ap gov unit 1 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

government

the system for implementing decisions made through the political process. to provide order and promote general welfare

factions

groups of like-minded people who try to influence the government

separation of powers

the division of government power across the judicial, executive, and legislative branches

checks and balances

a system in which each branch of government has some power over the others

federalism

division of power across the local, state, and national levels of government

public goods

services or actions (like protecting the environment) that, once provided to one person, become available to everyone. gov is usually needed to provide these because they will be under-provided in the free market

collective action problems

situations in which the members of a group would benefit by working together to produce some outcome, but each individual is better off refusing to cooperate a reaping benefits from those who do the work

free rider program

the incentive to benefit from other's work without making a contribution, which leads individuals in a collective action situation to refuse to work together

politics

the process that determines what government does

monarchy

rule by one. system of government where power (real or symbolic) is inherited

aristocarcy

rule by few

polity

rule by many

free market

economic system based on competition among businesses without gov interference

economic individualism

the autonomy of individuals to manage their own financial decisions without government interference

redistributive tax policies

policies (generally favored by dems) that use taxation to attempt to create greater social equality (tax the rich for the poor)

culture wars

political conflict in the US between "red-state" Americans, who tend to have strong religious beliefs, and "blue-state" Americans, who tend to be more secular

ideology

a cohesive set of ideas and beliefs used to organize and evaluate the political world

conservative

support for lower taxes, free market, and more limited government

liberal

support for stronger government programs and more market regulation

libertarians

prefer limited government and are conservative economically and liberal socially

liberty

political freedom (like 1st amendment rights). these and other legal and due process rights that protect the individual are in the Bill of Rights

democracy

government by the people. in most contexts, this means representative democracy where people elect representatives to enact policies. must have at least two political parties

equality

in american politics, equality before the law, political equality (one person one vote), and equality of opportunity, but not material equality

republic

absence of a monarch

anarchy

absence of a government

democracy

direct (none) or indirect (representative)

dictatorship

authoritarian (less bad) or totalitarian

autocracy (one person) or oligarchy (small group)(china)

unitary

system in which the national, centralized govnt holds the ultimate authority. most common

ex: france

confederal

form of govnt in which states hold power over a limted national govnt

ex: early america

federal

power is divided btwn local, state, and national government

articles of confederation

first attempt at a new american govnt in 1777. later decided that they restricted national govnt too much were replaced by the constitution

limited government

political system in which the powers of the govnt are restricted to prevent tyranny by protecting property and individual rights

weaknesses of the A of C

no executive leader, not enough national power, couldn't collect money from states, no national currency

republicanism

as understand by madison and the framers, the belief that a form of govnt in which the interests of the people are represented by elected leaders is the best form of govnt. we are a republican democracy

consent of the governed

idea that govnt gains its legitimacy through regular elections in which the people living under that govnt participate to elect their leaders

natural rights

aka the unalienable rights, the Dec of Indep defines them as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. founders believed these rights should be a government's central purpose

federalists

favored a strong national govnt and a system of separated powers

antifederalists

favored strong state govnts and feared that strong nat govnt would threaten individual rights

issues of the constitutional convention

majority rule vs. minority rights, leg power vs. exec power (and how to elect), large states vs. small states, nat power vs. state and local power, slave states vs. free states

pluralism

having a variety of parties and interests within a govnt will strengthen the system, ensuring no group possesses total control

virginia plan

proposed by larger states at the CC that based representation in nat legislature on population. also included proposals to strengthen nat govnt

new jersey plan

smaller states at CC proposed that each state should have equal representation in nat legislature

great compromise

congress would have two houses: Senate with two reps per state and a House in which representation would be based on population

parliamentary system

legis and exec powers are closely joined. legis (parliament) selects the executive (PM) who forms the cabinet from members of parliament

reserved powers

as defined by the 10th amendment, powers that are not given to the nat govnt by the constitution or not prohibited to the states are reserved by the states or the people

national supremacy clause

the constitution and the laws of the US are the supreme law of the land. nat law takes precedence over state law if they conflict

three fifths compromise

decision to count each slave as 3/5 of person in a states' population for determining the number of House members and distribution of taxes

bill of rights

first ten amendments to the constitution: protect individual rights and liberties

exclusive powers

can be exercised by national government alone

\-power to tax

\-regulate interstate and foreign commerce

\-coin money

\-declare war

\-maintain military

necessary and proper clause (elastic clause)

Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution that grants Congress the power to pass all laws related to one of its expressed powers

impeachment

negative or checking power over the other branches that allows Congress to remove the president, vice president, or other offices of the united states for abuses of power

power of the purse

the constitutional power of Congress to raise and spend money. can be used as a negative or checking power over the other branches by freezing or cutting their funding

executive powers clause

"the execute power shall be vested in a president" has been used to justify uses of presidential power

commerce clause

"the power to regulate commerce... among several states" has varied but mostly used as a basis for much of Congress' legislation

enumerated powers

powers explicitly granted to Congress, the president, or the Court in the first sentence of the Constitution

implied powers

powers supported by the Constitution that are not expressly stated in it

mcculloch v. maryland

Court ruled that the creation of a national bank was constitutional

sovereign power

the supreme power of an independent state to regulate its internal affairs without foreign interference

police power

the power to enforce laws and provide for public safety (state)

concurrent powers

responsibilities for particular policy areas, such as transportation, that are shared by federal, state, and local govnts

intergovernmental organizations

organizations that seek to coordinate policy across member nations

chesholm v. georgia

citizens of one state could sue the govnt of another state (11th amendment)

full faith and credit clause

part of article IV of the Constitution requiring that each state's laws be honored by the other states. (ex: marriage)

priviledges and immunities clause

part of article IV requiring that states must treat nonstate residents within their borders as they would treat their own residents. meant to promote commerce and travel btwn states

doctrine of interposition

the idea that if the national government passes an unconstitutional law, the people of the states (thru state legislatures) can declare the law void. basis for southern secession and the Civil War.

state's rights

idea that states are entitled to a certain amount of self-government, free of federal gov intervention. central issue before the civil war

dual federalism

form of federalism favored by Taney in which national and state govnt are seen as distinct entities providing separate services. limits national power.

dred scott

ruled that slaves were private property and resulted in the missouri compromise

missouri compromise

Missouri entered as a slave state and Maine entered as a free state and all states North of the 36th parallel were free states and all South were slave states.

civil war amendments

13th banned slavery

14th

due process/equal protection (reinforced dual federalism)

15th

former male slaves can vote

cooperative federalism

form of federalism in which nat and state govnts work together to provide services efficiently. emerged in the 30s

pickett fence federalism

more refined and realistic form of cooperative federalism in which policy makers within a particular policy area work together across levels of government

decentralist

const is a compact between the states (dem-reps and antifeds)

centralists

contract theory. fed govnt should only be denied power when the const strictly says so (federalists)

compact theory

federal govnt was created by the states and to which the states can still control the federal government

contract theory

belief that the federal govnt was created by the people and controlled by the people

fiscal federalism

form in which federal funds are allocated to the lower levels of govnt through transfer payments or grants

categorical grants

federal aid to state or local govnts that is provided for a specific purpose, such as a mass transit program within the transportation budget or a school lunch program within the education budget (congress prefers)

block grants

federal aid provided to a state govnt to be spent within a certain policy area, but the state decides how they spend the money within that area (best for cooperative federalism)

general revenue sharing (GRS)

type of grant used in the 70s and 80s in which the fed govnt provided state govnts with funds to be spent at the states discretion. gave states more control over programs

unfunded mandates

federal laws that require the states to do certain things but do not provide state govnts funding to implement those policies (usually environmental or civil rights)

federal preemptions

impositions of national priorities on the states through national legislation based in the supremacy clause

competitive federalism

form of federalism in which states compete to attract businesses and jobs through the policies they adopt

10th amendment

powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people

remedial legislation

national laws that address discriminatory state laws. authority for such legislation comes from sec 6 of the 14th amendment

due process rights

the idea that laws and legal proceedings must be fair. the const guarantees that the govnt cannot take away a person’s “life, liberty, or property without due process of law.” other specific due process rights are found in the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th amendments

exclusionary rule

illegally or unconstitutionally acquired evidence cannot be used in a criminal trial

miranda rights

the list of civil liberties described in the 5th amendment that must be read to a suspect before anything the suspect says can be used in a trial

double jeopardy

being tried twice for the same crime- prevented by the 5th amendment

privacy rights

liberties protected by several amendments in the Bill that shield certain personal aspects of citizens’ lives from govnt interference

disparate impact standard

the idea that discrimination exists if a practice has a negative effect on a specific group, whether or not this effect was intentional

rational basis test

use of evidence to suggest that differences in the behavior of two groups can rationalize unqeual treatment of these groups

substansive due process doctrine

one interpretation of the due process clause of the 14th amendment: the Court has the power to overturn laws that infringe on individual liberties

civil liberties

basic political freedoms that protect citizens from govnt abuse of power

due process clause

14th amendment clause that forbids states from denying “life, liberty, or property” to any person without due process of law (similar to 5th, but 5th only said nat govnt)

selective incorporation

process thru which civil liberties granted in the Bill of Rights were applied to the states on a case by cases basis through the 14th amendment

establishment clause

part of the 1st amendment states “congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” which has been interpreted to mean that Congress cannot sponsor or favor any religion

free exercise clause

part of the 1st amendment that states that Congress cannot prohibit or interfere with the practice of religion