Vocabulary Flashcards
The ability of one person to get another to act in accordance with the first person’s intentions
Power
Power
The ability of one person to get another to act in accordance with the first person’s intentions
The right to use power
Authority
Authority
The right to use power
Political authority conferred by law or by state or national constitution
Legitimacy
Legitimacy
Political authority conferred by law or by state or national constitution
The rule of many
Democracy
Democracy
The rule of many
A government in which all or most citizens participate directly
Direct or participatory democracy
Direct or participatory democracy
A government in which all or most citizens participate directly
A government in which leaders make decisions by winning a competitive struggle for the popular vote
Representative Democracy
Representative Democracy
A government in which leaders make decisions by winning a competitive struggle for the popular vote
Elite
Persons who posses a disproportionate share of some valued resource, like money or power.
Persons who posses a disproportionate share of some valued resours, like money or power
Elite
View that the government is dominated by capitalists
Marxist View
Marxist View
View that the government is dominated by capitalists
View that the government is dominated by a few top leaders, most of whom are outside of government
Power elite view
Power Elite View
View that the government is dominated by a few top leaders, most of whom are outside of government
Bureaucratic View
View that the government is dominated by appointed officials
View that the government is dominated by appointed officials
Bureaucratic View
The belief that competition among all affected interests shapes public policy.
Pluralist View
Pluralist View
The belief that competition among all affected interests shapes public policy.
Unalienable
A human right based on nature or God
A human right based on nature or God
Unalienable
Articles of Confederation
A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War.
A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War
Articles of Confederation
Constitutional Convention
Meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution
Meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution
Constitutional Convention
Shay’s Rebellion
A 1787 rebellion in which ex-Revolutionary war soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes.
A 1787 rebellion in which ex-Revolutionary War soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes.
Shay’s Rebellion
Virginia Plan
Proposal to create a strong national government
Proposal to create a strong national government
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
Proposal to create a weak national government
Proposal to create a weak national government
New Jersey Plan
Great Compromise
Plan to have a popularly elected House based on state population and a state-selected Senate, with two members for each state.
Plan to have a popularly elected House based on state population and a state-selected Senate, with two members for each state.
Great Compromise
republic
A government in which elected representatives make the decisions
A government in which elected representatives make the decisions
republic
Judicial review
The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional.
The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional.
Judicial review
Federalism
Government authority shared by national and state governments
Government authority shared by national and state governments
Federalism
Checks and balances
Authority shared by three branches of government
Authority shared by three branches of government
Checks and Balances
Enumerated Powers
Powers given to the national government alone
Powers given to the national government alone
Enumerated Powers
Reserved Powers
Powers given to the state alone
Powers given to the state alone
Reserved Powers
Concurrent Powers
Powers shared by the national and state governments
Powers shared by the national and state governments
Concurrent Powers
Separation of powers
Constitutional authority is shared by three different branches of government.
Constitutional authority is shared by three different branches of government.
Separation of powers
Faction
A group with a distinct political interest
A group with a distinct political interest
faction
Federalists
Those who favor a stronger national government
Those who favor a stronger national government
Federalists
Antifederalists
Those who favor a weaker national government
Coalition
An alliance of factions
Those who favor a weaker national government
Antifederalists
An alliance of factions
Coalition
habeas corpus
An order to produce an arrested person before a judge
An order to produce an arrested person before a judge
habeas corpus
bill of attainder
A law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime
A law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime
bill of attainder
ex post facto law
A law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it was committed
A law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it was committed
ex post facto law
Bill of Rights
First ten amendments to the Constitution
First ten amendments to the Constitution
Bill of Rights
amendment
A new provision in the Constitution that has been ratified by the states.
A new provision in the Constitution that has been ratified by the states.
amendment
line-item veto
An executive’s ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature.
An executive’s ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature.
line-item veto
devolution
The effort to transfer responsibility for many public programs and services from the federal government to the states.
The effort to transfer responsibility for many public programs and services from the federal government to the states.
devolution
Block Grants
Money from the national government that states can spend within broad guidelines determined by Washington
Money from the national government that states can spend within broad guidelines determined by Washington
block grants
“necessary and proper” clause
Section of Constitution allowing Congress to pass all laws “necessary and proper” to its duties, and which has permitted Congress to exercise powers not specifically given to it (enumerated) by the Constitution
Section of Constitution allowing Congress to pass all laws “necessary and proper” to its duties, and which has permitted Congress to exercise powers not specifically given to it (enumerated) by the Constitution
“necessary and proper” clause
nullification
The doctrine that a state can declare null and void a federal law that, in the state’s opinion, violates the Constitution.
The doctrine that a state can declare null and void a federal law that, in the state’s opinion, violates the Constitution.
nullification
dual federalism
Doctrine holding that the national government is supreme in its sphere, the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate
police power
State power to enact laws promoting health, safety, and morals
State power to enact laws promoting health, safety, and morals
police power
initiative
Process that permits voters to put legislative measures directly on the ballot
Process that permits voters to put legislative measures directly on the ballot
initiative
referendum
Procedure enabling voters to reject a measure passed by the legislature
Procedure enabling voters to reject a measure passed by the legislature
referendum
recall
procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office
procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office
recall
Sovereignty
Supreme or ultimate political authority
grants-in-aid
Money given by the national government to the states
Money given by the national government to the states
grants-in-aid
Supreme or ultimate political authority
Sovereignty
Unitary system
Sovereignty is wholly in the hands of the national government, so that the states and localities are dependent on its will.
Doctrine holding that the national government is supreme in its sphere, the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate
dual federalism
