AP Gov vocab v.6 Flashcards
Formal approval on presidential appointments
Advice and consent
Argued for a truly federal government, feared strong executive and Congress’ power to tax
Anti-federalist
Series of statements that defined the initial national government and redefined the former colonies as states
Articles of Confederation
Two house legislature
Bicameral
Includes many essential rights, most of which were violated under the oppressive British regime
Bill of Rights
Limiting powers each branch can use on the others
Checks and Balances
Empowers Congress to regulate commerce with other nations and among the several states
Commerce Clause
Official statement to summarize the colonists’ view that justified the break from Britain and proclaimed reasons for independence
Declaration of Independence
Each state would have same number of electors as representatives and people who vote for electors to choose the president
Electoral College
Elected representatives to make decisions and acts as trustees for the people who elect them. Elites, people with power and money, dominate
Elite Democracy
Power to tax, borrow money, raise an army, create a postal system, address piracy on the seas, and define the immigration and naturalization process and a few others
Enumerated Powers
Return fugitives to states where they had committed crimes and runaway slaves to states they had fled
Extradition
Authors writing to assure citizens that they had created a federal system and that states had not lost their importance. Allay fears that the Constitution would subject people in the states to abuses by new government
Federalist Papers
Balance of power among a central/national authority/government and state/regional authority. Assures a limited government.
Federalism
Endorsed the Constitution
Federalist
Requires states to be open about their laws and encourages states to respect one another’s laws. States cannot favor their citizens over others
Full faith and credit clause
The matter of representation was referred to a committee made up of one delegate from each state at the convention.
Grand Committee
Created a two-house Congress composed of a House of Representatives and a Senate
Great Compromise
From Congress, seats awarded based on population and those wanting equal representation
House of Representatives
Accusation, an indictment of wrongdoing
Impeachment
Influenced the creation of the Constitution, strong supporter of Constitution, wrote Federalist Papers, nickname is Father of the Constitution
James Madison
Courts can deem an act of legislature unconstitutional when deciding a case
Judicial Review
Makes certain all states must adhere to the Constitution
National supremacy/supremacy clause
Law of God and acknowledge through human sense and reason. People were born free and equal. Right to rebel when rulers did not respect consent of governed
Natural Law
Congress shall have power to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers
Necessary and proper (elastic) clause
States would retain sovereignty, national legislature would have only limited and defined powers, no national courts
New Jersey Plan
Direct participation of many. People vote directly for laws and other matters that affect them
Participatory democracy
Non-governmental groups organize to try to exert influence on political decision making in interest groups
Pluralist democracy
When a president refuses to sign a bill at the end of a legislative session
Pocket Veto
The people as ultimate ruling authority
Popular Sovereignty
Constitution’s mission statement that starts with “We the people” and outlines the purpose of the new government including “establishing justice” and providing for the “common defense”
Preamble
A collection of sovereign states gathered for the national interest, national needs, and national defense
Representative republic
People elect representatives who are responsible to make and carry out laws
Republicanism
Not specifically listed and thus any powers not mentioned remain with the states
Reserved powers
Two senators from each state regardless of the state’s size
Senate
Defining the distinct responsibilities and limits of each branch to keep any one branch from becoming too powerful
Separation of Powers
Contract between a democratic government and people. If a government violated in the contract, people take power back
Social contract
Makes certain all states must adhere to the Constitution
Supremacy clause/National Su
Northern and southern delegates agreed to count only three of every five slaves to determine representation in the House
Three-fifths compromise
If a president vetos a bill, Congress, each house acting separately, can reverse the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in each house
two-thirds override
Law covered intelligence gathering and sharing by executive branch agencies, points of criminal procedure and border protection after 9/11 attacks
USA PATRIOT Act
presidential power to reject a bill
veto
Created a three-branch system of government by 15 resolves, becomes blueprint of the Constitution
Virginia Plan
Congress offers larger sums of money to states to take care of large purpose without any strings
Block grants
Federal government offers money as long as states follow federal guidelines
Categorical grants
The states created the national government and could judge whether federal authorities broke the compact (contract) by overstepping their limited authority
Compact Theory
Powers held by both state and federal
Concurrent Powers
Specific requirements attached to categorical grants
Conditions of aid/strings
Congress distributes federal tax revenues to states to take care of particular national concerns
Cooperative/fiscal federalism
Or revenue sharing
Expressed powers in the Constitution
Delegated powers
Devolving some responsibilities assumed by the federal government back to the states
Devolution
National government is supreme in its sphere and the states are equally supreme in their own sphere
Dual federalism
Expanded Congress’ reach of regulation in order tax
Federal income tax
Federal funds given to states to address basic needs but come in different forms with different requirements
Grants-in-aid
Powers not specifically listed in the Constitution but deriving from the elastic clause
Implied powers
federal, state, local governments, and even private groups share federal money with interrelated goals
Marble cake federalism
Banking is part of the federal government’s business and appropriate under the necessary and proper clause
McCulloch v. Maryland
Transferring certain powers from the federal government back to the states
New Federalism
Gave states the right to declare null and void and federal law states thought violated the Constitution
Nullification
States have powers to create and enforce laws on health, safety, and morals
Police Powers
Protects rights of individual citizens and restricts states from discriminating against out of state citizens
Privileges and immunities clause
Doctrine asserting that Congress may regulate when a commodity requires national uniformity
Selective exclusiveness
Someone who believes the Constitutions should be interpreted literally
Strict constructionist
Specific requirements attached
Strings
Single governing authority in a central capital with uniform law throughout the land
Unitary government
A gun near school property does not have an impact on interstate commerce and is not covered by the commerce clause
United States v. Lopez
Controversy over federal tax on whiskey distillers that required military force to end. Questioned growing federal power
Whiskey Rebellion
Requires states to comply with a federal directive, sometimes with reward of funds and sometimes without
Mandates
Legislative branch, Congress, makes laws
Article I
Executive branch, President, enforce laws
Article II
Judicial branch, Supreme Court, interpret laws
Article III
States and their relationship with national government
Article IV
How to add amendments
Article V