APGOPO - American Foundations

Limited Government

government structure in which government actions are limited by law

Natural Rights

rights granted to all men

Unalienable Rights

rights that cannot be taken away

Confederation

an alliance of independent states

the great compromise

Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population in the other house (combo of Virginia plan and New Jersey plan)

3/5 Compromise

Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person

the commerce and slave trade compromise

Congress was forbidden the power to tax the export of goods from any state

Federalists

supporters of the Constitution

Anti-Federalists

people who opposed the Constitution

Constitution

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

constitutional government

government whose power is defined and limited by a constitution

Direct Democracy

a form of democracy in which the people vote firsthand

Republic/Representative Democracy

voters elect delegates who will represent them in the government

federal system

A government that divides the powers of government between the national government and state or provincial governments

participatory democracy

a system of government where rank-and-file citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives to govern on their behalf

pluralist democracy

a government type where no one person dominates

elite democracy

A political system in which the privileged classes acquire the power to decide by a competition for the people's votes and have substantial freedom between elections to rule as they see fit.

anarchy

a lack of government and law

Autocracy

a system of government by one person with absolute power.

Oligarchy

A government ruled by a few powerful people

Hyper pluralism

when many people are so strong so the government cant function

faction

A group with a distinct political interest

unicameral legislature

a legislature with one chamber

bicameral legislature

Two house legislature