Unit 1 Flashcards
Politics
The process of influencing the actions and policies of government.
Government
The rules and institutions that make up the system of policymaking.
Democracy
A system of government where power is held by the people.
The right to life, liberty, and property, which government cannot take away.
Natural Rights
A “contract” in which people allow their government to rule over them to ensure an
orderly and functioning society.
Social Contract
The set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that Americans share.
American Political Culture
The idea that the government’s right to rule comes from the people.
Popular sovereignty
A system in which the government’s authority (leaders who are elected for a specific
period) comes from the people.
Republicanism
Liberty
Social, political and economic freedoms
A theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government.
Participatory democracy
Civil Society Groups
Independent associations outside the government’s control.
A theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of groups in the policymaking process.
Political power rests with competing interest groups so that no one group dominates
political decisions.
Pluralist Theory of Democracy
A theory of democracy that the elites (wealthy, well-educated, influential) have a
disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process.
Elite theory of democracy
Political institutions
The structure of government, including the executive, legislature, and judiciary.
A democratic system with elected representatives in which the Constitution is the
supreme law.
Constitutional republic
Governmental power is restricted or limited by law, usually in a written constitution.
Limited Government
Government in which citizens vote on laws and select officials directly.
Direct Democracy
Procedure whereby a certain number of voters may, by petition, propose a law or
constitutional amendment and have it submitted to the voters.
Initiative
Procedure for submitting to popular vote measures passed by the legislature or
proposed amendments to a state constitution.
Referendum
Recall
Procedure for submitting to popular vote the removal of officials from office before the
end of their term.
A government in which the people elect those who govern and pass laws; also called a republic
Representative democracy
Governance according to the expressed preferences of the majority.
Majority Rule
The candidate or party that wins more than half the votes cast in an election.
Majority
Plurality
Candidate or party with the most votes cast in an election, not necessarily more than half
Autocracy
A type of government in which one person with unlimited power rules.
A document that sets out the fundamental principles of governance and establishes the institutions of
government.
Constitution
Republic
A government ruled by representatives of the people.
Unicameral
One-house legislature
A popular uprising against the government of Massachusetts. It highlighted the need for a strong
national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.
Shay’s Rebellion
Virginia Plan
A plan of government calling for a three-branch government with a bicameral legislature, where more
populous states would have more representation in Congress.
New Jersey Plan
A plan of government that provided for a unicameral legislature with equal votes for each state.
Grand Committee
Committee organized at the Constitutional Convention that worked out the compromise on
representation in the national legislature.
Connecticut
(Great)
Compromise
Compromise that settled issues of state representation by calling for a bicameral legislature with a
House of Representatives (lower house) apportioned by population and a Senate (upper house)
apportioned equally (in which each state would have two senators).
Bicameralism
2-house legislature
Slave trade compromise
Congress could not restrict the slave trade until 1808.
Separation of Powers
A design of government that distributes powers across institutions (legislative, executive, and judicial
branches) in order to avoid making one branch too powerful on its own.
Federalism
The sharing of power between the national (aka central or federal or U.S.) government and the states. A system of divides power between the national and state governments.
Amendment
Process by which change may be made to the Constitution (laid out in Article V).
An essay in which Madison argues that separation of powers and federalism will prevent tyranny.
Federalist 51
A group of self-interested people (usually united by a particular common political purpose) who use the
government to get what they want, trampling the rights of others in the process.
Factions
An essay in which James Madison argues that a large republic and republican government can mitigate the dangers of a faction.
Federalist 10
to be governed as a republic and that the Constitution gave too much power to the national
government.
Brutus 1
Unitary system
A system where the central government has all the power over subnational governments.
Confederal system
A system where the subnational governments have most of the power.
A system where power is divided between the national and states governments.
Federal System
Powers explicitly granted to the national gov’t through the Constitution.
Expressed/enumerated powers
Powers only the national government can exercise.
Exclusive powers
Powers not granted specifically to the national gov’t but considered necessary to carry out
the expressed/enumerated powers.
Implied Powers
Commerce Clause (where and what)
Clause in the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3) that grants Congress the
authority to regulate interstate business and commercial activity.
Necessary and Proper clause (where and what)
Clause of the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18) that grants the federal gov’t
the authority to pass laws required to carry out its enumerated powers.
Supremacy Clause (where and what)
Contained in Article VI of the Constitution, this clause establishes the Constitution and the
laws of the federal gov’t passed under its authority as the highest laws of the land.
10th amendment
Reserves powers not delegated to the national gov’t to the states and the people; the
basis of federalism.
Powers not given to the national gov’t, which are retained by the states and the people.
Reserved Powers
Powers granted to both states and the federal gov’t in the Constitution.
Concurrent Powers
Full faith and credit clause (where and what)
Clause in the Constitution (Article 4, Section 1) requiring states to recognize the public
acts, records, and civil court proceedings from another state.
14th amendment
Provides that persons born in the U.S. are citizens and prohibits states from denying
persons due process or equal protection under the law.
Dual Federalism
State governments and national gov’t operate independently in their own areas of public
policy. Powers and policy assignments of the layers of government were distinct. LAYERED
Cooperative Federalism
States and national gov’t work together to shape public policy. Sharing powers and policy
assignments. MARBELED
Federal money provided to states to implement public policy objectives.
Grants in Aid
Fiscal Federalism
The federal government’s use of grants-in-aid to influence policies in the states.
Categorical Grants
Grants-in-aid provided to states with specific provisions on their use. More “strings
attached” to the money.
Unfunded mandate
Federal requirements that states must follow without being provided with funding.
Block grants
Grants-in-aid that give state officials more authority in the disbursement of federal funds.
Less “strings attached” to the money.
Revenue sharing
When the federal gov’t apportions tax money to the states with no strings attached.
Returning more authority to state or local governments.
Devolution
Federal Mandate
A requirement the federal government imposes as a condition for receiving federal funds.
