Unit 1: Constitutional Foundations and Federalism Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, people, concepts, and landmark cases from the notes on constitutional foundations, federalism, and the development of the U.S. political system.

Equal Access Act (1984)

A federal law that allows public high schools to grant access to religious extracurricular clubs during noninstructional time, preventing schools from excluding such groups.

Mergens v. Board of Education of Westside Community Schools (1990)

Supreme Court decision upholding the Equal Access Act, ruling that public schools could not exclude religious student clubs if other noncurricular clubs are allowed.

Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA)

Student clubs advocating for LGBTQ+ inclusion; their involvement with EAA cases demonstrates how students used the law to gain club access.

ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)

A civil liberties organization that helped in cases related to equal access and religious freedom in public schools.

Declaration of Independence

1776 document invoking liberty ideas and natural rights; influenced by Enlightenment thinkers in arguing for revolution and new governance.

Democracy

System of government where power is held by the people; derived from demos (people) and kratos (power).

John Locke

Enlightenment philosopher who argued for natural rights (life, liberty, property) and government based on a social contract.

Montesquieu

French Enlightenment thinker who proposed separation of powers among branches of government.

Popular Sovereignty

Principle that the government’s authority comes from the people, typically through elected representatives.

Natural rights

Basic rights deemed inherent to all humans (life, liberty, property) that governments should protect.

Social contract

Idea that people consent to government authority in exchange for social order and protection.

Hobbes

Philosopher who argued for a strong sovereign to escape the state of nature and preserve order.

Rousseau

Philosopher who introduced the concept of the general will guiding legitimate government.

Aristotle

Ancient philosopher whose ideas influenced discussions of legitimate government and different governance forms.

Checks and balances

System in which each branch of government restrains the others to prevent the concentration of power.

Federalism

Division of power between national and state governments to balance authority and prevent tyranny.

Articles of Confederation

Early U.S. framework with a weak central government and a unicameral Congress; led to economic and political problems.

Shays’ Rebellion

1786-87 Massachusetts uprising highlighting weaknesses of the Articles and fueling calls for a stronger national government.

Annapolis Convention

1786 meeting addressing interstate trade issues, signaling the move toward a new framework for the U.S. government.

Constitutional Convention (1787)

Meeting to fix the Articles; produced the U.S. Constitution and foundational political structure.

Virginia Plan

Proposal for a strong national government with a bicameral legislature based on population; favored larger states.

New Jersey Plan

Proposal for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state; favored smaller states.

Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)

Agreement creating a bicameral Congress: House representation by population and Senate with equal state representation.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Constitutional provision counting enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation.

Electoral College

System for electing the president: each state has electors equal to its total Senators and Representatives.

Federalists

Supporters of the Constitution’s ratification who favored a stronger central government; authors of the Federalist Papers.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the Constitution who feared centralized power and demanded a Bill of Rights.

Federalist No. 10

Federalist paper arguing that a large republic helps control factions and protects rights through representation.

Brutus No. 1

Anti-Federalist critique warning that a large republic could threaten individual rights and state sovereignty.

Bill of Rights

First ten amendments protecting individual liberties and limiting federal power.

Dual Federalism

Perspective that national and state governments operate in separate spheres of authority.

Cooperative Federalism

View that national and state governments work together on policy areas through shared powers.

Enumerated powers

Powers expressly granted to the national government in the Constitution (e.g., so-called listed powers).

Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)

Constitutional clause allowing Congress to pass laws needed to carry out its enumerated powers; basis for implied powers.

Supremacy Clause

Constitutional clause declaring federal law to be the supreme law of the land over state laws.

Fourteenth Amendment

Amendment guaranteeing citizenship to all born or naturalized in the U.S. and protecting due process and equal protection.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Supreme Court decision upholding 'separate but equal' segregation laws; later overturned by Brown v. Board.

Selective incorporation

Process by which the Supreme Court applies portions of the Bill of Rights to the states on a case-by-case basis.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Case establishing federal supremacy and implied powers under the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

Case affirming broad federal power to regulate interstate commerce under the Commerce Clause.

Commerce Clause

Clause granting Congress power to regulate trade with foreign nations, among states, and with Indian tribes.

Grants-in-aid

Federal funds provided to states to implement national policies; fosters fiscal federalism.

Categorical grants

Grants for specific purposes with conditions and often matching funds.

Unfunded mandates

Federal requirements imposed on states without providing funding to meet them.

Block grants

Flexible federal funds given to states with broad program objectives and fewer strings.

Revenue sharing

Federal money given to states with no strings attached, earlier in U.S. history.

Devolution

Transfer of power from the federal government back to state or local governments.

Medicaid

Federal-state health care program for low-income individuals.

Great Society

Johnson-era program expanding the federal role in social welfare and anti-poverty efforts.

ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) 1965

Legislation providing federal funding to improve K-12 education and reduce dropout rates.

Habeas corpus

Legal writ protecting against unlawful detention; government cannot suspend it arbitrarily.

Bill of Attainder

Prohibition on laws that declare guilt or punishment without a trial.

Ex post facto

Prohibition on punishing someone for an act that was not illegal at the time it was committed.

Treason

Act of betraying the country or aiding its enemies; defined in the Constitution.

Ratification process

Method to amend or adopt the Constitution: 2/3 of both houses or a national convention, and 3/4 of the states ultimately ratifying.