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