Flashcards AP Government: Key Concepts, Federalist Papers, and Constitutional Foundations | Quizlet

What is the primary function of government?

To make collective decisions for a society.

Name the five major functions of government.

1. Provide national defense. 2. Provide public services. 3. Preserve order. 4. Socialize and educate the young. 5. Collect taxes.

What is politics?

The process by which we select our government leaders and what policies they pursue.

What are linkage institutions?

Entities that connect citizens to government and communicate preferences to policymakers, such as political parties, elections, interest groups, and the media.

What is the policy agenda?

The set of issues that receive serious attention from public officials and politically active individuals.

What is a representative democracy?

A system where citizens elect representatives to make policy on their behalf.

What is the difference between a republic and a direct democracy?

In a republic, citizens elect representatives; in a direct democracy, citizens vote directly on policies.

List the five criteria of an ideal democratic process.

1. Equality in voting. 2. Effective participation. 3. Enlightened understanding. 4. Citizen control of the agenda. 5. Inclusion.

What are the three theories of American democracy?

1. Pluralism: power is dispersed among many groups. 2. Elitism: a small number of wealthy individuals dominate. 3. Hyperpluralism: too many competing groups lead to policy gridlock.

What challenges does democracy face?

Increasing complexity of issues, limited participation, rising campaign costs, and diverse competing interests.

What are the five elements of American political culture?

1. Liberty. 2. Egalitarianism. 3. Individualism. 4. Laissez-faire. 5. Populism.

What were the Enlightenment influences on the Constitution?

Ideas from thinkers like John Locke about natural rights, consent of the governed, and limited government.

What was the purpose of the Articles of Confederation?

To create a weak national government due to fears of a strong central authority.

What was Shays' Rebellion?

An uprising by Massachusetts farmers that exposed the weaknesses of the national government under the Articles of Confederation.

What was the outcome of the Annapolis Convention?

Delegates agreed to meet again in Philadelphia, leading to the Constitutional Convention.

What was the Connecticut/Great Compromise?

A compromise that created a bicameral legislature with representation based on population in the House and equal representation in the Senate.

What was the Three-Fifths Compromise?

An agreement that counted three out of every five enslaved persons for representation and taxation purposes.

What powers were granted to Congress by the Constitution?

Stronger national economic powers, including taxation, borrowing, spending, and regulating interstate commerce.

What did Federalist No. 10 argue?

That a large republic would help control factions and prevent any one group from dominating.

What did Federalist No. 51 emphasize?

The importance of checks and balances and the separation of powers in government.

What was the main argument of Brutus No. 1?

That a large republic would be detrimental to individual liberties and local governance.

What is the amendment process outlined in the Constitution?

An amendment requires a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states.

What was the significance of Marbury v. Madison?

It established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Supreme Court to declare laws unconstitutional.

What is federalism?

A system of government where power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.

What are checks and balances?

Mechanisms that prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful.

What is the role of the President in the policymaking process?

To enforce laws, propose legislation, and influence policy through executive orders.

What is the role of the courts in the policymaking process?

To interpret laws, resolve disputes, and ensure justice under the law.

What is the significance of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?

It established a process for adding new territories and states to the Union.

What limits are placed on personal freedoms in the original Constitution?

Limits on suspension of habeas corpus, no bills of attainder, no ex post facto laws, strict rules for treason, and trial by jury in federal criminal cases.

What are the three branches of government in the Madisonian System?

Legislative (Congress), Executive (President), and Judicial (federal courts).

What is the purpose of checks and balances?

To allow each branch of government to limit or check the powers of the others.

How does the President check Congress?

By vetoing legislation.

Who were the Federalists?

Supporters of the Constitution, including Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.

What was the main concern of the Anti-Federalists?

Fear of a strong central government and insufficient protection of individual liberties.

What did the Bill of Rights address?

Anti-Federalist concerns about individual liberties and helped in the ratification of the Constitution.

