unit 1 vocabulary

Question 1

This work by a prominent Anti-Federalist argued that the new federal government would be too powerful. In particular, he pointed to the necessary-and-proper clause and the supremacy clause. In addition, he objected to Congress’s power to tax and raise a standing army and to the vast size of the proposed republic. He felt this powerful new government would replace the states.

Answer 1

Brutus No. 1

Question 2

An essay composed by James Madison who argues that liberty is safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such diversity makes tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always be unstable.

Answer 2

Federalist #1

Question 3

Groups such as parties or interest groups, which according to James Madison arose from the unequal distribution of property or wealth and had the potential to cause instability in government.

Answer 3

Factions

Question 4

Created the basic framework for the U.S. Constitution and helped write the Bill of Rights, Father of the Constitution, fourth U.S. president.

Answer 4

James Madison

Question 5

The first ten amendments to the Constitution designed to preserve the individual rights and liberties of American citizens.

Answer 5

Bill of Rights

Question 6

The first ten amendments to the Constitution designed to preserve the individual rights and liberties of American citizens

Answer 6

Declaration of Independence (1776)

Question 7

Farmers in western Massachusetts failed to pay their taxes and debts and saw their properties foreclosed, highlighted the need for a strong national government

Answer 7

Shays’ Rebellion

Question 8

1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade, v. weak central government)

Answer 8

Articles of Confederation

Question 9

The meeting of state delegates in 1787 in Philadelphia called to revise the Articles of Confederation. It instead designed a new plan of government, the US Constitution.

Answer 9

Constitutional Convention

Question 10

A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them, as opposed to a king or monarch

Answer 10

republic

Question 11

Group of delegates who drafted the United States Constitution at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787

Answer 11

Framers

Question 12

The big states called for a two-house Congress with each state’s representation based on the state population. The small states called for a one-house Congress in which each state had equal representation.

Answer 12

Virginia and New Jersey Plans

Question 13

Plan to have a popularly elected House based on state population and a state-selected Senate, with two members for each state (bicameral)

Answer 13

Great (Connecticut) Compromise

Question 14

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Answer 14

Federalism

Question 15

Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law

Answer 15

Separation of powers

Question 16

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

Answer 16

Popular sovereignty

Question 17

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

Answer 17

Checks and balances

Question 18

Allows the court to determine the constitutionality of laws/ validity of a legislative act

Answer 18

Judicial review

Question 19

Established judicial review, established the authority of American courts to overturn laws and invalidate government actions that violate the Constitution.

Answer 19

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Question 20

Formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a constitution, constitutional amendment, or treaty

Answer 20

Ratification

Question 21

Allowed the southern states to increase their political power by counting slaves as part of their population, while denying those same slaves any political rights or representation.

Answer 21

3/5ths Compromise

Question 22

Powers given to the national government/ Congress alone

Answer 22

Enumerated powers

Question 23

Powers directly stated in the constitution

Answer 23

Expressed powers

Question 24

Powers that congress has that are not stated explicitly in the constitution

Answer 24

Implied powers

Question 25

Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which allows Congress to make all laws that are “necessary and proper” to carry out the powers of the Constitution.

Answer 25

Elastic clause

Question 26

State governing its territory free from control of its internal affairs by other states (supreme or ultimate political authority)

Answer 26

Sovereignty

Question 27

A government that gives all key powers to the national or central government

Answer 27

Unitary system

Question 28

A system of government with a very weak central government and strong states.confederate system

Answer 28

Confederate system

Question 29

A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and a number of individual states

Answer 29

Federal system

Question 30

The transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states

Answer 30

Devolution

Question 31

Where funding is appropriated by the federal government to the states with specific conditions attached.

Answer 31

Fiscal federalism

Question 32

Funds given by congress to state and local governments (important form of federal influence)

Answer 32

Grants-in-aid

Question 33

Money given for a fairly broad purpose with few strings attached

Answer 33

Block grants

Question 34

Money given for a specific purpose that comes with restrictions concerning how the money should be spent.

Answer 34

Categorical grants

Question 35

Terms or goals set by the national government that the states have to meet.

Answer 35

Mandates

Question 36

Terms or goals set by the national government that the states have to meet, without money from government

Answer 36

Unfunded mandates

Question 37

The court decided that the Federal Government had the right and power to set up a Federal bank and that states did not have the power to tax the Federal Government. (REGARDING FEDERAL POWER)

Answer 37

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Question 38

Powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states.

Answer 38

10th Amendment

Question 39

A doctrine and strategy in which the rights of individual states are protected by the Constitution from interference by the federal government.

Answer 39

States’ rights

Question 40

Supporters of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government.

Answer 40

Federalists

Question 41

Opponents of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government, generally.

Answer 41

Anti-federalists

Question 42

The Supreme Court ruled that Congress had exceeded its constitutional authority under the Commerce Clause when it passed a law prohibiting gun possession in local school zones. The Commerce Clause included the power to regulate local activities so long as those “significantly affect” interstate commerce.
final decision: struck down a federal law creating gun-free school zones, which limited the power of the federal government in relation to the states.

Answer 42

U.S. v. Lopez (1995)

Question 43

Small group of wealthy individuals dominate government’s policy-making.

Answer 43

Elite model/theory

Question 44

Citizens have the power to decide directly on policy and politicians are responsible for implementing those policy decisions.

Answer 44

Participatory model/theory

Question 45

No one group dominates politics and organized groups compete with each other to influence policy.

Answer 45

Pluralist model/theory