Unit 1 Vocabulary

Question 1

10th Amendment - The “Reserved Powers Clause”

Answer 1

Specifies that powers not delegated to the national government, nor denied to the states by the Constitution are reserved for the state government or the people.

Question 2

Anti-Federalists

Answer 2

People who opposed the new Constitution, feared the new Constitution would erode fundamental liberties, and argued that the new Constitution was a class-based document serving the economic elite.

Question 3

Articles of Confederation

Answer 3

the document that outlines the voluntary agreement between states and was adopted as the first plan for a permanent union of the United States. It put almost all power in the hands of the states, creating a very weak federal government.

Question 4

Bill of Attainder

Answer 4

A legislative act that provides for the punishment of a person without a court trial. Bills of Attainder are prohibited by the Constitution.

Question 5

Bill of Rights

Answer 5

The first ten Amendments to the Constitution passed after ratification specifically protecting individual liberties to fulfill promises made by the Federalists to the Anti-Federalists in return for their support.

Question 6

Block Grants

Answer 6

Funds granted to the states for a broadly defined purpose. These grants shift resources from the federal government to the states and contribute to the growing number of state and local government employees. Block grants increase the power of the states.

Question 7

Categorical Grants

Answer 7

Funds provided for a specific and clearly defined purpose. This includes “Formula Grants” - grants based on the basis of a formula. This also includes “Project grants” awarded on the basis of competitive applications. Categorical grants do NOT increase the power of the state, but states do receive money for their residents, just without the discretionary power that they would get from block grants.

Question 8

Checks and Balances

Answer 8

System in which each branch of government can limit the power of the other two branches. (i.e. President can veto laws, Congress can impeach President, Courts can rule a law unconstitutional).

Question 9

Connecticut Compromise (“The Great Compromise”)

Answer 9

The plan adopted at the Constitutional Convention to provide for two chambers in Congress (a “bicameral Congress”), one representing states equally (the Senate) and the other representing states on the basis of their share of the population (the House of Representatives).

Question 10

Consent of the Governed

Answer 10

People must agree on who their rulers will be. (Popular Sovereignty). This protects against “Tyranny of the Minority.”

Question 11

Constitution

Answer 11

A nation’s basic law creating institutions, dividing power, and providing guarantees to citizens.

Question 12

Cooperative Federalism

Answer 12

Situations in which state and the national government responsibilities are mingled and blurred like a marble cake; powers and policies are shared. This is common today.

Question 13

Declaration of Independence

Answer 13

The document used by the signers to announce and justify the Revolutionary War and which was specifically designed to enlist the aid of foreign nations in the revolt.

Question 14

Delegated Powers

Answer 14

Powers specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution under Art. 1, Section 8, Clauses 1-17 (also known as “enumerated powers” or “expressed powers”. Know all three terms mean the same thing

Question 15

Democracy

Answer 15

Government by the people, both directly or indirectly, with free and frequent elections. The U.S. has a representative democracy (or republic). There are 3 types of Representative Democracies: Elite Democracy, Participatory democracy, and Pluralist democracy

Question 16

Elite Democracy

Answer 16

Power is held by the educated and/or wealthy. Discourages participation by the majority of citizens.

Question 17

Participatory democracy

Answer 17

Emphasizes broad participation in politics and civil society by citizens at various levels of socioeconomic status. Generally, conservatives favor devolution.

Question 18

Pluralist democracy

Answer 18

Implies organized group-based activism by citizens with common interests all striving for the same political goals. (Think about interest groups i.e. NRA, Sierra Club, Corporations, etc.)

Question 19

Devolution

Answer 19

A movement to transfer the responsibilities of governing form the federal government to state and local governments.

Question 20

Dual Federalism

Answer 20

Where states and the national government each remain supreme within their own spheres of power, rather than co-mingling of powers, much like a layer cake. Before the Great Depression in the 1930s, this was common.

Question 21

Elastic Clause (Necessary & Proper Clause)

Answer 21

The statement in the Constitution, under Art. 1, Sec. 8, Clause 18, which says that Congress has the power to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out its duties.- Authorizes “Implied Powers” of the federal government as long as they are “substantially related to” the carrying out of an expressed (enumerated/delegated) power.

Question 22

Elite Theory of Politics

Answer 22

A theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization. Not all groups are equal. Decisions/Policy will benefit the wealthy more than others.

