AP Government Unit 1 - Giant Terms & Definitions List

Thomas Locke

• Believed humans left alone would fall into chaos and violence

• Supported absolute monarchy for order

John Locke

• Argued people have natural rights: life, liberty and property

Natural Rights

• Rights inherent to all people

• Government must protect them

Right of Revolution

• If government fails to protect natural rights

• Citizens may overthrow it

Montesquieu

• Advocated separation of powers into three branches

Rousseau

• Believed legitimate government is formed by consent of the people.

Popular Sovereignty

• Government derives its power from the people

Social Contract

• People agree to follow laws in exchange for protection of right

Declaration of Independence

• Document written by Jefferson

• Based on Locke;

• Argued for natural rights and consent of the governed

Grievances Against Britain

• Taxation without representation

• Unjust trials

• Quartering soldiers

• Abolishing colonial assemblies

Statement of Separation

• Announced colonies had no choice but to break from Britain

Articles of Confederation

• First U.S. government

• Weak national government

• Strong states

Structure Under the Articles

• One‑house Congress

• No executive

• No national courts

State Powers Under Articles

• Coin money

• Control interstate commerce

• Refuse amendments

Weaknesses of the Articles

• No power to tax

• No army draft

• No interstate commerce control

• No executive

• No judiciary

• No national currency.

Strengths of the Articles

• Northwest Ordinance

• Negotiated end of Revolutionary War

• Early federalism

Votes Under the Articles

• Each state = 1 vote

• 13/13 needed to be amended

Shays’ Rebellion (1787)

• Farmer uprising in MA

• Exposed Articles’ weaknesses

• Elites feared chaos

Constitutional Convention

• Meeting in Philadelphia to revise Articles

• Ended up creating Constitution

Key Delegates

• Washington

• Madison

• Franklin

• Hamilton

• Hancock

Major Questions

• Representation & federal power

Virginia Plan

• Representation based on population

• Strong national government

• 3 branches

New Jersey Plan

• Equal representation for states

• Unicameral legislature

Great Compromise

• Bicameral Congress: House by population, Senate equal

Three‑Fifths Compromise

• Slaves counted as 3/5 for representation

Slave Trade Compromise

• Importation of slaves ends in 1808

Fugitive Slave Clause

• Escaped slaves returned to owners

Electoral College

System where states get electors = reps + senators

Amendment Process

• 2/3 Congress to propose

• 3/4 states to ratify

Federalists

• Supported Constitution

• Strong national government

• Checks & balances

Anti‑Federalists

• Feared strong federal gov

• Wanted small republic

• Demanded Bill of Rights.

Federalist 10 (Madison)

• Factions are dangerous

• Large republic controls them

Federalist 51

• Separation of powers + checks & balances prevent tyranny

Federalist 70

• Argues for a single energetic executive

Federalist 78

• Judicial branch is least dangerous

• Judicial review implied

Brutus 1

• Warned new Constitution gave too much power

• Feared a standing army

• Reps too distant

• Demanded Bill of Rights

Limited Government

• Government power restricted by law

Popular Sovereignty

• People hold ultimate power

Consent of the Governed

• Government legitimacy comes from the people

Separation of Powers

• Power divided among 3 branches

Checks and Balances

• Each branch can limit the others

Legislative Branch

• Makes laws

• Controls commerce

• Taxation

• Spending

• Oversees government

Executive Branch

• Enforces laws

• Includes President, VP, Cabinet

Judicial Branch

• Interprets

• Laws includes Supreme Court

• 9 justices

Judicial Review

• Courts can declare laws unconstitutional

• Case: Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Presidential Veto

• President can reject laws

Congressional Override

• Congress can override veto with 2/3 vote

Congressional Oversight

• Congress investigates executive branch

Impeachment

• House brings charges; Senate holds trial; 2/3 vote to convict.

Federalism

• Shared power between national and state governments

Supremacy Clause

• Federal law > state law

Full Faith and Credit Clause

• States must honor other states’ laws and licenses

Delegated/Enumerated Powers

• Federal powers: print money, treaties, war, interstate trade

Reserved Powers

• State powers: licenses, intrastate commerce, elections

Concurrent Powers

• Shared powers: taxes, roads, courts, borrowing money

Necessary & Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)

• Allows Congress to make laws needed to carry out powers

Nullification

• States claim right to void unconstitutional federal laws

Dual Federalism (Layer Cake)

• State and national govs separate

• Pre‑New Deal

Cooperative Federalism (Marble Cake)

• Federal gov works with states

• New Deal era

New Federalism

• Returning power to states (Nixon, Reagan)

Categorical Grants

• Money for specific purposes

• Strict rules

Block Grants

• General funding with broad use; states prefer them

Unfunded Mandates

• Federal requirements without funding

Devolution

• Shifting power from federal to state governments

McCulloch v. Maryland

• Congress has implied powers

• Federal supremacy

Commerce Clause

• Congress can regulate interstate commerce

U.S. v. Lopez

• Congress exceeded commerce power

• Limited federal authority

Interest Groups

• Groups that try to influence government policy

Elite Model

• Political power held by wealthy elites

Pluralist Model

• Competing groups influence policy

Participatory Model

• Broad citizen involvement in politics.

War Powers Act

• Limits president’s ability to deploy troops

Patriot Act

• Expanded federal surveillance powers after 9/11

Executive Orders

• Rules issued by president with force of law