a design of government that distributes powers across institutions in order to avoid making one branch too powerful on its own
checks and balances
a design of government in which each branch has powers that can prevent the other branches from making policy
federalism
the sharing of power between the national government and the states
legislative branch
the institution responsible for making laws
expressed/enumerated powers
authority specifically granted to a branch of the government in the Constitution
necessary and proper clause (aka elastic cause)
language in Article i, Section 8, granting Congress the powers necessary to carry out its enumerated powers
commerce clause
grants Congress the authority to regulate interstate business and commercial activity
implied powers
authority of the federal government that goes beyond its expressed powers; powers not granted specifically to the national government but considered necessary to carry out the enumerated powers
executive branch
the institution responsible for carrying out laws passed by the legislative branch
judicial branch
the institution responsible for hearing and deciding cases through the federal courts
supremacy clause
constitutional provision declaring that the Constitution and all national laws and treaties are the supreme law of the land
amendment
the process by which changes may be made to the Constitution
Federalists
supporters of the proposed Constitution, who called for a strong national government
Antifederalists
those opposed to the proposed Constitution, who favored stronger state governments
Federalist Papers
a series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Kay and published between 1787 and 1788 that lay out the theory behind the Constitution
Federalist No. 51
an essay in which Madison argues that separation of powers and federalism will prevent tyranny
faction
a group of self-interested people who use the government to get what they want, trampling others in the process
Federalist No. 10
an essay in which Madison argues that the dangers of faction can be mitigated by a large republic and republican government
Brutus No. 1
an Antifederalist paper arguing that the country was too large to be governed as a republic and that the Constitution gave too much power to the national government
unitary system
a system where the central government has all of the power over subnational governments
confederal system
a system where the subnational governments have most of the power
federal system
a system where power is divided between the national and state governments
exclusive powers
powers only the national government may exercise
10th Amendment
reserves powers not delegated to the national government to the states and the people; the basis of federalism
reserved powers
powers not given to the national government, which are retained by the states and the people
concurrent powers
powers granted to both states and the federal government in the Constitution
full faith and credit clause
constitutional clause requiring states to recognize the public acts, records, and civil court proceedings from another state
extradition
the requirement that officials in one state return a defendant to another state where a crime was committed
privileges and immunities clause
constitutional clause that prevents states from discriminating against people from out of state
13th Amendment
constitutional amendment that outlaws slavery
14th Amendment
constitutional amendment that provides that persons born in the US are citizens and prohibits states from denying persons due process or equal protection under the law
15th Amendment
constitutional amendment that gave African American males the right to vote
dual federalism
a form of American federalism in which the states and the nation operate independently in their own areas of public policy
selective incorporation
the process through which the Supreme Court applies fundamental rights in the Bill of Rights to the states on a case-by-case basis
cooperative federalism
a form of American federalism in which the states and the national government work together to shape public policy
grants-in-aid
federal money provided to states to implement public policy objectives
fiscal federalism
the federal government's use of grants-in-aid to influence policies in the states
categorial grants
grants-in-aid provided to states with specific provisions on their use
unfunded mandate
federal requirements that states must follow without being provided with funding
block grant
a type of grant-in-aid that gives state officials more authority in the disbursement of federal grants
revenue sharing
when the federal government apportions tax money to the states with no string attached