Foundations of American Democracy

A collection of vocabulary flashcards related to the foundations and principles of American democracy based on lecture notes.

Limited Government

Restrictions on government power, usually found in a constitution.

Natural Rights

Rights that individuals are born with and cannot be infringed upon, including life, liberty, and property (or the pursuit of happiness).

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that the authority of a state and its government is created and sustained by the consent of its people.

Republicanism

A form of representative democracy where elected representatives make decisions on behalf of the citizens.

Social Contract

An agreement among individuals to form a government that protects their natural rights in exchange for compliance to its authority.

Participatory Democracy

A democratic model that emphasizes broad participation in politics and civil society.

Pluralist Democracy

A democratic system that recognizes group-based activism by nongovernmental interests striving for impact on political decision making.

Elite Democracy

A democratic model that emphasizes limited participation in politics and civil society, typically favoring the views of a small group over the larger populace.

Federalists

Supporters of the U.S. Constitution who favored a stronger national government.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the U.S. Constitution who feared that a strong central government would threaten individual liberties.

Articles of Confederation

The first governing document of the U.S. that established a weak central government.

Ratification

The official approval of the Constitution or amendments, often requiring a supermajority.

Connecticut Compromise

The agreement during the Constitutional Convention that established a bicameral legislature combining the Virginia and New Jersey plans.

Electoral College

A body of electors established by the Constitution, responsible for formally electing the president.

⅗ Compromise

An agreement that counted enslaved persons as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes.

Implied Powers

Powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but inferred from the necessary and proper clause.

Judicial Review

The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional, established in Marbury v. Madison.

Civil Liberties

Constitutionally established guarantees and freedoms that protect citizens from arbitrary government interference.

Selective Incorporation

The process by which the Supreme Court applies the Bill of Rights to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.

Affirmative Action

Efforts to improve opportunities for underrepresented or disadvantaged groups.

Political Socialization

The process by which individuals develop their political values and beliefs.

Interest Groups

Organizations that seek to influence public policy based on specific interests.

Political Parties

Organizations that seek to gain power in government through the election of candidates.

Public Opinion

The collective attitudes and beliefs of individuals on political issues.