American Government and Politics Key Terms

A complete list of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts in American Government, Constitutional Foundations, Federalism, and Democratic Theories.

Limited Government

A system where government can only exercise the powers granted to it by the Constitution and should be conducted according to the rule of law.

Natural Rights

John Locke stated that natural rights were life, liberty, and property; these rights are inalienable (cannot be taken away by the government).

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that governmental authority is derived from the people's consent of the governed.

Republicanism

The idea that government is rooted in the consent of the governed; a representative or indirect democracy where laws are made by people the citizens elect.

Social Contract

John Locke's principle stating that citizens give up a little of their rights in order to have the remainder of their rights protected by the government.

Direct/participatory democracy

A system of government in which members of the polity (voters in the community) meet to discuss all policy decisions and then agree to abide by majority rule.

Pluralism

The interpretation of democracy in which government by the people is taken to mean government by people operating through competing interest groups.

Elite theory

Sometimes called power elite theory; the view that a small group of people actually makes most of the government decisions.

Federalism

Power is divided between the national government and the state governments.

Federalists

Supporters of ratification of the U.S. Constitution who wanted a strong national (federal) government and weaker state governments.

Anti-Federalists

Group that did not support ratification of the U.S. Constitution; they wanted stronger state governments, a weaker national (federal) government, and a bill of rights.

Factions

The term James Madison used to describe political parties and interest groups in Federalist No. 10.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States; gave more power to the states than to the national (federal) government.

Shay's Rebellion

A 1786 rebellion in which an army of 1,500 disgruntled farmers marched to Springfield, MA, and forcibly restrained the state court from foreclosing on farmers' mortgages, causing many U.S. leaders to call for a stronger national government.

Great Compromise

A decision made during the Constitutional Convention to give each state the same number of representatives in the Senate regardless of size, while representation in the House was determined by population.

Electoral college

A body of electors chosen by each party to cast ballots for president and vice president based on which candidate wins the most votes in the state.

Three-fifths compromise

Agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention stipulating that each slave was to be counted as three-fifths of a person for purposes of determining population for representation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Congress

The bicameral (two chambers - House of Representatives and the Senate) legislature of the United States.

President

The person in charge of the Executive branch of government who carries out the laws.

Federal Judiciary

The three-tiered court system (district court, court of appeals, and Supreme Court) of the national government.

Checks and balances

A governmental structure that gives each of the three branches of government some degree of oversight and control over the actions of the others.

Separation of powers

The founding fathers divided the government into three branches (Legislative, Executive, and Judicial) so that no one branch would have too much power.

Tenth Amendment

Powers not given to the federal government (national government) or denied to the states, are reserved to the states.

Fourteenth Amendment

States that all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. are citizens; protects privileges or immunities, due process of law, and equal protection under the laws from state infringement.

Commerce clause

The third clause of Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, which gives Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states.

Necessary and proper clause

Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 stating that Congress shall have the power to make all laws 'necessary and proper' for carrying out their enumerated powers; also called the elastic clause.

Enumerated/expressed powers

Powers of legislative, executive, and judicial branches that are specifically spelled out in the Constitution.

Implied powers

Powers derived from the enumerated powers and the necessary and proper clause that are reasonably implied rather than specifically stated in the Constitution.

Policy making

The crafting of proposed ways to resolve public problems.

Government

The formal vehicles through which policies are made and affairs of state are conducted.

National sovereignty

A political entity's (usually a country) externally recognized right to exercise final authority over its affairs.

Order

Established ways of social behavior.

Public goods

Government provided benefits and services (parks and sanitation) that benefit all citizens but are not likely to be produced voluntarily by individuals or companies.

Police power

The authority of the government to maintain order and safeguard citizens' health, morals, safety, and welfare.

Political equality

Equality in political decision making: one vote per person, with all votes counted equally.

Social equality

Equality in wealth, education, and status.

Equality of opportunity

The idea that each person is guaranteed the same chance to succeed in life.

Equality of outcome

The idea that society must ensure that people are equal, and governments must design policies to redistribute wealth and status so that economic and social equality is actually achieved.

Rights

The benefits of government to which everyone is entitled.

Autocracy

A system of government in which the power to govern is concentrated in the hands of one individual.

Oligarchy

A system of government in which the power is concentrated in the hands of a few people.

Democracy

A system of government in which, in theory, the people rule, either directly or indirectly.

Universal participation

The concept that everyone in a democracy should participate in governmental decision making.

Majority rule

The basic principle of procedural democratic theory that group decisions must reflect the preference of more than half of those participating: a simple majority.

Minority rights

The benefits of government that cannot be denied to any citizen by majority decisions.

Hyperpluralism

A situation in which many groups or factions are so strong that a government is unable to function.

Citizen

Member of a political community to whom certain rights and obligations are attached.

Civil society

Society created when citizens are allowed to organize and express their views publicly as they engage in an open debate about public policy.

Indirect (representative) democracy

A system of government that gives citizens the opportunity to vote for representatives who will work on their behalf.

Monarchy

A form of government in which power is vested in hereditary kings and queens who govern in the interests of all.

Politics

The study of who gets what, when, and how - or how policy decisions are made.

Confederation

Type of government where the national (federal) government derives its powers from the states; a league of independent states.

Virginia Plan

Proposal calling for a bicameral legislature and representation based on each state's population.

New Jersey Plan

A framework for the Constitution proposed by small states featuring a one-house legislature with one vote for each state, acts of Congress as supreme law, and a supreme judiciary with limited power.

Legislative branch

The part of government that makes the laws (Article I of the Constitution).

Executive branch

The part of government that carries out the laws and runs the country (Article II of the Constitution).

Judicial branch

The part of government that interprets the laws through Judicial Review (Article III of the Constitution).

Unitary system

System of government where all power comes from a strong national (federal) government.

Judicial review

Power of the federal courts to review government actions to determine if they comply with the Constitution; derived from Marbury v. Madison.

Supremacy clause

Article VI, Section 2 states that the laws of the national (federal) government override conflicting laws of the states and local governments.

Federalist papers

A series of eighty-five political papers written by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison in support of ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Constitution

A document establishing the structure, functions, and limitations of a government.

Full faith and credit clause

Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution ensuring judicial decrees and contracts made in one state will be binding and enforceable in any other state.

Bicameral legislature

Legislature with two chambers; in the U.S. consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Consent of the governed

Idea attributed to John Locke stating that government legitimacy comes from citizens who agree to be governed and can overthrow leaders when necessary.

Ratification

Approval by a legislative body, such as the U.S. Senate ratifying treaties and judicial nominees sent by the president.

Unicameral legislature

Legislature with only one chamber.

Inalienable

Unable to be taken away from or given away by the possessor; natural rights are inalienable.

Devolution

The idea that governing power should move from the national government (federal) to the state governments.

Dual federalism

The idea that powers of national and state governments are clearly differentiated (separated); nicknamed layer cake federalism.

Cooperative federalism

The idea that there is much overlap between state and national government powers; nicknamed marble cake federalism.

Grants-in-aid

General term for money given from a more powerful government to a less powerful government to help pay for a program; usually known as a grant.

Reserved powers

Powers not specifically granted to the national government or denied to the states, held by states through the Tenth Amendment.

Unfunded mandates

A requirement that a state undertake an activity or service required by the national government without receiving federal money to accomplish it.

Nullification

A legal theory arguing that states can invalidate federal laws they deem unconstitutional, though never upheld by federal courts.

Extraordinary/super-majority

A majority greater than a regular majority of half plus one, such as a 2/3 or 3/4 majority.