Unit 1: Foundations of America Vocab #2

Federalism

Government authority shared by national and local governments.

Enumerated Powers

Powers given to the national governments alone.

Reserved Powers

Powers given to state governments alone.

Concurrent Powers

Power shared by the national and state governments.

Separation of Powers

Sharing of conditional authority by multiple branches of government.

Checks and Balances

Constitutional ability of multiple branches of government to limit each other’s power.

Faction

A group with a distinct political interest.

Federalists

Those who favor a stronger national governments.

Anti-Federalists

Those who favor a weaker national government.

Coalition

An alliance of groups.

Habeas Corpus

An order to produce an arrest person before a judge.

Bill of Attainder

A law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime.

Ex Post Facto Law

A law that makes an act criminal even though the act was legal when it was committed.

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments to the Constitution.

Line-item Veto

An executive’s ability to bock a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature.

Sovereignty

The ultimate political author in a system.

Unitary System

A system of government where sovereignty is fully vested in the national government, not the states.

Confederation (Confederal System)

A system of government where state government are sovereign, and the national government can do only what states permit.

Federal System

A system of government where the national and state governments share sovereignty.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Section of the Constitution allowing Congress to pass all laws “necessary and proper” to its duties, and that has permitted Congress to exercise powers and not specifically given to it (enumerated) by Constitution.

Nullification

The doctrine that a state can declare null and void a federal law that, in the state’s opinion, violates the Constitution.

Dual Federalism

Doctrine holding that the national government is supreme in its spere, the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate.

Cooperative Federalism

Idea that the federal and state governments share power in many policy areas.

Laboratories of Democracy

Ideas that different states can implement different policies, and the successful one will spread.

Initiative

Process that permit voters to put legislative measurers directly on the ballet.

Concurrent Powers

Powers shared by the national and state governments.

Referendum

Procedure enabling voters to reject a measure passed by legistlature.

Recall

Procedure where by voters can be remove an elected official from office.

Grants-in-aid

Money given by the national government to the states.

Categorical Grants

Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport.

Conditions of Aid

Terms set by the national government that state must meet if they are to receive certain federal funds.

Mandates

Terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal governments.

Waiver

A decision by an administrive agency that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants.

Devolution

The transfer of power from the national government to state and local governments.