Question 23

Enumerated Powers

Answer 23

Powers specifically granted to the federal legislative branch by the Constitution under Art. 1, Section 8, Clauses 1-17 (also known as “expressed powers” or “delegated powers”. Know all three terms mean the same thing.

Question 24

Equal Rights Amendment

Answer 24

It was first proposed in 1923, passed by Congress in 1972, but was not ratified by three-fourths of the states. This amendment would have mandated equality of rights under the law regardless of gender.

Question 25

Ex Post Facto law

Answer 25

A law applied to an act committed before the law was enacted. “Post facto” means after the act was committed. The Constitution prohibits ex post facto laws.

Question 26

Expressed Powers

Answer 26

Powers specifically granted to the federal legislative branch by the Constitution under Art. 1, Section 8, Clauses 1-17 (also known as “enumerated powers” or “delegated powers”. Know all three terms mean the same thing.

Question 27

Factions

Answer 27

Groups of people, currently known as political parties or interest groups, who arise as a result of unequal distribution of wealth to seize the reins of government in their own interest.

Question 28

Federalism

Answer 28

A system of government in which power is divided by a written constitution between a central government (“national gov’t” or “federal gov’t”) and regional governments (state governments).

Question 29

Federalists

Answer 29

Argued for ratification of the Constitution. Three of the most famous were the three writers of the Federalist Papers: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.

Question 30

Federalists Papers

Answer 30

Essays/Articles written to convince others to support the new constitution. They were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.

Question 31

Fiscal Federalism

Answer 31

Division of power between the federal and state governments in regard to the pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants.

Question 32

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Answer 32

Article IV of the Constitution requires states to provide reciprocity toward other states’ public acts, records, and civil judicial proceedings (i.e. states must recognize marriages from other states).

Question 33

Gibbons v. Ogden

Answer 33

The 1824 Supreme Court case which further expanded Congress’ power to regulate interstate and international commerce by defining commerce very broadly to incorporate every form of commercial activity. (in this case, it was operating a ferryboat between NY and NJ).

Question 34

Government

Answer 34

Institutions that make public policy for a society

Question 35

Gross domestic product

Answer 35

The total value of all goods and services produced annually by the United States.

Question 36

Hyper-Pluralist Theory

Answer 36

The theory that government policy is weakened and often contradictory because there are so many competing interest groups. Also that too many groups get what they want at the expense of underrepresented groups. Under the hyper-pluralist theory, having many competing interest groups is a bad thing, as it creates “gridlock” when nothing gets done.

Question 37

Implied Powers

Answer 37

Powers of the federal government that go beyond those enumerated in the Constitution. They come from the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the “Necessary and Proper Clause” (Art. 1, Sec. 8, Clause 18). In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), the Spt. Ct. ruled that the federal gov’t has the “implied power” to create a national bank because it is “substantially related” to Congress’ express power to tax, spend, and borrow.

Question 38

Judicial Review

Answer 38

The courts have the power to decide whether the actions of the legislative and executive branches of state and national governments are in accordance with the Constitution. The power of Judicial Review was established by the Supreme Court in the case of Marbury v. Madison (1803).

Question 39

Limited Government

Answer 39

Clear restrictions on what rulers could do and which safeguard natural rights. This was first established in England by the Magna Carta in 1215). The U.S. Constitution creates a limited government, because the government cannot violate the Constitution.

Question 40

Linkage Institutions

Answer 40

Institutions that connect citizens to government. Example are political parties, interest groups, and the media (P.I.G. Media).

Question 41

Majority Rule

Answer 41

A fundamental democratic principle requiring that the majority’s view be respected. (The Constitution must protect the minority from the majority at times i.e. “Tyranny of the Majority” with such rights as the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and equal protection).

Question 42

Marbury v. Madison

Answer 42

1803 Supreme Court case that established the concept of judicial review.

Question 43

McCulloch v. Maryland

Answer 43

The 1819 Supreme Court case, which established (1) the federal government has the “implied power” to create a national bank because it is “substantially related” to Congress’ express power to tax, spend, and borrow; and (2) the national (federal) government is supreme over state governments in areas that the federal government has powers. Thus, the state of Maryland could not tax the national bank out of business.

Question 44

Minority Rights

Answer 44

Protecting the rights and freedoms of the minority in choosing among policy alternatives.

Question 45

Natural Rights

Answer 45

These are rights to which people are entitled by natural law. According to John Locke, they include life, liberty, and property. However, in the Declaration of Independence, they include “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”