Openstax - American Government, Chapter 2

Anti-Federalists

those who did not support ratification of the Constitution

Articles of Confederation

the first basis for the new nation's government; adopted in 1781; created an alliance of sovereign states held together by a weak central government

bicameral legislature

a legislature with two houses, such as the U.S. Congress

Bill of Rights

the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution; most were designed to protect fundamental rights and liberties

checks and balances

a system that allows one branch of government to limit the exercise of power by another branch; requires the different parts of government to work together

confederation

a highly decentralized form of government; sovereign states form a union for purposes such as mutual defense

Declaration of Independence

a document written in 1776 in which the American colonists proclaimed their independence from Great Britain and listed their grievances against the British king

enumerated powers

the powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution (Article I, Section 8); power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs

federal system

a form of government in which power is divided between state governments and a national government

Federalists

those who supported ratification of the Constitution

Great Compromise

a compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan that created a two-house Congress; representation based on population in the House of Representatives and equal representation of states in the Senate

natural rights

the right to life, liberty, and property; believed to be given by God; no government may take away

New Jersey Plan

a plan that called for a one-house national legislature; each state would receive one vote

republic

a form of government in which political power rests in the hands of the people, not a monarch, and is exercised by elected representatives

reserved powers

any powers not prohibited by the Constitution or delegated to the national government; powers reserved to the states and denied to the federal government

separation of powers

the sharing of powers among three separate branches of government

social contract

an agreement between people and government in which citizens consent to be governed so long as the government protects their natural rights

supremacy clause

the statement in Article VI of the Constitution that federal law is superior to laws passed by state legislatures

The Federalist Papers

a collection of eighty-five essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in support of ratification of the Constitution

Three-Fifths Compromise

a compromise between northern and southern states that called for counting of all a state's free population and 60 percent of its slave population for both federal taxation and representation in Congress

unicameral legislature

a legislature with only one house, like the Confederation Congress or the legislature proposed by the New Jersey Plan

veto

the power of the president to reject a law proposed by Congress

Virginia Plan

a plan for a two-house legislature; representatives would be elected to the lower house based on each state's population; representatives for the upper house would be chosen by the lower house

ballot fatique

the result when a voter stops voting for offices and initiatives at the bottom of a long ballot

Caucus

a form of candidate nomination that occurs in a town-hall style format rather than a day-long election; usually reserved for presidential elections

chronic minority

voters who belong to political parties that tend not to be competitive in national elections because they are too small to become a majority or because of the Electoral College system distribution in their state

closed primary

an election in which only voters registered with a party may vote for that party's candidates

coattail effect

the result when a popular presidential candidate helps candidates from the same party win their own elections

delegates

party members who are chosen to represent a particular candidate at the party's state- or national-level nominating convention

district system

the means by which electoral votes are divided between candidates based on who wins districts and/or the state

early voting

an accommodation that allows voting up to two weeks before Election Day

Electoral College

the constitutionally created group of individuals, chosen by the states, with the responsibility of formally selecting the next U.S. president

incumbency advantage

the advantage held by officeholders that allows them to often win reelection

incumbent

the current holder of a political office

initiative

law or constitutional amendment proposed and passed by the voters and subject to review by the state courts; also called a proposition

midterm elections

the congressional elections that occur in the even-numbered years between presidential election years, in the middle of the president's term

open primary

an election in which any registered voter may vote in any party's primary or caucus

platform

the set of issues important to the political party and the party delegates

political action committees (PACs)

organizations created to raise money for political campaigns and spend money to influence policy and politics

recall

the removal of a politician or government official by the voters

referendum

a yes or no vote by citizens on a law or candidate proposed by the state government

residency requirement

the stipulation that citizen must live in a state for a determined period of time before a citizen can register to vote as a resident of that state

shadow campaign

a campaign run by political action committees and other organizations without the coordination of the candidate

straight-ticket voting

the practice of voting only for candidates from the same party

super PACs

officially known as Independent Expenditure-Only Committees; organizations that can fundraise and spend as they please to support or attack a candidate but not contribute directly to a candidate or strategize with a candidate's campaign

top-two primary

a primary election in which the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, become the nominees for the general election

voter fatigue

the result when voters grow tired of voting and stay home from the polls

voting-age population

the number of citizens over eighteen

voting-eligible population

the number of citizens eligible to vote

winner-take-all system

all electoral votes for a state are given to the candidate who wins the most votes in that state

15th Amendment

States cannot deny any person the right to vote because of race.

Shay's Rebellion

Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

no power to tax, President lacked power, no money to buy ships or pay soldiers

Father of the Contitution

James Madison