Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
ap gov key terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) | Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, local and state government, and public accommodations. |
| Anti-Federalists | A person who opposed the adoption of the US Constitution |
| Bicameral legislature | A government with a two-house legislative system, such as the House of Representatives and the Senate |
| Bill of attainder | An act of legislature declaring a person guilty of some crime and punishing them for it |
| Block grants | Grants awarded by the Federal government to state and local governments for broadly defined purposes |
| Categorical grants | Grants from the federal government to local/state governments with stricter restrictions |
| Central government | Government which local governments exercise powers given to them by the central government |
| Checks and balance | Grant of powers that enables each of the three branches of government to check some acts of the others |
| Clean Air Act (1970) | Factory standards created to help pollution problem by the EPA |
| Commerce Clause | The clause of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines |
| Concurrent powers | Powers that the Constitution gives to both the national and state governments |
| Conditions-of-aid | Federal rules that states must follow if they choose to receive the grants with which the rules are associated |
| Cooperative federalism | A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. |
| Direct Democracy | People decide on policies without any representative - direct participation of citizens in democratic decision making |
| Dual federalism | A system of governance where the federal and state governments have clearly defined spheres of power |
| Elastic Clause | A clause in the constitution granting Congress the power to pass all laws necessary to carry out the enumerated list of powers |
| Electoral College | A body of chosen electors to elect the president and vice president of the US |
| Elite democracy | Model of democracy where a small number of people, typically well-educated, influence political decision-making |
| Enumerated powers | The powers granted to the Federal government, specifically Congress, listed in the Constitution |
| Ex post facto law | A criminal statute that punishes actions retroactively |
| Exclusive powers | Powers wielded by either the federal or state governments |
| Factions | Small organized group within a larger one |
| Federalism/Federal System | A system of government where power is divided between a national government and states |
| Federalists | Someone in favor of the adoption of the US Constitution and the creation of a federal union with a strong central government |
| Fiscal federalism | division of responsibilities among federal, state, and local governments to improve economic efficiency and achieve various public policy objectives |
| Formal amendment | Formal or written changes to the Constitution |
| Full Faith and Credit Clause | Constitution clause requiring each state to recognize the civil judgments rendered by the courts of the other states and to accept their public records as valid |
| Grants | Money that is given to the states from the federal government |
| Great (Connecticut) Compromise | Compromise that states would have equal representation in one house and representation based on population in the other house |
| Implied powers | Powers that are not stated in the Constitution explicitly but are allowed under the necessary and proper clause |
| Incentives | A valued benefit obtained by joining a political organization |
| Indirect Democracy | A system of government that gives citizens the opportunity to vote for representatives who will work on their behalf |
| Informal amendment | Deliberate change, not to written text, but to the interpretation of the Constitution |
| Inherent powers | Those not explicitly stated in the Constitution that allows the government to take actions |
| Judicial Review | The power by which the Supreme Court can review actions of the other branches of government and declare them unconstitutional |
| “Layer Cake” federalism | Views the Constitution as giving a limited list of powers to the national government, and give the rest to the sovereign states |
| Limited government | A governing body whose power exists within limits that are set by the Constitution |
| Mandates | An order from the federal government that all state and local governments must follow |
| “Marble Cake” federalism | All levels of government are involved with a variety of issues and programs |
| Natural rights | Fundamental birth rights that are seen as necessary for all humans |
| Necessary and Proper Clause | Allows congress to pass laws that they believe are necessary in order to perform their responsibilities |
| New Federalism/Devolution | The process of devolving some powers back to the states to reduce the overwhelming power of the Federal government |
| New Jersey Plan | Designed to protect the security and power of the small states by limiting each state to one vote in Congress |
| Participatory democracy | Model of democracy where citizens have the power to decide directly on policy and politicians that are responsible for implementing those policy decisions |
| Pluralist democracy | A political system where there is more than one central power |
| Popular sovereignty | a belief that ultimate power resides in the people (rule by the people) |
| Privileges and Immunities Clause | A clause that states each citizens are entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the states |
| Ratification | The process by which a Constitutional amendment is officially put into place |
| Representative democracy | Government in which the people people elect those who govern and pass laws |
| Republic | A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who elect people to represent them |
| Reserved powers | All powers not specifically delegated by the federal government are to be reserved for the state governments |
| Revenue sharing | A government unit's apportioning a part of its tax income to other units of government |
| Separation of powers | The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit each branch from having total control over the other ones |
| Shay’s Rebellion | A series of uprisings that occurred in western Massachusetts |
| Slave Trade Compromise | An agreement during the Constitutional Convention to protect slave holders |
| Social contract | the idea that there is an agreement between the government and the people |
| Supremacy Clause | Establishes that federal laws take precedence over state laws |
| Supermajority | Any proposed constitutional amendment imposing a new state tax or fee must by approved by 2/3 of the voters voting in the election |
| Three-Fifths Compromise | Compromise between northern and southern states that 3/5 of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation |
| Unicameral legislature | A legislature with only one legislative body |
| Virginia Plan | Initial proposal at the Constitutional Convention for a strong central government with a bicameral legislature dominated by the big states |
Created by:
hallea