AP GOV TERMS

Natural Rights

All people are born with rights & that the Government must protect those rights: Life, Liberty, & Property.

Popular sovereignty

Government based on consent of the people.

Social Contract

When a group of people agree to give up certain rights & accept a central authority in order to protect their own rights.

Republic

A country where power is held by the people or the representatives that they elect.

Democracy

State power is vested in the people or the general population of a state.

Participatory Democracy

Citizens have the power to decide directly on policy & politicians are responsible for implementing those policy decisions.

Pluralist theory of Democracy

A theory that the policy making process is very open to the participation of all groups with shared interests, with no single group usually dominating.

Elite theory of Democracy

A theory that an upper class elite holds the power and makes policy, regardless of the formal governmental organization.

Confederation

When a group of people or nations form an alliance.

Federalist

Supporters of the U.S constitution at the time the states were contemplating its adoption.

Anti-Federalist

Opponents of the U.S constitution at the time the states were contemplating its adoption.

Checks & Balances

Features of the constitution that limit governments power by requiring each branch to obtain the consent of others for its actions, limiting & balancing power among the branches.

Separation of Powers

A feature of the constitution that requires each of the 3 branches of government to be relatively independence of the others, so that 1 cannot control the others, Power is shared among the 3 institutions.

Great compromise

Established the U.S legislature as a bicameral, or 2-house law making body.

Connecticut plan

Provided for a Bicameral legislature, with representation in the house of representatives according to population & in the senate by equal # for each state.

New Jersey plan

The proposal at the constitutional convention that called for equal representation of each state in congress regardless of the state's population.

Electoral college

A set of electors who are selected to elect a candidate to particular offices.

3/5 compromise

It determined that 3 out of 5 slaves were counted when determining a states total population for legislative representation and taxation.

Article V: Amendment Process

If congress thinks it is necessary to change the constitution, at least 2/3 of both the house of representatives & the senate have to propose an amendment to the constitution.

Veto

The power of the president to block or complicate passage of a legislation by refusing to sign it into law.

Judicial Review

The power of the courts to determine whether acts of congress & by implication the executive are in accord with the U.S constitution.

Federalism

The division & sharing of power between the national & state governments.

Reserved powers

Laws that are not specifically given to the national government & are reserved for the states.

Enumerated powers

Powers granted to the federal government by the U.S constitution.

Concurrent powers

Powers shared by both states & the federal government.

Categorical grants

Money must be spent in certain categories determined by the federal government.

Block grants

Funds given to state governments that can be spent broadly to support local & state government programs. The state has discretion in how the money is spent.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Enables Congress to pass special laws to require other departments of the government to prosecute or adjudicate particular claims, whether asserted by the government itself or by private persons.

Shay's Rebellion

A series of attacks on courthouses by a small band of farmers led by Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shays to block foreclosure proceedings.

Supremacy clause

The foundational principle that, in general, federal law takes precedence over any conflicting state law.

Limited Government

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.

Demographics

Statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it.

Political culture

An overall set of values widely shared within a society

Political socialization

The process by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs.

Individualism

A social theory favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control.

Equality of opportunity

All americans should have an equal chance to succeed.

Free enterprise

The ability of individual people and businesses to make money with minimal interference by the government.

Rule of Law

The principle that both those who govern & those who are governed must obey the law & are subject to the same laws.

Polling

Record the opinion or vote of.

Scientific polling

Most rigorous type of polling that follows strict processes, participants are randomly selected & questions are not leading or manipulative.

Public opinion polls

Designed to get a gauge of what the public is thinking, approve/disapproves

Tracking polls

Asking the same questions to the same group of people over time to track how public opinion is changing about an issue.

Exit & Entrance polls

Asking voters right before or right after they cast their votes questions related to candidates, feelings about current states of affairs, how they voted.

Push polls

Including information prior to asking respondents questions in order to influence their response.

Random sample

Everyone should have an equal probability of being selected for the sample.

Representatives sample

Sample from a larger group that accurately represents the characteristics of a larger population.

Sampling Error

The level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll. The more people interviewed, the more confident one can be of the results.

Political ideologies

A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose, which helps give meaning to political events.

Liberal

One who favors more government regulation of business and support for social welfare but less regulation of private social conduct

Conservative

One who favors more limited and local government, less government regulation of markets, and more social conformity to traditional norms and values

Libertarian

Individuals who advocate for a politician philosophy that emphasizes individual liberty, limited government & free markets.

Moderate

a person who is moderate in opinion or opposed to extreme views or actions

Socialist

The means of production, distribution and exchange are owned or regulated by the community as a whole, aiming to achieve greater social equality and reduce income disparities.

Political Parties

Groups that help elect people and shape policies

Democrats

A way of governing which depends on the will of the people

Republicans

Supporter of the republican party

Third-party

Someone who is not one of the main people involved in a agreement or legal case, but who is involved in it in a minor role.

Political Polarization

The divergence of political attitudes away from the center, towards ideological extremes

Democratic party

Strives for equality of opportunity for all americans. One of the 2 major contemporary political parties.

Republican party

One of the 2 major contemporary political parties. Fiscal conservatives.

Government regulation

a set of requirements issued by a federal government agency to implement laws passed by Congress.

Social issues

Topics or subjects that impact many people

Social welfare

Various local, state & government programs designed to assist people with food, housing, & medical care. The well being of society.

Agenda setting

A type of communication effect showing a strong link between importance placed on issues by news media and importance of issues to public

Public opinion

People's views on matters affecting them

Primary elections

A preliminary election to appoint delegates to a party conference or to select the candidates for a principal, especially presidential, election.

Voter turnout

Participation rate of a given election

Role of the media

Educate, Inform, & Entertain through news, features and analysis in the press.

Voting Amendments

Delegates

a person selected to represent the people of one geographic area at a party convention

National Convention

A convention of a major political party, especially one that nominates a candidate for the presidency.

Interest groups

An organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals.

Lobbying

A communication by someone other than a citizen acting on his or her own behalf, directed to a governmental decision maker with the hope of influencing his or her decision.

Iron Triangle

Subgovernments are composed of interest group leaders interested in a particular policy, the government agency in charge of administering that policy, and the members of congressional committees and subcommittees handling that policy; they exercise a great deal of control over specific policy areas.

Hard money

Political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amount and fully disclosed.

Soft money

Campaign contributions unregulated by federal or state law, usually given to parties and party committees to help fund general party activities.

BCRA

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, also known as the McCain-Feingold Act - passed in 2002, BCRA is an amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act - the two key aspects of the BCRA include banning the spending of soft money and the placing of limits on campaign advertisements

Campaign finance

Money that political candidates use for funding their expensive campaigns.

Citizens United

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission was a 2010 Supreme Court case that granted corporations and unions the right to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections.