AP Gov Chapter 3 Vocab Flashcards
Unitary government
A way of organizing a nation so that all power resides in the central government. Most national governments today are unitary governments.
Federalism
A way of organizing a nation so that two or more levels if government have formal authority over the same land and people. It is a system of shared power between units of government.
Confederation
In a confederation the national government is weak and most or all the power is in the hands of its components. Like individual states. Confederations are rare today. United Nations is an example of a confederation.
Intergovernmental relations
The workings of the federal system-the entire set of interactions among nation state and local governments.
Supremacy clause
Article VI of the constitution , which makes the constitution , national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.
Tenth amendment
The constitutional amendments stating “the powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution nor prohibited by it to the states are reserved to the states respectively or to the people.”
McCulloch v. Maryland
An 1818 Supreme Court decision that established the supremacy of the national government over state governments. In deciding this case , Chief Justice John Marshall and his colleagues held that congress had certain implied powers in addition to the enumerated powers found in the constitution.
Enumerated powers
Powers of the federal government that are specifically addressed in the constitution; for congress these powers are listed in article I, section 8, and include the power to coin money, regulate its values , and impose taxes.
Implied powers
Powers of the federal government that go beyond those enumerated in the constitution. The constitution states that congress has the power to “make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution” the powers enumerated in article 1.
Elastic clause
The final paragraph of article I section 8, of the constitution, which authorizes congress to pass all laws “necessary and proper” to carry out enumerated powers.
Gibbons v. Ogden
A landmark case decided in 1824 in which Supreme Court interpreted very broadly the clause in article 1 section 8 of the constitution giving congress the powers to regulate interstate commerce, encompassing virtually every form of commercial activity.
Full faith and credit
A clause in article IV section 1, of the constitution requiring each state to recognize the official documents and civil judgements rendered by the courts of other states.
Extradition
A legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the sate in which the crime is alleged to have been committed b
Privileges and immunities
A clause in article IV section 2, of the constitution according citizens of each state most of the privileges of citizens of other states.
Dual federalism
A system if government in which both the states an the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies. Powers are distinct like later cake b
Cooperative federalism
A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs,administration, and Even blame for programs that work poorly. Responsibilities are mingles and mixed like a marble cake.
Fiscal federalism
The pattern of spending, taxing, an providing grants in the federal system, it is the cornerstone of the national government’s relations with state an local governments.
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.
Project grants
Federal categorical grants given for specific purposes and awarded in a basis of merits of applications.
Formula grants
Federal categorical grants distributed according to a formula specified in legislation or in administrative regulations.
Block grants
Federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad program in areas such as community development and social services.
