AP Government Study Guide: Constitutional Underpinnings and Political Culture

These flashcards cover key concepts from the AP Government study guide related to constitutional underpinnings and political culture.

What is Direct Democracy?

A system where citizens meet and vote directly on government decisions.

What is Representative Democracy (Republic)?

A system where citizens choose officials to make decisions on government policy.

What was the Magna Carta (1215)?

The first attempt to limit the power of the British King, guaranteeing certain rights.

Who were the Enlightenment Philosophers that influenced democracy?

John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

What is Social Contract Theory?

The principle that people enter into a social contract with the government and agree to be ruled.

What does 'Consent of the Governed' mean?

The principle that all rulers depend on the approval of the people; if governments fail to protect rights, people have the right to change it.

What are Natural Rights according to John Locke?

Life, liberty, and property (changed to pursuit of happiness by Jefferson).

What is the Declaration of Independence?

A document by Thomas Jefferson asserting the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, justifying the American Revolution.

What does the Common Good refer to?

The belief in acting for the best interests of the nation as a whole.

What is Popular Sovereignty?

The belief that ultimate authority rests with the people.

What does Majority Rule imply?

The belief that government decisions should reflect the will of the majority.

What were the Articles of Confederation?

The first government framework; a weak association of states with no central executive power.

What was a significant weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

The federal government had no power to tax citizens directly.

What is Shays' Rebellion?

A farmer rebellion in Massachusetts from 1786-1787 protesting mortgage foreclosures and economic hardship.

What was the outcome of the Constitutional Convention in 1787?

The delegates agreed to form a new constitution supporting a Representative Democracy with three branches of government.

What was the Connecticut Compromise?

It established a bicameral legislature with representation based on population and equal representation for all states.

What did the Federalist Papers argue for?

Support for the new Constitution, emphasizing strong central government and checking the powers of factions.

What does Separation of Powers refer to?

The division of government into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.

What is Checks and Balances?

A system ensuring that each branch of government can limit the powers of the others.

What is federalism?

The division of powers between the national and state governments.

What is the Bill of Rights?

The first ten amendments to the Constitution that guarantee individual and states' rights.

What is offered by Amendment 1 of the Bill of Rights?

Freedom of speech, assembly, petition, religion, and press.

What is offered by Amendment 2 of the Bill of Rights?

The right to bear arms.

What is the Exclusionary Rule?

Evidence obtained illegally cannot be used in court.

What is meant by 'Judicial Review'?

The power of the courts to determine the constitutionality of laws.

What does Class-Action Suit mean?

A case brought by one or more people on behalf of a larger group.

What does Civil Liberties refer to?

Freedoms protected against government constraints.

What is the definition of federalism?

A constitutional division of powers between federal and state governments.

What did McCulloch v. Maryland establish?

Federal supremacy over state laws.

What is the significance of the War Powers Act?

It limits the president's powers to deploy troops without the consent of Congress.

What is the Tenth Amendment?

Any power not specifically granted to the federal government is reserved for the states.

What is judicial review?

Judicial review is the power of courts to assess whether a law is in compliance with the constitution.

What was the outcome of Marbury v. Madison (1803)?

Marbury v. Madison established the principle of judicial review in the United States.

What is the significance of Brown v. Board of Education (1954)?

Brown v. Board of Education declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson.

What did Roe v. Wade (1973) establish?

Roe v. Wade recognized a woman's legal right to have an abortion under the right to privacy.

What is the Miranda warning?

The Miranda warning is a legal warning given to individuals in custody before interrogation, informing

What is the importance of Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)?

Gideon v. Wainwright guaranteed the right to legal counsel for defendants in criminal cases who cannot afford an attorney.

What was the ruling in Loving v. Virginia (1967)?

Loving v. Virginia struck down laws banning interracial marriage, ruling that they violated the Equal Protection Clause.

What is the significance of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)?

Plessy v. Ferguson upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

What was established in Miranda v. Arizona (1966)?

Miranda v. Arizona established the requirement for police to inform suspects of their rights during arrest.

