US Government and Constitution Terms

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Bicameral legislature

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Two-house legislature.

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Block grant

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Money granted by the federal government to the states for a broad purpose (e.g., transportation) rather than for a narrow purpose (e.g., school lunch program).

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Categorical grant

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Money granted by the federal government to the states for a narrow purpose (e.g., school lunch program) rather than for a broad purpose (e.g., transportation).

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Centralists

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Those who favor greater national authority rather than state authority.

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Checks and balances

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System in which each branch of government can limit the power of the other two branches, e.g., presidential veto of a congressional law.

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Commerce clause

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Gives Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states, with foreign nations, and among Indian tribes. Granted through Article 1, section 8 of the Constitution.

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Concurrent powers

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Those held by both Congress and the states, e.g., establishing law enforcement agencies.

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Confederation

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System in which sovereign states are only loosely tied to a central government, e.g., the US under the Articles of Confederation.

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Decentralists

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Those who favor greater state authority rather than national authority.

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Direct democracy

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System in which the people rule themselves.