ch.1 + 2 flashcards

unalienable

a human right based on nature or god

articles of confederation

a weak constitution that governed america during revolutionary war

constitutional convention

a meeting in philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution

shays rebellion

a 1787 rebellion in which ex-revolutionary war soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes

virginia plan

proposal to create a strong national government

new jersey plan

proposal to create a weak national government

great compromise

plan to have a popularly elected house based on state population and a state-selected senate (2 members for each state)

republic

a government in which elected representatives make the decisions

judicial review

the power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional

federalism

government authority shared by national and local governments

enumerated powers

powers given to the national government alone

reserved powers

powers given to the state alone

concurrent powers

powers shared by both national and state governments

separation of powers

sharing of constitutional authority by multiple branches of government

checks and balances

constitutional ability of multiple branches of government to limit each other’s power

faction

a group with distinct political interest

federalists

those who favor a stronger national government

anti-federalists

those who favor a weaker national government

coalition

an alliance of groups

habeas corpus

an order to produce an arrested person before a judge

bill of attainder

a law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime

ex post facto law

a law that makes an act criminal even though the act was legal when it was committed

bill of rights

first 10 amendments to the constitution

line item veto

an executive’s ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by legislature

sovereignty

ultimate political authority

unitary system

sovereignty in national gov not state

confederate system

sovereignty in state not national gov

federal system

national and state share sovereignty

necessary/proper

allows to pass laws not in constitution

nullification

state can nullify laws if they find them unconstitutional (violates)

dual federalism

national and state separate

co-op federalism

fed and state share some policies

laboratories of democracy

diff states can have diff policies, good policies will spread

initiative

voters put legislative measures on ballot

referendum

voters reject measure passed by legistlature

recall

remove elected officials

graints-in-aid

money goes from nat to state

categorical grant

specific reason for grant

conditions of aid

terms for states to recieve grant

mandate

states meet terms whether or not getting a grant

waiver

allowed to break law on exception

devolution

power transfers from national to state and local