A Blueprint for Government
The introductory paragraph to the Constitution is called this
The Preamble
An official change to the Constitution.
Amendment
A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments
Federalism
_______ are not specifically mentioned in the Constitution, but they belong to the states because the Constitution neither delegated these powers to the national government nor prohibited them to the states.
Reserved Powers
Returning power to the states, a concept known as
Devolution
A system of spending, taxing and providing aid in the federal system. American Federalism today.
Fiscal Federalism
A basic principle of the American system of government, that the executive, legislative, and judicial powers are divided among three independent and coequal branches of government.
Separation of Powers
First ten amendments
Bill of Rights
A group of individuals with broad common interests who organize to nominate candidates for office, win elections, conduct government and determine public policy. (not in the constitution)
Political Party
powers the Constitution grants or delegates to the national government.
Expressed Powers
The belief that both the national and state governments were sovereign within their own spheres. LAYER CAKE
Dual Federalism
National grants that state and local governments use for specific purposes
Categorical Grants
The principle of it holds that no government is all-powerful. That government may do only those things that the people have given it the power.
Limited Government
How many amendments have been added to the Constitution?
27
A group of advisers to the president.
Cabinet
Those powers that the national government may exercise simply because it is a government
Inherent Powers
The belief that all levels of government should work together to solve problems. MARBLE CAKE
Cooperative Federalism
The national government uses to set demands on states to carry out certain policies as a condition of receiving grant money
Federal Mandates
System of overlapping the powers of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to permit each branch to check the actions of the others. In other words, each branch has certain powers with which it can check the operations of the other two.
Checks and Balances
Formal approval of the Constitution.
Ratification
The power of a court to determine the constitutionality of government action.
Judicial Review
The powers, not specifically listed, that the national government requires to carry out the powers that are expressly defined in the Constitution
Implied Powers
This Supreme Court case establishes the 'implied powers' of the Constitution and strengthens the fed
McCulloch v. Maryland
A grant that provides a wide range of ability for the states to spend money
Block Grants
President (executive's power) to reject any act of Congress.
Veto
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.
supremacy clause
The way in which the president is elected. A certain number of electors from each state proportional to and seemingly representative of that state's population.
Electoral College
the powers that both the national government and the states have. An example would be the power to tax.
Concurrent Powers
This SCOTUS case strengthens the federal gov and establishes fed control over all commerce
Gibbons v. Ogden
Includes money and other resources that the national government provides to pay for state and local activities
Grants-in-Aid
All political power resides in the people. The people are the only source for any and all government power.
Popular Sovereignty
Where is the proposal and ratification process for amendments located in the Constitution?
Article V
What was the difference between an executive agreement and a treaty?
An executive agreement has the force of a treaty but does not require ratification.
The clause that states a state must recognize the laws and legal proceedings of the other states
full faith and credit clause
SCOTUS case which rules 'commerce clause' cannot be exercised to create Gun Free School Zones
U.S. v. Lopez
Which type of federal aid do states generally prefer? Why?
Block grants, because they are provided for general purposes. States have more control over them.