Political Science Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards related to political science concepts and definitions.

Politics

The process of influencing the actions or policies of government.

Government

The rules and investigations that make up that system of policymaking.

Democracy

A system of government where power is held by the people.

Natural Rights

The right to life, liberty, and property, which the government can't take away.

Social Contract

People allow their governments to rule over them to ensure an orderly and functioning society.

American Political Culture

The set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that Americans share.

Popular Sovereignty

The idea that the government's right to rule comes from the people.

Republicanism

A system in which the government's authority comes from the people.

Inalienable Rights

Rights the government can't take away.

Liberty

Social, political, and economic freedoms.

Participatory Democracy

A theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government.

Civil Society Groups

Independent associations outside the government's control.

Pluralist Theory

A theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of groups in the policymaking process.

Elitist Theory

A theory of democracy that elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process.

Political Institutions

The structure of government, including the executive, legislative, and judiciary.

Constitutional Republic

A democratic system with elected representatives in which the Constitution is the supreme law.

Constitution

A document that sets out the fundamental principles of governance and establishes the institutions of government.

Republic

A government ruled by representatives of the people.

Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union

A governing document that created a union of thirteen sovereign states in which the states, not the national government, were supreme.

Unicameral

A one-house legislature.

Shays' Rebellion

A popular uprising against the government of Massachusetts, named after Daniel Shays.

Constitutional Convention

A meeting attended by State delegates in 1787 to fix the Articles of Confederation.

Writ of Habeas Corpus

The right of the people detained by the government to know the charges against them.

Bills of Attainder

When the legislature declares someone guilty without trial.

Ex Post Facto Laws

Laws punishing people for acts that were not crimes at the time they were committed.

Virginia Plan

A plan of government calling for a three-branch government with a bicameral legislature, where more populous states would have more representation in Congress, created by James Madison.

New Jersey Plan

A plan of government that provided for a unicameral legislature with equal votes for each state.

Bicameral

A two-house legislature.

Great (Connecticut) Compromise

An agreement for a plan of government that drew upon both the Virginia and New Jersey Plans; it settled issues of state representation by calling for a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives apportioned proportionally and a Senate apportioned equally.

Grand Committee

A committee at the Constitutional Convention that worked out the compromise on representation.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement reached by delegates at the Constitutional Convention that a slave would count as 3/5 of a person in calculating a state's representation.

Separation of Powers

A design of government that distributes powers across institutions in order to avoid making one branch too powerful on its own.

Checks and Balances

A design of government in which each branch has powers that can prevent the other branches from making policy.

Federalism

The sharing of power between the national government and the states.

Legislative Branch

The institution responsible for making laws.

Expressed or Enumerated Powers

Authority of the federal government as stated.

Necessary and Proper or Elastic Clause

Language in Article I, Section 8, granting Congress the powers necessary to carry out its enumerated powers.

Implied Powers

Authority of the federal government that goes beyond its expressed powers.

Executive Branch

The institution responsible for carrying out laws passed by the legislative branch.

Judicial Branch

The institution responsible for hearing and deciding cases through federal courts.

Supremacy Clause

Constitutional provision declaring that the Constitution and all national laws and treaties are the supreme law of the land.

Amendment

The process by which changes may be made to the Constitution.

Federalists

Supporters of the proposed Constitution, who called for a strong national government.

Antifederalists

Those opposed to the proposed Constitution, who favored stronger state governments.

Federalist Papers

A series of 85 essays by Hamilton, Madison, & John Jay published between 1787-1788 that lay out the theory behind the Constitution.

Federalist #51

An essay where Madison argued separation of powers and federalism will prevent tyranny.

Faction

A group of self-interested people who use the government to get what they want, trampling the rights of others in the process.

Federalist #10

An essay where Madison argues the dangers of factions can be mitigated by a large republic and republican government.

Brutus #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 government.

Dual Federalism

A form of American federalism in which the states & nation operate independently in their own areas of public policy.

Selective Incorporation

The process through which the Supreme Court approves fundamental rights in the Bill of Rights to the States on a case-by-case basis.

Cooperative Federalism

A form of American federalism in which the states and the national government work together to shape public policy.

Grants-in-aid

Federal money provided to states to implement public policy objectives.

Fiscal Federalism

The federal government's use of grants-in-aid to influence policies in the states.

Categorical Grants

Grants-in-aid provided to states with specific provisions on their use.

Unfunded Mandate

Federal requirements that states must follow without being provided with funding.

Block Grant

A type of grant-in-aid that gives state officials more availability in the disbursement of federal funds.

Revenue Sharing

When the federal government apportions tax money to the states with no strings attached.

Devolution

Returning more authority to state or local governments.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An organization that raises money for candidates and campaigns.