Introduction to American Federalism and Constitutional Powers

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing core federalism concepts, constitutional provisions, and state-federal dynamics discussed in the lecture.

Enumerated Powers

Powers expressly granted to Congress in Article I of the U.S. Constitution, including the authority to tax, declare war, coin money, enter into treaties, and establish post offices.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Also known as the elastic clause, a clause located at the end of Congress's enumerated powers in Article I that allows Congress to pass laws required to carry out its express constitutional duties.

Supremacy Clause

A constitutional rule establishing that the U.S. Constitution and federal laws take precedence over conflicting state laws when disputes arise.

Tenth Amendment

The reserve powers clause of the U.S. Constitution, which specifies that powers not delegated to the federal government nor prohibited to the states are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

Laboratories of Democracy

The idea that individual states can test out new public policies—such as school voucher bills—allowing other states to observe what works and avoid fraudulent or inefficient approaches.

Article I, Section 9

The section of the U.S. Constitution that lists explicit prohibitions on federal government power prior to the ratification of the Bill of Rights.

Article I, Section 10

The section of the U.S. Constitution that explicitly denies states specific economic and war powers, such as entering treaties, levying tariffs on imports/exports, or declaring war unless invaded.

Full Faith and Credit Clause

A constitutional provision requiring states to respect and honor the public acts, legal records, and judicial proceedings of other states, such as out-of-state adoption and parental rights.

Interstate Compacts

Agreements entered into between states to manage cross-border issues or shared operational infrastructure, requiring the approval of Congress.

Federalist 51

An essay by James Madison discussing checks and balances and the division of institutional powers under the principle that power shall be a check on power.

Federal Minimum Wage

The national baseline hourly wage established by the federal government, identified in the lecture as $7.25$ per hour.

Extradition

The constitutional requirement that a state surrender an individual accused or convicted of a crime back to the state in which the crime was committed.