What is a faction according to Federalist No. 10?

A group of citizens united by a shared passion or interest that is adverse to the rights of others or the long-term interests of the community.

What are the two ways to address factions as proposed by Madison?

Remove the causes of faction or control their effects.

Why is removing the causes of factions considered ineffective?

It would destroy liberty, which is essential to political life, and making everyone hold the same opinions is impossible.

What is Madison's solution to controlling factions?

A large representative republic that contains diverse interests and factions.

What is the main question addressed in Federalist No. 51?

How can the Constitution keep government departments from accumulating too much power?

What does Madison mean by 'Ambition must be made to counteract ambition'?

The Constitution should channel officials' ambitions to defend their own branch against encroachments by others.

What are the primary control and auxiliary precautions in government?

Primary control is dependence on the people through elections; auxiliary precautions include separation of powers and checks and balances.

What is Brutus No. 1's main concern?

The proposed Constitution gives too much power to the national government, endangering states and individual liberties.

What is the Necessary and Proper Clause?

A clause that allows Congress to interpret its powers broadly, potentially expanding federal authority.

What does Brutus fear about a standing army?

That it could become an instrument for enforcing oppressive national laws against the people.

What is the Anti-Federalist critique of a large republic?

Representatives will be too distant from ordinary citizens and diverse interests will be hard to represent.

What is the main issue of Federalist No. 10?

The problem of factions.

What is the main solution proposed in Federalist No. 51?

Checks and balances and federalism to prevent accumulation of power.

What does Madison mean by 'double security'?

Power is divided between national and state governments, and again among branches within each level.

How does Federalist No. 10 view minority factions?

They are usually controllable through ordinary majority voting.

What is the danger of majority factions according to Madison?

They can use democratic power to violate minority rights.

What is the relationship between liberty and faction according to Madison?

Liberty is essential for political life and is to faction what air is to fire.

What is Madison's argument in Federalist No. 10?

Size and diversity protect liberty by making majority factions harder to organize.

What is Brutus's argument in Brutus No. 1?

Size and diversity weaken representation, accountability, and trust.

What does Federalist No. 51 focus on?

Preventing abuses by government institutions.

What is the main difference between Federalist No. 10 and Federalist No. 51?

Federalist No. 10 focuses on factions within society, while Federalist No. 51 focuses on government abuses.

What do both Federalist No. 51 and Brutus No. 1 recognize?

Both recognize that people seek power.

What is the formal amendment process for the Constitution?

Proposal by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or a national convention; ratification by three-fourths of the states.

What is a memory trick for the amendment process?

2/3 proposes, 3/4 ratifies.

What landmark case established judicial review?

Marbury v. Madison.

What do Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education illustrate?

How judicial interpretation can change constitutional application over time.

What does the 15th Amendment address?

Prohibits denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

What does the 19th Amendment protect?

Women's voting rights.

What does the 23rd Amendment provide?

Gives Washington, D.C. electoral votes in presidential elections.

What does the 24th Amendment prohibit?

Poll taxes in federal elections.

What does the 26th Amendment change?

Lowers the voting age to 18.

What is pluralism?

A political theory where many competing groups influence policy.

What is elitism?

A political theory where a few powerful actors dominate.

What is hyperpluralism?

A situation where too many groups lead to gridlock.

What are natural rights?

Life, liberty, and property.

What does 'consent of the governed' mean?

Authority comes from the people.

What was a major weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

It created a weak national government.

What was the structure of the Articles legislature?

Unicameral; one state, one vote.

What did Shays' Rebellion expose?

The weakness of the Articles of Confederation.

What did the Virginia Plan propose?

Population-based representation.

What did the New Jersey Plan propose?

Equal state representation.

What is the Great Compromise?

Combines population-based representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate.

What does the Necessary and Proper Clause allow?

Congress may enact laws needed to execute enumerated powers.

What does the Supremacy Clause state?

Valid federal law prevails over conflicting state law.