Constitutional Underpinnings Key Terms

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the Constitutional Underpinnings notes.

Bicameral legislature

A two-house legislature.

Block grant

Money from the federal government to states for a broad purpose (e.g., transportation), rather than for a narrow purpose.

Categorical grant

Money from the federal government to states for a narrow purpose (e.g., school lunch program), rather than a broad purpose.

Centralists

Those who favor greater national authority rather than state authority.

Checks and balances

A system in which each branch can limit the power of the other two branches, e.g., the presidential veto of a congressional law.

Commerce clause

Gives Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states, with foreign nations, and among Indian tribes; granted through Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution.

Concurrent powers

Powers held by both Congress and the states, e.g., establishing law enforcement agencies.

Confederation

A system in which sovereign states are only loosely tied to a central government (e.g., the US under the Articles of Confederation).

Decentralists

Those who favor greater state authority rather than national authority.

Direct democracy

A system in which the people rule themselves.

Elastic clause

Allows Congress to exercise powers that are necessary and proper to carry out the enumerated powers, e.g., establishing the First Bank of the United States.

Enumerated powers

Powers specifically granted to Congress in Article I, Section 8; e.g., the power to tax (also known as expressed powers).

Federalism

Constitutional sharing of power between a central government and state governments.

Dual federalism

A system in which the national government and state governments are coequal, each dominant within its own sphere.

Cooperative federalism

A system in which both the federal government and state governments cooperate in solving problems.

New Federalism

A system in which the national government restores greater authority back to the states.

Federalist Papers

A group of 85 essays written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay to persuade the people of New York to adopt the Constitution.

Formal amendment

A change in the actual wording of the Constitution; proposed by Congress or a national convention and ratified by the states.

Implied powers

Powers not enumerated but necessary to carry out Congress' enumerated powers, granted through the elastic clause.

Indirect democracy

A system in which the people rule through their representatives (also known as a republic or representative democracy).

Inherent powers

Foreign policy powers (e.g., acquiring territory) held by the national government by virtue of it being a national government.

Informal amendment

A change in the meaning, but not the wording, of the Constitution, e.g., through court decisions like Brown v. Board of Education.

Judicial review

Power of the courts to rule on the constitutionality of laws and government actions; established by Marbury v. Madison, 1803.

Mandates

Requirements imposed by the national government upon the states; some are unfunded mandates (lacking funding).

Marbury v. Madison, 1803

Established the power of judicial review.

McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819

Established the principle of national supremacy and the validity of implied powers.

Police powers

Powers of the states to protect the public health, safety, morals, and welfare.

Popular sovereignty

Principle that ultimate political authority rests with the people.

Reserved powers

Powers held by the states through the 10th Amendment; any power not granted to the US government is reserved for the states.

Separation of powers

Principle that powers are divided among three branches: legislative, executive, judicial.

Shays' Rebellion

1786 revolt by Massachusetts farmers seeking debt relief and foreclosure that helped prompt the Constitutional Convention.

Supermajority

A majority greater than a simple majority (e.g., 3/5, 2/3).

Unicameral legislature

One-house legislature.