AP Government Final Exam Review Guide

Articles of Confederation

First constitution, weak central government + more state sovereignty.

The Constitution

Governing document of the US, fundamental law.

Connecticut (Great) Compromise

Bicameral legislature, senate = 2 representatives per state; house of representatives = apportioned by population.

Separation of Powers

Powers distributed among the 3 branches of government.

Limited Government

A government that does not have absolute power.

Popular Sovereignty

Consent of the governed, power comes from the people.

Checks and Balances

Ability of the branches to check each other and keep a single branch from having too much power.

Federalism

Division and sharing of power between the national and state governments.

Enumerated, Expressed, Delegated Powers

Reserved to national government ONLY.

Concurrent Powers

Shared powers that both the federal and state governments have.

Reserved Powers

Powers reserved to the state governments ONLY.

Dual Federalism

Layer cake; the federal government and state governments work in separative spheres.

Cooperative Federalism

Marble cake; the federal government and state governments work collaboratively together.

Devolution

The transfer of power to the state governments.

Article I

Establishes the legislative branch, sets up Congress outlines its powers and how a law is made.

Powers of Congress

Lawmaking, declare war, regulate commerce, and control nation's finances.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Also known as elastic clause, allows laws and decisions to be made based on the country's needs.

Powers of the House

Initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, electoral college tiebreaker.

Powers of the Senate

Propose and amend bills, confirm presidential appointments, ratify treaties, hold impeachment trials.

17th Amendment

Senators are elected by the people of each state.

Lawmaking Function

Creating laws that fit the need of the constituents, interest groups, and the executive branch.

Conference Committee

Mixture of house and senate, temporary committee used to resolve differences.

Oversight Function

Monitoring and reviewing and supervising the implementation of policies by the executive branch.

Select Committees

Specialized committees formed to investigate a specific concern.

Joint Committees

Composed of both the house and the senate, used to address matters of joint interest.

Single Member Districts

Electoral district that elects one representative to a legislative body.

Gerrymandering

Practice of drawing boundaries of electoral districts in a way where one party is favored over the other.

Budget Function

Setting spending levels, approving funding, and overseeing how the government spends taxpayer money.

Entitlement Programs

Government programs that provide benefits to individuals who meet a specific criteria.

House Ways and Means Committee

Chief tax writing committee, jurisdiction over all taxation tariffs and other revenue raising measures.

Standing Committees

Permanent committee, responsible for reviewing bills, conducting oversight, and shaping legislation.

Pork Barrel Legislation

'Bringing home the bacon,' the practice of legislators when they use federal funds to benefit their specific district or state, often at the expense of national interests.

Logrolling

'If you vote for my bill, I'll vote for yours,' practice of legislators where they trade votes to achieve their individual interests.

Filibuster

Procedure used to delay a bill by engaging in extended debate.

Cloture

Can be used to stop a filibuster, ⅗ majority or 60 votes is needed to activate.

Discharge Petition

Used to force a bill out of committee to get it to the special floor for a vote, needs house majority to be approved.

Article II

Establishes the executive branch, focuses on the role and powers of the president.

Veto Power

The formal power of the president to reject legislation passed by Congress.

Negotiate Treaties

The power of the president to engage in discussions and agreements with foreign nations, requiring Senate approval.

Commander in Chief

The role of the president as the supreme leader of the military forces.

War Powers Act of 1973

Requires the president to report to Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops into a hostile situation, with a time limit of 60-90 days unless Congress acts.

Electoral College

A body of electors established by the Constitution, where each state has electors equal to its number of senators and representatives, requiring 270 votes to win the presidency.

Presidential Cabinet

An advisory body composed of the heads of the executive departments and the vice president, which advises the president and plays a role in succession.

Judicial Review

The power of the court to review laws and determine their constitutionality.

Stare Decisis

The legal principle of following precedent in judicial decisions.

Judicial Activism

The practice of judges interpreting laws broadly to promote social change and justice.

Judicial Restraint

The practice where judges limit their own power and defer to the decisions of the executive and legislative branches.

The Bureaucracy

Administrative agencies and departments within the executive branch that implement and enforce laws.

Administrative Discretion

The authority granted to bureaucratic agencies to make rules and decisions in implementing laws.

