AP U.S Government Chapters 1 & 2 Vocab

Unalienable

A human right based on nature or God

Articles of Confederation

A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War

Constitutional Convention

A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution

Shay’s 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, with two 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 government alone

Concurrent powers

Powers shared by the 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 a distinct political interest

Federalists

Those who favor a stronger national government

Antifederalists

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 ten amendments to the Constitution

Line-item veto

An executive’s ability to block a particular provision ina bill passed by the legislature

Sovereignty

The ultimate political author in a system

Unitary system

A system of government where sovereignty is fully vested in the national government, not the states

Confederation/Confederal system

A system of government where state governments are sovereign, and the national government can do only what the states permit

Federal system

A system of government where the national and state governments share sovereignty

“Necessary and proper” clause

Section of the Constitution allowing Congress to pass all laws “necessary and proper” to its duties, and that has permitted Congress to exercise powers not specifically given to it (enumerated) by the Constitution

Nullification

The doctrine that a state can declare null and void a federal law that, in the state’s opinion, violates the Constitution

Dual federalism

Doctrine holding that the national government is supreme in its sphere the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate

Cooperative federalism

Idea that the federal and state governments share power in many policy areas

Laboratories of democracy

Idea that different states can implement different policies, and the successful ones will spread

Initiative

Process that permits voters to put legislative measures directly on the ballot

Referendum

Procedure enabling voters to reject a measure passed by the legislature

Recall

Procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office

Grants-in-aid

Money given by the national government to the states

Categorical grants

Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport

Conditions of aid

Terms set by the national government that states must meet if they are to receive certain federal funds

Mandates

Terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants

Waiver

A decision by an administrative agency granting some other party permission to violate a law or rule that would otherwise apply to it

Devolution

The transfer of power from the national government to state and local governments