unit 1 government vocab

McCulloch v. Maryland (1813)

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

Magna Carta

Document signed by King John of England in 1215 that limited the power of the monarch for the first time. It recognized basic rights and freedoms for nobles and freemen that later formed the basis of the US Bill of Rights.

Declaration of Independence

Document that separated the American colonies from Great Britain. Written in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson.

Jean Jacques Rousseau

Enlightenment philosopher that argued that the only good government was one that was freely formed with the consent of the people, this consent was shown in a "social contract"

Federalist

A supporter of the Constitution during the battle for ratification

Federal System

A system of government in which power is shared national and state governments. National government tends to make decisions on national issues; while state governments make decisions on local issues.

Unitary System

A system of government that gives all major powers to the national government. The national government has all the decision making power.

Confederation

A system of government that is very weak and consists of a loose union of independent states. The states have all the decision making power.

Presidential Democracy

A type of democracy in which a president heads the executive branch and there is a separate legislative branch.

Parliamentary Democracy

A type of democracy in which executive and legislative functions both reside in an elected assembly or parliament.

Absolute Monarchy

A type of government in which a monarch (usually a king or queen) rules and has total power, with little or no restrictions.

Constitutional Monarchy

A type of government in which a monarch (usually a king or queen) rules, but has limitations on their power.

Dictatorship

A type of government in which a single leader has unlimited power. The leader gains and keeps power through the threat or use of force.

Oligarchy

A type of government in which a small group of people holds power and makes all the decisions.

Direct Democracy

A type of government in which the people directly vote on all law and issues. Everyone votes on everything.

Representative Democracy

A type of government in which the people elect leaders (representatives) to make decisions for them.

Democracy

A type of government in which the people rule, either directly or through electing representatives.

Autocracy

A type of government in which the power to rule is in the hands of a single individual.

Totalitarian

A type of government that exercises absolute control over almost every aspect of the lives of its citizens.

Limited Government

A type of government that has limits to its power (there are things the government is not allowed to do) and is accountable to the people. The opposite of an authoritarian government.

Authoritarian

A type of government that has unlimited power and is not accountable to the people.

Anti-Federalist

An opponent of the Constitution during the battle for ratification

Limited Government

Government cannot do certain things. There are limits to its power. The opposite of an authoritarian government.

Majority Rule (with Minority Rights)

Government decisions are based on what the majority of the people want. However, the government must ensure that the rights of the minority are protected.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

The case that gave the Supreme Court the power of judicial review.

General Welfare

The concern of the government for the health, peace, morality, and safety of its citizens. Providing for the welfare of the general public is a basic goal of government.

Separation of Powers

The division of power among the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government.

Articles of Confederation

The first government of the United States, approved in 1781. It had some successes, but was very weak. It was replaced by the Constitution in 1789.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution.

Mayflower Compact

The first written, governing document in what became the United States. Signed in 1620.

Consent of the Governed

The government gets its right to govern from the people.

Government

The group of people with the authority to govern or rule a country or state.

Social Contract

The people make a contract with the government. The government provides protection and the people follow the government's rules. The contract cannot be broken.Checks and Balances Each branch of government exercises some control over the others to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

Sovereignty

The power of a country to control its own government.

Judicial Review

The power of the Supreme Court to review laws and actions of the government and declare them unconstitutional (illegal).

Authority

The right to control or direct the actions of others, legitimized by law, morality, custom or consent.

The US Constitution

The written plan that establishes our government and its limitations and procedures.

John Locke

Theorist who created the Natural Rights Theory of government. He based his theories on Hobbes' work. Claimed that a social contract can be broken if the government abuses the people's Natural Rights - life, liberty and property.

Baron Charles de Montesquieu

Theorist who created the Separation of Powers Theory of government.

Thomas Hobbes

Theorist who created the Social Contract Theory of government. Claimed that the Social Contract could not be broken.

Federalist Papers

a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

found that the right of an individual to "keep and bear arms," as protected under the Second Amendment, is incorporated by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment against the states.

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

held that the power to regulate interstate commerce, granted to Congress by the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution, encompassed the power to regulate navigation

Two Treatises of Government

outlines Locke's ideas for a more civilized society based on natural rights and contract theory

Ratification

the action of signing or giving formal consent to a treaty, contract, or agreement, making it officially valid

Individual Rights and Responsibilities

the liberties of each individual to pursue life and goals without interference from other individuals or the government. Examples of individual rights include the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as stated in the United States Declaration of Independence

Republic

A government in which citizens have the rights to choose their leaders

Amendment

A change to the Constitution

English Bill of Rights of 1689

A document that established limitations on the English King's power from which the United States later adopted concepts of limited government

Denied Powers

Powers that are not allowed either national or state governments.

Reserved Powers

Powers that belong strictly to the states.

Concurrent Powers

Powers that both the national and state government have.

Delegated Powers

Powers that the Constitution grants or delegates specifically to the national government.

Popular Sovereignty

Rule by the people; they are the source of government's power.

Federalism

System of government in which the power is divided between national and state governments.

Rule of Law

The belief that every person is expected to obey the same laws and regulations and that no one, not even a government official, is above those laws and regulations.