Unit 2 Vocab

Question 1

Articles of Confederation

Answer 1

The first governing document of the confederated states drafted in 1777, ratified in 1781, and replaced by the present Constitution in 1789

Question 2

Shays’ Rebellion

Answer 2

Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.

Question 3

Separation of powers

Answer 3

Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law.

Question 4

Federalism

Answer 4

Constitutional arrangement in which power is distributed between federal government and
state governments.

Question 5

Federalist Papers

Answer 5

A series of essays written to persuade state legislators to ratify the US Constitution

Question 6

US Constitution

Answer 6

Governing document of the United States written in 1787 that outlines the goals and powers of government, as well as the rights of its citizens

Question 7

Bicameralism

Answer 7

The principle of a two-house legislature.

Question 8

Federalists

Answer 8

Supporters of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government.

Question 9

Antifederalists

Answer 9

Opponents of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government,
generally

Question 10

Judicial review

Answer 10

The power of a court to refuse to enforce a law or a government regulation that in the opinion of the judges conflicts with the U.S. Constitution or, in a state court, the state constitution.

Question 11

Enumerated powers

Answer 11

Powers the Constitution specifically grants to Congress

Question 12

Necessary and proper clause

Answer 12

Clause of the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress, in addition to its express powers has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the national
government.

Question 13

Reserved Powers

Answer 13

Powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but not forbidden to states are held by the states; derived from the 10th Amendment.

Question 14

Concurrent powers

Answer 14

Powers that the Constitution gives to both the national and state governments, such as the power to levy taxes.

Question 15

National supremacy

Answer 15

Constitutional doctrine that whenever conflict occurs between the
constitutionally authorized actions of the national government and those of a state or local government,
the actions of the federal government will prevail.

Question 16

Writ of Habeas Corpus

Answer 16

Order that requires law enforcement to produce a prisoner and explain why
they are being held. The term comes from Latin and literally means “you should have the body”.

Question 17

Bill of attainder

Answer 17

Legislative act inflicting punishment, including deprivation of property, without a trial, on named individuals or members of a specific group.

Question 18

Ex post facto law

Answer 18

Retroactive criminal law that works to the disadvantage of a person

Question 18

Referendum

Answer 18

Procedure for submitting to popular vote measures passed by the legislature or proposed amendments to a state constitution

Question 18

Initiative

Answer 18

Procedure whereby a certain number of voters may, by petition, propose a law or constitutional amendment and have it submitted to the voters.

Question 19

Recall

Answer 19

Procedure for submitting to popular vote the removal of officials from office before the end of
their term

Question 20

Preemption

Answer 20

State laws that remove authority over a certain subject from Local Governments

Question 20

Commerce clause

Answer 20

The clause in the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1) that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other
nations.

Question 21

Cooperative federalism (Marble cake federalism)

Answer 21

Conceives of federalism as a marble cake in
which all levels of government are involved in a variety of issues and programs, rather than a layer cake, or dual federalism, with fixed divisions between layers or levels of government.

Question 22

Dual federalism (layer cake federalism)

Answer 22

Views the Constitution as giving a limited list of powers—primarily foreign policy and national defense—to the national government, leaving the rest to the sovereign states. Each level of government is dominant within its own sphere. The Supreme Court serves as the umpire between the national government and the states in disputes over which level of government has responsibility for a particular activity.

Question 23

Devolution revolution

Answer 23

The effort to slow the growth of the federal government by returning many functions to the states

Question 24

Federal mandate

Answer 24

A requirement the federal government imposes as a condition for receiving federal funds.

Question 25

Categorical grants

Answer 25

Congress appropriates funds for a specific purpose, such as school lunches or for building airports and highways

Question 26

Block grants

Answer 26

These are broad state grants to states for prescribed activities—welfare, child care,
education, social services, preventive health care, and health services—with only a few strings attached

Question 27

Earmarks

Answer 27

Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.