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Natural Rights

Inherent and universal human rights not dependent on laws, given to people by their creator; rights to life, liberty, and property.

Social Contract

Implied agreement between citizens and their government where individuals give up natural freedoms in exchange for protection and welfare.

Popular Sovereignty

The source of a government’s power is the people; power comes from the consent of the governed.

Limited Government

A political system in which the powers of the government are restricted to prevent tyranny and protect individual rights.

Separation of Powers

The division of government power across the Judicial, Executive, and Legislative branches.

Checks and Balances

A system in which each branch of government has power over the others to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

Federalism

The dynamic distribution of power between the local, state, and national levels of government in the United States.

Republicanism

A form of representative democracy where elected leaders represent various groups of people within a government.

Participatory Democracy

A system where citizens have the power to influence policy decisions, yet is not a direct democracy.

Pluralist Democracy

A democratic system that recognizes group-based activism, allowing multiple groups to compete for public policy influence.

Elite Democracy

A form where the well-educated and wealthy hold power because they are considered more fit than uneducated citizens.

Federalists

Those at the Constitutional Convention who favored a strong national government and a system of separated powers.

Anti-Federalists

Those at the Constitutional Convention who favored strong state governments and feared a strong national government would threaten individual rights.

Factions

Like-minded groups of people who try to influence the government; the American government is designed to prevent any one faction from dominating.

Articles of Confederation

The first attempt at a new American government that was later replaced by the Constitution due to its restrictions on national government.

Shays’ Rebellion

An armed uprising of farmers in debt that highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

Great (Connecticut) Compromise

Provided for a bicameral Congress: a Senate with equal representation and a House of Representatives based on state population.

Electoral College

A system for electing the president and vice president, combining popular vote and state population.

3/5ths Compromise

Decision counting each slave as 3/5 of a person for determining House representation and tax distribution.

Slave Trade Compromise

Protected the slave trade until 1808.

Bill of Rights

The first amendments to the Constitution protecting individual liberties and limiting national government power.

Article V of the U.S. Constitution

Outlines the process for amending the Constitution through proposal and ratification.

Impeachment

A power that allows Congress to remove the President, Vice President, or other federal officials for abuses of power.

Exclusive Powers

Powers only granted to the national government.

Concurrent Powers

Powers shared between state and national governments.

Enumerated Powers

Powers explicitly granted to Congress, the president, or the Supreme Court in the Constitution.

Implied Powers

Powers supported by the Constitution that are not expressly stated.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Part of Article 1, Section 8, allowing Congress to pass laws related to its expressed powers.

Reserved Powers

Powers not given to the national government by the Constitution are reserved for the states or the people.

10th Amendment

Gives all powers not specifically allocated to the national government to the state governments.

Revenue Sharing

A type of grant in which federal governments provided state governments with funds for discretionary spending.

Block Grants

Federal aid to state governments for specific policy areas, allowing states to decide how to allocate funds.

Categorical Grants

Federal aid provided for a specific purpose, such as a mass transit program or school lunch program.

Mandates

Federal laws requiring states to do certain things without providing funding for implementation.

14th Amendment

Ensures all citizens receive equal protection under the law and protects against discrimination.

Due Process Clause

Guarantees that individuals cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

Equal Protection Clause

Ensures all people are treated equally under the law.

Commerce Clause

Allows Congress to regulate interstate and foreign trade and business activities.

Supremacy Clause

Establishes that the Constitution and federal laws take precedence over state laws.