What did the Supreme Court decide in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)?

Obergefell v. Hodges legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, declaring it a constitutional right.

What was the outcome of United States v. Nixon (1974)?

United States v. Nixon resulted in the Supreme Court ruling that no person is above the law, leading to Nixon's resignation.

What key principle was established in Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)?

Tinker v. Des Moines established that students do not lose their First Amendment rights at school.

What was addressed in Citizens United v. FEC (2010)?

Citizens United v. FEC ruled that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts cannot be limited, protecting free speech.

What was the significance of Shelley v. Kraemer (1948)?

Shelley v. Kraemer ruled that courts could not enforce racially restrictive covenants on property.

What legal principle was upheld in New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985)?

New Jersey v. T.L.O. established the principle that students have reduced privacy rights in schools.

What did the Supreme Court rule in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)?

Regents v. Bakke ruled that affirmative action programs cannot use rigid quotas in admissions.

What was the impact of Roe v. Wade (1973) on reproductive rights?

Roe v. Wade asserted that a woman's right to privacy includes the right to have an abortion.

What was the decision in Texas v. Johnson (1989)?

Texas v. Johnson ruled that burning the American flag is a protected form of free speech.

What did the Court decide in Lawrence v. Texas (2003)?

Lawrence v. Texas struck down laws against sodomy, affirming the right to privacy for consensual same-sex relationships.

What was the essence of Shelby County v. Holder (2013)?

Shelby County v. Holder invalidated key provisions of the Voting Rights Act, weakening federal oversight of voting laws.

What did the ruling in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt (2016) determine?

Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt struck down restrictive abortion laws in Texas, deeming them unconstitutional.

What did the Supreme Court determine in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)?

District of Columbia v. Heller recognized an individual's right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia.

What was established in Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition (2002)?

Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition ruled that the Child Pornography Prevention Act was overly broad and unconstitutional.

What is the significance of Grutter v. Bollinger (2003)?

Grutter v. Bollinger upheld affirmative action in university admissions, emphasizing diversity's importance.

What was decided in the case of NFIB v. Sebelius (2012)?

NFIB v. Sebelius upheld the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate as a constitutional tax.

What did the Supreme Court rule in United States v. Windsor (2013)?

United States v. Windsor ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional, granting federal recognition to same-sex marriages.

What principle was established in the case of Kelo v. City of New London (2005)?

Kelo v. City of New London upheld the government's use of eminent domain for economic development.

What was the outcome of Arizona v. United States (2012)?

Arizona v. United States ruled that federal law preempts state law in immigration enforcement.

What did the ruling in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association (2016) involve?

Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association addressed the issue of mandatory union fees for public sector employees.

What was decided in the case of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. (2014)?

Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. ruled that closely held corporations could be exempt from regulations that violate their religious beliefs.

What did the Supreme Court rule in Michigan v. EPA (2015)?

Michigan v. EPA limited the EPA's authority to regulate emissions under the Clean Air Act.

What was established in the case of Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission (2018)?

Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission designated that a baker could refuse to create a wedding cake for a same-sex couple based on religious beliefs.

What did the Supreme Court decide in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022)?

Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the federal constitutional right to an abortion.

What principle was upheld in Fisher v. University of Texas (2016)?

Fisher v. University of Texas upheld the use of affirmative

What did the Court rule in United States v. Lopez (1995)?

United States v. Lopez limited Congress's power under the Commerce Clause, ruling that the Gun-Free School Zones Act was unconstitutional.

What was the significance of Massachusetts v. EPA (2007)?

Massachusetts v. EPA recognized that the EPA has the authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

What was the outcome of Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt (2016)?

Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt struck down Texas abortion regulations that placed an undue burden on women.

What principle was established in Plyler v. Doe (1982)?

Plyler v. Doe ruled that states cannot deny a free public education to undocumented children.

What did the Supreme Court decide in Shelby County v. Holder (2013)?

Shelby County v. Holder invalidated the formula used to determine which jurisdictions were subject to preclearance under the Voting Rights Act.

