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ThrillerHomeschoolCivics > Vocab > Flashcards

Vocab Flashcards

1
Q

Limited government

A

The belief that the government should have certain restrictions in order to protect the individual rights and civil liberties of citizens.

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2
Q

Natural rights

A

Rights the Framers believed all people are born with and can never give up.

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3
Q

Unalienable rights

A

Another way of saying Natural rights

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4
Q

social contract

A

society as a whole would agree to give up some freedoms to be protected by the federal government

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5
Q

Popular sovereignty

A

The idea that the government’s power comes from the will of the people or the “consent of the governed.”

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6
Q

republicanism

A

Form of government in which elected leaders represent the interests of the people.

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7
Q

Constitutional Convention

A

Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1787

12 of the 13 states represented

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8
Q

John Adams

A

Massachusetts statesman and leader in the movement for American independence. Adams aided Jefferson in drafting the Declaration of Independence.

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9
Q

Ben Franklin

A

Pennsylvania statesman and leader in the movement for American independence. Franklin aided Jefferson in drafting the Declaration of Independence.

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10
Q

Alexander Hamilton

A

New York statesman who promoted replacing the Articles of Confederation with a stronger central government. He coauthored the Federalist Papers, which argued in favor of ratifying the Constitution.

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11
Q

Thomas Jefferson

A

Principal author of the Declaration of Independence.

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12
Q

James Madison

A

Virginia statesman and major contributor to the US Constitution. He coauthored the Federalist Papers and wrote the Bill of Rights.

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13
Q

George Washington

A

Revolutionary War general who presided over the Constitutional Convention.

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14
Q

The Declaration of Independence

A

This document explains the reasons why the Thirteen Colonies in North America desired independence from Great Britain

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15
Q

The US Constitution

A

A blueprint for how American government functions. Establishes the three separate branches of US government (legislative, executive, and judicial) and describes the relationship between the states and the federal government.

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16
Q

Participatory democracy

A

a model of democracy in which citizens have the power to decide directly on policy and politicians are responsible for implementing those policy decisions.

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17
Q

Pluralist democracy

A

a model of democracy in which no one group dominates politics and organized groups compete with each other to influence policy.

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18
Q

Elite democracy

A

a model of democracy in which a small number of people, usually those who are wealthy and well-educated, influence political decision making

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19
Q

democratic republic

A

A system of government in which the power to govern comes from the people, but elected officials represent their interests

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20
Q

direct democracy

A

A system in which citizens are directly responsible for making policy decisions

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21
Q

Town hall meetings

A

a way for local and national politicians to meet with constituents to hear their opinions on topics they are interested in or to discuss upcoming legislation.

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22
Q

initiative

A

a process that allows citizens to bypass their state legislature by placing proposed laws on the ballot

voters sign a petition to get the measure on the next ballot

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23
Q

referendum

A

allows voters to approve or repeal an act of the state legislature

voters sign a petition to get the measure on the next ballot

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24
Q

Interest groups

A

groups of people who attempt to influence policymakers to support their position on a particular common interest or concern.

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25
democracy
A system of government in which the power of the government is vested in the people, who rule directly or through elected representatives.
26
Federalist No. 10
An essay written by James Madison, in which he argued that a strong representative government would be able to control the effects of factions.
27
Brutus No. 1
An Anti-Federalist essay which argued against a strong central government based on the belief that it would not be able to meet the needs of all US citizens.
28
Articles of Confederation
Comprised the United States’ first constitution, lasting from 1776 until 1789. Established a weak central government and placed most powers in the hands of the states
29
Shays’s Rebellion
An uprising of Revolutionary War veterans in Massachusetts that both the state and national governments struggled to address due to a lack of centralized military power, illustrated the need to create a stronger governing system
30
Confederation Congress
The central government under the Articles of Confederation, composed of delegates chosen by state governments. Each state had one vote in the Congress, regardless of its population. The Congress had difficulty legislating as the Articles required nine of the thirteen states to vote to approve any measure, and a unanimous vote in order to amend the Articles themselves.
31
amendment
a change or addition to the Constitution.
32
Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments to the Constitution
33
Article V
Part of the constitution that describes the process for amending the Constitution
34
Great Compromise
Also known as the Connecticut Compromise, a major compromise at the Constitutional Convention that created a two-house legislature, with the Senate having equal representation for all states and the House of Representatives having representation proportional to state populations.
35
Connecticut Compromise
Another name for the Great Compromise
36
Electoral College
A body of representatives from every state in the United States who formally cast votes to elect the president and vice president.
37
Three-Fifths Compromise
An agreement added to the Constitution that would count each enslaved person as three-fifths of a white person for purposes of representation in the House of Representatives.
38
access point
A point in the policymaking process where ordinary citizens can influence government.
39
checks and balances
Aspects of the Constitution that require each branch of the federal government to gain the consent of the other two in order to act.
40
faction
An interest group seeking to influence government for the benefit of its members. The Framers sought to prevent any one from gaining too much power.
41
majority
The largest group that shares an opinion on any one issue, for example, whether to declare war or support a tax.
42
minority
A smaller group with a differing opinion on any one issue.
43
impeachment
The bringing of formal charges against a government officer for alleged crimes or abuses of power.
44
removal
Removing a government officer from office after impeachment proceedings resulted in a conviction.
45
separation of powers
Aspects of the Constitution that ascribe different elements of power to different branches of the government, which act independently. This keeps one branch of government from controlling the others.
46
stakeholder
A person with an interest or a concern in a political issue.
47
Federalist No. 51
An essay written by James Madison (under the pseudonym Publius) that explains how the structure of the new government under the Constitution will provide the necessary checks and balances to keep any part of the government from becoming too powerful.
48
exclusive powers
powers held only by the federal goverment
49
reserved (exclusive) powers
powers held only by state goverment
50
concurrent powers
powers shared by both federal and state government
51
Federalism
System of shared governance between national and state governments.
52
Naturalization
Becoming a citizen
53
Categorical grants
Money from the federal government that can only be used for specific purposes
54
mandates
These tie federal funding to certain conditions
55
Block grants
Money from the federal government that can be used for broad purposes.
56
federal revenue sharing
The practice of sharing federal income tax revenue with state and local governments (no longer active)
57
commerce clause
Part of Article I of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce (buying and selling of goods across state lines).
58
enumerated powers
Powers of the federal government that are explicitly named in the Constitution.
59
implied powers
Powers of the federal government that are not explicitly named in the Constitution but are implied so that the federal government can carry out its enumerated powers.
60
necessary and proper clause
Part of Article I of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to create laws that they find are required for performing their constitutional responsibilities.
61
Tenth Amendment
Constitutional amendment that stipulates that all powers not given to the federal government are reserved to the states or the people.
62
Fourteenth Amendment
Constitutional amendment that grants citizenship, equal protection, and due process under the law to all people born in the United States.
63
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Supreme Court case which guaranteed the supremacy of federal laws over state laws and declared that Congress has implied powers not listed in the Constitution in order to fulfill their enumerated powers.
64
US v. Lopez (1995)
Supreme Court case which stopped Congress from using the commerce clause to ban guns in schools

ThrillerHomeschoolCivics (4 decks)

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