Government - Ch 4 Study Guide Vocab

Montesquieu

The ideas of the separation of powers came from him.

Dual federalism

(1790-1930) The time period during which national and state governments were seen as equal authorities, operating over separate areas of influence, and the authority of national government was generally limited to the expressed powers listed in the Constitution; also called "layer cake" federalism

Cooperative federalism

(1930-1960) An era of federalism during which the national and state government shared functional authority in broad policy areas; also called "marble cake" federalism

Creative federalism

(1960-1980) The period in which the national government channeled federal funds to local governments and citizen groups to address problems that states could or would not address; also called "picket fence" federalism

New federalism

(1980-present) The modern era in federalism in which authority that rested with the national government is being returned to the states; also called "devolution"

Devolution

(1980-present) The modern trend in federalism in which more power is given back to the states; also known as new federalism

Supremacy clause

A clause of the U.S. Constitution that declares the Constitution "the supreme law of the land."

Categorical grants

A federal grant that can only be used for a specific purpose, or category, of state and local spending; these grants usually require that the state contribute money in addition to the national money

Fiscal federalism

A system of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system

Necessary and proper clause

Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18 of the Constitution, which gives the national legislature the power to "make all laws that are necessary and proper"; also known as the Elastic Clause

Grants-in-aid

Federal funds given to state and local governments for specific projects

Block grants

Federal grants given to state and local governments for broad purposes, such as welfare, community development, public health, or education

Supreme court

The highest federal court in the US, consisting of nine justices and taking judicial precedence over all other courts in the nation.

McCulloch v. Maryland

In this case, the Supreme Court held that Congress has implied powers derived from those listed in Article I, Section 8. The "Necessary and Proper" Clause gave Congress the power to establish a national bank.

Doctrine of secession

The idea that a state had the right to separate from the Union

Federal mandates

Regulations that the national government imposes on state and local governments

Doctrine of nullification

The belief that the states had the right to cancel federal laws with which they disagreed

Federalism

The form of political organization in which power is divided among a central government and territorial subdivisions

Implied powers

The powers assumed by the government that are not specifically listed in the Constitution

Expressed powers

The powers explicitly granted to Congress by the Constitution

Reserved powers

The powers that are not specifically granted to the federal government nor denied to the states that are reserved for the states

Concurrent powers

The powers that are shared by both the federal and state governments

Full faith and credit clause

The provision of the Constitution that requires each state to honor the public acts, official records, and judicial proceedings of every other state

Inherent powers

Those delegated powers of the Constitution that are assumed to belong to the national government because it is a sovereign state