American Politics: Concepts, Federalism, and Founding

Vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental political science concepts, the history and dynamics of American federalism, and the founding documents and constitutional debates.

Federalism

A system of shared powers between two or more levels of government where the lower level enjoys constitutional protection from the national government and the national government can compel action.

Dual Federalism

A system of federalism defined by completely separate spheres of power between national and state governments.

Cooperative Federalism

A system of federalism defined by shared spheres of power and overlapping responsibilities between national and state governments.

Prerogatives of Governments in Federalism

The division of authority where the national government exclusively controls defense, currency, and treaties; shared prerogatives include social welfare, taxation, and business regulation; and state/local governments handle traffic, K-12 education, zoning, and marriage.

Supremacy Clause

A constitutional provision dictating that national laws trump state and local laws whenever a conflict arises between them.

Tenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment stating that 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.

Nullification

The doctrine asserted by southern states prior to the Civil War claiming the legal right to reject federal laws or take actions not expressly forbidden by the Constitution.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

A landmark Supreme Court decision ruling that states cannot tax a national bank of the United States.

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

A landmark Supreme Court ruling establishing that the national government has authority to regulate interstate commerce.

Sixteenth Amendment (1913)

The constitutional amendment that authorized Congress to levy a federal income tax.

Seventeenth Amendment (1913)

The constitutional amendment that established the direct popular election of U.S. senators instead of selection by state legislatures.

Grants-in-Aid

Federal funds given to states to support general spending programs.

Categorical Grants

Federal funds allocated to states for a specific, tightly designated purpose, such as school lunches.

Block Grants

Federal grants provided to state governments with general broad guidelines and minimal restrictions, such as the 1995 welfare reform grants.

U.S. v. Lopez (1995)

A Supreme Court ruling on gun control that marked the first decision since the New Deal to limit Congress' power under the Commerce Clause.

Gonzales v. Raich (2005)

A Supreme Court case ruling that Congress may criminalize medicinal marijuana even in states that have legalized it.

Dobbs v. Jackson (2022)

The Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, restoring individual states' authority to regulate or ban abortion.

Politics

The process of making collective decisions regarding resource allocation, including taxes, spending, defense, and public infrastructure.

Institutions

Predictable structures and rules created to help groups solve collective action problems consistently.

Collective Dilemma

A situation in which an individual's personal goals conflict directly with the overall goals of the group.

Prisoner's Dilemma

A game theory interaction where two rational actors pursuing individual self-interest end up at a dismal Nash equilibrium that yields a worse result than mutual cooperation.

Coordination Problem

A scenario where members of a group share a desire to act together but cannot agree on the exact method or choice of action.

Battle of the Sexes

A coordination game in game theory where two actors prefer coordinating their actions on the same event over acting separately, but hold differing preferences on which event to attend.

Chicken Game

A strategic interaction model in game theory where two actors attempt to force each other to yield, but mutual refusal to yield leads to the worst possible outcome.

Unstable Coalitions

Collective decision-making arrangements that break down because non-members offer attractive side deals to members of minimum winning coalitions to raid them.

Principal-Agent Problem

A conflict occurring when a principal delegates a task to an agent who possesses superior information and whose faithful performance cannot be completely monitored.

Tragedy of the Commons

A collective action failure in which individuals independently deplete or ruin a shared limited resource through uncoordinated individual pursuit of self-interest.

Articles of Confederation

The first U.S. governing framework ratified in 1781, establishing a weak national government lacking executive and judicial branches and enforcement power.

Virginia Plan

A Constitutional Convention proposal advocating for a strong central government with a bicameral legislature apportioned by population and a singular executive.

New Jersey Plan

A Constitutional Convention proposal recommending a unicameral legislature based on equal state representation and a plural executive appointed by Congress.

Connecticut Compromise

The agreement establishing a bicameral U.S. Congress with House seats apportioned by population (counting slaves as 3/5) and equal representation of two senators per state in the Senate.

Elastic Clause

Article I, Section 8 provision granting Congress authority to pass all laws deemed 'necessary and proper' to carry out its enumerated powers.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments added to the U.S. Constitution to guarantee individual protections such as free speech, freedom of religion, and right to counsel.

Federalist #10

An essay authored by James Madison arguing that a large republic offers the most effective structural mechanism to control the damaging effects of factions.

Federalist #51

An essay authored by James Madison arguing that structural separation of powers and checks and balances prevent government tyranny because 'ambition must counteract ambition'.

Brutus I

An Anti-Federalist paper warning that a large republic and strong central federal government would absorb state powers and undermine individual liberty.