AP Government and Politics - 1.1 Ideals of Democracy

The Enlightenment

17th and 18th century intellectual movement emphasizing reason, individual rights, and popular government.

Natural Rights

Rights humans have inherently; governments exist to protect them rather than grant them.

Social Contract

Agreement where citizens trade some freedoms for government protection, order, and security.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that political power belongs to the people and relies on their consent.

Limited Government

Government power restricted by laws and constitutions to protect individual liberty.

Thomas Hobbes

Enlightenment thinker who believed a strong government prevents a violent, chaotic state of nature.

State of Nature

A condition without government marked by disorder, conflict, and insecurity.

John Locke

Enlightenment thinker who argued for life, liberty, property, and government by consent.

Locke's Natural Rights

The specific natural rights to life, liberty, and property.

Right to Revolution

The idea that people can alter or abolish a failing, rights-violating government.

Baron de Montesquieu

Enlightenment thinker who proposed dividing political power into separate branches to prevent tyranny.

Separation of Powers

The division of government into distinct branches to prevent concentrated power.

Checks and Balances

System where each government branch can limit the actions of the others.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Enlightenment thinker who argued authority comes from the people and laws should reflect the general will.

General Will

The collective interests and will of the people that government should reflect.

Republicanism

Principle where citizens exercise power by electing representatives to make decisions.

Representative Government

System in which citizens elect officials to make decisions and laws for them.

Representative Republic

Government where citizens elect representatives while political authority ultimately comes from the people.

Declaration of Independence

1776 document announcing colonial separation from Britain based on natural rights and consent.

Consent of the Governed

The idea that government receives its legitimate authority from the people.

Right to Alter or Abolish Government

Principle allowing people to replace a government that violates their rights.

Articles of Confederation

First U.S. governing document creating a weak national government and strong states.

Confederation

System where states retain most power and the central government has limited authority.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

No direct taxation, no executive/judicial branch, no commerce regulation, and required unanimous amendment.

Constitutional Convention

1787 Philadelphia meeting where delegates created the U.S. Constitution.

U.S. Constitution

Document establishing a stronger, limited national government structure in 1787.

Federalism

The division of political power between national and state governments.

We the People

Opening phrase of the Constitution reflecting popular sovereignty.

Constitutional Government

System in which government power is defined and limited by a constitution.

Direct Democracy

System where citizens directly participate in political decisions without representatives.

Popular Sovereignty vs. Republicanism

Popular sovereignty is power source by the people; republicanism is exercising that power via representatives.

Thomas Hobbes

State of nature leads to a strong government via a social contract.

John Locke

Natural rights lead to consent of the governed and the right to revolution.

Baron de Montesquieu

Advocated for separation of powers and checks and balances.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Social contract reflects the general will and popular sovereignty.

Thomas Jefferson

Authored the Declaration of Independence focusing on natural rights and consent.

James Madison

Key architect of the U.S. Constitution, focusing on structure and limits.

Declaration of Independence (1776)

Explains British separation, natural rights, and popular sovereignty.

Articles of Confederation (1781)

Created the first weak U.S. government with most power held by states.

U.S. Constitution (1787 Doc)

Established the current, stronger, but limited national U.S. government.