Foundations of U.S. Government flashcards

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What is meant by “Natural rights” in this lesson?Founding ideas: Founding-era arguments described rights as preceding government rather than gifts from rulers.
What is meant by “Consent of the governed” in this lesson?Founding ideas: Political legitimacy is grounded in public authorization rather than hereditary entitlement alone.
What is meant by “Republican government” in this lesson?Founding ideas: People govern through representatives and constitutional institutions rather than a hereditary sovereign.
What is meant by “Social contract” in this lesson?Founding ideas: A political model explains authority through reciprocal expectations between people and government.
What is meant by “Limited government” in this lesson?Founding ideas: Public officials exercise powers constrained by law and constitutional structure.
What is meant by “Founding contradictions” in this lesson?Founding ideas: Founding ideals coexisted with slavery and exclusions that reform movements later challenged.
What is meant by “Articles of Confederation” in this lesson?Articles of Confederation and Constitution: The first national framework left extensive authority with states and limited the central government's independent revenue powers.
What is meant by “Constitutional Convention” in this lesson?Articles of Confederation and Constitution: Delegates in 1787 drafted a replacement national framework rather than merely preserving the Articles.
What is meant by “Bicameral compromise” in this lesson?Articles of Confederation and Constitution: The Constitution combined population-based House representation with equal state representation in the Senate.
What is meant by “Ratification” in this lesson?Articles of Confederation and Constitution: Ratification is formal approval of a proposed constitutional framework through the authorized process.
What is meant by “Federalist arguments” in this lesson?Articles of Confederation and Constitution: Supporters emphasized an effective national government constrained by a divided constitutional structure.
What is meant by “Anti-Federalist concerns” in this lesson?Articles of Confederation and Constitution: Critics questioned concentrated power and pressed for explicit protections of liberties.
What is meant by “Federalism” in this lesson?Federalism: Constitutional authority is divided between national and state governments.
What is meant by “Enumerated powers” in this lesson?Federalism: The Constitution explicitly grants specified powers to federal institutions.
What is meant by “Reserved powers” in this lesson?Federalism: Undelegated powers not prohibited to states are reserved to states or the people under the Tenth Amendment.
What is meant by “Concurrent powers” in this lesson?Federalism: Federal and state governments can exercise certain overlapping kinds of authority.
What is meant by “Supremacy” in this lesson?Federalism: The Constitution and valid federal law prevail over conflicting state law within their authorized scope.
What is meant by “Intergovernmental cooperation” in this lesson?Federalism: Government levels often coordinate resources and implementation while retaining distinct responsibilities.