AP Government - midterm

How did British documents like the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights influence our government?

John Lock’s Second Treatise on Government included what main ideas? Where can they be seen in our government?

Baron de Montesquieu’s Spirit of the Laws main idea was the separation of powers. Where do we see this in our government?

Main ideas of the Declaration of Independence

Natural Rights (definition and where it is seen in foundational docs)

• the God-given right to life, liberty, and property

• seen in declaration of independence

• John Locke

Popular Sovereignty (definition and where it is seen in foundational docs)

• the people are the ultimate source of power in a society

• government created by the people and for the people

• majority rules but minority rights

• declaration of independence, constitution

Republicanism (definition and where it is seen in foundational docs)

• The consent of the governed is expressed via regular elections, appointing representatives by the electorate

• constitution, declaration of independence

Social Contract (definition and where it is seen in foundational docs)

• The people enter into a contract with the government

• We give up our right to do whatever we want in exchange for the protection of our natural rights

What is an example of a Participatory Democracy? (broad participation in politics and civil society)

• model of democracy in which citizens have the power to make policy decisions

• voting in elections and contacting elected officials is how we can participate in democracy

What is an example of a Pluralist Democracy? (group-based activism by nongovernmental interests striving for impact on political decision-making)

• political system in which multiple groups, interests, and organizations compete for power and influence within the government

• the participation of interest groups (NRA and Greenpeace)

What is an example of an Elite Democracy? (limited participation in politics and civil society)

• a model of democracy in which a small number of people influence political decision making

• usually those who are wealthy and well-educated

• the electoral college, which allows people to lose the popular vote, yet win the presidency

What are the powers of congress under the articles of confederation?

• make war ad peace

• send and recieve ambassadors

• enter into treaties

• request armies from the states

• fix standards of weights and measures

• establish post office

How were states represented under the articles of confederation?

• each state has one vote no matter how big they are

• representatives were selected by state legislatures

How was congress structured under the articles of confederation?

• no executive branch or national judiciary

• bicameral legislature made up of delegates (one per state)

What was the problem with passing laws under the articles of confederation?

• congress could not force anyone to obey the laws once they were passed

• 9 out of 13 votes had to approve laws before they were passed, making it difficult

What was the original purpose of the meeting in Philadelphia in 1787?

Virginia Plan

New Jersey Plan

Great/Connecticut Compromise

Suggests a bicameral legislature to please and benefit all states, not just large or small

Slave Trade Compromise

Electoral College Compromise

Each state gets a number of electors based on congressional representation

Three-Fifths Compromise

Compromise makes slaves count for 3/5 of a person in taxation (for north) and representation (for south)

What is the process to pass an amendment to the Constitution?

• 2/3rds vote in both houses of Congress to propose, or a proposal from 2/3rds of state legislatures

• 3/4ths of the states must ratify it

What are the topics of articles 1-6 of the constitution

Separation of Powers

Checks and Balances

What can the president do to congress?

What can congress do to the president?

What is the court able to do to the other branches?

Federalist 51

The structure of the government must provide for checks and balances between the different departments/branches of government to prevent tyranny (seperation of powers)

Federalist 10

• discusses factions

• James Madison says a large democratic republic is needed to safeguard against domestic factions because there would be many factions, preventing any from becoming tryannical

Brutus 1

• written by anti-federalists in opposition of federalist 10

• argues that a small republic is more responsive to the needs of the people and prevents tyranny of the elites

• emphasize the benefits of a small, decentralized republic and warns of the dangers to personal liberty from large centralized govs

Why did Anti-Federalists dislike the Constitution, and what did they want added?

Why did the Federalists initially argue against the addition of the Bill of Rights

Bill of Rights

What are the ways that we still see the debate over the role of the central government and the powers of state governments today? How is the debate the heart of present-day constitutional issues?

Marbury V Madison - facts of the case

Marbury V Madison - key question

Marbury V Madison - holding/ruling

Marbury V Madison - reason for the holding/ruling

Unitary system of government

• power is located in one place

• local units of government have power given to them by the central government

Federalist system of government

• power is divided between the central and state governments

• power is shared

Confederate system of government

• weak central government, but strong state/local governments

• national government gets power from states or league of independent states

Why do we have a federalist system?

Enumerated/Exclusive congressional right examples

• power to coin money

Concurrent powers

• powers that states and federal governments share

• power to tax, make and enforce laws, punish lawbreakers, have a court system, charter banks, and borrow money

10th amendment

Any power not given to national government nor denied to states, belongs to the states

What are things typically reserved for the states

14th amendment and its relevance to federalism

• anyone born on american soil is an american citizen

Commerce Clause

Necessary and Proper/Elastic Clause

Supremacy Clause

Federal Revenue Sharing

Unfunded Mandates

When the government doesn’t fund what is needed to fulfill a mandate

Block Grants

Federal grants in aid that allow the states considerable discretion in how funds are spent, with fewer strings attached

Categorical Grants

Grants that have lots of strings attached and have to spend it specifically on what the federal government says

Dual Federalism

The system of government that prevailed in the U.S from 1789-1937 in which most fundamental powers were clearly divided between federal and state government

Cooperative Federalism

The system of government where federal and state governments work together, sharing power and responsibility to implement policy

New Federalism/Devolution

A return of power to the states

McCulloch V Maryland - facts of the case

McCulloch V Maryland - key question

McCulloch V Maryland - holding/ruling

McCulloch V Maryland - reason for holding/ruling

United States V Lopez - facts of the case

United States V Lopez - key question

United States V Lopez - holding/ruling

United States V Lopez - reason for holding/ruling

United States V Morrison

Examples of federalist issues

Political Culture

What are core values in american political culture?

Political Socialization

Process by which our political values are passed from one generation to the next

What are the factors that contribute to an individuals development of their political attitudes and values?

Opinion Polls

Benchmark/Tracking Polls

• find a baseline on a politician or issue to allow comparison over time

• surveys the same group of people to measure changes

Exit Polls

Surveys voters as they are entering or exiting an election polling location

Sampling

Random Sample

What are the methods of finding your sample?

Sampling Error

What can influence the reliability of a poll

Which party is liberal?

What are key liberal beliefs and positions?

Which party is conservative?

What are the key conservative beliefs and positions?

What are the key beliefs and positions of libertarians?

15th amendment

Gives black men the right to vote

19th amendment

Gives women the right to vote

23rd amendment

Gives residents of DC the right to vote

24th amendment

Removes poll taxes

26th amendment

Lowers voting age to 18

Voting Rights Act of 1965

• authorized federal government to monitor all elections in areas with common discrimination

• intended to gaurantee all african americans the right to vote

• african american voter registration skyrocketed

• increased number of black people in public office

Rational Choice

Retrospective Voting

Voting to decide whether the party or candidate in power should be re-elected based on the recent past

Prospective voting

Voting based on predictions of how a party will or candidate will preform in the future

Party-Line Voting

Supporting a party by voting for candidates from one political party for all public offices at the same level of government

Voter Turnout

The percentage of voting-eligible population (VEP) who cast a ballot in an election

What are the factors that impact voter turnout in our country?

State election law debates

Political Efficacy

The citizens’ faith and trust in government and their belief that they can understand and influence political affairs