AP US Government Unit 1

democracy

a term used to describe a political system in which the people are said to rule, directly or indirectly

direct (participatory) democracy

a government in which all, or most, of its citizens participate directly in either holding office or making policy

representative democracy

a political system in which leaders and representatives acquire political power by means of a competitive struggle for the people's vote

limited government

the idea that certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect the natural rights of citizens

Antifederalists

opponents of a strong central government who campaigned against ratification of the Constitution in favor of a confederation of largely independent states

Articles of Confederation

a constitution drafted by the newly independent states in 1777 and ratified in 1781 that created a weak national government that could not levy taxes or regulate commerce

Bill of Rights

a list of individual rights and liberties, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press

checks and balances

the power of the legislature, executive, and judicial branches of government to block some acts by the other two branches

coalition

an alliance among different interest groups (factions) or parties to achieve some political goal

Constitutional Convention

a meeting of delegates in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation, which produced a totally new constitution still in use today

enumerated (expressed) powers

powers specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution

faction

a group of people who seek to influence public policy in ways contrary to the public good

federalism

a political system in which ultimate authority is shared between a central government and state or regional governments

Federalist \#10

Madison argued that political factions are undesirable but inevitable and believed that the excesses of factionalism could be limited by the system of republican representation created by the Constitution

Federalists

supporters of a stronger central government who advocated ratification of the Constitution

Great Compromise

a compromise at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 that reconciled the interests of small and large states by allowing the former to predominate in the Senate and the latter in the House

John Locke

an Enlightenment philosopher who argued that people are born with "natural rights" that include "life, liberty, and property" and if rulers betray the social contract, the people have a right to replace them

natural rights

the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property

New Jersey Plan

called for a unicameral legislature in which representation is equal regardless of a state's population

Shays's Rebellion

a rebellion in 1787 led by Daniel Shays and other ex-Revolutionary War soldiers and officers to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes

separation of powers

a principle of American government whereby constitutional authority is shared by three separate branches of government—the legislative, the executive, and the judicial

social contract

the notion that society is based on an agreement between government and the governed in which people agree to give up some rights in exchange for the protection of others

unalienable rights

rights based on nature and Providence rather than on the preferences of people

Virginia Plan

called for a bicameral legislature in which representation is based on each state's population

block grants

grants of money from the federal government to states for programs in certain general areas rather than for specific kinds of programs

categorical grants

federal grants for specific purposes defined by federal law that usually require that the state or locality put up money to "match" some part of the federal grants, though the amount of matching funds can be quite small

conditions of aid

federal rules attached to the grants that states receive

confederation

a political system in which states or regional governments retain ultimate authority except for those powers that they expressly delegate to a central government

devolution

the current effort to scale back the size and activities of the national government and to shift responsibility for a wide range of domestic programs from Washington to the states

dual federalism

a constitutional theory that the national government and the state governments each have defined areas of authority, especially over commerce

grants-in-aid

federal funds provided to states and localities

initiative

a procedure allowing voters to submit a proposed law to a popular vote by obtaining a required number of signatures

mandates

rules imposed by the federal government on the states as conditions for obtaining federal grants or requirements that the states pay the costs of certain nationally defined programs

McCulloch v. Maryland

the case in which the Maryland legislature passed a law imposing a substantial tax on the operation of the Baltimore branch of the Second National Bank; the Supreme Court confirmed the right of Congress to utilize implied powers to carry out its expressed powers and validated the supremacy of the national government over the states

necessary and proper (elastic) clause

authorizes Congress to pass all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out the enumerated powers

nullification

a theory first advanced by James MAdison and Thomas Jefferson that the states had the right to "nullify" a federal law that, in the states' opinion, violated the Constitution

revenue sharing

a law providing for the distribution of a fixed amount or share of federal tax revenues to the states for spending on almost any government purpose

sovereignty

supreme or ultimate political authority

unitary system

a system in which sovereignty is wholly in the hands of the national government so that subnational political units are dependent on its will