UNIT 1 VOCABULARY
Chapter 2
UNALIENABLE: a human right based on nature or God
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION: a weak constitution that governed America during the
Revolutionary War
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION: meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new
constitution
SHAY’S REBELLION: a 1787 rebellion in which ex-Revolutionary soldiers attempted to
prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes
VIRGINIA PLAN: proposal to create a strong national government
NEW JERSEY PLAN: proposal to create a weak national government
GREAT COMPROMISE: plan to have a popularly elected House based on state population and
a state-selected Senate, with two members for each state
REPUBLIC: a government in which elected representatives make the decisions
JUDICIAL REVIEW: the power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional
FEDERALISM: governmental authority shared by national and state governments
CHECKS AND BALANCES: authority shared by three branches of government
ENUMERATED POWERS: powers given to the national government alone
RESERVED POWERS: powers given to the state governments alone
CONCURRENT POWERS: powers shared by the national and state governments
SEPARATION OF POWERS: constitutional authority is shared by three different branches of
government
FACTION: a group with a distinct political interest
FEDERALISTS: those who favor a stronger national government
ANTIFEDERALISTS: those who favor a weaker national government
COALITION: an alliance of factions
HABEAS CORPUS: an order to produce an arrested person before a judge
BILL OF ATTAINDER: a law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime
EX POST FACTO LAW: a law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it
was committed
BILL OF RIGHTS: first ten amendments to the Constitution
AMENDMENT: a new provision in the Constitution that has been ratified by the states
LINE-ITEM VETO: an executive’s ability to block a particular provisions in a bill passed by the
legislature
Chapter 3
DEVOLUTION: the effort to transfer responsibility for many public programs and services from
the federal government to the states
BLOCK GRANTS: money from the national government that states can spend within broad
guidelines determined by Washington
“NECESSARY AND PROPER” CLAUSE: section of the Constitution allowing Congress to
pass all laws “necessary and proper” to its duties, and which has permitted Congress to
exercise powers not specifically given to it (enumerated) by the Constitution
NULLIFICATION: the doctrine that a state can declare null and void a federal law that, in the
state’s opinion, violates the Constitution
DUAL FEDERALISM: doctrine holding that the national government is supreme in its sphere,
the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate
POLICE POWER: state power to enact laws promoting health, safety, and morals
INITIATIVE: process that permits voters to put legislative measures directly on the ballot
REFERENDUM: procedure enabling voters to reject a measure passed by the legislature
RECALL: procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office
GRANTS-IN-AID: money given by the national government to the states
CATEGORICAL GRANTS: federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport
REVENUE SHARING: federal sharing of a fixed percentage of its revenue with the states
CONDITIONS OF AID: terms set by the national government that states must meet if they are to
receive certain federal funds
MANDATES: terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they
accept federal grants