2022-23 Vocab A-J Flashcards
Alexander Hamilton
A founding father, first secretary of treasury, and created the first national bank.
Anti-Federalists
People who are against the proposed Constitution because they favor strong state governments.
Articles of Confederation
A governing document that created the union of the 13 colonies (3 sovereign states) where the states, not the union, were supreme.
Baron de Montesquieu
Proposed power in government should be divided into branches so no one (branch or person) is too powerful.
Bicameral Legislature
A 2-house legislature.
Bill of Rights
A list of rights and freedoms that people possess that no one can take away from them. The first ten amendments in the Constitution are referred to as the Bill of Rights.
Bureaucrats
An official employed in a government administration.
Checks and Balances
Each branch has the power to prevent another branch from making policy.
Concurrent Powers
Powers given to states and the federal government in the Constitution.
Confederation
A system in politics where there is a weak central government with limited powers and strong states with ultimate power.
Connecticut Compromise
A proposal was made at the Constitutional Convention, 1787, creating a bicameral legislature with a House of Reps and a Senate. A Senate with equal representation of the states, and a legislature apportioned according to the population.
Consent of the Governed
A theory that states have governments because the people allow it and have given their consent.
Constitutional Convention
A meeting attended by state delegates, 1787, to fix the Articles of Confederation (AoC)
Democracy
System of government where the people hold the power.
Denied Powers
Powers denied to the nation and state governments to maintain balance.
Direct (participatory)
A system where the people vote directly for policies.
Elastic Clause
A statement giving Congress the right to pass all the laws necessary for carrying out enumerated powers.
Electoral College
Constitutionally required process for picking the president through a slate (a group of candidates that run in multi-seat or multi-position elections on a common platform) of electors in each state who vote for a nominee for president in the election.
Elite & Class Theory
Theory that all elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in making policies.
Enumerated Powers
Powers only for the national government through the Constitution, also called express powers.
Ex post facto law
A law punishing people for acts that were not crimes at the time they were committed.
Factions
A group of self-interested people.
Federalism
Powers are shared between the national government and the states.
Federalist No. 10
An essay by Madison argues that the dangers of factions can be mitigated by a large republic and republican government.
Federalist No. 51
An essay by Madison where he argues that the separation of powers and federalism prevent tyranny.
Federalist Papers
A series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and John Jay published between 1787 and 1788 laying out the theory behind the Constitution.
Federalists
Supported the proposed Constituion and the idea of a strong national government.
Government
Rules and institutions that make up the system of policymaking.
Hyperpluralism
A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened.
Implied Powers
Authority of the federal government that goes beyond the expressed powers. Powers not granted specifically to the national government but are considered necessary to carry out enumerated powers.
Indirect Democracy
Political system where voters pick representatives that vote on public policy matters.
Individualism
A belief that individuals should be responsible for themselves and for their decisions.
Inherent Powers
Powers a branch of government has that weren’t listed in the Constitution.
James Madison
4th U.S. president, wrote the federalist papers which greatly contributed to the ratification of the Constitution.
John Locke
Argued that people are born with natural rights no one can take away and that government is based on a social contract.
Judicial Review
The Supreme Court has the authority to strike down a law or excutive action if it conflicts with the Constitution.
