ap gov unit 1 vocab quiz

Federalist Papers

The most comprehensive commentary designed to sell ratification

Faction

Interest group- a few powerful individuals to dominate political decisions in government

Federalist Papers

The most comprehensive commentary designed to sell ratification

Faction

Interest group- a few powerful individuals to dominate political decisions in government

Federalist No. 10***

One of the most cited of Madison, Hamilton, and Jay's 85 essays because it addresses the concern over special interests and the "mischief of the faction", whether a majority or minority.

Brutus No. 1***

A commentary on the dangers of a too large or consolidated government, as the citizens of a large nation would rarely know of the workings of government or their elected representative.

Federalism***

The sharing of powers among a national and state governments.

Unitary System

A government that gives all key powers to the national or central government

Confederal System

A loose gathering of sovereign states for a common purpose

Federal System

A government that divides the powers of government between the national government and state or provincial governments

Enumerated or Expressed Powers***

powers explicitly granted to the national government through the Constitution

Exclusive Powers***

Powers that are delegated only to the federal government

Commerce Clause***

empowers the Congress to regulate commerce with other nations, and among the several states.

Tenth Amendment***

prevents the federal government from taking any powers that are reserved to the states.

Reserved Powers***

Powers given to the state government alone- not specifically listed in the 10th amendment, so any powers not mentioned remain with the states.

Concurrent Powers***

Powers held by authorities at both levels, state and federal.

Full Faith and Credit Clause***

Requires states to be open about their laws and encourages states to respect one another's laws. On most issues, states cannot play favorites with their own citizens or exclude outsiders from basic privileges and immunities.

Extradition***

The return of criminal fugitives and runaway slaves back to states they had fled.

Privileges and Immunities Clause

"Citizens of each state shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states."

Thirteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment ratified after the Civil War that forbade slavery and involuntary servitude.

Fourteenth Amendment***

1868- created after the Civil War to protect freed slaves, promises U.S. citizenship to anyone born or naturalized in the United States, and requires states to guarantee privileges and immunities to its own citizens as well as those from other states. Equal protection clause prohibits state governments from denying persons within their jurisdiction equal protection of the laws.

Fifteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment adopted in 1870 to extend suffrage to African Americans.

Dual Federalism

the national government is supreme in its sphere—having the authority given it in Article I— and the states are equally supreme in their own sphere.

Selective Incorporation

The process by which provisions of the Bill of Rights are brought within the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment and applied to state and local governments.

Cooperative Federalism

A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs, administration, and even blame for programs that work poorly.

Grants in Aid

programs through which Congress provides money to state and local governments on the condition that the funds be employed for purposes defined by the federal government

Fiscal Federalism

Congress collects federal tax revenues and distributes these funds to the states to take care of particular national concerns (also called revenue sharing).

Categorical Grants***

Grants with particular congressional guidelines or requirements

Unfunded Mandate***

A federal order mandating that states operate and pay for a program created at the national level

Block Grants***

Federal money given to states for broadly defined reasons

Revenue Sharing

Congress collects federal tax revenues and distributes these funds to the states to take care of particular national concerns (also called revenue sharing).

Devolution

The return of power to states

Democracy

A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them

Natural Rights

the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property- can also be called human rights

Social Contract***

Rousseau said that the social contract was one in which people would receive in exchange for their independence a better kind of freedom, namely true political, or republican, liberty.

American Political Culture

a shared set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that define the relationship of Americans to their government and to other American citizens. The widely shared beliefs, values, and norms about how citizens relate to governments and to one another

Popular Sovereignty***

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

Republicanism***

A philosophy of limited government with elected representatives serving at the will of the people. The government is based on consent of the governed.

Inalienable Rights

rights that are inherent to all people and cannot be taken away

Liberty

freedom

Participatory Democracy***

This type of democracy depends on the direct participation of many, if not most, people in a society, not only in government but in public life as well. Participatory democracy emphasizes broad involvement of citizens in politics. Most important, citizens vote directly for laws and other matters that affect them instead of voting for people to represent their interests.

Civil Society Groups

independent associations outside the government's control

Pluralist Theory***

a theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of groups in the policymaking process. suggests that a healthy democracy allows for competition among diverse groups, leading to more representative governance. In a pluralist democracy, people with widely varying interests find others who share their interests and organize and unite into nongovernmental groups to exert influence on political decision making.

