AP Government Unit 1 - Foundations of American Democracy Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering foundational concepts, constitutional provisions, major court cases, and foundational documents for AP Government Unit 1.

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power.

Separation of powers

A way of dividing the power of government among the legislative, executive, and judicial branch to prevent tyranny.

Popular sovereignty

All government power comes from the consent of its people.

Federalists

Group that supported the ratification of the Constitution and a strong central government.

Anti-Federalist

Group that opposed the ratification of the Constitution and wanted more power reserved to state governments rather than a strong central government.

Federalism

System of government in the United States in which power is shared between the national and state governments.

Supremacy clause

Article VI of Constitution, gives the national government and its laws general precedence over states' laws.

Connecticut or Great Compromise

Created a dual (bicameral) system of congressional representation with the House of Representatives based on each state's population and the Senate representing each state equally.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Provided a formula for calculating a state's enslaved population for purposes of representation in the House and for taxation.

Federalist Paper #10

Document, supported ratification of the Constitution and a strong central government, focused on the superiority of a large republic in controlling the "mischiefs of faction" delegating authority to elected representatives and dispersing power between the states and national government.

Bill of Rights

A formal statement of the fundamental rights of the people of the United States, incorporated in the Constitution as Amendments 1-10. Satisfied Anti-federalist concerns.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, gives Congress the power to make laws related to carrying out its enumerated powers, but Supreme Court interpretations can influence the extent of these powers.

Commerce clause

Gives the national government the power to regulate interstate commerce, but Supreme Court interpretations can influence the extent of this power.

Concurrent powers

Shared powers between both levels of government (state and federal) such as the power to collect taxes, the power to make and enforce laws and the power to build roads.

enumerated powers

Powers written in the Constitution.

Implied powers

Not specifically written in the Constitution but are inferred from the Necessary and Proper Clause.

McCulloch v. Maryland

Court Case: The court ruled that the states did not have the power to tax the national bank. Used the backing of the Supremacy Clause to argue that states could not interfere with legitimate federal laws.

Reserved Powers

Those not delegated or enumerated to the national government but belong to the states, as stated in the tenth amendment.

Block grants

National funding with minimal restrictions to the states on its use and is preferred by the states.

Categorical Grants

National funding that is restricted to specific categories of expenditures, is preferred by the national government, and is the most commonly used form of funding.

United States v Lopez

Court Case: The Supreme Court ruled that Congress had exceeded its constitutional authority under the Commerce Clause when it passed a law prohibiting gun possession in local school zones. This increased state powers to regulate such matters while decreasing federal power.

limited government

A government's power cannot be absolute.

republicanism

A form of government in which people elect representatives to create and enforce laws.

Participatory Democracy

Emphasizes broad participation in politics and civil society.

Pluralist Democracy

Emphasizes group-based activism by nongovernmental interests striving for impact on political decision making.

Elite Democracy

Emphasizes limited participation in politics and civil society.

Electoral College

A system for electing the president by electors from each state rather than by popular vote or by congressional vote.

Revenue Sharing

National funding with almost no restrictions to the states on its use and is the least used form of funding.

Federalist 51

Document, explains how constitutional provisions of separation of powers and checks and balances control potential abuses by majorities.

Brutus 1

Adhered to popular democratic theory that emphasized the benefits of a small, decentralized republic while warning of the dangers to personal liberty from a large, centralized government.

Devolution

The transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states.

mandates

Requirements by the national government of the states.

social contract

An implicit agreement among the people in a society to give up some freedoms to maintain social order.

exclusive power

Held by only one level of government and includes enumerated powers and implied powers.

Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses

14th amendment, give the national government the power to enforce protections for any person agains the states, but Supreme Court interpretations can influence the extent of those protections.