AP Gov Vocab #2

electoral college

a body of representatives from every state in the united states who formally cast votes to elect the president and vice president.

federalist 51

an essay written by james madison (under the pseudonym publius) that explains how the structure of the new government under the constitution will provide the necessary checks and balances to keep any part of the government from becoming too powerful.

3/5 compromise

an agreement added to the constitution that would count each enslaved person as three-fifths of a white person for purposes of representation in the house of representatives.

great compromise

also known as the connecticut compromise, a major compromise at the constitutional convention that created a two-house legislature, with the senate having equal representation for all states and the house of representatives having representation proportional to state populations.

federal revenue sharing

the practice of sharing federal income tax revenue with state and local governments.

mcculloch v. maryland

supreme court case which guaranteed the supremacy of federal laws over state laws and declared that congress has implied powers not listed in the constituion in order to fufill their enumerated powers

pluralist democracy

a form of democracy in which political power rests with competing interest groups so that no one group dominates political decisions.

participatory democracy

a form of democracy that emphasizes broad, direct participation in politics and civil society, in which most or all citizens participate in politics directly.

elite democracy

a form of democracy in which a small number of people, usually those who are wealthy and well-educated, influence political decisionmaking.

block grants

federal grants issues to states or local governments to support broad programs.

categorical grants

federal grants restricted to specific purposes

mandates

a requirement that states or local governments meet a specific condition in order to recieve federal aid

10th amendment

constitutional amendment that stipulates that all powers not given to the federal government are reserved to the states or the people.

us v. lopez

supreme court case which stopped congress from using the commerce clause to ban guns in schools