AP Gov. Unit 1 Cumulative Vocab

Federalist No. 70

Federalist No. 70

Written by Alexander Hamilton; addresses the necessity of a strong executive branch to lead the government

Selective Incorporation

Supreme Court established this to limit state regulations of civil rights and liberties, holding that many protections of the Bill of Rights apply to every level of government, not just the federal level

Eighth Amendment

Prohibits the federal government from imposing unduly harsh penalties on criminal defendants, either as the price for obtaining pretrial release or as punishment for crime after conviction

Pluralist Democracy

Model of democracy in which no single group dominates politics and organized groups compete with each other to influence policy

Elite Democracy

Model of democracy in which a small number of people, usually those who are wealthy and well-educated, influence political decision making.

Participatory Democracy

Model of democracy in which citizens have the power to decide directly on policy and politicians are responsible for implementing those policy decisions

The United States Constitution

Established America's national government and fundamental laws and guaranteed certain basic rights for its citizens

Federalist No. 51

Addresses means by which appropriate checks and balances can be created in government and also advocates a separation of powers within the national government

Articles of Confederation

Created a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments

Virginia Plan

An attempt by the large states to guarantee that large states had political power equal to their large population

Expressed Powers

Powers explicitly named in the Constitution and granted to the federal government

U.S. v. Lopez

Determined Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 was unconstitutional because the U.S. Congress, in enacting the legislation, had exceeded its authority under the commerce clause

Extradition

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

Judicial Review

Power of a court to refuse to enforce a law or a government regulation that in the opinion of the judges conflicts with the U.S. Constitution

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Addresses the duties that states within the United States have to respect the "public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state."

Preemption

The right of a federal law or regulation to preclude enforcement of a state or local law or regulation

National Supremacy

Concept that when conflict occurs between the national government and those of a state or local government, the actions of the federal government prevail

Federalism

Distribution of power in an organization between a central authority and the constituent units

Double Jeopardy

Trial or punishment for the same crime by the same government; forbidden

Eminent Domain

The power of the government to take private property for public use; the U.S. Constitution gives national and state governments this power and requires them to provide just compensation for property so taken

Concurrent Powers

Powers that the Constitution grants to both state and federal governments. These powers may be exercised simultaneously within the same territory and in relation to the same body of citizens. Example: taxes

Necessary and Proper Clause

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

Commerce Clause

Gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nation

Autocracy

System of government by one person with absolute power

Popular Sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people (rule by the people)