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10th Amendment

The final part of the Bill of Rights that defines the basic principle of American federalism in stating that the powers not delegated to the national government are reserved to the states or to the people.

14th Amendment

One of three major Amendments ratified after civilwar; guarantees equal protection and due process of the law to all U.S. citizens

block grants

A large grant given to a state by the federal government with only general spending guidelines

categorical grants

Grants that appropriate federal funds to states for a specific purpose.

Checks and Balances

A constitutionally mandated structure that gives each of the three branches of government some degree of oversight and control over the actions of the others.

Commerce Clause

A clause stating that Congress can regulate interstate and international commerce.

concurrent powers

Powers shared b the national government and state governments.

Connecticut Compromise

House of Representatives each state would be assigned a number of seats in proportion to it's population

Cooperative Federalism

The intertwined relationship between the national, state, and local governments that began with the New Deal, often referred to as marble-cake federalism.

Devolution

the transfer or delegation of power to a lower level, especially by central government to local or regional administration.

Dual Federalism

The belief that having separate and equally powerful levels of government is the best arrangement.

Elite Theory

a theory of the state that seeks to describe and explain power relationships in contemporary society

enumerated powers

The powers of the national government specifically granted to Congress in Article 1, section 8 of the constitution

ex post facto law

law that makes an act punishable as a crime even if the action was legal at the time it was committed

exclusive powers

powers reserved to the federal government or the states

federalism

The distribution of constitutional authority between state governments and national government, with different powers and functions exercised by both

Federalist Papers

A set of 85 essays that advocate ratification of the Constitution and provide insightful commentary on the nature of the new system of government.

Great Compromise

The final decision of the Constitutional Convention to create a two-house legislature, with the lower house elected by the people and with powers divided between the two houses. It also made national law supreme.

implied powers

The powers of the national government derived from the enumerated powers and the necessary and proper clause

Limited Government

In political philosophy, this is the concept of a government limited in power.

mandate

a command, indicated by an electorate's votes, for the elected officials to carry out a party platform or policy agenda

Natural Rights

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

Necessary and Proper Clause

The final paragraph of Article I, section 8, of the U.S. Constitution, which gives Congress the authority to pass all laws to carry out the enumerated powers specified in the Constitution; also called the elastic clause.

Participatory Democracy Theory

a model of democracy in which citizens are provided power to make political decisions.

pluralist theory

The theory that political power is distributed among a wide array of diverse and competing interest group

Popular Sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

Representative Democracy

A type of democracy founded on the principle of elected persons representing a group of people.

Republic

a government rooted in the consent of the governed; a representative or indirect democracy

Revenue Sharing

Federal sharing of a fixed percentage of it's revenue

separation of powers

A way of dividing the power of government among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, each staffed separately, with equality and independence of each branch ensured by the constitution.

Shay's Rebellion

A rebellion in which an army of 1,500 disgruntled and angry farmers led by Daniel Shays marched to Springfield, Massachusetts, and forcibly restrained the state court from foreclosing mortgages on their farms.

Social Contract Theory

The belief that government exists based on the consent of the governed

supremacy clause

a clause in Article VI that declares the Constitution, acts of Congress, and treaties are the "supreme Law of the Land"

Three-Fifths Compromise

Agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention stipulating that each slave was to be counted as three-fifths of a person for purposes of determining population for representation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

unitary system

system of government in which the local and regional governments derive all authority from a strong national government

Marbury v. Madsion (1803)

Case in which the Supreme Court first asserted power of Judicial Review by finding that part of the congressional statue extending the courts original jurisdiction was unconstitutional

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

the Supreme Court upheld the power of the national government and denied the right of a state to tax the federal bank using the Constitution's supremacy clause. The Court's broad interpretation of the necessary and proper clause paved the way for later rulings upholding expansive federal powers

US v. Lopez (1995)

The court held that congress had exceeded it's power to legislate under the Commerce Power.

Aid to Families with Dependent Children (1935)

Enabled states to provide cash welfare payments for needy children who had been deprived of parental support of care.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (1996)

Program that provides great funds to states and territories to provide families with financial assistance and related support services.

Defense of Marriage Act (1996)

It defines marriage for federal purposes as the union of one man and one woman, and allows states to refuse same sex marriages granted under the laws of other states.

No Child Left Behind (2001)

To close student achieving gaps by providing all children with a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-equality education.