What was the ruling in Gratz v. Bollinger (2003)?

Gratz v. Bollinger ruled against the University of Michigan's undergraduate admission system for using a point system based on race.

What did the Supreme Court decide in Lawrence v. Texas (2003)?

Lawrence v. Texas struck down sodomy laws, stating they violated due process and equal protection rights.

What was the essence of Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (2007)?

Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. addressed pay discrimination, leading to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.

What was affirmed in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes (2011)?

Wal-Mart Stores v. Dukes ruled against class certification for gender discrimination claims due to lack of commonality.

What did the Court rule in Baker v. Carr (1962)?

Baker v. Carr established that federal courts can intervene in state redistricting cases.

What was the outcome of Riley v. California (2014)?

Riley v. California held that police must obtain a warrant to search a cell phone seized during an arrest.

What did the Supreme Court determine in Zubik v. Burwell (2016)?

Zubik v. Burwell dealt with religious exemptions under the contraceptive mandate of the ACA, leading to a remand for further review.

What was ruled in Fukino v. Abercrombie (2011)?

Fukino v. Abercrombie established that the state must allow applicants to change their gender on birth certificates.

What principle did Coker v. Georgia (1977) address?

Coker v. Georgia ruled that the death penalty for rape is unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment.

What was the significance of Roper v. Simmons (2005)?

Roper v. Simmons declared that it is unconstitutional to impose the death penalty for crimes committed while under the age of 18.

What was decided in Grutter v. Bollinger (2003)?

Grutter v. Bollinger upheld affirmative action policies in law school admissions that considered race as one of many factors.

What did the Supreme Court rule in J.E.B. v. Alabama ex rel. T.B. (1994)?

J.E.B. v. Alabama ruled that it is unconstitutional to use gender as a basis for peremptory challenges in jury selection.

What does the case of Baze v. Rees (2008) concern?

Baze v. Rees addressed the constitutionality of lethal injection methods used in executions.

What was the ruling in Stenberg v. Carhart (2000)?

Stenberg v. Carhart struck down a state law banning partial-birth abortion as unconstitutional.

What principle did United States v. Morrison (2000) establish?

United States v. Morrison limited Congress's ability to enact laws under the Commerce Clause and the Violence Against Women Act.

What was concluded in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)?

McCulloch v. Maryland established the principle of federal supremacy over state laws and the implied powers

What is the 'Exclusionary Rule'?

The 'Exclusionary Rule' prevents illegally obtained evidence from being used in court.

What does 'Stare Decisis' mean?

Stare Decisis refers to the legal principle of adhering to precedents in court decisions.

What is 'Judicial Activism'?

Judicial Activism refers to judicial rulings that are believed to be based on personal or political considerations rather than existing law.

What is 'Judicial Restraint'?

Judicial Restraint is a philosophy that courts should limit their own power and defer to the decisions of legislative and executive branches.

What does 'Standing' refer to in law?

Standing is the legal right to initiate a lawsuit, requiring a party to demonstrate sufficient connection to the law or harm.

What is a 'Class Action Lawsuit'?

A Class Action Lawsuit is a lawsuit filed on behalf of a group of people with similar grievances.

What is 'Burden of Proof'?

The Burden of Proof is the obligation to prove one's assertion in a court of law.

What is 'Due Process'?

Due Process is a constitutional guarantee that a law shall not be unfair, arbitrary, or unreasonable.

What does 'Double Jeopardy' protect against?

Double Jeopardy protects individuals from being tried twice for the same crime.

What is the 'Miranda Rule'?

The Miranda Rule requires law enforcement to inform criminal suspects of their rights before interrogation.

What is the 'Commerce Clause'?

The Commerce Clause allows Congress to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the states.

What is 'Federalism'?

Federalism is the division of power between national and state governments.

What is a 'Writ of Certiorari'?

A Writ of Certiorari is a formal request for the Supreme Court to review a lower court's decision.

What are 'Amicus Curiae' briefs?

'Amicus Curiae' briefs are filed by non-litigants to advise the court on a particular case.