Studied by 9 people
Articles of Confederation
The first constitution of the United States.
Shay's Rebellion
Exposed the weakness of the government under the Articles of Confederation and led many—including George Washington—to call for strengthening the federal government in order to put down future uprisings.
Article V
Amending the Constitution
Bicameral Legislature
Two house legislature
Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments to the Constitution
Constitutional Convention
A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution
Electoral College
The body of electors who formally elect the United States president and vice-president.
Every Student Succeeds Act
Replaced the No Child Left Behind Act in December of 2015
Retains testing requirements but gives states more flexibility in determining how, what and when to tests
Schools at the bottom 5% of assessment scores are considered failing schools
The act kept student achievement standards but returned accountability largely back to the states
Great Compromise
Plan proposed at the 1787 Constitutional Convention for creating a national bicameral legislature in which all states would be equally represented in the Senate and proportionally represented in the House.
New Jersey Plan
The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population.
No Child Left Behind
Holds states, schools, and school districts more accountable for their standardized tests scores. The wanted outcome was better tests scores all around and overall a smarter and better population.
Race to the Top
Obama's initiative that requires students to be college or career ready upon graduation
Ratification
The process by which a constitutional amendment is put into place.
Three-Fifths Compromise
Compromise between northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.
USA Patriot Act
Act that gives federal officials greater authority to take measures to combat terrorism.
Virginia Plan
Proposal to create a strong national government
Advise and Consent
The power of the Senate to approve or disapprove of any of the President's appointments or treaties.
Checks and Balances
A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
Federalist 51 (Madison)
Separation of powers, checks and balances
Impeachment
Charges against a president approved by a majority of the House of Representatives
Pocket Veto
A veto taking place when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill to the president, who simply lets it die by neither signing nor vetoing it.
Separation of Powers
Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law
Stakeholders
Those who have vested interest in a policy.
Two-Thirds Override
To pass a bill over the President's objections requires a two-thirds vote in each Chamber
Veto
Chief executive's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature
Block Grant
Money given to states for general programs within a broad category
Categorical Grants
Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport
Concurrent Powers
Powers held jointly by the national and state governments.
Cooperative Federalism
A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government.
Defense of Marriage Act
A law enacted by Congress in 1998 that allowed states to refuse to recognize gay marriages or civil unions formed in other jurisdictions. The Supreme Court ruled that DOMA was unconstitutional in 2013.
Devolution
The transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states.
Exclusive Powers
Powers within a federal system of government that each constituent political unit is absolutely or conditionally prohibited from exercising.
Extradition
Process by which governments return fugitives to the jurisdiction from which they have fled.
Federalism
Constitutional sharing of power between a central government and state governments.
Federal Grants
The way that the national government provides money to the states.
Fiscal Federalism
A concept of federalism in which funding is appropriated by the federal government to the states with specific conditions attached.
Full Faith and Credit Clause
Section of Article IV of the Constitution that ensures judicial decrees and contracts made in one state will be binding and enforceable in any other state.
Mandates
Requirements imposed by the national government on state and local governments to comply with federal rules and regulation.
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
Eliminates AFDC's open-ended entitlement and creates a block grant for states to provide time-limited cash assistance for needy families, with work requirements for most recipients.
Police Powers
The capacity of the states to regulate behavior and enforce order within their territory for the betterment of the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of their inhabitants.
Privileges and Immunities Clause
A clause in Article IV, Section 2, of the Constitution according citizens of each state most of the privileges of citizens of other states.
Revenue Sharing
The distribution of a portion of federal tax revenues to state and local governments.
Strings
Other obligations in exchange for accepting a grant.
Supremacy Clause
Establishes that the Constitution, federal laws made pursuant to it, and treaties made under its authority, constitute the supreme law of the land.
Commerce Clause
Gives Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states, with foreign nations, and among Indian tribes. Granted through Article 1, section 8 of the Constitution.
Dual Federalism
A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.
Elastic Clause
States that Congress can exercise those powers that are "necessary and proper" for carrying out the enumerated powers, e.g., establishment of the first Bank of the United States.
Enumerated Powers:
The powers explicitly given to Congress in the Constitution.
Fourteenth Amendment
Granted citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the United States," which included former slaves recently freed.
