Unit 1 Vocabulary

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 (e.g., school lunch program) rather than for a broad purpose (e.g., transportation). 

Centralists:

those who favor greater national authority rather than state authority. 

Checks and balances:

system in which each branch of government can limit the power of the other two 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 the people rule themselves. 

Elastic clause:

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 powers:

those that are specifically granted 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 states.

Federalist Papers:

group of 85 essays written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay for the purpose of persuading the people of New York to adopt the Constitution.

Formal amendment:

a change in the actual wording of the Constitution. Proposed by Congress or national convention, and ratified by the states.

Implied powers:

those that are "necessary and proper" to carry out Congress' enumerated powers, and are granted to Congress through the elastic clause. 

Indirect democracy:

system in which the people are rule by their representatives. Also known as representative democracy, or republic. 

Inherent powers:

foreign policy powers (e.g., acquiring territory) held by the national government by virtue of its being a national government.

Informal amendment:

a change in the meaning, but not the wording, of the Constitution, e.g., through a court decisions such as Brown v. Board. 

Judicial review:

power of the courts to rule on the constitutionality of laws and government actions. Established by Marbury v. Madison, 1803. 

Mandates:

requirements imposed by the national government upon the states. Some are unfunded mandates, i.e., they are imposed by the national government, but lack funding. 

Marbury v. Madison, 1803:

established the power of judicial review. 

McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819:

established principle of national supremacy and validity of implied powers. 

Police powers:

powers of the states to protect the public health, safety, morals, and welfare of the public. 

Popular sovereignty:

principle in which ultimate political authority rests with the people. 

Reserved powers:

powers held by the states through the 10th Amendment. Any power not granted to the US government is "reserved" for the states.

Separation of powers:

principle in which the powers of government are separated among three branches: legislative, executive, judicial. 

Shays' Rebellion:

1786 revolt by Massachusetts farmers seeking relief from debt and foreclosure that was a factor in the calling of the Constitutional Convention. 

Supermajority:

a majority greater than a simple majority of one over half, e.g., 3/5, 2/3.

Unicameral legislature:

one-house legislature.