U.S. Government and Constitutional Foundations Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, concepts, and historical definitions from pages 1 through 3 of the lecture notes.

Adaptive approach

A method used to interpret the Constitution that understands the document to be flexible and responsive to the changing needs of the times.

American dream

A complex set of ideas that hold that the United States is a land of opportunity where individual initiative and hard work can bring economic success.

Antifederalists

Opponents of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government generally.

Articles of Confederation

The first governing document of the confederated states, drafted in 1777, ratified in 1781, and replaced by the present Constitution of 1787.

Bicameralism

The principle of a two-house legislature.

Capitalism

An economic system based on private property, competitive markets, economic incentives, and limited government involvement in the production, pricing, and distribution of goods and services.

Checks and Balances

A constitutional grant of powers that enables each of the three branches of government to check some acts of the others and therefore ensures that no branch can dominate.

Commerce Clause

Gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.

Concurrent powers

Powers that are exercised by both the national and state governments, such as the power to levy taxes.

Confederation

A constitutional arrangement in which sovereign nations or states, by compact, create a central government but carefully limit its power and do not give it direct authority over individuals.

Connecticut Compromise

The 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.

Constitutional democracy

Government that enforces recognized limits on those who govern and allows the voice of the people to be heard through free, fair, and relatively frequent elections.

Constitutionalism

The set of arrangements, including checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, rule of law, due process, and a bill of rights, that requires leaders to listen, think, bargain, and explain before they act or make laws. Leaders are then held politically and legally accountable for how they exercise their powers.

Democracy

Government by the people, both directly or indirectly, with free and frequent elections.

Democratic consensus

A condition for democracy in which the people widely share a set of attitudes and beliefs about governmental procedures, institutions, core documents, and fundamental values.

Devolution revolution

The effort to slow the growth of the national government by returning many functions to the states.

Direct democracy

Government in which citizens vote on laws and select officials directly.

Direct primary

An election in which voters choose party nominees.

Divided government

Governance divided between the parties, especially when one holds the presidency and the other controls one or both houses of Congress.

Electoral College

The electoral system used in electing the president and vice president, in which voters vote for electors pledged to cast their ballots for a particular party's candidates.

Executive order

A president's or governor's formal order to a government agency or agencies that carries the force of law.

Executive privilege

The power to keep executive communication confidential, especially if it relates to national security.

Expressed powers

Powers given explicitly to the national government and listed in the Constitution; also known as enumerated powers.

Extradition

The 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.

Federal mandate

A requirement the national government imposes.

Federalism

A constitutional arrangement in which power is distributed between a central government and states. The national and state governments exercise direct authority over individuals.

Federalists

A group that argued for ratification of the Constitution, including a stronger national government at the expense of states' powers; they controlled the new federal government until Thomas Jefferson's election in 1803.

Full Faith and Credit Clause

A clause that requires each state to recognize the civil judgments rendered by the courts of other states and to accept their public records and acts as valid.

Impeachment

A formal accusation against the president or another public official; the first step in removal from office.

Implied powers

Powers inferred from the expressed powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions.

Impoundment

A decision by the president not to spend money appropriated by Congress, now prohibited under federal law.

Inherent powers

Powers not specifically listed in the Constitution but interpreted as essential for the federal government to make and execute laws and carry out its constitutional responsibilities.

Initiative

A procedure whereby a certain number of voters may, by petition, propose a law or constitutional amendment and have it submitted to voters.

Interstate compact

An agreement among two or more states; Congress must approve most such agreements.

Judicial review

The power of a court to review laws or governmental regulations to determine whether they are consistent with the U.S. Constitution or, in a state court, the state constitution.

Majority

The candidate or party that wins more than half the votes cast in an election.

Majority rule

Governance according to the expressed preferences of the majority.

National supremacy

A constitutional doctrine stating that whenever conflict occurs between constitutionally authorized actions of the national government and those of a state or local government, the actions of the national government prevail.

Natural law

God's or nature's law that defines right from wrong and is higher than human law.

Natural rights

The rights of all people to dignity and worth; also called human rights.

Necessary and Proper Clause

The clause in the Constitution setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out the powers the Constitution gives to the national government.

New Jersey Plan

The proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by William Paterson of New Jersey for a central government with a single-house legislature in which each state would be represented equally.

Originalist approach

An approach to constitutional interpretation that views the document as having a fixed meaning determined by a strict reading of the text or the Framers' intent.

Partisanship

Strong allegiance to one's own political party, often leading to an unwillingness to compromise with members of the opposing party.

Plurality

The candidate or party with the most votes cast in an election, not necessarily more than half.

Political culture

The widely shared beliefs, values, and norms citizens hold about their relationship to government and to one another.

Popular consent

The idea that a just government must derive its powers from the consent of the people it governs.

Recall

A procedure for submitting to popular vote the removal of officials from office before the end of their term.

Referendum

A procedure for submitting to popular vote measures passed by the legislature or proposed amendments to a state constitution.

Representative democracy/Republic

A government in which the people elect those who govern and pass laws; also called a republic.

Reserved powers

All powers not specifically delegated to the national government by the Constitution; these powers are exercised by the states.

Separation of powers

The constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making laws, the executive branch applying and enforcing laws, and the judiciary interpreting laws.

Shays' Rebellion

A rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787 protesting mortgage foreclosures; it highlighted the need for a stronger national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.

States' rights

Powers expressly or implicitly reserved to the states.

Supremacy Clause

Article VI of the Constitution; this clause gives national laws authority over competing state laws.

The Federalist

Essays promoting ratification of the Constitution, published anonymously by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison in 1787 and 1788.

Theocracy

Government by religious leaders who claim divine guidance.

Three-fifths Compromise

The compromise between northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention that three-fifths of the enslaved population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.

Unified government

Governance in which one party controls both the White House and both houses of Congress.

Unitary system

A constitutional arrangement that concentrates power in a central government.

Virginia Plan

The initial proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by the Virginia delegation for a strong central government with a bicameral legislature dominated by the large states.

Writ of mandamus

A court order directing an official to perform an official duty.