American Govt

Front 1

Democracy

Back 1

a system of self government by the people; rule by the many

Front 2

oligarchy

Back 2

rule by the few, where a minority group holds power over a majority, as an aristocracy clerical establishment

Front 3

monarchy

Back 3

rule by the one, wehere power rests in induvidual leader such as a dictator or herredity monarch

Front 4

direct democracy

Back 4

a form of political decision making in which the public business is decided by all citizens meeting in small assemblies

Front 5

representative democracy

Back 5

indirect democracy, in which the people rule through elected representatvies

Front 6

popular sovereignty

Back 6

the basic principle of democracy that the people ultimately rule

Front 7

majority rule

Back 7

the form of political decision making in which policies are decided on the basis of what a majority of the people want

Front 8

political equality

Back 8

the principle that says that each person carries equal weight in the conduct of the public business

Front 9

civil rights

Back 9

guarantees by government of equal citizenship to all social groups

Front 10

political liberty

Back 10

the principle that citizens in a democracy are protected from govt. interference in the excercise of a range of basic freedoms, such as the freedoms of speech, association, and conscience

Front 11

liberal democracy

Back 11

representative democracy characterized by popular sovereignty liberty and political equality

Front 12

majority tyranny

Back 12

supression of the rights and liberties of minority by the majority

Front 13

Jim crow

Back 13

popular term for the system of legally sanctioned racial segregation that existed in the american south until the middle of the 20th century

Front 14

social contract

Back 14

a philosophical devie, used by enlightenment thinkers, such as Locke, Rousseau, and Harrington, to suggest that governments are only legitimate if they are created by a voluntary compact among the people

Front 15

confederation

Back 15

a loose association of states or territorial units formed for a common purpose

Front 16

constitution

Back 16

the basic framework of law that prescribes how government is to be organized, how decisions are to be made, and what powers and responsibilities it shall have.

Front 17

Articles of Confederation

Back 17

the first constitution of the United States, adopted during the last stages of the Revolutionary War, created a system of government with most power lodged in the states and little in the central government

Front 18

Republicanism, eighteenth century

Back 18

a political doctrine advocating limited government based on popular consent, protected against majority tyranny; not associated with the modern republican party

Front 19

tyranny

Back 19

a government that systematically violates the rights of induviduals

Front 20

unicameral

Back 20

a legislative body with a single chamber

Front 21

Stay Acts

Back 21

enactments postponing the collection of taxes or mortgage payments

Front 22

Virginia plan

Back 22

proposal by the large states at the constitutional convention to create a strong central government with power in the government apportioned to the states on the basis of population

Front 23

New Jersey Plan

Back 23

Proposal of the smaller states at the constituional convention to create a government based on the equal representation of the states of the states in a unicameral legislative

Front 24

Connecticut Compromise

Back 24

also called the Great Compromise; the compromise between the New Jersey and Virginia plans formulated by the Connecticut delegates at the Constitutional Convention; called for a lower legislative house based on population size and an upper house based on equal representation of the states

Front 25

electoral college

Back 25

elected representatives of the states whose votes formally elect the President of the United States; the number of electors in each state is equal to the total number of its senators and representatives in the House and are almost always cast in a block for the candidate who wins a plurality of the vote in a state in the quadrennial presidential election

Front 26

Federal

Back 26

describing a system in which significant governmental powers are divided between a central government and smaller territorial units, such as states

Front 27

supremacy clause

Back 27

the provision in Article VI of the constitution that states that the Constitution and the laws and treaties of the Uinted states are the supreme law of the land, taking precedence over state laws and constitutions

Front 28

elastic clause

Back 28

Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, also called the necessary and proper clause; gives congresss the authority to make what-ever laws are necessary and proper to carry out its enumerated responsibilities

Front 29

Bill of Rights

Back 29

the first 10 amendments to the U.S. constitution, concerned with the protection of basic liberties

Front 30

Seperation of Powers

Back 30

the distribution of government legislative, executive, and judicial powers to seperate branches of government

Front 31

Checks and Balances

Back 31

the constitutional principle that government power shall be divided and that the fragments should be balance or check one another to prevent tyranny

Front 32

free enterprise

Back 32

same as capitalism an economic system characterized by competitive markets and private ownership

Front 33

Federalists

Back 33

proponents of the constituion during the ratification fight; also the political party of Hamilton, Washington, and Adams

Front 34

Anti-Federalists

Back 34

Opponents of the constitution durin the fight over ratification

Front 35

judicial review

Back 35

the power of the supreme court to declare actions of teh other branches and levels of government unconstitutional

Front 36

Signing Statement

Back 36

a statement sometimes issued by the president in connection with the signing of a bill from congress that sets out the presidents understanding of the new law and how executive branch officials should carry it out