AP Gov Unit 1 Vocab Quiz

Bicameral Legislature

two-house legislature

Block grant

money granted by the federal government to the states for a broad purpose (e.g., transportation) rather than for a narrow purpose (e.g., school lunch program).

Categorical Grant

money granted by the federal government to the states for a narrow purpose rather than for a broad purpose.

Centralists

those who favor greater national authority rather than state authority.

Checks and Balances

system in which each branch of the government can limit the power of the other 2 branches (e.g presidential veto of a congressional law).

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.

Concurrent Powers

those held by both Congress and the states, e.g. establishing
law enforcement agencies.

Confederation

system in which sovereign states are only loosely tied to a central
government (e.g. the US under the Articles of Confederation)

Decentralists

those who favor greater state authority rather than national
authority

Direct Democracy

system in which people rule themselves

Elastic Cause

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 Power

those that are specifically guaranteed to Congress in Article
1, section 8 of the Constitution (e.g. the power to tax; also known as expressed powers).

Federalism

constitutional sharing of power between a central government and
state governments. Different varieties

Dual Federalism

system in which the national government and state
governments are coequal, with each being dominant within its respective sphere.

Cooperative Federalism

system in which both federal government and
state governments cooperate in solving problems

New Federalism

system in which the national government restores greater
authority back to the sates.