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32 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Bicameral Legilation |
two-house legislature |
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Block Grant |
Money granted by the federal government to the states for a broad purpose (transportation) rather than for a narrow purpose (school lunch program) |
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Categorical Grant |
Money granted by the federal government to the states for a narrow purpose rather than broad |
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Centralists |
those who favor greater national authority rather than state authority |
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Checks and Balances |
system in which each branch of the government can limit the other two branches (presidential veto of a congressional law |
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Commerce clause |
Gives congress the power to regulate commerce among the states with foreign nations and among Indian Tribes. Granted through article 1 section 8 of the Constitution
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Concurrent Powers |
Those held by both congress and the states e.g. establishing law enforcement agencies |
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Confederation |
system in which sovereign states are only loosely tied to a central government e.g. the US under the Articles of confederation |
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Decentralists |
Those who favor greater state authorities rather than national authorities |
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Direct Democracy |
system in which the people rule themselves |
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Elastic clause |
states that the Const can exercise those powers that are "necessary and proper" for carrying out the enumerated powers e.g. establishment of the first Bank of the US. BUS |
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Enumerated Powers |
those that are specifically granted to the congress in Article 1 section 8 of the constitution e.g. the power to tax. Also known as expressed powers |
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Federalism |
Constitutional sharing of power between a central government and state governments |
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Dual Federalism |
system in which the national government and state governments are coequal with each being dominant within its respective sphere |
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Cooperative Federalism |
system in which both federal government and state governments cooperate in solving a problem |
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Federalist Papers |
group of 85 essays written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay for the purpose of persuading the people of New York to adopt the Const |
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Formal Amendment |
a change in the actual wording of the Const. Proposed by national or national convention and ratified by the states. 2/3; 2/3; 3/4 |
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Implied powers |
those that are necessary and proper to carry out Congressional enumerated powers, and are granted to Congress through the Elastic Clause |
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Indirect Democracy |
system in which the people are ruled by their representatives. Also known as representative democracy or republic |
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Inherent Powers |
foreign policy powers (acquiring territory) held by the national government by virtue of its being a national government |
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Informal Amendment |
A change in the meaning but not the wording of the Const. (Brown vs. The Board of Education) |
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Judicial Review |
Power of the courts to rule on the constitutionality of laws and governmental actions. (Marbury vs. Madison 1803) |
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Mandates |
requirements imposed upon the states by the national government. Some are unfunded mandates which lack all funding but are still imposed |
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Marbury vs. Madison 1803 |
Court case that established the acts of judicial review |
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MuCulloch vs. Maryland 1819 |
established principle of national supremacy and validity of implied powers |
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Police Powers |
powers of the states to protect the public safety, health, morals and welfare |
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Popular Sovereignty |
principle in which ultimate political authority rests with the people |
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Reserved Powers |
Powers held by the states by the 10th Amendment. Any power not granted to the US govt is reserved for the states |
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Separation of Powers |
principle in which the powers of government are separated into three branches: legislative, judicial, & executive |
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Shay's Rebellion |
1786 revolt by Massachusetts farmers seeking relief from debt and foreclosure that was a factor in the calling of the Constitutional Convention |
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Supermajority |
a majority greater than a simple majority of one-half e.g. 3/5; 2/3; 3/4 |
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Unicameral Legislature |
one-house legislature |
