Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy

Question 1

social contract

Answer 1

contract between people and the government where people give up some of their liberties (ex. right to revenge) in exchange for government protection

Question 2

natural rights

Answer 2

rights that people are born with and can’t be taken away by the government. Described by John Locke: life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness; must be protected by the government.

Question 3

republicanism

Answer 3

system where people vote for representatives

supports individualism and natural rights, popular sovereignty, encourages civic participation

Question 4

representative democracy

Answer 4

elected officials representing a group of people

Question 5

popular sovereignty

Answer 5

the idea that government power derives from the consent of the governed

Question 6

participatory democracy

Answer 6

broad participation in politics/society by people at various statuses

Question 7

pluralist democracy

Answer 7

group-based political participation

Question 8

elite democracy

Answer 8

power to the educated/wealthy, discourages participation by the majority of people

Question 9

federalism

Answer 9

the way in which federal and state/regional governments interact and share power

Question 10

accomplishments of the Articles of Confederation

Answer 10

• created federalism
• ended the revolutionary war (on favorable terms for the US)
• established the northwest ordinance

Question 11

weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Answer 11

• could not impose taxes
• no national military
• no national currency
• no supreme court
• no executive branch
• no control over taxes imposed between states
• no control over interstate trade
• needed unanimous votes to amend it
• 9 states to approve legislation before it was passed

Question 12

the constitutional convention (1787)

Answer 12

a meeting of the framers in Philadelphia during which the government’s structure was debated and decided

Question 13

unicameral legislature

Answer 13

legislature with one house

Question 14

bicameral legislature

Answer 14

legislature with two houses

Question 15

Virginia plan

Answer 15

bicameral legislature based on population size; supported by larger states

Question 16

New Jersey plan

Answer 16

unicameral legislature with one vote per state; supported by smaller states

Question 17

the great compromise (Connecticut compromise)

Answer 17

created a bicameral legislature with a house of representatives (based on population) and senate (equal representation)

Question 18

three-fifths compromise

Answer 18

enslaved people would be counted as 3/5th of a person when deciding seats in the house of representatives

Question 19

federalists

Answer 19

supporters of the constitution; advocated for a strong central government

Question 20

anti-federalists

Answer 20

opponents of the constitution; preferred smaller state governments

Question 21

the federalist papers

Answer 21

written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay; a collection of articles supporting the constitution

Question 22

electoral college

Answer 22

composed of elected officials from each state based on population (each given 2 votes + 1 vote per member of house of representatives) with a total of 538

Question 23

executive order

Answer 23

same effect as law, bypasses congress in policy-making, not mentioned in the constitution but used as part of the enforcement duties

Question 24

executive agreement

Answer 24

similar to treaties between country leaders, bypass ratification power of the senate

Question 25

judicial review

Answer 25

the power of the supreme court to overturn laws passed by legislature which are unconstitutional

Question 26

necessary and proper clause (A1S8)

Answer 26

the elastic clause; allows congress to make any legislation that seems “necessary and proper” to carry out its powers

Question 27

supremacy clause

Answer 27

supremacy of constitution and federal laws over state laws

Question 28

confederation

Answer 28

a system in which decisions are made by an external member-state legislation; decisions on daily issues are taken by special majorities, consensus, or unanimity

Question 29

delegated/enumerated powers

Answer 29

power that belongs to the national government

Question 30

reserved powers

Answer 30

powers that belong to the states

Question 31

concurrent powers

Answer 31

powers shared by federal and state government

Question 32

federal government programs

Answer 32

paid for by federal government through grants-in-aid, mostly administered by state

Question 33

categorical grants

Answer 33

aid with strict rules from the federal government about how it should be used

Question 34

block grants

Answer 34

aid that lets the state use the money how it wants

Question 35

separation of powers

Answer 35

assigns different talks to each branch of government
* legislative makes laws
* executive enforces laws
* judicial interprets laws

Question 36

checks and balances

Answer 36

each branch checks the other; designed to prevent any branch of government from becoming dominant, requires different branches to work together and share power

Question 37

veto

Answer 37

the power of the president to reject laws

Question 38

amendment

Answer 38

a provision to the constitution

Question 39

ratifying convention

Answer 39

delegates elected to vote on an amendment

Question 40

main amendment process

Answer 40

• proposed amendment approved by 2/3 of both houses
• 3/4 of state legislatures must ratify the amendment