American Government C1-2 Vocabulary

common goods

goods that all people may use but that are of limited supply

democracy

a form of government where political power rests in the hands of the people

direct democracy

a form of government where people participate directly in making government decisions instead of choosing representatives to do this for them

elite theory

claims political power rests in the hands of a small, elite group of people

government

the means by which a society organizes itself and allocates authority in order to accomplish collective goals

ideology

the beliefs and ideals that help to shape political opinion and eventually policy

latent preferences

beliefs and preferences people are not deeply committed to and that change over time

majority rule

a fundamental principle of democracy; the majority should have the power to make decisions binding upon the whole

minority rights

protections for those who are not part of the majority

oligarchy

a form of government where a handful of elite society members hold political power

partisanship

strong support, or even blind allegiance, for a particular political party

pluralist theory

claims political power rests in the hands of groups of people

representative democracy

a form of government where voters elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on behalf of all the people instead of allowing people to vote directly on laws

social capital

connections with others and the willingness to interact and aid them

toll good

a good that is available to many people but is used only by those who can pay the price to do so

totalitarianism

a form of government where government is all-powerful and citizens have no rights

anti-federalists

those who did not support ratification of the Constitution

articles of confederation

the first basis for the new nation’s government; adopted in 1781; created an alliance of sovereign states held together by a weak central government

bicameral legislature

a legislature with two houses

confederation

a highly decentralized form of government

enumerated powers

the powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution (Article I, Section 8); power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs

federal system

a form of government in which power is divided between state governments and a national government

federalists

those who supported ratification of the Constitution

great compromise

a compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan that created a two-house Congress; representation based on population in the House of Representatives and equal representation of states in the Senate

natural rights

the right to life, liberty, and property'; believed to be given by God; no government may take away

new jersey plan

a plan that called for a one-house national legislature; each state would receive one vote

republic

a form of government in which political power rests in the hands of the people, not a monarch, and is exercised by elected representatives

reserved powers

any powers not prohibited by the Constitution or delegated to the national government; powers reserved to the states and denied to the federal government

social contract

an agreement between people and government in which citizens consent to be governed so long as the government protects their natural rights

supremacy clause

the statement in Article VI of the Constitution that federal law is superior to laws passed by state legislatures

unicameral legislature

a legislature with only one house

veto

the power of the president to reject a law proposed by Congress

virginia plan

a plan for a two-house legislature; representatives would be elected to the lower house based on each state’s population; representatives for the upper house would be chosen by the lower house