AP GOV UNIT 1

Advantages of federalism

Encourages policy innovation, accommodates diversity, and limits centralized power

Laboratories of democracy

States experimenting with policies that can later be adopted nationally

Disadvantages of federalism

Policy inconsistency, unequal rights, and intergovernmental conflict

States’ rights

Principle emphasizing state authority over federal power

New federalism

Effort to return power to the states through block grants and reduced federal regulation

Devolution

Transfer of power from the national government to state governments

Dual federalism

Layer-cake federalism with clear divisions between state and federal responsibilities

Cooperative federalism

Marble-cake federalism with shared responsibilities and cooperation

Grants-in-aid

Federal funds given to states to influence policy

Categorical grants

Federal grants with specific conditions and purposes

Block grants

Federal grants with broad purposes and fewer restrictions

Mandates

Federal rules states must follow, with or without funding

Enumerated powers

Powers explicitly listed in the Constitution

Implied powers

Powers not stated but inferred from enumerated powers

Necessary and Proper Clause

Clause allowing Congress to make laws needed to carry out its powers

Supremacy Clause

Clause establishing the Constitution and federal law as supreme over state laws

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Supreme Court case affirming implied powers and prohibiting states from taxing federal institutions

Commerce Clause

Power of Congress to regulate interstate commerce

Gibbons v. Ogden (1825)

Case expanding federal power over interstate commerce

U.S. v. Lopez (1995)

Case limiting Congress’s commerce clause power

10th Amendment

Amendment reserving powers not given to the federal government to the states

14th Amendment

Amendment guaranteeing equal protection and applying the Bill of Rights to the states

Full faith and credit clause

Requirement that states honor the laws and court decisions of other states

Privileges and immunities clause

Prohibition on states discriminating against citizens of other states

Extradition

Requirement that states return fugitives to the state where the crime was committed

Federalism

Division of power between national and state governments

Unitary system

System in which power is concentrated in the national government

Confederacy

System in which states retain sovereignty and delegate limited powers to a central authority

Delegated powers

Powers given explicitly to the federal government

Reserved powers

Powers not delegated to the federal government and reserved to the states

Concurrent powers

Powers shared by federal and state governments

Dynamic federalism

Evolving relationship between federal and state governments over time

Separation of powers

Division of government power among legislative, executive, and judicial branches

Checks and balances

System allowing each branch to limit the powers of the others

Federalist No. 51

Madison’s argument supporting separation of powers to prevent tyranny

Writ of habeas corpus

Protection against unlawful imprisonment requiring a person be brought before a judge

Bill of attainder

A law declaring someone guilty without a trial

Ex post facto law

A law criminalizing an act after it was committed

Articles of Confederation

The first U.S. constitution creating a weak national government

Key features of the Articles of Confederation

State sovereignty, unicameral legislature, no executive or judicial branch, unanimous consent to amend

Congress powers under the Articles

Declare war, make treaties, coin money, borrow money, appoint military officers

Congress weaknesses under the Articles

No power to tax, regulate commerce, or enforce laws

State powers under the Articles

Coin money, tax citizens, refuse federal treaties

Shays’ Rebellion

An armed uprising of farmers that exposed weaknesses of the Articles and led to calls for reform

Constitutional Convention

1787 meeting to revise the Articles that resulted in a new Constitution

Virginia Plan

Proposal for a strong national government with representation based on population

New Jersey Plan

Proposal for equal representation for each state in a unicameral legislature

Great Compromise

Agreement establishing a bicameral legislature with population-based House and equal Senate

Bicameral legislature

A two-house legislature

Electoral College

System in which electors chosen by voters formally elect the president

Three-Fifths Compromise

Agreement counting three out of five enslaved people for representation and taxation

Compromise on the slave trade

Agreement preventing Congress from banning the slave trade until 1808

Amendment process

Procedures for proposing and ratifying amendments to the Constitution

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the Constitution who favored strong state governments and weak national government

Anti-Federalist fears

Strong federal government would threaten individual liberties, state sovereignty, and lead to tyranny

Anti-Federalist goals

Protect individual liberties, limit federal power, and preserve state authority

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution protecting individual liberties

Why the Bill of Rights was not originally included

Federalists believed the Constitution already limited government and feared listing rights would imply others were unprotected

Federalists

Supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong national government

Federalist No. 10

Madison’s argument that a large republic would control factions and protect minority rights

Brutus No. 1

Anti-Federalist essay arguing that a large republic would weaken representation and threaten liberty

Direct democracy

A system in which citizens vote directly on laws and policies

Representative democracy

A system in which citizens elect officials to represent them in government

Initiative

A process that allows citizens to propose legislation or constitutional amendments by petition

Referendum

A process that allows citizens to vote directly on laws passed by the legislature

Why the U.S. is a republic and not a direct democracy

The founders distrusted mass rule, feared mob rule, and believed citizens lacked sufficient education to govern directly

Participatory democracy

A model emphasizing broad citizen involvement in political processes beyond voting

Pluralist democracy

A system in which organized interest groups influence policy-making

Elite democracy

A theory that a small group of elites holds a disproportionate amount of political power

Participatory democracy in the Constitution

Voting rights amendments, freedom of assembly, and citizen participation in elections

Pluralist democracy in the Constitution

Protection of interest groups, political parties, and multiple access points to government

Elite democracy in the Constitution

Electoral College and indirect election of senators prior to the 17th Amendment

Preamble

Introduction to the Constitution stating the goals of government: establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty

Establish justice

Create a fair legal system and laws that are applied equally

Domestic tranquility

Maintain peace and order within the nation

Common defense

Protect the nation and its people from foreign threats

Promote the general welfare

Support the well-being and prosperity of the people

Secure the blessings of liberty

Protect individual freedoms for current and future generations

Democracy

A system of government in which power is vested in the people

Natural rights

Fundamental rights inherent to all people that are not granted by government and cannot be taken away

Social contract

An agreement in which people give up some freedoms to government in exchange for protection and order

Popular sovereignty

The principle that government power comes from the consent of the governed

Limited government

A system in which government power is restricted by law

Republicanism

A form of government in which people elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf

Rule of law

The principle that all individuals and institutions are subject to the law

Majority rule with minority rights

A democratic principle ensuring majority decisions while protecting minority freedoms

Liberal democracy

A democracy that emphasizes individual rights, freedoms, and representation