American Government and Constitutional Founding Flashcards
the ability to act or get another person (or people) to act based on intentions or influence
power
the right to use power
authority
government in which all, or most, of the citizens directly participate by either holding public office or making policy
direct (participatory) democracy
government in which public representatives make political decisions after winning elections
representative (republican) democracy
a system of governance in which a central government’s powers and limits are determined by a union/association of sovereign states
confederation
a system of governance in which at least two levels of government (ex: central government and state governments) each possess significant levels of independent and supreme authority (sovereignty)
federalism
approach asserting that only a small group of top elites in politics, business, and military govern and influence political affairs
elitism
approach asserting that there are many competing groups seeking to influence government and political affairs
pluralism
approach focusing on the importance of appointed bureaucrats and civil servants
bureaucratic perspective
approach focusing on economic/financial factors, only two groups competing for political influence (i.e. bourgeoisie vs. proletariat)
new left (neo-marxist) perspective
political ideology supporting a strong central government, traditional political/social institutions, hierarchial structures and a class- based system, and continuity instead of change
classical conservatism
political ideology supporting individual liberty, a social contract, greater equality and social mobility, limited government, and free market capitalism
classical liberalism
document that outlined the system of governance in the U.S. from 1781 to 1789; it established a weak central government lacking effective institutions
articles of confederation
1787 convention held in Philadelphia originally to reform the articles of confederation, the delegates present decided to draft a new constitutional system of governance instead (U.S. constitution)
U.S. constitutional convention
representation proposal for a bicameral (two chambers) legislature in which both chambers’ size would be determined by the state population
virginia plan
representation proposal for unicameral (single chamber) legislature with one vote per state
new Jersey plan
adopted compromise for representation for a bicameral legislature House of Representatives determined by state population; senate composed of two representative from each state
Connecticut compromise
essays written by John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton to persuade the delegates from New York to ratify the U.S. constitution
federalist papers
article 1 of the U.S. constitution
legislative branch
article 2 of the U.S. constitution
executive branch
article 3 of the U.S. constitution
judicial branch
powers explicitly stated within the constitution specific to the federal government (ex: foreign affairs, printing money, interstate commerce)
enumerated (expressed) powers
powers left to (or reserved for) the states (ex: licensing)
reserved powers
shared powers that both the federal government and state governments can exercise (ex: taxes, infrastructure, borrowing money, courts)
concurrent powers
first ten amendments to the constitution enumerating public rights and liberties
bill of rights
