American Government and Politics Vocabulary

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcard set covering Chapters 1-3 and class notes on American government, politics, constitutional history, federalism, and legislative procedure.

Government

Institutions and procedures through which a territory and its people are ruled.

Public Goods

Services needed by all citizens that they cannot provide for themselves.

Constitutional Democracies

Systems of government where laws limit what government can do and citizens enjoy a considerable degree of personal and political freedom.

Majority Rule, Minority Rights

The democratic principle that a government follows the preferences of the majority of voters but protects the interests of the minority.

Politics

Conflict over the leadership, structure, and policies of governments.

Autocracy

A form of government in which a single individual—king, queen, or dictator—rules.

Oligarchy

A form of government in which a small group—landowners, military officers, or wealthy merchants—controls most of the governing decisions.

Popular Sovereignty

A principle of democracy in which political authority rests ultimately in the hands of the people.

Democracy

A system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through the election of key public officials.

Constitutional Government

A system of rule in which formal and effective limits are placed on the powers of the government.

Authoritarian Government

A system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits but may nevertheless be restrained by the power of other social institutions.

Totalitarian Government

A system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits on its power and seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it.

Direct Democracy

A system of rule that permits citizens to vote directly on laws and policies.

Representative Democracy (Republic)

A system of government in which the populace selects representatives, who play a significant role in governmental decision-making.

Political Power

Influence over a government's leadership, organization, or policies.

Pluralism

Competition among groups and organized interests for influence in the government.

Citizenship

Membership in a political community that confers legal rights and carries participation responsibilities.

Political Knowledge

Information about the formal institutions of government, political actors, and political issues.

Disinformation

False information that is shared intentionally to reach a political goal.

Political Efficacy

The belief that one can influence government and politics.

Political Culture

Broadly shared values, beliefs, and attitudes about how the government should function.

American Political Culture Core Emphasis

Emphasizes the foundational values of liberty, democracy, equality, and justice.

Liberty

Freedom from government control.

Limited Government (Chapter 1 Definition)

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.

Laissez-faire Capitalism

An economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned and operated for profit with minimal or no government interference.

Political Equality

The right to participate in politics, equally, based on the principle of 'one person, one vote'.

One Person, One Vote

The foundational principle supporting equal participation rights in American political equality.

Equality of Opportunity

A widely shared American ideal that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential.

Justice

The fairness of how rewards and punishments are delivered, especially by governments and courts, but also in society.

Fairness

Impartial decision making; the quality of treating people equally, free from discrimination.

Social Justice

The just allocation of wealth, opportunities, and privilege within a society.

Trust in Local and State Governments

Public trust levels that have remained high over the last few decades.

Trust in Federal Government

Public trust levels that have declined significantly over the last few decades.

Consequence of Low Levels of Political Trust

Threatens American democracy by reducing people's willingness to participate in political life.

Settler Colonialism

A form of colonialism that seeks to remove Native peoples from land and replace them with a new settler population.

Enslavement

A system of slavery in which individuals are held as property for the purpose of forced labor so that profit can be extracted.

Colonial Radicalization Factors

British Parliament's imposition of taxes and acts of political repression during the 1760s and 1770s.

Declaration of Independence Function

Forged national unity by identifying grievances, goals, and principles of good government shared by most colonists.

Articles of Confederation

The first written constitution of the United States, which placed strong limits on national government powers and left most power with the states.

Shay's Rebellion Impact

Exposed international weakness and national government inability to act decisively, leading directly to the Constitutional Convention.

Virginia Plan

A framework for the constitution that called for representation in the national legislature based on population of each state.

Bicameral Legislature

A legislative assembly composed of two chambers or houses.

New Jersey Plan

A framework for the constitution that called for equal state representation in the national legislature regardless of population.

Unicameral Legislature

A legislative assembly having only one chamber or house.

Great Compromise

The agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that gave each state an equal number of senators regardless of population but linked representation in the House of Representatives to population.

Three-Fifths Compromise

The agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that stipulated that for purposes of apportioning congressional seats only 3/5s of enslaved people would be counted.

Extension of Transatlantic Slave Trade Agreement

An agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention that temporarily reconciled divisions over slavery alongside the Great Compromise and Three-Fifths Compromise.

Perils of Excessive Democracy

Unchecked democratic excess that the Framers sought to avoid while securing popular support and protecting liberty.

Bill of Rights

The first 10 amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791; they ensure certain rights and liberties to the people.

Separation of Powers

The division of governmental power among several institutions that must cooperate in decision-making.

