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33 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Legislature |
The body of government that makes laws |
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Bicameral legislature |
Legislature with two chambers |
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Republic |
A government in which decisions are made through representatives of the people |
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Unicameral legislature |
A legislature with one chamber |
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Executive |
The branch of government responsible for putting laws into effect |
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Electoral College |
An intermediary body that elects president |
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Presidential system |
Government in which the executive is chosen independently of the legislature and the two branches are separate |
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Parliamentary system |
Government in which the executive is chosen by the legislature from among its members and the two branches are merged |
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Judicial power |
The power to interpret laws and judge whether a law has been broken |
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Judicial review |
The power of the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of laws |
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Legislative Supremacy |
An alternative to judicial review, the acceptance of legislative acts as the final law of the land |
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Separation of powers |
The institutional arrangements that that assigns judicial, executive, and legislative powers to different persons or groups, thereby limiting the powers of each |
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Checks and balances |
The principle that allows each branch of government to exercise some form of control over the others |
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Fusion of powers |
An alternative to separation of powers, combining or blending branches of government |
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Enumerated powers of Congress |
Congressional powers specifically named in the Constitution ,(Article 1, Section 8) |
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Necessary and proper clause |
Constitutional authorization for Congress to make any law required to carry out its powers |
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Supremacy clause |
Constitutional declaration (Article VI) that the constitution and laws made under its provisions are the supreme law of the land |
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Concurrent powers |
Powers that are shared by both the federal and state governments |
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Dual federalism |
The federal system under which the national and state governments are responsible for separate policy areas |
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Cooperative federalism |
The federal system under which the national and state governments share responsibilities for most domestic policy areas |
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Unitary system |
Government in which all power is centralized |
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Confederal system |
Government in which local units hold all the power |
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McCulloch v. Maryland |
Supreme Court ruling (1819) confirming the supremacy of national over state government |
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Gibbons v. Ogden |
Supreme Court ruling (1824) publishing National authority over interstate business |
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Nullification |
Declaration by a state that a federal law is void within its borders |
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Devolution |
The transfer ours and responsibilities from the federal government to the states |
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Categorical grant |
Federal funds provided for a specific purpose, restricted by detailed instructions, regulations, and compliance standards |
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Block grant |
Federal funds provided for a broad purpose, unrestricted by detailed requirements and regulations |
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Unfunded mandate |
A federal order mandating that states operate and pay for a program created at the national level |
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Amenability |
The provision for the Constitution to be changed, so as to adapt to new circumstances |
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Initiative |
Citizen petitions to place a proposal or Constitutional Amendment on the ballot, to be adopted or rejected by majority vote, bypassing the legislature |
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Referendum |
An election in which a bill passed by the state legislature is submitted to voters for approval |
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Recall elections |
Votes to remove elected officials from office |
