AP Gov. - Unit 1 Vocabulary

Amendment

The process by which changes may made to the Constitution (Article 5)

American Political Culture

A set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that Americans share

Americans with Disabilities Act

A federal mandate that imposed large costs upon states as they had to make "reasonable accommodations" for the disabled

Anti-Federalists

Those opposed to the proposed Constitution who favored stronger state governments over a stronger national government. They also fought for a Bill of Rights to be added to the Constitution

Articles of Confederation

Our 1st government that created a loose union of 13 sovereign states in which the states, not the national government, held the power

Bicameral

A two-house legislature

Bill of Rights

The 1st 10 amendments to the US Constitution. Anti-Federalists insisted this be added to the Constitution

Bills of Attainder

When the legislature declares someone guilty without a trial

Block grants

Grants-in-aid that support "general programs". States have more freedom with these types of grants

Brutus #1

Essay written by the Anti-Federalist Robert Yates arguing that the country was too large to be governed as a republic and that the Constitution gave too much power to the national government

Categorical grants

Grants-in-aid that have strings attached because they are for specific purposes. States have less freedom with these types of grants

Centralists

AKA: Federalists, nationalists, loose constructionists. Believe the Constitution is the supreme law of the land and it should be interpreted liberally/broadly

Checks and balances

A design of government in which each branch has powers that can provide accountability for the other branches when using their constitutional authority

Commerce Clause

Grants Congress the authority to regulate interstate business and commercial activity (Article 1, section 8, clause 3)

Concurrent powers

Powers granted to both states and the federal government in the Constitution

Confederal system

A system where the subnational governments (states) have most of the power

Constitutions

Document that sets out the fundamental principles of governance and establishes the institutions of a government

Constitutional Convention

A meeting attended by state delegates in 1787 to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Constitutional Republic

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

Cooperative federalism

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

Decentralists

AKA: Anti-federalists, states righters, strict constructionists. Believe the national government is nothing more than an agent of the states and its powers should be narrowly defined

Democracy

A system of government where power is held by the people

Devolution

Shifting away more authority from the national government back to state or local governments

Direct Democracy

A political system in which citizens vote directly on public policies

Dual Federalism

A form of American federalism in which the states and the national government operate independently in their own areas of public policy

Electoral College

A constitutionally required process for selecting the president through slates of electors chosen in each state, who are pledged to vote a nominee in the presidential election

Elite Theory

A theory of democracy that the well-educated and/or wealthy have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process

Enumerated Powers

AKA "expressed" or "delegated" powers. They are the powers specifically state in the Constitution many of which are found in Article 1, section 8

Exclusive Powers

Powers granted ONLY to the national government

Ex Post Facto Laws

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

Extradition

If a person is charged in any state with a crime and flees from justice, he must be returned to that state to face charges

Faction

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

Federalism

The division or sharing of powers between the national government and the states. Each get their authority from the Constitution, not each other

Federal System

A system where power is divided between the central government and subnational (state) governments

Federalist Essays

A series of 85 essays written by Federalists Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay advocating for the ratification of the proposed Constitution

Federalist #51

Essay written by James Madison where he argues that a system of checks and balances would prevent tyranny in the national government and that separation of powers and bicameralism in the legislature would prevent too many powers from accumulating in one branch

Federalists

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

Federalist #10

Essay written by James Madison that acknowledged the danger of "factions" by asserting that a large republic could ease the effects of these demons😈

Fiscal Federalism

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

Formal Amendment

Written changes that are added to the Constitution. We currently have 27 of them

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Clause which requires each state court to accept civil judgments and public records of other state courts (Article IV, section 1)

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

Ruled that the US Constitution had a commerce clause that allowed the federal government to regulate commerce and believed that the US government had the "necessary and proper" or "elastic clause" to regulate interstate commerce

Government

The rules and institutions that make up the system of policymaking

Grand Committee

The group at the Constitutional Convention that worked out the compromise for representation in the Legislative Branch

Grants-in-aid

Federal money given to states to implement public policy objectives

Great (CT) Compromise

An agreement for a plan of government that settled the issue of representation in the Legislative Branch by calling for a bicameral legislature where the Senate would have equal representation and the House would be represented proportionally

