AP GOPO U1 Test

What is limited government?

A government whose powers are defined and restricted by a constitution.

What is the social contract?

The idea that government is an agreement between the rulers and the governed.

What are natural rights?

Rights inherent to all people that government is created to protect.

According to John Locke, what three natural rights must government protect?

Life, liberty, and property.

What three unalienable rights are named in the Declaration of Independence?

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

What is popular sovereignty?

The idea that political authority belongs to the people.

What is republicanism?

A system in which citizens elect representatives to govern on their behalf.

What is equality as a democratic ideal?

The idea that people should have equal political rights and legal treatment.

How does the Declaration of Independence reflect democratic ideals?

It emphasizes natural rights, equality, popular sovereignty, and the right to alter or abolish unjust government.

What is participatory democracy?

A system in which citizens participate directly in holding office or making policy.

What is an example of participatory democracy?

Citizens directly voting on a ballot initiative.

What is pluralist democracy?

A system in which many groups compete to influence government and public policy.

What is an example of pluralist democracy?

Interest groups competing to influence legislation.

What is elite democracy?

A system in which a small group of influential people makes major political decisions.

What type of democracy did Madison favor in Federalist 10?

A large representative republic with competing factions.

What type of government did Anti-Federalists favor in Brutus No. 1?

A small republic with a limited national government.

Why did Brutus No. 1 favor a small republic?

Anti-Federalists believed a large national government could threaten individual liberty.

What did Brutus No. 1 warn would happen as government grew?

The national government could become too powerful and threaten individual rights.

What type of government did Federalists favor in Federalist 10?

A large republic with elected representatives and many competing factions.

Why did Madison favor a large republic in Federalist 10?

A large republic would make it harder for one faction to dominate government.

What is a confederation?

A system in which states retain most political power while the central government is weak.

Why did the founders establish a confederate system after independence?

They feared centralized power because of their experience under British rule.

What was government like under the Articles of Confederation?

States held most power, while Congress had limited authority and no executive or national judiciary.

What were major weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

Congress could not effectively tax, regulate interstate trade, or enforce laws.

What was the biggest weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

The national government lacked sufficient power to raise revenue and enforce its decisions.

What events highlighted weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

Shays' Rebellion and problems involving taxation, trade, and national security.

What was the Great Compromise?

It created a bicameral Congress with the House based on population and equal state representation in the Senate.

What was the Electoral College compromise?

It created an indirect system for selecting the president through electors.

What was the Three-Fifths Compromise?

Each enslaved person was counted as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation.

What was the Slave Trade Compromise?

Congress could not ban the international slave trade until 1808.

Why was the issue of voting not fully resolved at the Constitutional Convention?

The Constitution largely left voting qualifications to the states.

What is separation of powers?

The division of government authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

What did Madison argue about separation of powers in Federalist 51?

Each branch should have enough independence and power to prevent another branch from dominating.

What are checks and balances?

A system in which each branch has powers that can limit the actions of the other branches.

Why did Madison support checks and balances in Federalist 51?

To prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful and protect liberty.

What is federalism?

A system in which power is divided between the national government and state governments.

What are enumerated or expressed powers?

Powers specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution.

Where are enumerated powers primarily found?

In Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution.

What are implied powers?

Powers not explicitly written in the Constitution but reasonably inferred from expressed powers.

What constitutional clause gives Congress implied powers?

The Necessary and Proper Clause.

What does the Necessary and Proper Clause do?

It allows Congress to make laws necessary and proper for carrying out its enumerated powers.

What constitutional provision gives the president implied powers?

The Vesting Clause in Article II.

What does the Vesting Clause do?

It vests executive power in the president.

What are reserved powers?

Powers not given to the federal government or prohibited to states that are reserved to the states.

Where are reserved powers protected?

The Tenth Amendment.

What is an example of a reserved power?

States' authority over education or licensing.

What are concurrent powers?

Powers shared by the federal and state governments.

What is an example of a concurrent power?

The power to tax.

What is dual federalism?

A system in which national and state governments have separate areas of authority.

When was dual federalism most prominent?

Traditionally from the founding through the early 20th century.

What is cooperative federalism?

A system in which federal and state governments work together on policies and programs.

When was cooperative federalism most prominent?

Especially during the New Deal era.

What is an unfunded mandate?

A federal requirement imposed on states without providing enough funding to cover the costs.

How does an unfunded mandate affect federalism?

