Ap gov unit 1

Block grants

federal grants-in-aid that allow states considerable discretion in how the funds are spent

Programmatic requests

federal funds designated for special projects within a state or congressional district

McCulloch v. Maryland

1819, Cheif justice john marshall limits of the US constition and of the authority of the federal and state govts. one side was opposed to establishment of a national bank and challenged the authority of federal govt to establish one. supreme court ruled that power of federal govt was supreme that of the states and the states couldnt interfere

Cooperative Federalism

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. (Marble cake)

Dual Federalism

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

Federalism

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

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.

Extradition

A legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed.

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Constitution's requirement that each state accept the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state

Barron v. Baltimore

The 1833 Supreme Court decision holding that the Bill of Rights restrained only the national government, not the states and cities.

ex post facto law

a law that would allow a person to be punished for an action that was not against the law when it was committed

Articles of Confederation

1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)

How many articles are there in the Constitution?

7 articles

Article 1 of the Constitution

Legislative Branch: creates a Congress consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives

Article 2 of the Constitution

Section of the Constitution laying out powers and responsibilities of the Executive Branch

Article 3 of the Constitution

Section of the Constitution laying out powers and responsibilities of the Judicial Branch

Article 4 of the Constitution

Outlines the rights and expectations for all states and citizens including the adding of new states

Article 5 of the Constitution

Outlines the process for amending or changing the Constitution

How to amend the constitution

The Constitution provides that an amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures.

Article 6 of the Constitution

Supremacy Clause - clearly states that national law will be supreme over state law

Article 7 of the Constitution

Outlines the process for ratification of the Constitution

Ratification Process

the ratification of the Constitution required only9 of the 13 states (not unanimity, like the Articles of Confederation)

Amendment 1

Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition

Amendment 2

Right to bear arms

Amendment 3

No quartering of soldiers

How many amendments does the Constitution have?

27

How many House of Representatives are there?

435

How many in the Senate?

100 (2 per state)

How long can a president serve?

2 terms (8 years)

How long can a senator serve?

6 years

Amendment 4

No unreasonable searches and seizures

Amendment 5

due process, double jeopardy; self incrimination

Amendment 6

Right to a speedy and public trial

Amendment 7

Right to trial by jury

Amendment 8

No cruel and unusual punishment

Amendment 9

People's rights are not limited to those in the Constitution.

Amendement 10

Powers Reserved to the States

Equal Protection Clause

Constitutional guarantee that everyone be treated equally-14th amendment

Amendment 11

Individual cannot sue a state in a federal court.

Amendment 12

Election of President and Vice President

Amendment 13

abolished slavery

Amendment 15

You cannot prevent a person from voting because of race, color, or creed.

Concurrent powers

Powers held jointly by the national and state governments.

Examples of concurrent powers

- tax/spend/borrow money

- own property

- enforce law

- charter banks and cooperations

Enumerated powers

Powers given to the national government alone

Examples of enumerated powers

-declare war & raise army & navy

-create rules on how to become citizen

-regulate trade b/t states & countries

-coin $

-protect patents & copyrights

-create lower federal courts

-est. post offices

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

How does the judicial branch check the legislative branch and executive branch?

Declares laws unconstitutional

How does the legislative branch check the executive branch?

Passing Laws over a veto with 2/3 majority vote

What is the legislative branch?

the branch of government that makes the laws

How does the legislative branch check the judicial branch?

Approves federal judges, can impeach federal judges

How does the executive branch check the legislative branch?

Veto laws

How does the executive branch check the judicial branch?

Appoints federal judges

What does the executive branch do?

Enforces the laws

What does the judicial branch do?

Interprets the laws

Federalist Papers

A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail.

Antifederalist Papers

They were a collection of articles, written in opposition to the ratification of the 1787 United States Constitution. It led to the inclusion of the Bill of Rights (your civil liberties!).

Marbury v Madison

This case establishes the Supreme Court's power of Judicial Review

Great Compromise

1787; This compromise was between the large and small states of the colonies. The Great Compromise resolved that there would be representation by population in the House of Representatives, and equal representation would exist in the Senate. Each state, regardless of size, would have 2 senators. All tax bills and revenues would originate in the House. This compromise combined the needs of both large and small states and formed a fair and sensible resolution to their problems.

Who was the great compromise between?

Large states and small states

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.

Social Contract Theory

The belief that people are free and equal by natural right, and that this in turn requires that all people give their consent to be governed; espoused by John Locke and influential in the writing of the declaration of independence.

New Jersey Plan

The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population.

Shay's Rebellion

A 1787 rebellion in which ex-Revolutionary War soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes

Cripus Attucks

Runaway African American slave that was thought to be the first one to be killed in the Boston Massacre

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution

Declaration of Independence

Signed in 1776 by US revolutionaries; it declared the United States as a free state.

Enlightenment

A philosophical movement which started in Europe in the 1700's and spread to the colonies. It emphasized reason and the scientific method. Writers of the enlightenment tended to focus on government, ethics, and science, rather than on imagination, emotions, or religion. Many members of the Enlightenment rejected traditional religious beliefs in favor of Deism, which holds that the world is run by natural laws without the direct intervention of God.

First English settlement

Jamestown, Virginia

Direct Democracy

A form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives

Indirect Democracy

system in which the people are ruled by their representatives. Also known as representative democracy, or republic

anarchy

absence of government

Obliarchy

government ruled by a few people

Democracy

government by the people

Monarchy

A government ruled by a king or queen

Tyranny

Cruel and oppressive government or rule

Indigenous people

descendants of the people who first lived in a region

3/5 Compromise

Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person

Nullification

A state's refusal to recognize an act of Congress that it considers unconstitutional

Powers of state

the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States

Powers of national government

maintain army and navy, declare war, coin money, regulate trade between states and with foreign nations, make all laws necessary for carrying out delegated powers

US v. Lopez

Gun Free School Zones Act exceeded Congress' authority to regulate interstate commerce.

Puritans

A religious group who wanted to purify the Church of England. They came to America for religious freedom and settled Massachusetts Bay.

Roger Williams

He founded Rhode Island for separation of Church and State. He believed that the Puritans were too powerful and was ordered to leave the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious beliefs.

Anne Hutchinson

A Puritan woman who was well learned that disagreed with the Puritan Church in Massachusetts Bay Colony. Her actions resulted in her banishment from the colony, and later took part in the formation of Rhode Island. She displayed the importance of questioning authority.

Thomas Hooker

A Puritan minister who led about 100 settlers out of Massachusetts Bay to Connecticut because he believed that the governor and other officials had too much power. He wanted to set up a colony in Connecticut with strict limits on government.

Functions of American Government

establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare, securing the blessings of liberty

Establishing justice

Reasonable, fair, and impartial law

Ensuring Domestic Tranquility

Accomplished through police forces, national guards, and the armed services

providing for the common defense

Protection and maintenance of national defense

Promoting the general welfare

make laws to make people live better, limit commerce, and collect taxes and borrow money