Unit 1 - Democracy and the Constitution

Politics

Process of influencing the actions and policies of government

Government

Rules and institutions that make up that system of policymaking

Democracy

System of government where power is held by the people

Natural Rights

Right of life, liberty, and property which the government could not take away

Social Contract

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

American Political Culture

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

Popular Sovereignty

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

Republicanism

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

Inalienable Rights

rights the government cannot take away

Liberty

social, political, and economic freedoms

Participatory Democracy

a theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government

Civil Society Groups

independent associations outside the government's control

Pluralist Theory

Democratic theory that highly promotes the role of groups in policy making process

Elitist Theory

A small minority of more "elite" or upper class people that have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process

Political Institutions

The structure of government

Constitutional Republic

Democratic system with elected reps in which the constitution is the supreme law

Constitution

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

Republic

a government ruled by representatives of the people

Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union

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

Unicameral

One-house legislature

Shays Rebellion

a popular uprising against the government of Massachusetts

Constitutional Convention

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

writ of habeas corpus

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

Bills of Attainder

when the legislature declares someone guilty without a trial

ex post facto law

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

Virginia Plan

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

New Jersey Plan

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

Great 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

Bicameral

two house legislature

3/5 Compromise

agreement reached by delegates at the Constitutional Convention that a slave would count as 3/5 of a person in calculating a state's representation

seperation of powers

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

checks & balances

Design of gov in which each branch has power that can prevent the other branches from making policy

Federalism

the sharing of power between national gov and states

Legislative Branch

Institutions responsible for making laws

expressed or enumerated powers

authority specifically granted to a branch of the gov in the constitution

Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)

Language in Article 1, Section 8 granting congress the powers necessary to carry out its enumerated powers

implied powers

authority of the federal gov that goes beyond its expressed power

Executive Branch

institution responsible for carrying out laws passed by the legislative branch

Judicial Branch

Institution responsible for hearing and deciding cases through federal courts

supremacy clause

Constitutional provision declaring that the constitution and all national laws and treaties are the supreme law of the land

Amendment

the process by which changes may be made to the constitution

Federalists

supporters of the proposed constitution who called for a strong national gov

Antifederalists

those opposed to the proposed constitution, who favored strong state gov

Federalist Papers

Series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, Jay and published between 1787-1788 that lay out the theory behind the constitution

federalist 51

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

faction

group of self - interested people who use the gov to get what they want

Federalist 10

essay which Madison argues that the dangers of faction can be mitigated by a large republic

Brutus 1

Antifederalist paper arguing that the country was too large to be governed as a republic

Federalism

a system that divides power between the national and state governments

Unitary System

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

Confederal System

a system where the subnational governments have most of the power

Federal System

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

Enumerated or Expressed Powers

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

Exclusive Powers

powers only the national government may exercise

Implied Powers

powers not granted specifically to the national government but considered necessary to carry the enumerated powers

Commerce Clause

grants Congress the authority to regulate interstate trade

Necessary and Proper Clause

grants the federal government the authority to pass laws required to carry out its enumerated powers. Also called the elastic clause

Supremacy Clause

establishes the Constitution and the laws of the federal government passed under its authority as the highest laws of the land

10th Amendment

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

Reserved Powers

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

Concurrent Powers

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

Full Faith and Credit Clause

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

Extradition

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

Privileges and Immunities Clause

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

13th Amendment

constitutional amendment that outlawed slavery

14th Amendment

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

15th Amendment

constitutional amendment that gave African American males the right to vote

Dual Federalism

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

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

Cooperative Federalism

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

Grants-in-Aid

federal money provided to states to implement public policy objectives

Fiscal Federalism

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

Categorical Grants

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

Unfunded Mandate

federal requirements that states must follow without being provided with funding

Block Grant

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

Revenue Sharing

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

Devolution

returning more authority to state or local governments