AP Gov - Unit 1 Test Review

Linkage Institutions

Groups of organizations that connect people to the government by helping citizens express their interests and influence politics. (Elections, Special Interest Groups, Political parties.)

Policy Agenda

A list of issues and problems that government leaders are focusing on and trying to address. The issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people involved in politics at a point in time. It's like the government's to-do list, and not every issue in society makes this list.

Policy Making institutions

Parts of government that create, charge, and enforce public policies, such as Congress, the president, and the courts

Legislative branch

The branch of government that makes laws; it is made up of Congress (the House and Senate).

Executive branch

The branch of government that enforces and carries out laws, led by the president.

Judicial branch

The branch of government that interprets laws and decides if they follow the Constitution.

Public Policy

Government actions or decisions made to address problems or issues in society. (What the government decides to do or not do about a problem.)

Pluralist theory

The idea that many different interest groups compete to influence government, helping represent different interests in society.

Elite theory

The idea that a small group of wealthy or powerful people has a disproportionate amount of influence over government decisions.

Hyper pluralism

The idea that too many competing interest groups can make it difficult for the government to make effective decisions.

Natural Rights

Fundamental, inherent rights that all people possess by virtue of being human, rather than as a gift from a government or monarch. Examples: Life, liberty, property.

Virginia Plan

Proposal at Constitutional Convention that called for a strong national government with three branches and a bicameral legislature that wanted representation based on population.

New Jersey Plan

Proposal at Constitutional Convention that called for a one house legislature where every state received one equal vote, saying that the population of the state did not matter.

The Great Compromise (Connecticut)

An agreement at the Constitutional Convention that created a bicameral US Congress combining proportional and equal state representation.

Federalists

Group of Americans that supported ratifying the US Constitution and believed the US needed a strong national government to replace the weak Article of Confederation.

Anti Federalists

Group of Americans that opposed the ratification of the US Constitution because they feared a powerful central government would threaten individual liberties and state sovereignty.

Supremacy clause

If federal law and state law disagree, the federal law takes priority and the state law cannot be enforced.

Necessary and proper clause

Gives Congress the power to make laws needed to carry out its duties.

Interstate Commerce clause

Gives Congress the power to regulate trade and business between states.

Enumerated Powers

Powers that are specifically given to the federal government in the Constitution. (Collect taxes, declare war, make money, regulate interstate commerce, create and maintain the military, establish pose offices, make laws, set rules for immigration and naturalization.)

Implied Powers

Powers that are not directly written in the Constitution but are reasonably needed to carry out Congress’s enumerated powers. (Example: Creating a national bank, creating air force, creating military draft, etc.)

Reserved powers

Powers that are kept by the states rather than given to the federal government.

Full faith and credit clause

States must recognize and respect the laws, records, and court decisions of other states.

Dual Federalism

The federal and state governments have separate areas of power and mostly work independently.

Cooperative Federalism

The federal and state governments share power and work together to solve problems.

Devolution

The process of giving more power and responsibilities from the federal government to the states and local governments.

Fiscal Federalism

The federal government uses money and funding to influence what state and local governments do. (System of federal spending, taxation, and grants to state and local governments.)

Article I

Creates the legislative branch (Congress) and gives it power to make laws.

Article II

Creates the executive branch (President) and gives it the power to enforce laws.

Article III

Creates the judicial branch (Supreme Court and federal courts) and gives it the power to interpret laws.

Supreme Court

The highest court in the US that makes final decisions on whether laws and government actions follow the Constitution.

Federal Court

A court that handles cases involving federal laws, the US Constitution, or disputes between states.

Federal Laws

Laws made by the US federal government that apply to the entire country.

Checks and Balances

A system where each branch of government can limit the power of the other branches to prevent one branch from becoming too powerful.

Factions

Groups of people who share the same beliefs or interests and work together to influence the government.

Federalism

A system where power is divided between the federal government and state governments.

Republic

A government where people elect representatives to make decisions and create laws for them.

Direct democracy

Citizens vote directly on laws and decisions instead of electing representatives to make those decisions for them.

Founding father

A person who helped create the United States and its government, especially during the American Revolution and the writing of the Constitution.

Philosopher

A person who studies and thinks deeply about ideas, knowledge, and how people should live and govern.

U.S. v. Lopez (1995)

A student brought a gun to school, and the Supreme Court ruled that Congress could not ban guns near schools using the Commerce Clause. The case was important because it limited federal power and protected some state powers. It also highlighted how far Congress can try to stretch its power under the Commerce Clause.

McCulloch v. Maryland  (1819)

Maryland tried to tax the national bank, but the Supreme Court ruled that states could not tax the federal government. The case was important because it strengthened federal power and supported Congress’s implied powers.

US. Constitution

The highest law in the United States that establishes the government and explains its powers and limits.

Declaration of Independence

A document that declared the American colonies independent from Britain and explained why they and the right to form their own government.

Articles of Confederation

The first US government system, which gave most power to the states and made the national government very weak. The before picture that helps explain why the US Constitution was written.

Federalist No. 10

An essay by James Madison arguing that a large republic with many different groups (factions) can help one group from becoming too powerful.

Federalist No. 51

An essay by James Madison explaining checks and balances and why each branch of government needs to limit the power of the other branches.

Federalist No. 39

An essay by James Madison explaining that the US government is a republic because people elect representatives to make decisions for them.

James Madison

One of the Founding Fathers, the 4th US president, and a major writer on the Federalist Papers. He is often called the “Father of the Constitution.”

John Locke

A philosopher who argued that people have natural rights, which are life liberty and property, also argued that the government exists to protect those rights.

Thomas Jefferson

A Founding Father who wrote the Declaration of Independence and became the 3rd US president.

Thomas Hobbes

A philosopher who believed people need a strong government to maintain order and prevent chaos.

Charles Montesquieu

A philosopher who believed government power should be divided into separate branches so no one part becomes too powerful.