Unit 1 AP Gov Participatory democracy

Virginia Plan

"Large state" proposal for the new constitution, calling for proportional representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress. The plan favored larger states and thus prompted smaller states to come back with their own plan for apportioning representation.

Great Compromise

1787; This compromise was between the large and small states of the colonies. The Great Compromise resolved that there would be representation by population in the House of Representatives, and equal representation would exist in the Senate. Each state, regardless of size, would have 2 senators. All tax bills and revenues would originate in the House. This compromise combined the needs of both large and small states and formed a fair and sensible resolution to their problems.

Free exercise clause

A First Amendment provision that prohibits government from interfering with the practice of religion.

Popular sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

Amendment

A change to the Constitution

Necessary and proper clause (elastic clause)

A clause in Article I, section 8, of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to do whatever it deems necessary and constitutional to meet its enumerated obligations; the basis for the implied powers.

The Federalist Papers

A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail.

New Jersey Plan

A constitutional proposal that would have given each state one vote in a new congress

Constitution

A document which spells out the principles by which a government runs and the fundamental laws that govern a society

Reprieves

A formal postponement of the execution of a sentence imposed by a court of law

Prior restraint

A government preventing material from being published. This is a common method of limiting the press in some nations, but it is usually unconstitutional in the United States, according to the First Amendment and as confirmed in the 1931 Supreme Court case of Near v. Minnesota.

Grand jury

A group of citizens that decides whether there is sufficient evidence to accuse someone of a crime.

Confederation

A joining of several groups for a common purpose.

Extradition

A legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed.

Constitutional convention

A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution

Nationalists

A member of a political group advocating or fighting for national independence, a strong national government, etc.

Executive order

A rule issued by the president that has the force of law

Federalism

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

Dual federalism

A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.

Representative democracy

A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people.

Checks and balances

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

Articles of confederation

A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person in determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (negated by the 13th amendment)

Judicial review

Allows the court to determine the constitutionality of laws

Override

An action taken by Congress to reverse a presidential veto, requiring a two-thirds majority in each chamber.

Habeas corpus

An order to produce an arrested person before a judge.

Supremacy clause

Article VI of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.

Double jeopardy

Being tried twice for the same crime

Veto

Chief executive's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature

Establishment clause

Clause in the First Amendment that says the government may not establish an official religion.

Full faith and credit clause

Constitution's requirement that each state accept the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state

Separation of powers

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

Constitutional Convention (1787)

Delegates met to revise the Articles of Confederation, but ultimately decided to write the Constitution as a replacement.

Northwest ordinance

Enacted in 1787, it is considered one of the most significant achievements of the Articles of Confederation. It established a system for setting up governments in the western territories so they could eventually join the Union on an equal footing with the original 13 states

Categorical grants

Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport

Block grants

Federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services

Clear and present danger test

Interpretation of the First Amendment that holds that the government cannot interfere with speech unless the speech presents a clear and present danger that it will lead to evil or illegal acts.

Judicial branch

Interprets the laws

Eminent domain

Power of a government to take private property for public use.

Reserved powers

Powers given to the state government alone

Concurrent powers

Powers held jointly by the national and state governments.

Line-item veto

Presidential power to strike, or remove, specific items from a spending bill without vetoing the entire package; declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Shays rebellion

Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.

Governor

The elected leader of a state's government

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution

Progressive income tax

The percentage of income paid in taxes will increase as income increases.

Selective incorporation

The process by which provisions of the Bill of Rights are brought within the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment and so applied to state and local governments.

Self-incrimination

The situation occurring when an individual accused of a crime is compelled to be a witness against himself or herself in court. The Fifth Amendment forbids self-incrimination.

Gubernatorial veto

a governor's veto of a state legislature

Bicameral legislature

a lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts

Participatory democracy

a system of government where rank-and-file citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives to govern on their behalf

Pluralist democracy

a theory of democracy that holds that citizen membership in groups is the key to political power

Elite democracy

a theory of democracy that limits the citizens' role to choosing among competing leaders

Executive agreement

an agreement between the president and the leader of another country

Capital punishment

death penalty

States Righters

define federalism as a relationship in which the states retain most of the political power

Due process of law

denies the government the right, without due process, to deprive people of life, liberty, and property

Charles de Montesquieu

famous for his articulation of the theory of separation of powers, which is implemented in many constitutions throughout the world.

Exclusionary rule

improperly gathered evidence may not be introduced in a criminal trial

Ratifying convention

one of the two methods established by Article V of the United States Constitution for ratifying proposed constitutional amendments, with delegates expressly elected to vote on the proposed amendment.

Pardons

orders from the president that grant freedom from punishment

Anti-Federalists

people who opposed the Constitution

Delegated (enumerated) powers

powers given to the federal government

Privileges and immunities clause

prevents a state from treating citizens of other states in a discriminatory manner.

Federalists

supporters of the Constitution

Executive branch

the branch of government that enforces the laws

Legislative branch

the branch of government that makes the laws

Ratify

to approve