Elitist Theory***

a theory of democracy that the elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process. elected representatives make decisions and act as trustees for the people who elected them. Elite democracy recognizes an inequity in the spread of power among the general populace and the elites: People with resources and influence dominate.

Political Institutions

structures of a political system that carry out the work of governing

Constitutional Republic

a form of government where citizens elect their leaders and follow a written constitution

Constitution

A document which spells out the principles by which a government runs and the fundamental laws that govern a society

Republic

A form of government in which the people select representatives to govern them and make laws.

Articles of Confederation***

The first governing document of the United States, which created a weak national government and was ultimately replaced by the Constitution.

Unicameral

One-house legislature

Constitutional Convention

After experimenting with a decentralized federal government under the Articles of Confederation, the Confederation Congress called a convention in Philadelphia for the sole purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation. The gathering in 1787 where delegates from the thirteen states convened to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, leading to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.

Writ of Habeas Corpus

a court order that compels a person or institution holding someone in custody to bring that individual before the court to explain the legal basis for their detention,

Bills of Attainder

legislative acts that declare a person or group guilty of a crime and impose punishment without a trial.

Ex post facto laws

A law that makes an action illegal retroactively, punishing individuals for acts that were legal at the time they were committed.

New Jersey Plan***

a proposal presented at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 aimed at amending the Articles of Confederation rather than replacing them. It advocated for a unicameral legislature where each state would have equal representation, regardless of population size, which highlighted the concerns of smaller states about being overshadowed by larger states in a population-based system.

Great Compromise***

An agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention that established a bicameral legislature, combining elements of both the Virginia and New Jersey Plans.

Bicameral***

a government structure involving two houses, or two legislative bodies, that are separate in deliberation from one another

Three-Fifths Compromise***

an agreement made during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that determined how slaves would be counted when apportioning representation and taxation. This compromise stipulated that each enslaved individual would be counted as three-fifths of a person for these purposes, balancing the interests of slaveholding and non-slaveholding states. It highlighted the contentious debate over slavery and representation, playing a crucial role in the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Compromise of Importation

also known as the Slave Trade Compromise, was a agreement made during the Constitutional Convention that allowed the continued importation of slaves into the United States for a period of 20 years until 1808

Separation of Powers***

divides the responsibilities and powers of government into three distinct branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. This framework ensures that no single branch becomes too powerful, as each branch has its own unique functions and checks on the others, promoting a system of balanced governance.

Expressed or Enumerated Powers

the specific powers explicitly listed in the Constitution, granted to the federal government, which are clearly defined and not open to interpretation, primarily outlined in Article 1, Section 8

Necessary and Proper/Elastic Clause***

found in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, grants Congress the power to make all laws that are necessary and proper for carrying out its enumerated powers. This clause acts as a foundation for implied powers, allowing the federal government to adapt and legislate effectively in response to changing circumstances while maintaining its constitutional authority.

Implied Powers***

Powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but are inferred from the Necessary and Proper Clause, allowing Congress to take actions deemed necessary to fulfill its duties.

Executive Branch

one of the three branches of government responsible for enforcing laws and administering public policy. It is headed by the President, who serves as both the head of state and the Commander-in-Chief, and includes various departments and agencies that carry out governmental functions. - carries out laws

Judicial Branch

in charge of deciding the meaning of laws, how to apply them to real situations, and whether a law breaks the rules of the Constitution

Supremacy Clause***

a provision in Article VI of the U.S. Constitution that establishes that the Constitution, federal laws, and treaties made under its authority are the supreme law of the land. This means that when there is a conflict between federal and state laws, federal law prevails, ensuring a uniform legal framework across the nation.

Grand Committee

a committee formed during the Constitutional Convention where delegates from each state were selected to work out a compromise on representation in the legislature, ultimately leading to the "Great Compromise" between large and small states

Virginia Plan***

A proposal that called for a bicameral legislature with representation based on state population, favoring larger states during the Constitutional Convention.

Shay's Rebellion***

an armed uprising by Massachusetts farmers in 1786-1787, led by Daniel Shays, protesting high taxes and debt, which exposed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and ultimately contributed to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution by highlighting the need for a stronger federal government.

Amendment

A change to the Constitution

Antifederalists***

Those who opposed the consolidation of the states
under a federal government

Federalist No. 51***

Publius points to the separation of powers outlined in the Constitution as a guard against tyranny. He also states that society will be broken into many parts, interests, and classes of citizens for the best protection of the minority.

Federalists***

Those who supported the proposed
constitutional structure, a strong federal government, and full ratification