AP Gov Unit 1

Natural rights

Right to life, liberty, and property

Social contract

People allow power to governments in return for order and safety

Baron de Montesquieu

Enlightenment thinker, proposed branches of government

John Locke

Enlightenment thinker, proposed the idea of social contract

Popular sovereignty

Government’s right to rule is from the people

Republicanism

Government’s authority is from the people, but through representatives (republic)

Inalienable rights

Rights the government can’t take away

Participatory democracy

Theory of democracy that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government

Civil society groups

Independent associations outside the governments control

Pluralist theory

Theory of democracy that groups are vital for the policymaking process

Elitist theory

Theory of democracy that elites have a disproportionate amount of influence

Constitutional republic

Democratic system with elected representatives, system all defined and limited by a constitution

James Madison

Political scientist who helped create and ratify the Constitution

Republic

Government ruled by representatives of the people

Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union (1777)

Governing document where the 13 states were supreme and had lots of independence, creating a weak federal government

Shay’s Rebellion

Masachusett farmer uprising, showed how weak federal government was (they couldn’t stop the rebellion fast)

Writ of habeas corpus

Right of detained people to know the charges against them

Bills of attainder

Legislature declares one guilty without trial

Ex post facto laws

Acts not illegal at the time they were committed

Virginia Plan

James Madison’s proposal, bicameral legislature, populous states would have more representation in Congress

New Jersey Plan

Opposing to the Virginia Plan, unicameral legislature with equal votes for each state

State legislature

Lawmaking body of a state

Great (Connecticut) Compromise

Combining both Virginia and NJ plans, Senate + HoR Congress system

3/5 compromise

Slaves count as 3/5 of a person for HoR representation

Compromise on Importation

Congress can’t restrict slave trade until 1808

Seperation of powers

By Baron de Montesquieu, branches of government

Checks and balances

Each government branch has powers that prevent other branches from making policy

Federalism

Sharing of power between national gov. and states

Enumerated/expressed powers

Explicitly stated in Constitution

Necessary and Proper (elastic) clause

Article 1, section 8, granting Congress implied powers

Implied powers

Congress, for elastic clause

Supremacy clause

Constitution, national laws, treaties, are supreme law of the land

Marbury v. Madison

Case about the midnight judges establishing judicial review against laws or executive actions

Amendment process

1. Proposed, 2/3 vote in Congress

2. Ratify, ¾ of all state legislatures

Federalist Papers

85 essays by people like James Madison explaining the theory behind the Constitution

Federalist No. 51

Seperation of powers + federalism will prevent tyranny

Federalist No. 10

Dangers of faction will be solved by a large republican government

Tyranny of minority

Small # of citizens trample on rights of larger

Tyranny of majority

Large # of citizens trample of rights of smaller

Brutus No. 1

Anti-Federalist paper, arguing Constitution destroys liberty and state authority eventually

Unitary system

Central gov. has all power over states

Confederal system

States have most power, national gov. depends on them

Federal system

Power is divided between both

Exclusive powers

Only national gov may exercise

Commerce clause

Congress regulates commercial activity

Necessary and Proper clause

Fed gov. can pass laws to carry out implied powers

Supremacy clause

Tenth Amendment

Powers not delegated to national gov are reserved for the states and people

Reserved powers

Tenth amendment

Concurrent powers

Granted to both states and national gov

Full faith and credit clause

States to recognize public acts records and court proceedings from another state (like marriage records)

Extradition

Defendant must be returned to the state where crime was committed to be tried

McCulloch v. Maryland

McCulloch win because Maryland cant tax the Second Bank, supporting fed gov power

Gibbons v. Ogden

Gibbons won, blocking the monopoly over sea routes NY gave to Ogden because the fed. gov gave him license to operate there, supporting fed. gov power and commerce clause

13th amendment

Outlaws slavery

14th amendment

All persons born in US are US citizens

15th amendment

Black men can vote

Plessy v. Ferguson

Pro-segregation, Plessy tried for violating law separating railroad facilities for blacks and whites, saying 14th amendment wasn’t violated (bruh)

Dual federalism

States and nation operate independently in own areas of policy

Cooperative federalism

National and state gov work together

New Deal

Program by Franklin Roosevelt using national gov. to intervene and help during Great Depression

Grants in aid

Money provided by fed. gov to states to carry out a policy

Categorical grants

Grants in aid with specific provisions on their use

Fiscal federalism

National gov uses grants in aid to influence policies in the states

Unfunded mandates

Fed requirements states must follow without funding

Block grants

Grant in aid giving state officials more authority in how they spend it

Revenue sharing

Fed gov apportions tax money to the states no strings attached

Devolution

Shifting from fed. gov power to state power

US v. Lopez

Lopez win, commerce clause does NOT affect guns

Oberfell v. Hodges

In support of same-sex marriage, Oberfell win against Ohio state gov

Gonzales vs. Raich

Congress had a rational basis for saying marijuana impacted interstate commerce, disallowing Raich to grow marijuana at home