Checks and Balances
The process by which the Federal courts rule on the constitutionality of actions taken by states, executive branch or legislative branch.
Judicial Review
Term applied to powers that can be exercised by both the state and federal governments.
Concurrent Powers
Consent of the governed is an idea deeply rooted in this concept, which argues that the people are the highest authority and source of legitimacy for government.
Popular sovereignty
This important Constitutional principle is enacted by the first three articles of the Constitution.
Separation of powers
The inability for the government to address internal or domestic threats to national security under the Articles of Confederation is best exemplified by the response to this event.
Shays' Rebellion
In 2011, President Biden nominated Anthony Blinken to be the Secretary of State. Before Mr. Blinken could take office, he had to be confirmed by what part of the government?
Senate
The Supreme Court affirmed the validity of the necessary and proper clause, as well as the supremacy clause in this case.
McCulloch v. Maryland
The author of this foundational document believed that a strong central government presented a direct threat to individual liberty.
Brutus 1
The Twenty-Third Amendment changed the total number of electors in the Electoral College to...
538
This weakness of the government under the Articles of Confederation is directly addressed by Article I of the Constitution's provision that give the "power of the purse" to the House of Representatives
Inability to tax / raise revenue
The method a President can use to alter the rules that an agency uses to implement a law passed by Congress.
Executive Order
This case helped to spur the "Devolution Revolution" by limiting Congress' ability to utilize the Commerce Clause to regulate certain issues.
US v. Lopez
Separation of powers, republicanism, checks and balances and federalism are all parts of the Constitution that ensures what democratic ideal?
Limited government
The closest example of participatory democracy in the Constitution involved the election of...
The House of Representatives
This type of democracy emphasizes the competition between groups of citizens with each working to further their own interests.
Pluralist Democracy
If Congress wants to override a Presidential veto, the motion to override must pass both chambers of Congress by what margin?
Two-thirds.
The federal government providing or withholding money to a state to try and force it to comply with a policy goal of the federal government.
Fiscal Federalism.
This document argues that a large, representative republic is the best for preventing against the potential tyranny of faction and also ensures that the best citizens rise to positions of power.
Federalist 10
Article V lays out this procedure for amending the Constitution.
2/3 of each chamber of Congress for proposal and 3/4 of state legislatures for ratification.
A clause in this amendment is often utilized by the Federal government to overrule a state law, despite it being a reserved power.
Removal from office
This event is often cited as when the United States shifted from a system of dual federalism and more towards cooperative federalism.
New Deal
An implicit agreement among the people in a society to give up some freedoms to maintain social order.
Social Contract
In addition to the Three-Fifths Compromise, the only other mention of slavery is an agreement to put off any discussion of banning the importation of enslaved people until what year?
1808
Statutes involving public health, public safety or morality fall under what category of reserved powers?
Police Powers