The Ultimate Guide to AP United States Government and Politics (copy)

Enlightenment (18th century)

A philosophical movement in Western Europe emphasizing reason over tradition in solving social problems.

Thomas Hobbes

Believed in a monarch with absolute power to protect life best, advocated for the rule of law.

John Locke

Argued for natural rights protection, including life, liberty, and property, and the right to revolution if these rights are violated.

Charles de Montesquieu

Advocated for the separation of powers into three branches of government and checks and balances to limit power.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Believed people are born good but corrupted by society, promoting acting for the greater good over self-interest.

Participatory democracy

Involves broad participation in politics and society by people at various statuses.

Pluralist democracy

Involves group-based activism by citizens with common interests seeking the same goals.

Elite democracy

Gives power to the educated/wealthy, discouraging participation by the majority.

Republicanism

Supports individualism, natural rights, popular sovereignty, and civic participation.

The Declaration of Independence

A formal declaration of war between America and Great Britain, listing grievances against King George III.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Outlined the first U.S. government, lacked power to tax, control trade, raise a military, or enforce laws effectively.

The Constitutional Convention

Meeting in 1787 to revise the Articles, leading to the creation of the Constitution with a stronger central government.

Federalists

Supporters of the Constitution advocating for a strong central government, including Alexander Hamilton and James Madison.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the Constitution fearing tyranny, advocating for smaller state governments, and pushing for a Bill of Rights.

The Federalist Papers

Collection of articles supporting the Constitution, written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay to persuade states to ratify it.

Federalism

System where national and local governments share powers, with delegated, reserved, and concurrent powers specified in the Constitution.

Grants

Categorical grants come with strict federal rules, while block grants allow states more flexibility in spending.

Federalism

Advantages include mass participation, regional autonomy, and innovative policy experimentation.

Separation of Powers

Inspired by Montesquieu, it assigns distinct roles to the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Checks and Balances

Prevents one branch from dominating, requiring cooperation and sharing of power among branches.

Amendment Process

Involves approval by Congress and ratification by states, allowing for changes to the Constitution.

State Governments

Led by governors, they have executive, legislative, and judicial branches similar to the federal government.

Congressional Structure

Congress consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, each with unique roles and powers.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing district boundaries, including gerrymandering to favor a political party.

Congressional Powers

Congress has authority over taxing, spending, regulating commerce, and other key responsibilities.

Legislative Process

Involves bill introduction, committee review, debate, voting, and potential presidential approval or veto.

Bureaucratic Agencies

Organizations responsible for implementing government policies and programs.

Congressional Committees

Groups of members of Congress assigned to specific areas of legislation and oversight.

Subpoena

A legal order that requires individuals to appear before a committee or produce requested documents.

Standing Committees

Permanent and specialized committees in Congress.

Joint Committees

Committees composed of members from both houses of Congress.

Select Committees

Temporary committees established for a specific purpose.

Conference Committee

Temporary committee formed to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate.

Speaker of the House

Leader of the House of Representatives, elected by the majority party.

Majority Leader

Leader of the majority party in the House or Senate.

President of the Senate

The Vice President of the United States, who presides over the Senate.

War Powers Act

Legislation that limits the President's power to deploy troops without Congressional approval.

Executive Office of the President

Agencies that assist the President in carrying out administrative responsibilities.

Cabinet

Group of advisors selected by the President to head executive departments.

Impeachment

Process by which Congress can remove a federal official from office.

Criminal Law

Legal system that deals with crimes and their prosecution.

Civil Law

Legal system that resolves disputes between individuals or organizations.

Judicial Review

The power of the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of laws or government actions.

Supreme Court Appointment Process

The process by which judges are nominated by the President, confirmed by the Senate, and appointed for life.

Amicus Curiae Briefs

Legal briefs submitted by interest groups not directly involved in a case to provide additional information or perspective to the court.

Iron Triangles

Informal alliances between industry, congressional committees, and regulatory agencies to create and implement policies.

Civil Liberties

Protections from government abuse of power, as outlined in the Bill of Rights.

Selective Incorporation

The process by which the Supreme Court applies the Bill of Rights to the states on a case-by-case basis.

