AP Gov Vocab

Advice and consent

Formal approval on presidential appointments

Anti-federalist

Argued for a truly federal government, feared strong executive and Congress' power to tax

Articles of Confederation

Series of statements that defined the initial national government and redefined the former colonies as states

Bicameral

Two house legislature

Bill of Rights

Includes many essential rights, most of which were violated under the oppressive British regime

Checks and balances

Limiting powers each branch can use on others

Commerce clause

Empowers Congress to regulate commerce with other nations and among the several states

Declaration of Independence

Official statement to summarize the colonists' views that justified the break from Britain and proclaimed reasons for independence

Electoral College

Each state would have same number of electors as representatives and people who vote for electors to choose the president

Elite democracy

Elected representatives to make decisions and acts as trustees for the people who elected them. Elites, people with power and money, dominate.

Enumerated powers

Power to tax, borrow money, raise an army, create a postal system, address piracy on the seas, and define the immigration and naturalization process and a few others

Extradition

Return fugitives to states where they had committed crimes and runaway slaves to states they had fled

Federalist Papers

Authors writing to assure citizens that they had created a federal system and that states had not lost their importance. Allay fears that the Constitution would subject people in the states to abuses by new government

Federalism

Balance of power among a central/national authority/government and state/regional authority. Assures a limited government.

Federalist

Endorsed the Constitution

Full faith and credit clause

Requires states to be open about their laws and encourages states to respect one another's laws. States cannot favor their citizens over others

Grand Committee

The matter of representation was referred to a committee made up of one delegate from each state at the convention

Great Compromise

Created a two-house composed of a House of Representatives and a SEnate

House of Representatives

From Congress, seats awarded based on population and those wanting equal representation

Impeachment

Accusation, an indictment of wrongdoing

James Madison

Influenced the creation of the Constitution, strong supporter of Constitution, wrote Federalist Papers, nickname is Father of the Constitution

Judicial Review

Courts can deem an act of legislature unconstitutional when deciding a case

National supremacy/supremacy clause

Makes certain all states must adhere to the Constitution

Natural law

Law of God and acknowledge through human sense and reason. People were born free and equal. Right to rebel when rulers did not respect consent of governed

Necessary and proper (elastic) clause

Congress shall have power to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution for foregoing powers

New Jersey Plan

States would retain sovereignty, national legislature would have only limited and defined powers, no national courts

Participatory democracy

Direct participation of many. People vote directly for laws and other matters that affect them

Pluralist democracy

Nongovernmental groups organize to try to exert influence on political decision making in interest groups

Pocket veto

When a president refuses to sign a bill at the end of a legislative session

Popular sovereignty

The people as ultimate ruling authority

Preamble

Constitution's mission statement that starts with "we the people" and outlines the purpose of the new government including "establishing justice" and providing for a "common defense"

Representative republic

A collection of sovereign states gathered for the national interest, national needs, and national defense

Republicanism

People elect representatives who are responsible to make and carry out laws

Reserved powers

Not specifically listed and thus any powers not mentioned remain with the states

Senate

Two senators from each state regardless of state's size

Separation of powers

Defining the distinct responsibilities and limits of each branch to keep any one branch from becoming too powerful

Social contract

Contact between democratic government and the people. If a government violated the contract, people take that power back

Supremacy clause/National Su

Makes certain all states must adhere to the Constitution

Three-Fifths Compromise

Northern and southern delegates agreed to count only three of evert five slaves to determine representation in the House

Two-thirds override

If a president vetoes a bill, Congress, each house acting separately, can reverse the veto with two-thirds super majority vote in each house

USA PATRIOT Act

Law covered intelligence gathering and sharing by executive branch agencies, points of criminal procedure and border protection after 9/11 attacks

Veto

Presidential power to reject a bill

Virginia Plan

Created a three-branch system of government by 15 resolves, becomes blueprint for the Constitution