Foundations of American Democracy and Federalism

A comprehensive vocabulary review of Unit 1 foundational concepts, government structures, constitutional clauses, key compromises, and historical precedents.

Initiative

A process that allows citizens to propose a law or Constitutional amendment and put it on the ballot for a vote.

Referendum

A process where citizens vote directly to approve or reject a law passed by the legislature.

Recall

A process that allows voters to remove an elected official from office before their term ends.

Privileges and Immunities Clause

Prevents states from unfairly discriminating against citizens of other states.

Selective Incorporation

The process by which the Supreme Court applies protections in the Bill of Rights to the states through the 14th Amendment.

Grants-in-aid

Federal money given to state and local governments to help fund programs.

Categorical grants

Federal grants that must be used for a specific purpose and usually come with strict requirements.

Mandates

Requirements imposed by the federal government that states or local governments must follow.

Block grants

Federal grants given for a broad purpose, allowing states more freedom in how the money is spent.

14th Amendment

Gave people of color equal protection, due process, and citizenship under the law.

10th Amendment

Rights not given to the federal government are reserved to the states or people.

Federalist Papers

Essays written to support ratification of the Constitution and explain the new government.

Faction

A group of people united by a common interest or belief that may conflict with the rights or interests of others.

Unitary System

A system where most or all government power belongs to the central national government.

Confederal/Confederate System

A system where states or regional governments hold most of the power and the central government is relatively weak.

Federal System

A system where power is divided between the national government and state governments.

Federal Revenue Sharing

The federal government gives money to state and local governments, often allowing them discretion over how to spend it.

Exclusive Powers

Powers belonging only to one level of government, usually referring to powers only the federal government can exercise.

Nullification

The idea that a state can declare a federal law invalid within its borders if it believes the law is unconstitutional.

Commerce Clause

Gives Congress the power to regulate interstate and international commerce.

Supremacy Clause

Establishes that the Constitution and valid federal laws are the supreme law of the land, taking priority over conflicting state laws.

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Requires states to recognize the public acts, records, and court decisions of other states.

Extradition

The process of returning a person accused or convicted of a crime to the state where the crime occurred.

Separation of Powers

Dividing government power among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Checks and Balances

Principle where each branch has powers that can check or limit the other branches.

Expressed/Enumerated Powers

Powers specifically listed in the Constitution for the federal government.

Necessary and Proper (Elastic) Clause

Gives Congress the power to make laws necessary to carry out its enumerated powers.

Implied Powers

Powers not directly written in the Constitution but reasonably suggested by the enumerated powers.

Reserved Powers

Powers kept by the states because they are not given to the federal government.

Concurrent Powers

Powers held by both federal and state governments.

Amendment

A formal change or addition to the Constitution.

Federalists

Supported the Constitution and a stronger national government.

Anti-Federalists

Opposed the Constitution at first because they feared a strong national government and wanted protections for individual rights.

Articles of Confederation

The first written constitution of the United States from 1781 to 1789.

Shay's Rebellion

An armed uprising of indebted farmers in W. Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays; exposed weaknesses of Articles of Confederation.

Constitutional Convention

The 1787 meeting in Philadelphia where state delegates gathered to fix the weak Articles of Confederation.

Virginia Plan

A 1787 Constitutional Convention proposal drafted by James Madison for a strong central government with 3 branches.

New Jersey Plan

A proposal at the 1787 Constitutional Convention by William Paterson that favored small states, proposing a unicameral legislature with equal representation (1 vote per state).

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments to U.S. Constitution; limits power of federal government and protects individual citizens.

Writ of habeas corpus

A court order requiring the government to bring a detained person before a judge and prove that the imprisonment is lawful.

Bills of attainer

A law that punishes a person or group without a trial.

Ex post facto laws

A law that makes an action illegal after it was already committed or increases the punishment afterward.

Connecticut (Great) Compromise

Created a bicameral Congress with the House based on population and the Senate giving each state equal representation.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Enslaved people were counted as 3/5 of a person when determining a state's population for representation and taxation.

Judicial Review

Power of the courts to declare laws or government actions unconstitutional (established by Marbury v. Madison).

Democracy

A system of selecting policy makers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to public preferences.

Natural Rights

Basic, universal entitlements that belong to every person from birth simply for being human rather than from a government.

Social Contract

Written agreement where people give up some freedom and follow rules to live safely together.

Popular Sovereignty

The political theory that the authority of a government is created and sustained by the consent of its people.

Limited Government

A political system where the power of leaders and the government is strictly restricted by law, usually by a written constitution.

Direct (Participatory) Democracy

Lets people vote on laws or policy choices themselves instead of using elected leaders.

Indirect (Representative) Democracy

When people choose leaders to make laws and run the government for them.

Pluralist Theory

Theory that political power is spread out among many competing interest groups rather than controlled by a single elite class.

Elite Democracy (theory)

A model of representative government where a small, wealthy, and educated group holds political power and makes decisions on behalf of the public.

Constitution

The supreme law of the land and one of the 13 required foundational documents.

Republicanism

A principle of democracy where the people exercise their power by electing representatives to make laws and govern on their behalf, rather than voting on laws directly.