unit 1

Amendment

the process by which changes may be made to the Constitution

American Political Culture

the set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that Americans share

AntiFederalists

those opposed to the proposed Constitution, who favored stronger state governments

Articles of Confederation & Perpetual Union

a governing document that created a union of thirteen sovereign states in which the states, not the national government, were supreme

bicameral

Two house legislature

bills of attainder

when the legislature declares someone guilty without a trial

block grant

a type of grant-in-aid that gives state officials more authority in the disbursement of federal funds.

Brutus 1

an Antifederalist Paper arguing that the country was too large to be governed as a republic and that the Constitution gave too much power to the national government

categorical grants

grants-in-aid provided to states with specific provisions on their use

checks and balances

a design of government in which each branch has powers that can prevent the other branches from making policy

Civil Society Groups

independent associations outside the government's control

commerce clause

grants Congress the authority to regulate interstate business and commercial activity

Compromise on Importation

Congress could not restrict the slave trade until 1808

concurrent powers

powers granted to both states and the federal government in the Constitution

confederal system

a system where the subnational governments have most of the power

Constitution

a document that sets out the fundamental principles of governance and establishes the institutions of government

Constitutional Convention

a meeting attended by state delegates in 1787 to fix the Articles of Confederation

Constitutional Republic

a democratic system with elected representatives in which the Constitution is the supreme law

Cooperative Federalism

a form of American federalism in which the states and the national government work together to shape public policy

Democracy

a system of government where power is held by the people

devolution

returning more authority to state or local governments

dual federalism

a form of American federalism in which the states and the nation operate independently in their own areas of public policy

Elitist Theory

a theory of democracy that the elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process

enumerated or expressed powers

powers explicitly granted to the national government through the Constitution; also called expressed powers

ex post facto laws

laws punishing people for acts that were not crimes at the time they were committed

exclusive powers

powers only the national government may exercise

executive branch

the institution responsible for carrying out laws passed by the legislative branch

expressed or enumerated powers

authority specifically granted to a branch of the government in the Constitution

extradition

the requirement that officials in one state return a defendant to another state where a crime was committed

faction

a group of self-interested people who use the government to get what they want, trampling the rights of others in the process

federal system

a system where power is divided between the national and state governments

Federalism

the sharing of power between the national government and the states

Federalist 51

an essay in which Madison argues that separation of powers and federalism will prevent tyranny.

Federalists

supporters of the proposed Constitution, who called for a strong national government

Federalists 10

an essay in which Madison argues that the dangers of faction can be mitigated by a large republic and republican government

Federalists Papers

A series of eighty-five essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay published in 1788 that lay out the theory behind the Constitution.

Fifteenth amendment

a constitutional amendment that gave African American men the right to vote

fiscal federalism

the federal government's use of grants-in-aid to influence policies in the state

Fourteenth Amendment

constitutional amendment that provides that persons born in the United States are citizens and prohibits states from denying persons due process or equal protection under the law

Full Faith and Credit Clause

constitutional clause requiring states to recognize the public acts, records, and civil court proceedings from another state

Government

the rules and institutions that make up that system of policymaking

Grand Committee

a committee at the Constitutional Convention that worked out the compromise on representation

grants-in-aid

federal money provided to states to implement public policy objectives

Great Connecticut Compromise

an agreement for a plan of government that drew upon both the Virginia and New Jersey Plans; it settled issues of state representation by calling for a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives apportioned proportionately and a Senate apportioned equally

implied powers

authority of the federal government that goes beyond its expressed powers

Inalienable Rights

rights the government cannot take away

judicial branch

the institution responsible for hearing and deciding cases through the federal courts

legislative branch

the institution responsible for making laws

Liberty

social, political, and economic freedoms

Natural Rights

the right to life, liberty, and property, which government cannot take away

necessary and proper or elastic clause

language in article one, section 8, granting congress the powers necessary to carry out its enumerated powers

New Jersey Plan

a plan of government that provided for a unicameral legislature with equal votes for each state

Participatory Democracy

a theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government

Pluralist Theory

a theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of groups in the policymaking process

Political Institutions

the structure of government, including the executive, legislature, and judiciary

Politics

the process of influencing the actions and policies of government

Popular Sovereignty

the idea that the government's right to rule comes from the people

priviliges and immunities clause

constitutional clause that prevent states from discriminating against people from out of state

Republic

a government ruled by representatives of the people

Republicanism

a system in which the government's authority comes from the people through their representatives

reserved powers

powers not given to the national government, which are retained by the states and the people

revenue sharing

when the federal government apportions tax money to the states with no strings attached

selective incorporation

the process through which the Supreme Court applies fundamental rights in the Bill of Rights to the states on a case-by-case basis

separation of powers

a design of government that distributes powers across institutions in order to avoid making one branch too powerful on its own

Shay's Rebellion

a popular uprising against the government of Massachusetts

Social Contract

people allow their governments to rule over them to ensure an orderly and functioning society

supremacy clause

constitutional provision declaring that the Constitution and all national laws and treaties are the supreme law of the land

Tenth Amendment

reserves powers not delegated to the national government to the states and the people; the basis of federalism

Thirteenth Amendment

constitutional amendment that outlaws slavery

Three-Fifths Compromise

an agreement reached by delegates at the Constitutional Convention that a slave would count as three-fifths of a person in calculating a state's representation

unfunded mandate

federal requirements that states must follow without being provided with funding

unicameral

One-house legislature

unitary system

a system where the central government has all of the power over subnational governments

Virginia Plan

a plan of government calling for a three-branch government with a bicameral legislature, where more populous states would have more representation in Congress

writ of habeas corpus

the right of people detained by the government to know the charges against them