Unit 1 Vocab List

Implied Powers

Powers supported by the Constitution that are not expressly stated in it

McCulloch v. Maryland

Supreme court ruling that Maryland did not have the power to tax the second bank of the US and that Congress did have the power to create the bank

National Supremacy Clause

Part of Article 6, section 2, of Constitution stating that the constitution and the laws of US are supreme laws of the land, meaning national laws take precedence

Natural Rights

“Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness” Founders believe upholding these rights should be governments central purpose

Necessary and Proper Clause

Part of article 1, section 8 that grants Congress the power to pass all laws related to its powers

New Jersey Plan

A plan in response to Virginia plan, where smaller states at the constitutional convention proposed that each state should receive equal representation in the national legislature

Pluralism

The idea that having a variety of parties and interests within a government will strengthen the system, no group has total control

Picket fence federalism

A more refined and realistic form of cooperative federalism in which policy makers within a particular policy area work together across the levels of government

Popular sovereignty

Leaders are sustained by the people

Privileges and Immunities Clause

Part of article 4 of the Constitution requiring that states must treat no state residents within their borders as they would treat their own residents

Republicanism

form of government in which the interests of the people are represented through elected leaders is the best form of Government

Separation of Powers

The division of government power across the judicial, executive, and legislative branches

Social contract

The people recognize the authority of the state to govern over them, and in turn, the government protects the rights and freedoms of the people

Tenth Amendment

Powers not delegated to the United States are reserved to the states

Limited Government

A political system in which the powers of the government are restricted to prevent tyranny by protecting property and individual rights

Unfunded Mandates

Federal laws that require the states to do certain things but do not provide state governments with funding to implement these policies

United States v. Lopez

A 1995 case that struck down a federal law regulating the possession of firearms around schools

Virginia Plan

Plan proposed by the larger states during the Constitution convention that based representation in the national legislature on population