Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy

Natural Rights

fundamental rights inherent to all individuals, not granted by government, including life, liberty, and property.

Popular sovereignty

the principle that the authority of a government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, typically through elected representatives.

Republic

a government where citizens elect representatives

Social Contract

when a group of people agree to give up certain rights and accept a central authority in order to protect their other rights

Declaration of Independence 

America’s break up letter to Great Britain

Participatory democracy

allows for citizens to be involved in government elections and events

Pluralist democracy

is a organized groups in government, for example, interest groups.

Elite democracy

there are elected representatives that make decisions and act as trustees for the people who elected them.

Great Compromise

established the United States legislature as a bicameral, or two-house law-making body

Electoral College

Selection of electors. Meeting of electors who cast votes for the president and vice president. Counting of the electors' votes by Congress.

Three-Fifths Compromise

three out of every five slaves were counted when determining a state's total population for legislative representation and taxation.

Importation Compromise

allowed the continued importation of slaves into the United States for a period of 20 years until 1808.

Separation of powers

the division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from exercising the core functions of another

Checks and balances

The ability of each branch to respond to the actions of the other branches.

Federalism

refers to the division and sharing of power between the national and state governments.

Impeachment

the process of bringing charges against a government official for wrongdoing.

Exclusive powers

powers within a federal system of government that each constituent political unit (such as a state or province) is absolutely or conditionally prohibited from exercising.

Enumerated powers

the specific powers granted to the federal government, and especially to Congress, under the U.S. Constitution

Implied powers

the authority granted to Congress and the federal government that extend beyond the explicitly listed powers in the U.S. Constitution.

Reserved powers

powers the Constitution does not specifically grant to the federal government and not specifically given to states.

Concurrent powers

powers that are shared by both the federal government and state governments

Block grants

fixed-sum federal grants to state and local governments that give them broad flexibility

Funded mandates

come with financial assistance from the federal government requiring them to perform a task

Unfunded mandates

laws or regulations imposed by the federal or state government on lower levels of government without providing funding for implementation.

Federal revenue sharing

whereby the federal government allocates revenue to state and local governments with little or no strings attached.

Commerce clause

gives Congress the power “to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among states, and with the Indian tribes.”

Supremacy clause

federal law takes precedence over any conflicting state law.

Necessary and proper clause

gives Congress the power to create laws they believe are needed.

Categorical grants

grants issued by the United States Congress which may be spent only for narrowly defined purposes