APGOV UNIT 1

Politics

the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.

Government

the political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members, citizens, or inhabitants of communities, societies, and states

Democracy

A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens

Natural rights

the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property

Social Contract

A voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules.

Inalienable Rights

All persons are born free and have certain inalienable rights which include the right of pursuing life's basic necessities, of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties, of acquiring, possessing and protecting property and of seeking their safety, health and happiness in all lawful ways.

Popular Sovereignty

The idea that the governments right to rule comes from the people

Republicanism

a system in which the gov’s authority comes from the people

civil society

Organizations outside of the state that help people define and advance their own interests

Participatory Democratic Theory

a form of government in which citizens participate individually and directly in political decisions and policies that affect their lives, rather than through elected representatives.

pluralist theory

A theory of government and politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies.

Elitist Theory

a theory of democracy that the elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process

Political Insitutions

the structure of government, including the executive, legislature, and judiciary

Constitutional Republic

a democratic system with elected representatives in which the Constitution is the supreme law

Constitution

A document which spells out the principles by which a government runs and the fundamental laws that govern a society

Republic

A government ruled by representatives of the people

Unicameral

A single-chamber legislature

Articles of Confederation

the written document that established the functions of the national government of the United States after it declared independence from Great Britain. 1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)

Annapolis Convention

A convention held in September 1786 to consider problems of trade and navigation, attended by five states and important because it issued the call to Congress and the states for what became the Constitutional Convention

Shay's Rebellion (1786-1787)

Angered by taxes & debts, Daniel Shay led a rebellion against the American Gov't. (SHOWED how Articles of Confederation were weak) the people didn't have a commercial bank and had to borrow from each other; were in large debt. Uprising led by Daniel Shays in an effort to prevent courts from foreclosing on the farms of those who could not pay the taxes, was a protest against the land being taken away and the taxes that they had worked for in Revolutionary war

writ of habeas corpus

the right to know why a person is being detained; A court order requiring explanation to a judge why a prisoner is being held in custody

Bills of attainder

laws under which specific persons or groups are detained and sentenced without trial

ex post facto law

a law that would allow a person to be punished for an action that was not against the law when it was committed

Virginia Plan

"Large state" proposal for the new constitution, calling for proportional representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress. The plan favored larger states and thus prompted smaller states to come back with their own plan for apportioning representation.

New Jersey Plan

The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population.

Conneticut Compromise

created two houses of congress, one where the number of votes determined the population of each state (House of Representatives) and one where each state had equal votes (Senate)

Bicameral

A legislature consisting of two parts, or houses

Three-Fifths Compromise

Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person in determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (negated by the 13th amendment)

Compromise on Importation

Congress couldn't restrict the slave trade until 1808

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

Separation of Powers

The U.S. Constitution establishes three separate but equal branches of government: the legislative branch (makes the law), the executive branch (enforces the law), and the judicial branch (interprets the law).

Federalism

a form of government in which power is divided between the federal, or national, government and the states

Nessesary and proper clause (elastic clause)

gives Congress power to make "all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution" other federal powers

implied powers

Powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions.

Electoral College

a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.

Supreme Court

Consists of nine justices, each appointed by the President and confirmed by Congress. Appointment is for life. Supreme Court exercises the power to determine constitutionality of statutes

Supremacy Clause

Article VI of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.

Amendment

A change in, or addition to, a constitution or law

Federalists

A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during ratification debates in state legislatures.

Anti-Federalists

Non-supporters of the ratification of the constitution & required a bill of rights in order to agree on a ratification

Federalist Papers

a series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay (using the name "publius") published in NY newspapers and used to convice readers to adopt the new constitution

faction

a small, organized, dissenting group within a larger one, especially in politics.

expressed powers

Authority specifically granted into a branch of the government in the constitution; also called the "enumerated powers"

exclusive powers

Powers only the national government may exercise

10th Amendment

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

reserved powers

Powers given specifically to states used to protect & provide safety health & well-being. & have final say about amendments added in the constitution

concurrent powers

powers of a federal state that are shared by both the federal government and each constituent political unit, such as a state or province. These powers may be exercised simultaneously within the same territory, in relation to the same body of citizens, and regarding the same subject-matter

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Section of Article IV of the Constitution that ensures judicial decrees and contracts made in one state will be binding and enforceable in any other state.

Privileges and Immunities Clause

prevent states from discriminating against people out of state

Dual Federalism

A form of American federalism in which the state in the nation operate independently and their own areas of public policy.

selective incorporation

The process through which the Supreme Court applies fundamental rights in the bill of rights to the states on a case by case basis

Cooperative Federalism

A form of American federalism in which the states and the national government work together to shape a public policy

grants-in-aid

an amount of money coming from the central government that is given to a state government, local government or individual person for the purposes of funding a specific project.

categorial grants

federal grants given to state and local governments to encourage their cooperation in implementing specific purposes and programs. These grants give less flexibility to state governments

Fiscal Federalism

The use of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system'; the use of Grants in aids by the national gov

unfunded mandates

regulations or conditions for receiving grants that impose costs on state and local governments for which they are not reimbursed by the federal government

block grants

A type of grants in aid that gives state officials more authority in the disbursment of federal funds

revenue sharing

A law providing for the distribution of a fixed amount or share of federal tax revenues to the states for spending on almost any government purpose.

US vs. Lopez (1995)

the Supreme Court ruled that Congress had exceeded its constitutional authority under the Commerce Clause when it passed a law prohibiting gun possession in local school zones.

US vs. Windsor (2013)

A Supreme Court ruling striking down the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prohibited federal recognition of same-sex marriages.

Gonzales vs. Raich (2005)

SC upheld Congress's power to criminalize the use of marijuana, even for medicinal purposes by seriously ill people. Ruled that the impact of individual marijuana usage had a substantial connection to interstate commerce.