Federalism

A system of government in which power is divided, by a constitution, between a central government and regional governments.

Expressed Powers

Specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress (Article I, Section 8) and to the president (Article II).

Elastic Clause

The concluding paragraph of Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, which provides Congress with authority to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out enumerated powers.

Necessary and Proper Clause

The clause in Article I, Section 8 also known as the Elastic Clause.

Judicial Review

The power of the courts to review actions of the legislative and executive branches and, if necessary, declare them invalid or unconstitutional.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

The Supreme Court case in which the court first asserted its power of judicial review.

Supremacy Clause

Article VI of the Constitution, which states that laws passed by the national government and all treaties are the supreme law of the land.

Amendment

A change added to a bill, law, or constitution through constitutional procedure.

Checks and Balances

Mechanisms through which each branch of government is able to participate in and influence the activities of the other branches.

Presidential Veto Power Example

An executive mechanism of checks and balances exercised over congressional legislation.

Senate Appointment Approval Example

A legislative mechanism of checks and balances where the Senate approves presidential appointments.

Ratification Requirement for 1787 Constitution

Required approval by 9 of the 13 states before going into effect.

Federalists

Those who favored a strong national government and supported the constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787.

Antifederalists

Those who favored strong state governments and a weak national government and who were opponents of the proposed 1787 constitution.

Federalist Papers

A series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay supporting the ratification of the Constitution.

Federalist Papers Authors

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.

Major Ratification Debate Issues

The nature of political representation, the threat of tyranny, and how to place limits on government action.

Tyranny

Oppressive government that employs cruel and unjust use of power and authority.

Limited Government (Chapter 2 Definition)

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.

Article I, Section 8

Section of the Constitution granting specific expressed powers to Congress and containing the Elastic Clause.

Article II

Section of the Constitution granting specific expressed powers to the president.

Article V

Section of the Constitution outlining the amendment process and creating significant hurdles to changing the document.

Article VI

Section of the Constitution granting the national government supremacy over state governments.

Original Size of Federal Government

Initially small and focused primarily on assisting commerce, leaving most governing to state governments.

Tenth Amendment

Grants states powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution.

Unitary System

A centralized government system in which lower levels of government have little power independent of the national government.

Intergovernmental Relations

The processes by which the three levels of American government (national, state, local) negotiate and compromise over policy responsibility.

Three Levels of American Government

National, state, and local governments.

Implied Powers

Powers derived from the Necessary and Proper Clause of Article I, Section 8; not specifically expressed but implied through expansive interpretation.

Reserved Powers

Powers, derived from the Tenth Amendment, that are not specifically delegated to the national government or denied to the states.

Concurrent Powers

Authority possessed by both state and national governments, such as the power to levy taxes.

Levying Taxes Power Type

An example of a concurrent power shared by national and state governments.

Police Power

Power reserved to state government to regulate the health, safety, and morals of its citizens.

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Provision from Article IV, Section 1 requiring that states normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions of other states.

Article IV, Section 1

Constitutional location of the Full Faith and Credit Clause.

Privileges and Immunities Clause

Provision from Article IV, Section 2 stating that a state cannot discriminate against someone from another state or give special privileges to its residents.

Article IV, Section 2

Constitutional location of the Privileges and Immunities Clause.

Home Rule

Power delegated by the state to a local unit of government to manage its own affairs.

Dual Federalism

The system of government prevailing from 1789 to 1937 in which fundamental powers were shared between federal and state governments.

Era of Dual Federalism

The era in American history from 1789 to 1937.

Commerce Clause

Article I, Section 8 clause delegating to Congress power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among states, and with Indian tribes.

1930s Expansion of National Government

Expanded via Supreme Court expansive interpretation of the Commerce Clause and New Deal policies during the Great Depression.

1970s National Power Increase

Expanded via federal legislation requiring states to meet national guidelines.

Grants-in-aid

Programs through which Congress provides money to state and local governments on condition that funds be used for federally defined purposes.

Categorical Grants

Congressional grants given to states and localities on condition that expenditures be limited to a problem or group specified by law.

Cooperative Federalism

Federalism since the New Deal era using grants-in-aid strategically to encourage states and localities to pursue nationally defined goals.

Intergovernmental Cooperation

Another name for cooperative federalism existing since the New Deal era.

Regulated Federalism

A form of federalism in which Congress imposes legislation on states and localities, requiring them to meet national standards.

Preemption

The principle that allows the national government to override state/local actions, or state governments to override local actions.

Foreign Policy Preemption

In foreign policy, the willingness to strike first in order to prevent an enemy attack.