AP US Government and Politics Unit 1

Second Continental Congress

Issued the Declaration of Independence, stating the colonies’ grievances with the British monarchy and that they were going to create a separate government. The framers decided to create a limited government based on the ideas of natural rights, popular sovereignty, republicanism, and the social contract.

Limited Government

The belief that the government should have certain restrictions in order to protect the individual rights and civil liberties of citizens.

Natural Rights

Rights that all people are born with and can never give up. It is the government’s responsibility to maintain these rights.

Social Contract

The agreement between the American society and the federal government in which the public would relinquish some freedoms for the government to protect the important ones (your natural rights).

Popular Sovereignty

The idea that the government’s power comes from the consent of the governed.

Republicanism

A system of government in which elected leaders represent the interests of the people.

Declaration of Independence

John Locke influenced this document with the ideas of natural rights and the social contract. It listed the grievances against the British Empire to garner the sympathy of the international community and the inspiration for American democratic values.

Constitution

Replaced the Articles of Confederation, a weak system of government that placed power in the hands of state governments. Representatives from states met during the Constitutional Convention to draft this document to balance individual liberty with public order.

Federalist Papers

Written to help the process of the ratification of the new Constitution since the approval of every state was needed if the new system were to be adopted.

Bill of Rights

The first 10 amendments of the Constitution. These amendments were important to convince Anti-Federalists states in adopting the Constitution.

Democratic Republic

Popular sovereignty exists but people elect officials to represent their interests.

Democracy

A system of government in which the power of the government is vested in the people, who rule directly or through elected representatives.

Participatory Democracy

A model of democracy in which citizens have the power to decide directly on policy and politicians are responsible for implementing those policy decisions. This type of democracy can be represented through local and state forms of government such as town halls, initiatives, and popular referendums.

Direct Democracy

Citizens are directly responsible for policy decisions.

Pluralist Democracy

A model of democracy in which no one group dominates politics and organized groups compete with each other to influence policy. Pluralist democracy is seen in both state and federal levels of government. Individuals must work through groups formed around common causes.

Interest Groups

Groups of people who attempt to influence policymakers to support their position on a particular common interest or concern. Interest groups such as the NRA influence politicians through monetary donations, lobbying, and testifying in Congressional hearings.

Elite Democracy

A model of democracy in which a small number of people, usually those who are wealthy and well-educated, influence political decision making. The Electoral College is an example of elite democracy because it places a small group in charge of making major political decisions, even if those decisions contradict the popular will.

Articles of Confederation

Comprised the United States first Constitution and established a weak central government and placed most powers in the hands of the states. The United States was a confederacy in which states were sovereign and linked together for limited purposes like national defense. The national government had few powers like coining money, managing the post office, and negotiating with foreign powers.

Shay’s Rebellion

An uprising of Revolutionary War veterans in Massachusetts that both the state and national governments struggled to address due to a lack of centralized military power, illustrated the need to create a stronger governing system. This rebellion revealed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation because the US was unable to pay its vets and raise a militia. The right to impose taxes, regulate commerce, and raise an army was imperative.

Federalist 10

Critics of the Constitution argued that the proposed federal government was too large and would be unresponsive. Madison argued that liberty would be safest in a large republic because of factions and diversity would prevent any single group from dominating. Federalist 10 defends the Constitution by explaining how a large republic can mitigate the dangers of factionalism. Madison argues that factions are inevitable and large government could control them. Diversity makes tyranny more difficult since ruling coalitions would always be unstable.

Brutus 1

An anti-Federalist paper that argues against the Constitution, claiming that a large republic would threaten individual liberties and lead to a powerful central government that is prone to tyranny. It emphasizes the importance of local governance and warns that representatives cannot adequately represent the interests of diverse populations. Argued that states should not ratify the Constitution because condensing 13 states into one republic would give the federal government absolute power under the Necessary and Proper Clause and Supremacy Clause.

Constitutional Convention

Met in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation. They sought a plan that had a central government strong enough to be effective but not so strong as to promote tyranny.

Virginia Plan

Suggested a bicameral legislature with the number of representatives in both houses determined by population, benefitting larger states.

New Jersey Plan

Proposed a unicameral legislature that gave one vote to each of the states, benefitting smaller states.

Great Compromise

Compromised between the New Jersey Plan and Virginia Plan, proposing legislative branch that was bicameral and which we still use today. The House of Representatives would be determined by population and the Senate would have two senators per state, which were appointed by state legislatures and now selected by popular vote.

Electoral College

A body of representatives from every state in the United States who formally cast votes to elect the president and vice president. Article II talks about the executive branch and presidential elections. Each state is assigned electors, and the Senate, and these electors, cast votes for the winner of the popular vote in that state. Whichever candidate received the most electoral votes wins. This system moves from direct to indirect democracy because the Founders did not trust the will of everyday people.

3/5 Compromise

An agreement added to the Constitution that would counted each enslaved person as 3/5 a white person for purposes of representation in the House of Representatives.

Bill of Attainder Clause

Congress cannot pass a law that singles out a person for punishment without trial. Found in the Constitution, Article I, Section 9.

Commerce Clause

Congress can regulate trade between nations, between states, and among Indian tribes. Found in the Constitution, Article I, Section 8.

Contracts Clause

No state can interfere with the execution of contracts.

Ex Post Facto Clause

Congress cannot pass a law that punished a person after the fact. In other words, a person cannot be punished for something they did that was not a crime when they committed it. Found in the Constitution, Article I, Section 9.

Article II

Establishes the executive branch of the federal government, outlining the powers and duties of the President, including the enforcement of laws and conducting foreign relations.

Article III

Establishes the judicial branch of the federal government, defining the powers of the Supreme Court and other federal courts, including the interpretation of laws and the Constitution.

