AP Gov Redesign Unit 1 Vocabulary with 100% correct answers already graded A+

Limited Government A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution. natural rights the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property Popular Sovereignty Rule by the people Republicanism the belief that government should be based on the consent of the people Social Contract An agreement between the people and their government signifying their consent to be governed participatory democracy a system of democracy in which all members of a group or community participate collectively in making major decisions pluralist democracy a theory of democracy that holds that citizen membership in groups is the key to political power elite democracy A political system in which the privileged classes acquire the power to decide by a competition for the people's votes and have substantial freedom between elections to rule as they see fit. faction A group with a distinct political interest Federalists A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during ratification debates in state legislatures. Anti-Federalists Opponents of the American Constitution at the time when the states were contemplating its adoption. Federalism A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments 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 Separation of Powers the division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government Articles of Confederation 1st Constitution of the U.S. (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade) Shays' Rebellion (1786) Armed uprising of western Massachusetts debtors seeking lower taxes and an end to property foreclosures. Though quickly put down, the insurrection inspired fears of "mob rule" among leading Revolutionaries. 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. Electoral College A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president Three-Fifths Compromise Compromise between northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives. Amendment Process The Constitution provides that an amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures. Congress the national legislative body of our country. President Head of the Executive Branch Federal Judiciary the federal court system, consisting of the Supreme Court and lower federal courts concurrent powers powers shared by the national and state governments federal revenue sharing The practice of sharing federal income tax revenue with state and local governments Mandates terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants categorical grants Federal grants that can be used only for specific purposes, or "categories," of state and local spending. They come with strings attached, such as nondiscrimination provisions. block grants Money from the national government that states can spend within broad guidelines determined by Washington Tenth Amendment The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. Fourteenth Amendment made "all persons born or naturalized in the United States" citizens of the country Commerce Clause Clause stating that Congress can regulate interstate and international commerce. Necessary and Proper Clause constitutional authorization for Congress to make any law required to carry out its powers