Federalism, and the structure and powers of Congress, the presidency, and the courts as tested on AP US Government. Front: the term or concept. Back: a plain-language definition.
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- Federalism
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A system of government where power is divided between a central national government and regional state governments.- Enumerated powers
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Specific powers explicitly listed in the Constitution as belonging to the federal government, primarily in Article I.- Reserved powers
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Powers retained by the states under the Tenth Amendment, not granted to the federal government or prohibited to the states.- Concurrent powers
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Powers that are shared and exercised by both federal and state governments, such as taxation and law enforcement.- Implied powers
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Powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but implied through the Necessary and Proper Clause as needed to carry out enumerated powers.- Necessary and Proper Clause
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Constitutional provision allowing Congress to make laws needed and appropriate to carry out its enumerated powers, also called the Elastic Clause.- Supremacy Clause
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Constitutional clause declaring that federal law is the supreme law of the land and takes precedence over conflicting state laws.- Senate
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The upper chamber of Congress, consisting of two senators from each state, regardless of population.- House of Representatives
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The lower chamber of Congress, with representation apportioned among the states based on their population.- Speaker of the House
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The leader of the House of Representatives, elected by House members, second in presidential succession.- Senate Majority Leader
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The senator of the majority party who controls the legislative agenda, schedules bills for debate, and represents the majority party.- Filibuster
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A Senate tactic in which a senator speaks at length to delay or block a vote on a proposed bill.- Cloture
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A Senate procedure that requires a 60-vote majority to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote.- Standing committee
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A permanent congressional committee focused on a specific policy area that considers bills within its jurisdiction.- Seniority system
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A system in Congress where advancement to leadership positions and committee assignments is based primarily on length of service.
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