Principles of Limited Government and Democratic Governance

Limited government

Government's power cannot be absolute

Separation of powers

Powers delegated to Congress, president, and courts

Checks and balances

Legal actions against officials who abuse power

Federalism

Power shared between national and state governments

Republicanism

Will of the people reflected in government decisions

Natural rights

Rights that cannot be taken away: life, liberty, property

Popular sovereignty

Government power comes from consent of the people

Social contract

Implicit agreement to give up freedoms for social order

Representative democracy

Citizens vote on representatives to make policy

Participatory democracy

Emphasizes broad participation in politics

Pluralist democracy

Emphasizes group-based activism for political impact

Elite democracy

Emphasizes limited participation in politics

Declaration of Independence

Restates natural rights and foundation for sovereignty

U.S. Constitution

Social contract and blueprint for limited government

Brutus 1

Emphasizes small, decentralized republic for liberty

Articles of Confederation

Weaknesses: lack of military, executive, court power

Anti-Federalist

Opposed Constitution, wanted more state power

Federalist

Supported Constitution and strong central government

Democracy

Government power vested in people, exercised directly/through elected representatives

Faction

Contentious or self-seeking party or group

Shays's Rebellion

Armed uprising against high taxation and weak government

Great (Connecticut) Compromise

Created dual system of congressional representation

Bicameral

Having two houses, like Congress

Electoral College

System for electing president by state electors

3/5ths Compromise

Formula for counting enslaved population in House

Constitutional Convention

Meeting to draft U.S. Constitution for stronger government

Article V / Amendment process

Process to propose and ratify constitutional amendments

Ratification

Consenting to Constitution through state conventions

Full Faith and Credit Clause

States must recognize legal proceedings of other states

Privileges and Immunities Clause

States cannot discriminate against citizens of other states

Extradition

Returning criminals to state where crime was committed

Enumerated powers

Powers specifically written in the Constitution

Implied powers

Powers inferred from Necessary and Proper Clause

Reserved powers

Powers reserved to states, stated in Tenth Amendment

Concurrent powers

Powers shared between national and state governments

Revenue sharing

National funding with few restrictions for states

Categorical grants

National funding restricted to specific categories

Block grants

National funding with minimal restrictions for states

Mandates

Requirements by national government for states

Tenth Amendment

Defines balance of power between federal and state

Fourteenth Amendment

Due Process and Equal Protection applied to states

Commerce clause

Gives national government power to regulate interstate commerce

Necessary & Proper clause

Gives Congress power to make laws related to enumerated powers

Supremacy Clause

Gives national government precedence over states' laws