click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Democracy Vocab
for AP gov vocab quiz
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Direct (Participatory) Democracy | a government in which the people govern themselves and individually vote on matters of policy |
| Indirect (Representative) Democracy | a model of democracy in which the people are represented by leaders they elected |
| Elite Democracy | model of democracy in which a small number of people, usually those who are wealthy or have a large share of influence, control political decisions |
| Pluralist View/Pluralism | the belief that effective public policy is the result of competition among multiple different interests and groups |
| Natural Rights | rights inherent to all people that are not dependent upon the government |
| Articles of Confederation | the constitution that administered America's first government, which was characterized by a loose league league of friendship between states and a weak central government |
| Constitutional Convention | meeting of delegates in 1787 that was initially called to revise the Articles of Confederation, but ultimately led to the formation of the nation's current Constitution |
| Shay's Rebellion | an uprising that brought attention to the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation |
| Virginia Plan | constitutional convention proposal to create a strong national government with a bicameral legislature |
| New Jersey Plan | constitutional convention proposal that maintained a unicameral legislature and was preferred by smaller states |
| Great (Connecticut) Compromise | agreement to have popularly elected House based on state population and a state selected Senate, with equal membership for each state |
| Three-Fifths Compromise | agreement that slaves would be counted as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of representation and taxation |
| Judicial Review | the power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional |
| Social Contract | agreement in which the government derives their power from the consent of the governed and in exchange, the people agree to limit their rights and participate in an ordered society |
| Federalist Papers | a collection of essays/ articles designed to rally support for the ratification of the Constitution |
| Faction | a group with distinct political interests; highlighted in Federalist #10 |
| Federalists | those citizens who favored a stronger national government and generally supported the ratification of the Constitution |
| Anti-Federalists | those citizens who favored a weaker national government and generally opposed the ratification of the Constitution |
| Checks & Balances | constitutional principle that grants each branch some ability to limit the authority of the other branches |
| Separation of Powers | the constitutional principle that divides the powers of government into three branches |
| Popular Sovereignty | the principle that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of the people |
| Bill of Rights | the first 10 amendments to the Constitution |
| Amendment | a new addition to the Constitution that has been proposed by Congress and ratified by the states |
| Writ of habeas corpus | an order to produce an arrested person before a judge so that reason may be given as to why that person is in custody |
| Limited Government | the government is restrained in their lawful use of power and may only excercise those powers assigned to it in the Constitution |
| Federalism | system in which power is divided between national and state or local governments |
| Enumerated/Expressed Powers | powers written into the Constitution that have been given to the national government |
| Reserved Powers | powers given to the state governments alone |
| Concurrent Powers | powers shared by both the national and state governments |
| Implied Powers | powers given to the federal government that have been reasonably inferred from the Constitution |
| "Necessary and proper" clause | section of the Constitution allowing Congress to pass all laws essential to carrying out its expressed duties. This provision allows the national government to carry out implied powers |
| Nullification | the doctrine that a state can void a federal law, in the state's opinion, violates the Constitution |
| Commerce Clause | constitutional provision that gives the federal government the power to regulate interstate and foreign trade |
| United States v. Lopez | ruling that declared the national government's power under the commerce clause does not permit it to regulate matters not directly related to interstate commerce; in this case, banning firearms in a school zone |
| McCulloch v. Maryland | ruling that declared the federal government had the power to establish a national bank under the "necessary and proper" clause |
| Unitary System | system in which power is centralized in one body. state or regional governments derive authority from the central government |
| Confederal/Confederate System | system in which power is held by a loose union of independent states. the central government is weak in relation to the power of the states |
| Initiative | process that permits voters to put state legislative measures directly on the ballot |
| Referendum | procedure that allows voters to reject a measure passed by the state legislature |
| Recall | procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office |
| Federal Revenue Sharing | the distribution of a percentage of federal tax income to state and local governments |
| Categorical grants | federal grants given to the states for specific purposes, often with strings attached, such as building and airport or highway |
| Block grants | federal grants given to states for broader purposes, such as healthcare or education |
| Conditions of aid | strings attached by the national government that states must meet if they are to receive certain federal funds |
| Mandates | terms set by the national government that states are required to meet whether or not they accept federal funds |
| 14th Amendment | this constitutional provision provides a guarantee of citizenship, as well as equal protection and due process, which have been the sources of incorporation for key protections in the Bill of Rights |
| 10th Amendment | provision that states all powers not given to the federal government in the Constitution, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved for the states |