Foundations of Democracy Vocab

Direct (Participatory) Democracy

 A government in which the people govern themselves and individually vote on matters of policy.

Indirect (Representative) Democracy

A model of democracy in which the people are represented by leaders they elected. 

Elite Democracy

Model of democracy in which a small number of people, usually those who are wealthy or have a large share of influence, control political decisions.

Pluralist View/Pluralism

The belief that effective public policy is the result of competition among multiple different interests and groups

Natural Rights

Rights inherent to all people that are not dependent upon the government.

Articles of Confederation

The constitution that administered America’s first government, which was characterized by a loose league of friendship between states and a weak central government.

Constitutional Convention

Meeting of delegates in 1787 that was initially called to revise the Articles of Confederation, but ultimately led to the formation of the nation’s current Constitution.

Shay’s Rebellion

An uprising that brought attention to the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. 

Virginia Plan

Constitutional convention proposal to create a stronger national government with a bicameral legislature.

New Jersey Plan

Constitutional convention proposal that maintained a unicameral legislature and was preferred by smaller states.

Great Compromise

Agreement to have a popularly elected House based on state population and a state selected Senate, with equal membership for each state. 

Three-Fifths Compromise

Agreement that slaves would be counted as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of representation and taxation.

Judicial Review

The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional.

Social Contract

Agreement in which the government derives their power from the consent of the governed and in exchange, the people agree to limit their rights and participate in an ordered society. 

Federalism

System in which power is divided between national and state or local governments.

Federalist Papers

A collection of essays/articles designed to rally support for the ratification of the Constitution.

Faction

A group with distinct political interests; highlighted in Federalist #10.

Federalists

Those citizens who favored a stronger national government and generally supported the ratification of the Constitution.

Anti-Federalists

Those citizens who favored a weaker national government and generally opposed the ratification of the Constitution. 

Checks and Balances

Constitutional principle that grants each branch some ability to limit the authority of the other branches. 

Separation of Powers

The Constitutional principle that divides the powers of government into three distinct branches. 

Popular sovereignty

The principle that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people. 

Bill of Rights

The first 10 amendments to the Constitution.

Amendment

A new addition to the Constitution that has been proposed by Congress and ratified by the states.

Writ of habeas corpus

An order to produce an arrested person before a judge so that reason may be given as to why that person is in custody.

Limited Government

The government is restrained in their lawful use of power and may only exercise those powers assigned to it in the Constitution.

Federalism

System in which power is divided between national and state or local governments. 

“Necessary and proper” clause

Section of the Constitution allowing Congress to pass all laws essential to carrying out its expressed duties. This provision allows the national government to carry out implied powers.

Confederal/Confederate System

System in which power is held by a loose union of independent states. The central government is weak in relation to the power of the states. 

Initiative

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

Referendum

Procedure that allows voters to reject a measure passed by the state legislature. 

Confederation

A loose alliance of independent states.

The __________ established the first government of the United States.

Articles of Confederation

The document’s full name was the _________________________.

Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union

Sovereign

Something that retained the authority to govern itself.

The Articles of Confederation only had a ______ branch.

Legislative Branch

In the Articles, each state received ___ vote regardless of its size.

One.

In the Articles, Congress is ________.

Unicameral

In the Articles, Congress could…

• Declare war

• Make treaties with foreign nations

• Form alliances

• Appoint military officers

• Coin money

• Borrow money

In the Articles, Congress could not…

• Tax the states directly

• Tax individual citizens directly

• Require states to provide money to the national government

• Regulate interstate commerce, or trade between the states

• Effectively enforce its laws or decisions

Because the states remained sovereign in the Articles, they could…

• Coin their own money

• Create separate state currencies

• Refuse to recognize or follow national treaties

• Place tariffs on goods coming from other states

• Make decisions that conflicted with the national government

These powers made it difficult to create a stable national economy or a consistent foreign policy.

________ became an important example of the national government’s weakness.

Shay’s Rebellion (1786–1787)

Articles central idea

The Articles of Confederation protected the independence and sovereignty of the states, but they created a national government that was too weak to tax, regulate interstate trade, enforce its decisions, or respond effectively to national problems.

Enumerated/Expressed Powers

Powers written into the Constitution that have been given to the national government. 

Reserved Powers

Powers given to the state governments alone. 

Concurrent Powers

Powers shared by both the national and state governments.

Implied Powers

Powers given to the federal government that have been reasonably inferred from the Constitution. 

Nullification

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

Commerce Clause

Constitutional provision that gives the federal government the power to regulate interstate and foreign trade. 

United States v. Lopez

Ruling that declared the national government’s power under the commerce clause does not permit it to regulate matters not directly related to interstate commerce; in this case, banning firearms in a school zone.

McCulloch v. Maryland

Ruling that declared the federal government had the power to establish a national bank under the “necessary and proper” clause. 

Unitary System

System in which power is centralized in one body. State or regional governments derive authority from the central government. 

Confederal/Confederate System

System in which power is held by a loose union of independent states. The central government is weak in relation to the power of the states. 

Recall

Procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office.

Federal Revenue Sharing

The distribution of a percentage of federal tax income to state and local governments.  

Categorical grants

Federal grants given to states for specific purposes, often with strings attached, such as building an airport or a highway. 

Block grants

Federal grants given to states for broader purposes, such as healthcare or education. 

Conditions of aid

Strings attached 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 are required to meet whether or not they accept federal grants. 

14^th Amendment-

This constitutional provision provides a guarantee of citizenship, as well as equal protection and due process, which have been the sources of incorporation for key protections in the Bill of Rights.

10^th Amendment

Provision that states all powers not given to the federal government in the Constitution, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved for the states.