1.3 - Powers and Limitations - All Vocab

10th Amendment

says that all powers not given to the national government (or denied to states) are reserved for the state governments (e.g., run schools)

Division of powers

splitting up the powers of the government into national powers and state powers to protect people from tyranny

Federalism

same as division of powers

Separation of powers

splitting up the national government into three branches: executive, legislative & judicial (to prevent any one person or group from having all of the power)

Checks and Balances

the ability of each branch to check the other two branches (to prevent abuse of power) so that they all stay equal and limited

Bill of rights

the attachment to the US Constitution that states our various individual freedoms (e.g., speech)

republicanism

A form of government in which people elect representatives to create and enforce laws (we have this)

pure democracy

A type of government in which each person votes directly on each law or issue (the founders rejected this)

popular sovereignty

A government in which the people rule by their own consent (rather than be ruled by a dictator)

electoral college

the system set up in the constitution where voters vote for electors and then the electors elect the president

limited government

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution (e.g., federalism and the Bill of Rights)

Delegated powers

powers given to the National Government expressly in the Constitution (e.g., coin money)

Reserved powers

Powers held by state governments alone because they were not delegated to the national government (e.g., issuing marriage certificates)

Concurrent powers

Powers held jointly by the national and state governments (e.g., build roads)

Judicial review

The power of the courts to declare laws and presidential orders unconstitutional

Supremacy Clause

Federal law is the supreme law of the land (over conflicting state laws)

Elastic clause

the part of the Constitution that permits Congress to make any laws "necessary and proper" to carrying out its powers (e.g., Obama Care or minimum wage laws)

Veto

The president's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature