Unit 1 vocab

Limited Government

The idea that certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect the natural rights of citizens.

Social Contract

An agreement between the people and their government signifying their consent to be governed

Popular Sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

Representative Democracy

A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people.

participatory democracy

System of government where citizens have a direct role in decision-making processes, going beyond traditional representative models

pluralist democracy

A model of government where multiple, diverse groups compete for influence in the political process, rather than a single entity dominating

elite democracy

A political system in which the privileged classes acquire the power to decide by a competition for the people's votes and have substantial freedom between elections to rule as they see fit.

reserved powers

powers the Constitution does not specifically grant to the federal government

Republic

A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting

ex post facto law

a law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it was committed

bill of attainder

a law that punishes a person accused of a crime without a trial or a fair hearing in court

Electoral College

a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.

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

seperation of powers

dividing the powers of government among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches

concurrent powers

powers shared by the national and state governments

Dual Federalism

The belief that having separate and equally powerful levels of government is the best arrangement.

Cooperative Federalism

system in which both federal government and state governments cooperate in solving problems

conditions of aid

terms set by the national government that states must meet if they are to receive certain federal funds

Mandates

terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants

categorical grants

Federal grants that can be used only for specific purposes, or "categories," of state and local spending. They come with strings attached, such as nondiscrimination provisions.

block grants

a grant-in-aid of a specified amount from a larger government to a smaller regional government body

enumerated powers

Powers given to the national government alone

implied powers

Powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution