Fed gov final review

• Rule of law


  the set of principles and ideals that all people and institutions are subject to law that is fairly applied and enforced
• 5 guiding principles

  establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote general welfare, secure the blessings of liberty upon all of its citizens
• Antifederalists


  opposed the Constitution, favor a weak national government
• Federalists


  Supporters of the Constitution that were led by Alexander Hamilton and John Adams. Believed the national government should be strong. They didn't want the Bill of Rights because they felt citizens' rights were already well protected by the Constitution.
• Constitution


  A document establishing the structure, functions, and limitations of a government.
• Bill of rights


  First 10 amendments to the Constitution
• federalism

  A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments, with different powers and functions exercised by each
• Separation of Powers

  divides gov powers among the legislative, executive, & judicial, each staffed separately, with constitutional equality and independence
• Checks and Balances

  3 branches has some degree of oversight and control over the actions of the other branches
• Social Contract Theory

  the belief that governments exists based on the consent of the governed
• Judicial Review

  Power of the courts to review acts of other branches of government and the states
• enumerated powers


  Powers of the national gov specifically granted to Congress in the Constitution; including the power to collect taxes, borrow & coin money, regulate commerce, and declare war (article 1 of Constitution)
• inherent powers


  Powers that belong to the president because they can be inferred from the Constitution (article 2)
• implied powers


  the powers of the national gov derived from the enumerated powers and the necessary and proper clause
• necessary and proper clause

  gives congress the authority to pass all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out the enumerated powers specified in the constitution (Article 1 of Constitution)
• Full Faith and Credit Clause


  ensures judicial decrees and contracts made in one state will be binding and enforceable in any other state
• supremacy clause


  mandates that national law is supreme over all other laws passed by the states or other subdivision of gov (Article VI)
• 10th Amendment


  powers not delegated to the national government, or denied to the states, are reserved for the states or the people
• reserved powers

  Powers reserved to the states by the Tenth Amendment that lie at the foundation of a state's right to legislate for the public health and welfare of its citizens.
• Dual Federalism


  The belief that having separate and equally powerful levels of government is the best arrangement.
• Cooperative Federalism


  the intertwined relations between national, state, and local governments that began with the new deal
• new deal

  political program by FDR in the 1930s that greatly expanded the role of the federal gov to combat the effects of Great Depression
• categorical grants


  grants for which Congress appropriates funds for specific purposes
• block grants


  a large grant given to a state by the federal government with only general spending guidelines
• 14th Amendment


  1) Citizenship for African Americans, 2) Repeal of 3/5 Compromise, 3) Denial of former confederate officials from holding national or state office, 4) Reject confederate debts
• Due Process Clause

  Clause in the Fifth Amendment limiting the power of the national government; similar clause in the Fourteenth Amendment prohibiting state governments from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.
• apportionment(ch6)


  the process of allotting congressional seats to each state according to its proportion of the overall US population, following the decennial census
• trustee


  representative who votes based on his/her conscience and judgement, not the views of his/her constituents
• delegate


  representative who vote the way their constituents would want them to, regardless of their own opinions
• incumbency


  already holding an office
• advangtages of incumbency

  Name recognition, credit claiming, access to media
• Redistricting

  The process of redrawing congressional districts to reflect increases or decreases in seats allotted to the states, as well as population shifts within a state
• Gerrymandering


  the drawing of congressional districts to produce a particular electoral outcome without regard to the shape of the district
• majority leader


  The legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy, confers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in line.
• Speaker of the House

  the chamber's most powerful position, the only officer of the House of Representatives specifically mentioned in the Constitution
• standing committee

  permanent committee to which proposed bills are referred
• joint committee


  standing committee that includes members from both houses of Congress set up to conduct investigations or special studies
• conference committee


  special joint committee created to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate
• select (special) committee


  temporary committee appointed for a specific purpose
• powers of congress

  the law-making function, the budgetary function, the oversight function