It can increase federal influence over states while shifting costs to state governments.

What is a categorical grant?

Federal money given to states for a specific purpose with restrictions on how it can be used.

How does a categorical grant affect federalism?

It gives the federal government more influence over states because spending is restricted.

What is a block grant?

Federal money given to states for a broad purpose with fewer restrictions.

How does a block grant affect federalism?

It gives states more flexibility and generally increases state control over spending.

What is the Tenth Amendment?

Powers not given to the federal government or prohibited to states are reserved to the states or the people.

How does the Tenth Amendment affect federalism?

It protects state authority and limits the federal government's power.

What is the Fourteenth Amendment?

It guarantees citizenship, due process, and equal protection and allows federal protection of individual rights against states.

How does the Fourteenth Amendment affect federalism?

It can increase federal power by limiting what state governments may do.

What is the Commerce Clause?

The constitutional provision giving Congress power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce.

How does the Commerce Clause affect federalism?

It can expand federal power over economic activity involving interstate commerce.

What is the Necessary and Proper Clause?

The clause allowing Congress to make laws necessary and proper for carrying out its constitutional powers.

How does the Necessary and Proper Clause affect federalism?

It can expand federal authority by allowing implied congressional powers.

What is the Supremacy Clause?

Federal law and the Constitution are supreme over conflicting state laws.

How does the Supremacy Clause affect federalism?

It gives federal law priority when valid federal and state laws conflict.

What happened in McCulloch v. Maryland?

The Supreme Court upheld Congress's implied power to create a national bank and ruled Maryland could not tax it.

What was the impact of McCulloch v. Maryland on federalism?

It strengthened national power through implied powers and federal supremacy.

What happened in United States v. Lopez?

The Supreme Court ruled Congress could not use the Commerce Clause to prohibit guns in school zones.

What was the impact of United States v. Lopez on federalism?

It placed a limit on Congress's Commerce Clause power and protected state authority.

How does public education demonstrate the complexity of federalism?

Federal, state, and local governments all influence education through funding, laws, standards, and administration.

How does marijuana legalization demonstrate federalism?

Some states allow marijuana under state law while federal law continues to prohibit it.

What are laboratories of democracy?

States serving as places where different policies can be created and tested.

What does Federalist 39 say about federalism?

The Constitution combines republican principles with federalism, dividing power between national and state governments.

What is Federalist 10 mainly about?

A large republic can control factions by making it difficult for one faction to dominate.

What is Brutus No. 1 mainly about?

A large national government could become too powerful and threaten individual liberty.

What is Federalist 51 mainly about?

Separation of powers and checks and balances are necessary to prevent concentrated power.

What is the Declaration of Independence mainly about?

Natural rights, popular sovereignty, equality, and grievances against British rule.

What were the Articles of Confederation?

The first U.S. constitution, which created a weak national government dominated by the states.

What are the Federalist Papers?

Essays defending the Constitution and supporting its ratification.

What is the Constitution?

The framework and supreme law establishing the structure and powers of the U.S. government.

What is the difference between checks and balances and separation of powers?

Separation divides power among branches; checks and balances lets branches limit one another.

What is the difference between expressed and implied powers?

Expressed powers are explicitly stated; implied powers are inferred from expressed powers.

What is the difference between reserved and concurrent powers?

Reserved powers belong to states; concurrent powers are shared by states and the federal government.

What is the difference between dual and cooperative federalism?

Dual federalism separates state and federal roles; cooperative federalism involves shared responsibilities.

What is the difference between a categorical grant and a block grant?

Categorical grants have specific restrictions; block grants provide broader flexibility.

What event helped push the country toward the Constitutional Convention?

Shays' Rebellion.

What was the Constitutional Convention?

The 1787 meeting in Philadelphia that originally sought to revise the Articles but produced the Constitution.

How many representatives are in the U.S. House?

435.

Which article outlines the duties and powers of the president?

Article II.

What created the bicameral legislature?

The Great Compromise.

What does bicameral mean?

A legislature divided into two chambers.

What determines the number of senators each state has?

Each state has two senators.

What is the Electoral College?

The system through which electors formally select the president.

What is the main purpose of the Bill of Rights?

To protect individual rights and liberties from government infringement.

What is the Bill of Rights?

The first ten amendments to the Constitution.

What type of democracy emphasizes broad citizen involvement?

Participatory democracy.

What type of democracy emphasizes competing interest groups?

Pluralist democracy.