AP Gov. Unit 1 Vocabulary Terms

Having a two-house legislature - (Ex: US Congress - Senate and House of Representatives)

Bicameral Legislature

Having a one-house legislature - (Ex: Nebraska State Legislature)

Unicameral Legislature

Citizens directly participate in decision-making policies (Ex: Athens (old) and Switzerland (modern)

Direct Democracy

Citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf (Ex: United States)

Indirect Democracy

A model of government where a small group of individuals, often those with wealth and education, significantly influence political decision making (Ex: Electoral College)

Elite Democracy

A model of government where power is dispersed among various groups and interests, rather than being concentrated in a single entity (Ex: US political system where numerous interests groups compete to influence policymakers through donations and lobbying, ensuring diverse voices in the decision-making process without any single group dominating)

Pluralist Democracy

A model of government where citizens are empowered to directly participate in making decisions that affect their lives, rather than relying solely on elected representatives (Ex: Town Hall Meetings)

Participatory Democracy

The idea that the government's right to rule comes from the consent of the people

Popular Sovereignty

An agreement between the people and the government where the people give up some freedoms and allow their government to rule over them to ensure an orderly and functioning society

Social Contract

A government in which people elect representatives to carry out (Ex: Roman Republic)

Republic

A union of sovereign states where member states retain significant autonomy and the central authority has limited power (Ex: European Union)

Confederation

An uprising by debtors against the government of Massachusetts

Shay’s Rebellion

A design of government where each branch can limit/block/influence actions of the other branches (Ex: the president (Executive) can veto legislation by Congress, or Congress has the power to impeach and remove the president and federal judges)

Checks and Balances

The idea that each branch of government is assigned a specific job or jobs (Ex: the Legislative Branch makes laws, the Executive Branch enforces laws, and the Judicial Branch interprets laws)

Separation of Powers

Powers granted to both the states and the federal government in the Constitution (Ex: the abilities to tax)

Concurrent Powers

Powers explicitly granted to the national government in the Constitution (Ex: the power to declare war)

Enumerated/Expressed Powers

Clause that grants the federal government the authority to pass laws required to carry out its enumerated powers

Elastic Clause (Necessary and Proper Clause)

Rights and authorities that are essential to the existence and functioning of a government, a court, or a position, even if not explicitly listed in a constitution or law (Ex: the president’s authority to deploy troops)

Inherent Powers

Clause that grants Congress the authority to regulate business and commercial activity

Commerce Clause

A series of 85 essays, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay and published between 1787 and 1788, that lay out the theory behind the Constitution - intended to influence the ratification debate

Federalist Papers

The authority of the Supreme Court to strike down a law or an executive action if it conflicts with the Constitution

Judicial Review

Powers not given to the national government, which are retained by the states and the people (Ex: establishing and maintaining public school systems)

Reserved Powers

A supporter of centralized governance, where authority is concentrated in a single, central government

Centralist

The sharing of power between the national government and the states

Federalism

A model of federalism where the federal and state governments have distinct, separate, and equal spheres of power and authority

Dual Federalism

A system where the federal and state governments share power and collaborate on policy implementation and program administration

Cooperative Federalism

A political philosophy and set of policies aimed at decentralizing power in the United States by transferring authority and responsibilities from the federal government to the states

New Federalism

A legal principle where a high level of government can prevent a lower level from passing conflicting laws, often by overriding their authority

Preemption

A type of grant preferred by states that gives state officials more authority over how federal funds are spent

Block Grant

National funding to the states where spending is specifically restricted to certain categories

Categorical Grant

A person who advocates the transfer of authority from central to local government

Decentralist

constitutional provision declaring that the Constitution and all national laws and treaties are the supreme law of the land

Supremacy Clause

clause in the 14th Amendment that restricts state governments from denying persons their life, liberty, or property without legal safeguards

Due process clause

clause in the 14th Amendment that requires states to treat all persons alike with regards to the application of the laws

Equal protection clause

clause that grants Congress the authority to regulate interstate business and commercial activity

Commerce clause

clause that grants the federal government the authority to pass laws required to carry out its enumerated powers

Necessary and proper Clause

constitutional clause requiring states to recognize the public acts, records, and civil court proceedings of another state

Full faith and credit clause

constitutional clause that prevents states from discriminating against people from out of state

Privileges and immunities clause