Implied Powers
Those that are "necessary and proper" to carry out Congress' enumerated powers, and are granted to Congress through the elastic clause
McCulloch v. Maryland
Supreme Court ruling (1819) confirming the supremacy of national over state government
United States v. Lopez
Preserved the system of Federalism (1995).
Necessary and Proper Clause
Clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress, in addition to its express powers, has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the national government
Selective Exclusiveness
A doctrine asserting that when the commodity requires a national uniform rule, only Congress may regulate
Tenth Amendment
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Clean Air Act
Call for improved air quality and decreased contaminants.
Clean Water Act
Regulates the discharges of pollutants into the waters of the US and monitors quality standards for surface waters
Controlled Substances Act
A comprehensive federal drug policy that was part of President Richard Nixon's war on drugs, was the first federal drug policy that was part of President Richard Nixon's war on drugs, was the first federal law with any teeth to enforce and heavily punish marijuana dealers and users.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Federal funding was offered to states if they met requirements in sections, or titles, of the act.
Endangered Species Act
Established a program that empowers the National Fish and Wildlife Service to protect endangered species
Kyoto Protocol
A multi-country agreement that committed the signing nations to reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
National Environmental Protections Act:
Requires any government agency, state or federal, to file an environmental impact statement with the federal government every time the agency plans a policy that might harm the environment, dams, roads, or existing construction.
No Child Left Behind
States were held more accountable for student achievement (standardized testing) under federal supervision.
Paris Agreement
An international agreement on climate change policy during the Obama Presidency that the United States Senate was conservative on signing onto, but the State governments adopted their policies anyways.
Grant-in-aid programs
Grants of federal money or other resources to the States and/or their cities, counties, and other local units.
John Adams
Early leader of the federalist party.
Declaration of Independence
The legal justification for the rebellion.
Benjamin Franklin
Statesman at the constitutional convention who assisted in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.
Grand Committee
A committee at the Constitutional Convention that worked out the compromises needed to work out the conflicts of the new government.
Alexander Hamilton
United States statesman and leader of the Federalists
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
Believes that humans were naturally selfish and wicked, and governments were needed to keep order and rulers needs absolute power to keep citizens under control.
Thomas Jefferson
Wrote the Declaration of Independence
Limited Government
A government kept under control by laws, checks, and balances, and separation of powers.
John Locke, Second Treatise of Government
He wrote that all human beings have a right to life, liberty, and property and that governments exist to protect those rights. He rejected the theory of the Divine Right of the monarchy, and believed that government was based upon a "social contract" that existed between a government and its people. If the government failed to uphold its end of the contract by protecting those rights, the people could rebel and institute a new government.
James Madison
"Father of the Constitution," Federalist leader, and fourth President of the United States.
Barron de Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws
Saw a republican form of government as one having defined and limited power while granting political liberty to citizens.
Natural Law
States that people are born free and equal, as well as entitled to their rights.
Popular Sovereignty
A government in which the people rule by their own consent.
Representative Republic
A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or leaders, to make decisions based on the law and/or constitution.
Republicanism
A philosophy of limited government with elected representatives serving at the will of the people. The government is based on consent of the governed.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Social Contract
A French man who believed that Human beings are naturally good & free & can rely on their instincts. Government should exist to protect common good, and be a democracy
U.S. Constitution
A document that embodies the fundamental laws and principles by which the United States is governed.
George Washington
1st President of the United States
Anti-Federalists
Those who opposed the consolidation of the states under a federal government.
Elite Democracy
A system where elected representatives make decisions and act as trustees for the people who elected them.
Federalists
Those who supported the proposed constitutional structure, a strong federal government, and full ratification.
Initiative
A procedure by which voters can propose a law or a constitutional amendment.
Interest Group
A collection of people who share a common interest or attitude and seek to influence the government for specific ends.
Participatory Democracy
Emphasizes broad participation in politics and civil society.
Pluralist Democracy
Recognizes group-based activism by nongovernmental interests striving for impact on political decision making.
Referendum
A direct vote by the electorate on a proposed law that has been passed by the legislature or on a specific governmental action.
Representative Democracy
Government in which the people elect those who govern and pass laws; also called a republic.
Brutus #1 (1787)
Anti-Federalist document stating that a large nation will rarely have a chance to participate in government and the government will not be able to control factions or interests.
Faction
A term the founders used to refer to political parties and special interests or interest groups.
Federalist #10
An essay composed by James Madison which argues that liberty is safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such diversity makes tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always be unstable.
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