US Government Foundations Practice Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering types of democracies, foundational documents like the Articles of Confederation and Federalist Papers, constitutional clauses, and landmark Supreme Court cases.

Direct democracies

Government systems where people vote on every issue and elect officials rather than representatives.

Representative democracies

Government systems where citizens vote for lawmakers or representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

Participatory democracy

A form of democracy involving large scale involvement from the public in the political process.

Elite democracies

Systems where a small group of educated, wealthy, or connected individuals make decisions on behalf of the people.

Pluralist democracy

A democratic system involving groups competing for power and influence in the political process.

Constitutional democracies

Systems where people elect leaders to work within a set of rules characterized by checks and balances.

Declaration of Independence

An argumentative essay serving as a 'breakup letter' with the King of England, laying out colonists’ beliefs, complaints, and efforts to save the relationship.

Confederation

A group of states united under a weak central government.

Articles of Confederation

The first US governing document where the national government lacked the power to tax, regulate trade, or enforce laws, and required a unanimous consent for amendments.

Fed No 10

An argumentative essay in favor of ratifying the US Constitution, arguing that a large republic prevents tyranny from factions by diluting their influence.

Factions

Groups that naturally form in democracies; some may be dangerous if they seek to take the natural rights of others or act against the national interest.

Brutus I

An argumentative essay urging the public not to support ratification, fearing it would create a tyrannical government with an out-of-touch legislature and a dangerous standing army.

Necessary & Proper Clause

Constitutional provision allowing the US government to pass laws that are logical in order to carry out their enumerated powers.

Supremacy Clause

The rule that the US government trumps state governments, preventing states from overriding or ignoring federal policy.

Commerce Clause

Constitutional clause allowing only the US government to regulate commerce that crosses state or international boundaries.

Full Faith & Credit Clause

Requirement that legal proceedings, such as marriage licenses and convictions, from one state are recognized by all other states.

Bicameral legislature

A two-house legislature consisting of the House of Representatives (based on population) and the Senate (equal representation).

McCulloch v. MD

Supreme Court case ruling that the US government could create a national bank under the necessary and proper clause and that Maryland could not tax it due to the supremacy clause.

US v. Lopez

Case where the Supreme Court ruled the Gun-Free School Zones Act unconstitutional, stating that carrying a gun in a school zone is not an act of commerce.

Police powers

Powers left to the states under Article IV of the Constitution, covering areas such as public education, public health, and criminal laws.