Block Grants
Federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services
Categorical Grants
Federal grants that can be used only for specific purpose of state and local spending. They come with strings attached such as nondiscrimination provisions
Cooperative Federalism
A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They 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 government
Dual Federalism
A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.
Elastic clause
It is the final paragraph of Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution, which authorizes Congress to pass all laws necessary and proper to carry out the enumerated powers
Enumerated Powers
Powers of the federal government that are specifically addressed in the Constitution; for Congress these powers include the power to coin money, regulate its value, and impose taxes
Extradition
A legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed.
Federalism
A way of organizing a nation so that two levels of government have formal authority over the same land and people. It is a system of shared power between units of government
Fiscal Federalism
The pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system; it is the cornerstone of the national government's relations with state and local governments
Formula Grants
Federal categorical grants distributed according to a formula specified in legislation or in administrative regulations
Full faith and credit clause
A clause in Article IV, Section 1, of the Constitution requiring each state to recognize the official documents and civil judgements rendered by the courts of other states
Gibbons V. Ogden
A landmark case decided in 1824 in which the Supreme Court interpreted very broadly the clause in Article 1, section 8, of the Constitution giving Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce, encompassing virtually every form of commercial activity
Implied Powers
Powers of the federal government that go beyond those enumerated in the Constitution. The Constitution states that Congress has the power to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution.
Intergovernmental Relations
The workings of the federal system-the entire set of interactions among national, state, and local governments.
McCulloch V. Maryland
An 1819 Supreme Court decision that established the supremacy of the national government over state governments. In deciding this case, Chief Justice John Marshall and his colleagues held that Congress had certain implied powers in addition to the enumera
Privileges and immunities clause
A clause in Article IV, Section 2, of the Constitution according citizens of each state most of the privileges of citizens of other states.
Project Grants
Federal grants given for specific purposes and awarded on the basis of the merits of applications. A type of the categorical grants available to states and localities.
Supremacy Clause
Article VI of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits
Tenth Amendment
The constitutional amendment stating that "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people
Unitary Government
A way of organizing a nation so that all power resides in the central government. Most national governments today are unitary governments
Constitution
A nation's basic law. It creates political institutions, assigns or divides powers in government, and often provides certain guarantees to citizens. Can be either written or unwritten.
Declaration of Independence
The document approved by representatives of the American Colonies in 1776 that stated their grievances against the British monarch.
Natural Rights
Rights inherent in human beings, not dependent on governments, which include life, liberty, and property.
Consent of the governed
According to John Locke, the required basis for government. The Declaration of Independence reflects Locke's view that governments derive their authority from the consenting party
Limited Government
The idea that certain things are out of bounds for government because of the natural rights of citizens.
Articles of Confederation
The first constitution of the United States, adopted by Congress in 1777 and enacted in 1781. The articles established a national legislature, the Continental Congress, but most authority rested with the state legislatures
Shay's Rebellion
A series of attacks on courthouses by a small band of farmers led by the Revolutionary war Captain Daniel Shay to block foreclosure proceedings.
U.S. Constitution
The document written in 1787 and ratified in 1788 that sets forth the institutional structure of U.S. government and the tasks these institutions perform. It replaced the Articles of Confederation
Factions
Interest groups arising from the unequal distribution of property or wealth that James Madison attacked in Federalist Paper No. 10.
New Jersey Plan
The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the State's pupluation
Virginia Plan
The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for representation of each state in Congress in proportion to the State's population.
Connecticut Compromise
The compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention that established two houses of Congress: The house of Representatives in which representation is based on a state's shared of the US population, and the Senate, in which each state has two representa
Separation of powers
An important part of the Madisonian model that requires each of the three branches of government-executive, legislative and judicial- to be relatively independent of the others so that one cannot control the others.
Checks and balances
An important part of the Madisonian model designed to limit government's power by requiring that power be balanced among the different governmental institutions.
Republic
A form of government that derives its power, directly or indirectly, from the people. Those chosen to govern are accountable to those whom they govern.
Federalists
Supporters of the US Constitution at the time the states were contemplating its adoption.
Anti-Federalists
Opponents of the American Constitution at the time when the states were contemplating its adoption. They argued that the Constitution was a class-based document, that it would erode fundamental liberties, and that it would weaken the power of the states
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.
Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, drafted in response to some of the Anti-Federalist concerns. These amendments define such basic liberties as freedom of religion, speech, and press and offer protections.
Equal Rights Amendment
A constitutional amendment stating that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state.
Marbury V. Madison
The 1803 case in which chief justice John Marshall and his associates first asserted the right of the Supreme Court to determine the meaning of the Constitution.
Judicial Review
The Power of the courts to determine whether acts of Congress and by implication the executive, are in accord with the US Constitution.
Government
The institutions and process which public policies are made for society
Public Goods
Goods, such as clean air and clean water, that everyone must share
Politics
The process by which we select our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders pursue. It produces authoritative decisions about public issues
Political participation
All the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the policies they pursue. The most common, but not the only, means for a democracy is voting. Other means include protest and civil disobedience
Single-issue groups
Groups that have a narrow interest, tend to dislike compromise, and often draw membership from people new to politics. These features distinguished them from traditional groups
Policymaking system
The process by which political problems are communicated by the voters and acted upon by government policymakers. People's interests, problems, and concerns create political issues for government policymakers. These issues shape policy, which in turn impa
Linkage institutions
the political channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the policy agenda. In the united states, they include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.
Policy agenda
The issues that attract the serious attention of public official and other people actually involved in politics at any given point in time
Political Issue
An issue that arises when people disagree about a problem and how to fix it
policymaking institutions
The branches of government charged with taking action on political issues. The US Constitution established three institutions for the Congress, the presidency, and the courts.
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 selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public's preferences
Majority Rule
A fundamental principle of traditional democratic theory. In a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires that the majority's desire be respected.
Minority rights
A principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to majorities and allows that they might join majorities through persuasion and reasoned argument
Representation
A basic principle of traditional democratic theory that describes the relationship between the few leaders and the many followers
Pluralist Theory
A theory of government and politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies.
Elite and Class Theory
A theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines where elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization.
Hyperpluralism
a theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened; an extreme, exaggerated, or perverted form
Policy gridlock
a condition that occurs when no coalition is strong enough to form a majority and establish policy; the result is that nothing may get done
Gross Domestic Product
The sum total of the value of all the goods and services produced in a nation
individualism
The belief that individuals should be left on their own by the government. One of the primary reasons for the comparatively small scope of American government is the prominence of this belief in American political thought and practice.