Thomas Hobbes

His book "Leviathan" showcased his pessimistic view of mankind when in a "state of nature" we were all at war. He reasoned that to escape this, man entered into a social contract with the government

Implied Powers

Powers beyond those enumerated in the Constitution. Not states explicitly, but suggested implicitly. They must be grounded by an enumerated power

Informal Amendment

Changes to the Constitution that DO NOT involve actually changing the wording of the Constitution, rather it is done by presidential legislative, or judicial action, or by custom and usage

Inherent Powers

Powers not states explicitly, but held by the national government by virtue of its being a national government (i.e. immigration, acquiring territory...)

Judicial Review

The authority of SCOTUS to strike down a law or executive action if it conflicts with the Constitution

Liberty

Social, political, and economic freedoms

Limited Government

A governing body whose power exists within limits that are set by a constitution. The US upholds principles of natural rights, popular sovereignty, republicanism, and social contract

John Locke

In his book, "Second Treatise of Government", man's state of nature was peaceful and each had their natural rights. He believed in "consent of the governed" and the people's right to overthrow an unjust government

Madisonian Model

Precautions in the Constitution set up to prevent majority/minority factions from threatening the government: separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism

Mandate

Federal requirements that states must follow. They can be funded, partially funded, or unfunded

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Adams midnight appointments that Jefferson did not issue commissions on. It established the concept of judicial review for the Supreme Court

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Declared that Congress has implied powers necessary to implement its enumerated powers and established supremacy of the US Constitution and federal laws over state laws

Mobocracy

Fear of "mob rule" which could come from direct democracy

Montesquieu

In his book "The Spirit of the Laws", he advocated for a democratic republic based on popular sovereignty. He advocated for a limited government and rule of law while saying the people would further be protected from tyranny through separation of powers and checks and balances

Natural Rights

Attributed to John Locke: the rights you are born with cannot be taken away (i.e. life, liberty, and property). Thomas Jefferson would use the term "inalienable rights" in the Declaration of Independence

Necessary and Proper Clause

AKA the elastic clause: Article 1, section 8 of the Constitution that gives Congress the powers necessary to carry out its enumerated powers. Greatly expands the power of the national government

New Jersey Plan

Proposal for a new government with a unicameral legislature with equal votes for each state

Participatory Theory

The theory that widespread political participation is essential for a democratic government

Pluralist Theory

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

Politics

The process of influencing the actions and politics of government

Popular Sovereignty

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

Preemption

Federal laws take precedence over state and local laws

Privileges and Immunities Clause

States must extend to citizens of other states the privileges and immunities granted to their own citizens. Article IV, section 2, clause 1

Regulatory Federalism

The federal government assuring regulation and compliance with federal mandates in order for states to receive, or continue to receive grants-in-aid (the stick)

Republicanism

A system in which the government's authority comes from the people through their representatives

Reserved Powers

Powers not given to the national government, which are retained by the states and the people. (9th and 10th amendments)

Rousseau

Philosopher who believed in a direct democracy over a republic. He believed in majority rule, but also said they must protect minority rights

Separation of Powers

A design of government that distributes power across the 3 branches in order to avoid making any one branch too powerful on its own

Shay's Rebellion

Popular uprising in Massachusetts that laid the foundation for the Constitutional Convention and the change from a confederation to a federal system of government

Social Contract

People willingly give up some of their freedoms to the government to ensure an orderly society

Supremacy Clause

Clause in the Constitution (Article 6) that states federal law takes precedence over state law when the laws conflict

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention that an enslaved person would count as three-fifths of a person in calculation of a state's representation

Unicameral

A one-house legislature

Unitary System

A system where the central government has all of the power over subnational (state) governments

US v. Lopez (1995)

Ruled that Congress may not use the commerce clause to make possession of a gun in a school zone a federal crime, introducing a new phase of federalism that recognized the importance of state sovereignty and local control

Virginia Plan

Proposal for a new government with a bicameral legislative branch where more populous states would have more representation in Congress

Writ of Habeas Corpus

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