AP Government Exam Review 2025

Flashcards covering the foundational concepts of United States government, including the Constitution, federalism, political behaviors, branches of government, civil liberties, and civil rights for the 2025 AP Government Exam Review.

Federalism

A system created by the Constitution that establishes a balance between the national and state governments.

Article $II$

The section of the Constitution that created an executive department to enforce laws.

Article $III$

The section of the Constitution that created a national judiciary with a Supreme Court and lower courts established by Congress.

Limited government

A basic principle of the Constitution stating that government power is restricted.

Bill of Rights

The first $10$ amendments to the Constitution.

Judiciary Act of $1789$

An example of legislative action where Congress created lower courts as needed.

Marbury v. Madison

The Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review.

Delegated powers

Also known as enumerated powers, these are specifically given to the national government in Article $I$, Section $8$.

Implied powers

Powers that may be reasonably inferred from the Constitution through the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Inherent powers

Powers that exist for the national government because the government is sovereign, such as executive orders.

Concurrent powers

Powers that belong to both the states and national governments, such as taxes, elections, and law enforcement.

Reserved powers

Powers that belong to the states under Amendment $10$, such as regulating education and granting licenses.

Full faith and credit clause

Requirement that states recognize the laws and legal documents of other states.

Privileges and immunities clause

A clause prohibiting states from unreasonably discriminating against residents of another state.

McCulloch v. Maryland ($1819$)

Supreme Court case ruling that federal law is supreme over state law via the Necessary and Proper (Elastic) Clause.

Gibbons v. Ogden ($1824$)

Supreme Court case establishing national supremacy over interstate commerce.

Dual Federalism

Also known as layer cake federalism, where national and state governments have power within their own sphere of influence from $1789-1932$.

Cooperative Federalism

Also known as marble cake federalism, characterized by the national and state governments working together from $1932-1968$.

Devolution Revolution

The shift of national power back to the states, associated with New Federalism under Nixon, Reagan, and Bush $41$.

Grant in aid

Money and resources provided by the national government to state and local projects and programs.

Categorical grants

Grants that have a specific purpose defined by law, such as Head Start or Medicaid.

Block grants

General grants which can be used for a variety of purposes, such as TANF.

Unfunded mandates

Requirements imposed by the national government on the state and local governments without providing funding, such as the Clean Air Act of $1970$.

Political Culture

A set of beliefs and basic values shared by most citizens, including majority rule and individual freedoms.

Political Socialization

The process in which citizens acquire a sense of political identity through family, education, and media.

Political Ideology

A set of beliefs about politics and public policy that creates the structure for looking at government.

Liberal

A political ideology that supports active government in promoting individual welfare and social rights.

Conservative

A political ideology that promotes a limited government role in helping individuals and supports traditional lifestyles.

Dealignment

Occurs when a significant number of voters no longer support a particular party.

Realignment

A shift in voting patterns where new coalitions form, such as the Democrats in $1932$.

Direct Primary

An election that allows citizens to nominate candidates.

Recall

A special election initiated by petition to allow citizens to remove an official from office.

Referendum

An election that allows citizens to vote directly on issues called propositions.

Initiative

A process allowing voters to petition to propose issues to be decided by qualified voters.

Closed primary

An election in which only voters who are registered in the party may vote to choose the candidate.

Blanket primary

An election where voters may vote for candidates of either party for different offices.

Electoral College

The system used to choose the President and Vice-President, consisting of $538$ total electoral votes.

Buckley v. Valeo ($1976$)

Supreme Court ruling that spending limits established by the FECA were unconstitutional.

Citizens United v. FEC ($2010$)

Supreme Court ruling that unions and corporations could spend unlimited money on elections.

Direct Lobbying

Trying to influence public policy through direct contact with government officials.

Grass-Roots Lobbying

Trying to influence public policy indirectly by mobilizing an interest group's membership and the public to contact elected officials.

Connecticut or Great Compromise

The agreement at the Constitutional Convention that created a bicameral legislature consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Reapportionment

The redistribution of Congressional seats after the census determines changes in population distribution among the states.

Gerrymandering

The drawing of congressional districts to favor one political party or group over another.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer and most powerful member of the House of Representatives who assigns bills to committee.

Standing Committee

A permanent committee that deals with specific policy matters.

Conference Committee

A temporary committee of members from both Houses created to resolve differences in the House and Senate versions of a bill.

Incumbency Effect

The tendency for office holders to easily get reelected due to name recognition, casework, and fundraising abilities.

Filibuster

A tactic in the Senate involving unlimited debate in an attempt to stall action on a bill.

Cloture

The method by which $60$ votes can end a filibuster in the Senate.

Pork barrel legislation

An attempt to provide funds and projects for a member's home state or district.

Logrolling

An attempt by members of Congress to gain support of other members in return for their support on the member's legislation.

Legislative veto

The rejection of a presidential or executive branch action by one or both houses of Congress, declared unconstitutional in $1983$ in INS v. Chadha.

$22nd$ Amendment

Constitutional amendment that limits the President to $2$ terms or a maximum of $10$ years.

$25th$ Amendment

Constitutional amendment providing that the Vice-President becomes President if the office becomes vacant and establishes procedures for presidential disability.

Executive Orders

Orders issued by the President to carry out policies and enforce laws.

War Powers Act

Legislation designed to limit the president's power regarding military actions.

Bureaucracy

A systematic way of organizing a complex and large administrative structure characterized by hierarchical authority and job specialization.

Pendleton Act

The Civil Service Act of $1883$ that replaced the spoils system with a merit system.

Hatch Act of $1939$

Law prohibiting government employees from engaging in political activities while on duty.

Iron triangles

Alliances between bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups.

Original jurisdiction

The authority of lower courts to hear cases for the first time.

Appellate jurisdiction

The authority of courts to hear reviews or appeals of decisions from lower courts.

Writ of certiorari

An order by the court directing a lower court to send up the records of a case for review.

Rule of four

Requirement that $4$ of the $9$ justices must agree to hear a case.

Amicus briefs

Documents submitted by interested parties, known as "friends of the court," supporting or rejecting arguments of a case.

Judicial Activism

The philosophy that the court should play an active role in determining national policies and applying the Constitution to social questions.

Judicial Restraint

The philosophy that the court should avoid taking the initiative on social and political questions, operating strictly within Constitutional limits.

Discretionary Spending

Spending on programs that must be authorized annually, such as Defense, Education, and Law Enforcement.

Nondiscretionary Spending

Spending required by law, including interest on the national debt and social welfare programs.

Writ of habeas corpus

The constitutional right to be brought before a court and informed of charges against you.

Bill of attainder

A prohibited law that allows a person to be punished without a trial.

Ex post facto laws

Unconstitutional laws applied to acts committed before the laws' passage.

Establishment Clause

A First Amendment provision stating that Congress cannot establish a national religion or favor one religion over another.

Pure Speech

The most common form of speech, consisting of verbal communication.

Symbolic Speech

Using actions or symbols to convey an idea.

Substantive due process

Involves determining whether the policies of government or the subject matter of laws are fair.

Procedural due process

The method of government action or how the law is carried out according to established rules.

Affirmative Action

A policy designed to correct the effects of past discrimination.

Jim Crow Laws

State laws that created segregation in schools, public transportation, and hotels.