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PoliSci 1101
Ibarra- Valdosta
35
Political Studies
Undergraduate 1
02/03/2008

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Cards

Term
What was the goal of the first Continental Congress?
Definition
restore harmy between Britain and the colonies
Term
What does the Social Contract theory mean?
Definition
The people agree to set up rulers for certain purposes and have the right to remove rulers who act against those purposes.
Term
Who was the Declaration of Independence's primary author?
Definition
Thomas Jefferson
Term
The declaration of Independence has its major premise that...
Definition
...the people have a right to revolt if the government is denying them legitimate rights.
Term
What are the "unalienable rights" as defined by the Decleration of Indepence?
Definition
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
Term
In forging a new government, the biggest concern of the colonial revolutionaries was...
Definition
...limiting its powers. (they were scared of a strong central government)
Term
What is a Confederation?
Definition
a loose association of independent states
Term
What is a Republic?
Definition
A government resting on the consent of the governed
Term
What did Shay's Rebellion seem to indicate?
Definition
Congress under the Articles of Confederation lacked power to confront significant national emergencies.
Term
Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?
Definition
they did not provide an effective means for the national government to raise money, they included no independent leader to direct the government, and they did not give the national government the power to regulate commerce
Term
When was the Constitution written?
Definition
1787
Term
The founders that created the Constitution relied on what political principles?
Definition
federalism, republicanism, checks and balances, but NOT majoritarianism
Term
In contrast to the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution...
Definition
confers substantial powers to the national government
Term
The founders assigned lawmaking, law-enforcing, and law interpreting funtions to independent branches of government following a doctrine called...
Definition
seperation of powers
Term
What is a enumerated power?
Definition
A power specifically assigned to Congress by the Constitution
Term
What did opponents of the Constituition, who demanded the Bill of Rights, fear?
Definition
abuse of power by the national government
Term
What was the basic argument aagainst adding a Bill of Rights to the Constitution?
Definition
the government had only limited powers, so a list of specific freedoms was not necessary
Term
What is the process required to amend the Constitution?
Definition
a 2/3 vote in favor of the proposed amendment in both houses of Congress, followed by ratification by 3/4 state legistlatures
Term
What is the supremacy clause?
Definition
It resolved the situation when state laws conflict with national laws.
Term
What is the basic premise of federalism?
Definition
two or more governments may share power and authority over the same land and people
Term
Which metaphor best descrives dual federalism?
Definition
layer cake
Term
Which metaphor best decribes cooperative federalism?
Definition
marble cake
Term
What is dual federalism?
Definition
the practice of allowing the states and the federal government to excercise power seperately in areas of legitimate concern to them
Term
What is the constitutional provision that made cooperative federalism possible?
Definition
10th amendment
Term
The shift from dual federalism to cooperative federalism was caused by..
Definition
the Great Depression
Term
What did Printz v. US do?
Definition
Supreme Court concluded that Congress could not require local officials to implement regulations imposed by the national government, which reinforced the operation of DUAL FEDERALISM
Term
What was the major principle in McCulloch v. Maryland?
Definition
national supremacy
Term
In South Dakota v. Dole, the Supreme Court declared that
Definition
the national government could use grants to encourage states to do things it did not have the authority to command them to do
Term
The general term for money paid by one level of government to another is...
Definition
grant-in-aid
Term
What kind of grant-in-aid allows the recipient the least flexibility in determining how to spend the money?
Definition
Categorical grant
Term
What is a block grant?
Definition
money awarded for broad, general purposes
Term
What is the theory of nullification?
Definition
a state could declare a particular action of the federal governemnt null and void
Term
What is a restraint?
Definition
the power of Congress to enact laws that give the national government responsibility for functionas that were previously state of local responsibilities
Term
What are unfunded mandates?
Definition
requirements that the national governemnt places on states without granting the states the funds to carry out the requirement, force the states to pay for policies they may not have want/chosen, are strongly criticized by the state and local officials
Term
Studies have shown that grants are distributed disproportionately to where?
Definition
the Sunbelt
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