Freedom of Speech

The First Amendment protection allowing individuals to express opinions without government interference, with some limitations.

Prior Restraint

Government censorship of information before it is published, limited by the First Amendment.

Shield Laws

State laws protecting reporters from being compelled to reveal their sources in legal proceedings.

Freedom of Assembly

The right to peacefully gather and associate with others, protected by the First Amendment.

Freedom of Religion

The right to practice any religion or no religion without interference from the government.

Establishment Clause

Part of the First Amendment that prohibits the government from establishing an official religion.

Lemon Test

Criteria established by the Supreme Court in Lemon v. Kurtzman to determine if a law violates the Establishment Clause.

Engel v

Supreme Court case that ruled school-sponsored prayer in public schools unconstitutional.

Wisconsin v

Supreme Court case that upheld the right of Amish families to take their children out of school after the eighth grade.

Second Amendment

Protects the right of individuals to keep and bear arms.

Gideon v

Supreme Court case that established the right to an attorney for defendants who cannot afford one.

Miranda Rights

Rights that must be read to a suspect before questioning, including the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney.

Sixth Amendment

Guarantees the right to a fair and speedy trial by an impartial jury.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislation that prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Strong Ideological Americans

Individuals with strong ideological beliefs who tend to be more politically active.

Determining Factors in Ideological Behavior

Factors such as race/ethnicity, religion, gender, income level, and region that influence individuals' ideological leanings.

Media Influence on Public Opinion

The role of news media in setting the public agenda, shaping exposure to government and politicians, and influencing public opinion.

Political Participation Models

Rational choice, retrospective voting, prospective voting, and party-line voting as models explaining citizens' voting behavior.

Political Parties

Organizations with similar ideologies that endorse candidates, influence elections, and have functions in the electorate, government, and organization.

Party Characteristics

Intermediaries between government and people, raising money, nominating candidates, and developing party platforms.

Party Functions

Recruiting and nominating candidates, educating and mobilizing voters, providing campaign funds and support, organizing government activity, and reducing conflict in society.

Party Coalitions

Groups forming political parties to attract voters, create winning coalitions, and rely on certain bases of support.

Third Parties

Political parties representing disenfranchised constituencies, forming around ideologies or single issues, and influencing elections.

Interest Groups

Organizations lobbying for specific political goals, influencing government through tactics like direct lobbying, socializing, and political donations.

Runoff Primary

A secondary election held between the top two candidates if no candidate receives the required number of votes in the initial election.

Superdelegates

Elected party leaders in the Democratic Party who are granted automatic delegate status and typically support the front-runner.

Closed Primary

A type of primary election where only registered members of a political party can vote.

Blanket Primary

A primary election where voters can vote for one candidate per office from any party.

General Elections

Elections where voters decide who will hold office, typically held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November.

Midterm Elections

Elections that occur between presidential elections.

Gubernatorial Experience

Experience as a governor that allows candidates to claim executive abilities and run as outsiders.

Federal Matching Funds

Funds provided to presidential primary candidates who meet certain guidelines, such as receiving over 10% of votes.

Split-ticket Voting

Voting for a presidential candidate of one party and legislators of another, leading to divided government.

Monetary Policy

Government actions through the Federal Reserve Board to control the supply of money in circulation and credit.

United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)

Revised in 2018, it aimed to improve the US economy and create jobs in Mexico.

Social insurance programs

National insurance programs funded by employees and employers, with benefits seen as earned due to contributions.

Public assistance programs

Government-funded programs to aid the needy, not paid for by recipients.

Social Security

Mandated entitlement program providing benefits to those who meet requirements, with limited chances of major changes due to the aging population.

Medicare

Healthcare assistance for individuals over 65, funded by additional taxes on social security benefits.

Medicaid

Provides health services for low-income individuals, funded by states and federal government.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), requiring work within 2 years and imposing a 5-year lifetime limit on welfare eligibility.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Provides food stamps to improve the diet and purchasing power of low-income individuals.

Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare)

Significant health-care legislation signed in 2010, including an individual mandate and fines for lacking insurance.