chapter 2 unit 2 AP Gov vocab terms

federalism

a system of government where power is divided between the national (federal) government and state governments.

devolution

transferring power from a higher level of government to a lower level of government.

sovereignty

having the ultimate power and authority to govern yourself.

unitary system

government where most or all power is held by the central (national) government, rather than being shared equally with states or provinces.

confederation

system where states or regions have most of the power, while the central/national government has very limited power.

tenth amendment

says that powers not given to the federal government by the Constitution belong to the states or the people.

supremacy clause (article VI)

says that the U.S. Constitution, federal laws, and treaties are the highest law of the land.

elastic or “necessary and proper” clause (article 1, section 8, clause 18)

gives Congress the power to make laws that are necessary and proper to carry out its other constitutional powers.

commerce clause (article 1, section 8, clause 3)

gives Congress the power to regulate trade and business between states, with other countries, and with Native American tribes.

“full faith and credit” clause (article 4, section 1)

requires states to recognize the laws, records, and court decisions of other states.

“privileges and immunities” clause (article 4, section 2)

says that states cannot unfairly discriminate against citizens from other states.

enumerated powers (national)

the specific powers that the Constitution gives to the national (federal) government.

reserved powers (state)

powers that are kept by the state governments under the 10th Amendment.

concurrent powers

powers that are shared by both the national government and state governments.

implied powers

powers that are not directly written in the Constitution but are reasonably necessary for the federal government to carry out its enumerated powers.

denied powers

powers that the Constitution does not allow a government to use

inherent powers

powers that the national government has simply because it is a sovereign country, even though they are not specifically listed in the Constitution

john marshall

4th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1801–1835). He greatly strengthened the power of the Supreme Court and the federal government.

Most important case was Marbury vs. Madison

He also established judicial review

nullification

the idea that a state can refuse to follow a federal law if the state believes the law is unconstitutional

dual federalism

system where the national government and state governments have separate areas of power

layer cake federalism

another name for dual federalism

marble cake federalism

a system where the national and state governments share and overlap powers

creative federalism (LBJ)

a type of federalism associated with President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) during the 1960s

the great society (LBJ)

LBJ's plan to reduce poverty and improve American life through programs involving education, healthcare, civil rights, and assistance for low-income people

new federalism

the idea of giving more power and responsibility back to state and local governments

initiative

a process that allows citizens to propose a new law or constitutional amendment by collecting signatures

referendum

a process where citizens vote directly on whether to approve or reject a law that has been proposed or passed by the government

recall

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

fiscal federalism

the way the federal government uses money (taxes, grants, and funding) to influence or support state and local governments

grants-in-aid

money given by the federal government to state or local governments for specific purposes

categorical grants

federal money given to state or local governments for a specific purpose, with rules on how the money must be spent

block grants

federal money given to state or local governments for a broad purpose, giving them more freedom to decide how to spend it

mandates

requirements that the federal government places on state or local governments

unfunded mandates

requirements from the federal government that state or local governments must follow without receiving enough federal money to pay for them

conditions of aid

requirements the federal government sets that states or local governments must follow to receive federal money