Natural Rights

the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property

Limted Governent

a government that is kept under control by only the powers that the constitution gives to it. The U.S. government can only act using powers given to it by the people.

Popular Sovereignty

power belongs to th people

Republicanism

The people elect representatives who are responsible to make and carry out laws

Social Contract

Agreement where people give up some freedom and consent to in return a collective security within the country resulting a greater freedom for all

Representative Democracy

Government who we elect to govern and pass laws

Participatory Democracy

Citizens participatory in politics and civil society

Pluralist Democracy

Interest groups (like associations or organizations) compete with each other to influence policy.

Elite democracy

limited particaption in politcs ad civil society

U.S. Constitution

the supereme law of the United States

Federalist 10

essay written by Madison preaching a strong federal government can protect liberty because it guards agaisnt the dangers of control

Brutus 1

anti-federalist arguing that creating a powerful government would be a danger to personal liberty.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States. Weak constitution

Anti-Federalist

people who opposed the Constitution

Federalist

supporters of the Constitution

Faction

A state of conflict within a organization

Shay’s Rebellion

Farmers and veterans protesting against high taxes and foreclosures

Great (Conneticut) Compromise

Created two chambers of Congress (House of Representatives and Senate)

Electoral College

the process by which the United States elects the president and vice president

3/5 compromise

slaves were counted for state population but not tax purposes

Constitutional convention

A meeting called in summer 1787 to fix the articles of confederation

Ratification

Formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a constitution, constitutional amendment, or treaty

Separation of Powers

the division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government

Checks and Balances

system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

Impeachment

house of Representatives can bring up impeachment articles against the president for crimes committed while in office

Concurrent Powers

Shared Powers shared between both levels of the government (state and national)

Categorical Grants

money transferred from national government to state government as long as they comply with specific requirements

Block Grants

Money from the federal government to state government, but it's a broad purpose with no specific requirements

Mandate

requirements by the national government of the state, usually associated with funding.

Federalism

a government in which authority is divided between two sovereign levels of government (state and national government)

10th Amedment

Powers reserved to the state

Limited Rights

Political leaders can NOT do wtv they please

Commerce Clause

Grants congress the power to regulate economic activity, The methods of interstate (when added up between states) commerce

Necessary and Proper Clause

Anything congress has to do to make a law is allowed under this clause

Enumerated Powers

Congress and their power to make laws

Implied Powers

Assumed to go to the Federal Government

McCulloch v.s. Maryland

The court decided that the Federal Government had the right and power to set up a Federal bank and that states did not have the power to tax the Federal Government.

United States v.s. Lopez

Lopez ruled (5-4) that the federal 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 of the Constitution.

Natural Rights

the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property