Congressional Proposal Method

A means to amend the Constitution in which 2/3 of both chambers of Congress must propose an amendment which then must be ratified by ¾ of state conventions or state legislatures.

Article 6

Established that the new nation would pay the debts of the old. The US wanted to make themselves trustworthy. Connected the idea of separation of Church and State and established the Supremacy Clause. The Constitution prevails over any other kind of law in a conflict, including state and federal law.

Article 7

In order for the conditions of the Constitution to become law, 9 states must ratify it. The Bill of Rights promised to ensure ratification.

Separation of Powers

The framers of the Constitution structured the government so that the three branches have separate powers. The branches must both cooperate and compete to enact policy.

Legislative Branch

Pass laws, declare war, impeach president and judges, approve presidential appointments, ratify treaties, levy taxes, establish the number of Supreme Court justices, and regulate the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction.

Executive Branch

Veto legislation, command armed forces, grant pardons, appoints judges, ambassadors, and department heads, conduct foreign affairs and negotiate treaties.

Judicial Branch

Declare laws unconstitutional, hear cases on federal law, preside over impeachment trials, and declare presidential acts unconstitutional.

Checks and Balances

Each of the branches has the power to check the other two, which ensures that no one branch can become too powerful and that government as a whole is constrained. The President can veto legislation, but Congress can impeach the President. The President can nominate judges, but the Supreme Court can declare presidential acts unconstitutional. The Supreme Court can declare laws unconstitutional, but Congress can impeach judges.

Federalist 51

Defends system of checks and balances in the Constitution and advocates for the separation of powers. The power of each branch of government checks that of the other two and depends on the people. Because of human nature we need a government to control the government and itself. Government can check the power of factions and tyranny of the majority because of diversity.

Access Points

Citizens can influence public policy and permit the removal of officials who abuse their power.

Impeachment

Government officials who commit crimes or abuse the power of their office may face impeachment, indictment as determined by a majority vote of the House of Representatives. The Senate then decides conviction and removal from office by a 2/3 supermajority or acquit them.

Stakeholder

A person with an interest or a concern in a political issue.

Federalism

Describes the system of shared governance between national and state governments.

Dual Federalism

Views the Constitution as giving a limited list of powers to the national government, and the rest are given to the states. Each level of government is dominant within its own sphere. The Supreme Court serves as the final arbiter in disputes between levels.

Marble Federalism

Describes a system where federal, state, and local governments work together, sharing responsibilities and powers. It's characterized by overlapping functions and a lack of clear divisions between levels of government, much like a marble cake with mixed ingredients. This emerged during the New Deal.

Fiscal Federalism

Refers to the financial relationships between different levels of government, particularly in a federal system like the United States. It encompasses how the federal government allocates funds to state and local governments and how these governments manage their own finances.

Devolution

The effort to slow the growth of the federal government by returning many functions to the states.

Article 4

Establishes the responsibilities of the states to each other and the responsibilities of the federal government toward the states. Also promises states the protection of the federal government by promising to defend states against invasion.

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Mandates states to recognize and respect the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state, such as marriage in one state.

Privileges and Immunities Clause

States cannot treat newcomers worse than their own citizens.

Exclusive Powers

Those powers reserved to the federal government or the states.

Delegated Powers

Powers of the federal government.

Reserved Powers

Powers for the states and people.

Concurrent Powers

Powers shared by the federal government and the states. These include the power to tax, make laws and enforce laws, charter banks and corporations, take land for public use, establishing courts, and borrowing money.

Exclusive Federal Powers

Coining money, regulating interstate and foreign commerce, regulating the mail, declaring war, raising armies, conducting foreign affairs, establishing inferior courts, establishing rules of naturalization.

Exclusive State Powers

Conducting elections, establishing local governments, providing for public safety, health and welfare, maintaining militia, and ratifying Constitutional amendments.

Categorical Grants

Federal funds that can only be used for specific purposes, and frequently include nondiscrimination provisions.

Mandates

Unfunded federal requirements that states or local governments meet a specific condition in order to receive federal aid.

Block Grants

Federal grants given to states or localities for broad purposes. The state or local governments can then disburse those funds as they see fit.

Federal Revenue Sharing

The practice of sharing federal income tax revenue with state and local governments.

Elastic Clause

Gives Congress the power to create laws that they find necessary and proper for performing their constitutional responsibilities and enumerated powers.

Enumerated Powers

Powers of the federal government that are explicitly named in the Constitution.

Implied Powers

Powers of the federal government that are not explicitly named in the Constitution but are implied so that the federal government can carry out its enumerated powers.

9th Amendment

States that rights not enumerated in the Constitution belong to the people.

10th Amendment

Stipulates that all powers not delegated to the federal government or prohibited to the states are reserved to the states or the people.

14th Amendment

Grants citizenship, equal protection, and due process under the law to all people born in the United States.

Due Process Clause

Part of the 14th Amendment that prohibits the government from depriving individuals of life, liberty, or property without fair legal procedures.

Equal Protection Clause

Part of the 14th Amendment that requires states to provide equal protection under the law to all individuals.

McCulloch v. Maryland

Confirmed the supremacy of the national government over the state government. Maryland could not tax the Second Bank of the United States because it would interfere with federal operations. This was proven with the Necessary and Proper Clause.

United States v. Lopez

Limited national power in favor of state power. Congress may not use the commerce clause to make possession of a gun in a school zone a federal crime. The court ruled that Lopez being charged for having a gun near a school was unconstitutional because it exceeds the powers of the commerce clause.

Public Policy

Agenda setting, policy formulation, policy adaptation and legitimization, policy implementation, and policy assessment.