Unit 1 Vocab - APGOV

Natural Rights

The rights given to all humans, simply for the sake of being human. They are universal moral principles among all cultures and societies and can't be reversed by government laws, most attributed to John Locke

consent of the governed

The idea that any government not based on the approval of those it governs can be justifiably overthrown and replaced., most attributed to John Locke

Representative Government

A form of democracy in which people vote for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives that represent their constituents.

Rule of Law

A principle under which all persons, institutions, and entities are equally accountable to laws.

Popular Sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

Direct Democracy

A form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives. (e.g.) ancient Greece

Social Contract

A voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules, most attributed to Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Republic

A form of government in which the people elect representatives to govern them and make laws. (e.g) ancient Rome

Individual Rights

Basic liberties and rights of all citizens are guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.

Indirect Democracy

a system of government that gives citizens the opportunity to vote for representatives who work on their behalf

Oligarchy

A government ruled by a few powerful people

Autocracy

a system of government by one person with absolute power.

Unitary system

One government makes all decisions for an entire nation, so states or cities have very limited powers. (e.g.) United Kingdom

participatory democracy

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

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.

Confederation

A group of loosely allied states, with a weak central government. (e.g.) European Union (EU)

Federation

A group of states with a powerful central government, with states and a national government sharing powers. (e.g.) the US or Canada

Parliamentary System

A system of government in which the legislature selects the prime minister or president rather than the people. (e.g.) India

Socialism

a political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.

Communism

a political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.

pluralist democracy

a theory of democracy that holds that citizen membership in groups is the key to political power

Tyranny

A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

Supremacy

the state or condition of being superior to all others in authority, power, or status.

Federalists

A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during ratification debates in state legislatures.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the American Constitution at the time when the states were contemplating its adoption.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person in determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (negated by the 13th amendment)

Virginia Plan

"Large state" proposal for the new constitution, calling for proportional representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress. The plan favored larger states and thus prompted smaller states to come back with their own plan for apportioning representation.

New Jersey Plan

A constitutional proposal that would have given each state one vote in a new congress

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

Brutus No. 1

an Antifederalist Paper arguing that the country was too large to be governed as a republic and that the Constitution gave too much power to the national government

Federalist No. 10

An essay composed by James Madison which argues that liberty is safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such diversity makes tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always be unstable.

Federalist no. 39

James Madison discusses in this fine persuasive essay directed at the citizens of New York what Enlightened thinkers like Locke and Rousseau stated- government derives its power from the people it governs and it's only going to be for a limited time so that no one person can become too powerful

Federalist No. 51 (1788)

An essay written by James Madison that explained how the structure of the new government under the Constitution would provide the necessary checks and balances to keep the government from becoming too powerful.

Federalist No. 70

Hamilton argues that a strong executive is essential in the new government.

In Federalist No. 84

Written by Alexander Hamilton, this essay included certain general miscellaneous objections to the Constitutions and answered them; Bill of Rights wasn't necessary because it can be added later.

Habeous Corpus

the right to hearing in front of a judge to determine guilt or innocence

ex post facto law

a law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it was committed

Separation of Powers

Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Limited Government

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

Article 1 of the Constitution

Legislative Branch (Congress)

Article 2 of the Constitution

Executive Branch (President)

Article 3 of the Constitution

Judicial Branch (Supreme Court)

Article 4 of the Constitution

Powers that are not expressly given to the federal government are reserved to the states.

Article 5 of the Constitution

The amendment process requires support from state legislatures, as well as the federal government, to make a change to the Constitution.

Article 6 of the Constitution

The supremacy clause states that the Constitution and federal laws are the highest laws in the nation.

Article 7 of the Constitution

Outlines the process for ratification of the Constitution = requires 9 of the state legislature's approvals

Dual Federalism (Layer Cake)

A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.

Cooperative Federalism (Marble Cake)

A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs, administration, and even blame for programs that work poorly.

New Federalism

system in which the national government restores greater authority back to the states

Commerce Clause

The clause in the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 1) that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.

selective exclusiveness

Legal doctrine that states that when the commerce at issue requires national, uniform regulation, only Congress may regulate it

Gibbons v. Ogden

This case involved New York trying to grant a monopoly on waterborne trade between New York and New Jersey. Judge Marshal, of the Supreme Court, sternly reminded the state of New York that the Constitution gives Congress alone the control of interstate commerce. Marshal's decision, in 1824, was a major blow on states' rights.

McColloch v. Maryland

An 1819 Supreme Court decision that established the supremacy of the national government over state governments and denied the state to tax the federal bank.

Washington DC v. Heller

Supported the 2nd amendment right to own a weapon in Washington D.C. for self-defense

United States v. Lopez

1995 - The Commerce Clause of the Constitution does not give Congress the power to prohibit mere possession of a gun near a school, because gun possession by itself is not an economic activity that affects interstate commerce even indirectly.

concurrent powers

Powers held jointly by the national and state governments.

unfunded mandates

Programs that the Federal government requires States to implement without Federal funding.

delegated powers

Powers specifically given to the federal government by the US Constitution, for example, the authority to print money.

reserved powers

Powers not specifically granted to the federal government or denied to the states belong to the states and the people

Supremacy Clause

Article VI of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress, in addition to its express powers, has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the national government

grants-in-aid program

federal money is provided to states to implement public policy objectives

categorical grants

Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport

block grants

Federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services

Devolution

the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states