Checks on the Bureaucracy

Legislative oversight through appropriations, investigations, and legislation, and judicial invalidation of executive actions.

Regulatory Policy

Policies designed to prevent market abuse and protect consumers from exploitation.

Monetary Policy

Actions taken by the Federal Reserve to manage the money supply and interest rates.

Fiscal Policy

The government's use of taxation and spending to influence the economy.

Writ of Habeas Corpus

A legal order requiring a jailer to bring a prisoner before a judge to determine the legality of detention.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution that protect individual rights.

The Four Freedoms

Freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

Fourth Amendment Protections

Protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures.

14th Amendment

Addresses citizenship requirements, equal protection, due process, and selective incorporation.

Due Process Clause

Ensures that laws are carried out legally and protects personal liberties.

Equal Protection Clause

Ensures all citizens are equally protected under the law without discrimination.

Board of Education

overturned 'separate but equal,' equal protection clause because no one can be denied equal protection under the law, declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Affirmative Action

policies and practices that are designed to counteract the effects of past discriminatory practices.

19th Amendment

gave women the right to vote.

Equal Rights Amendment

equal rights under the law regardless of sex.

Title IX

prohibits sex-based discrimination in areas of education and activities that receive federal funding.

Americans with Disabilities Act

law prohibiting discrimination of individuals with disabilities in the workplace, ensuring equal opportunity.

Political Socialization

process by which individuals shape their political beliefs and attitudes.

Factors of Political Socialization

family, peers, schools/education, religious beliefs, media, demographic characteristics, generational effects, life-cycle effects, political events.

Liberal

generally supports government intervention, prioritizes individual freedoms, believes in ensuring a fair society.

Conservative

favor limited government, tend to favor free markets, low taxes, and a strong military, hold traditional views on social issues.

Libertarian

oppose government regulation of the economy and personal behavior, believe that individuals should have the freedom to make their own choices (socially liberal).

Moderate

holds political views that are considered to be in the center of the political spectrum.

Polling

process of surveying a specific group of individuals to gauge their interests and beliefs regarding political issues or candidates.

Random Sample

a selection from a population where each individual has an equal chance of being selected.

Saliency

the degree to which the public is aware or considers an issue important.

Political Parties

organized groups of individuals who share similar political beliefs.

Perpetuation of the 2 party system

political system where the 2 main parties dominate and compete for political offices.

Third Parties

minor party, party that competes alongside the two main political parties.

Realignment

the movement of voters from one party to the other resulting in a major shift in the political spectrum.

Dealignment

process where voters move away from their affiliation and become more indifferent, shift from party loyalty.

Critical Elections

type of election that signifies a shift in voter loyalty and party control often leading to a lasting realignment.

Interest Groups

organized groups put together to emphasize group interests and influence policy.

Lobbying

process by which individuals or groups try to influence policy decisions by either contacting officials either directly or indirectly.

Litigation

process of using the legal system to achieve policy goals.

Electioneering Activities

aimed at influencing voters to support or oppose specific candidates, parties, or issues.

Grassroots Mobilization

process of building political support and activism, involving direct engagement with citizens to influence policy or political outcomes.

Voting

casting a vote for a specific issue or candidate/party in an election or debate.

Voter Turnout

the percentage of voters who participate in an election by casting a ballot.

Ticket Splitting

when a voter votes for candidates from different parties; they spread their votes.

Influences on voting

the factors that influence an individual's decision to vote and choice of candidate, includes demographic factors, political factors, psychological factors, and institutional factors.

Elections

voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent their values.

General Election

nationwide event where voters choose their representatives for various levels of government.

Primary

preliminary election in which voters decide the candidates fit to run for office.

Caucus

meetings of political party members to discuss candidate selection and decide on policies.

Campaigns

organized effort by a candidate and their supporters to win an election.

Presidential Campaigns

organized effort by a candidate to win presidency.

Political Action Committees

non-profit organization that pools campaign contributions and donates those funds to candidates.

FEC

Ruled that corporations and unions can spend unlimited amounts of money on campaigns, violates first amendment right to speech (symbolic speech).

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

Includes banning the spending of soft money and placing limits on campaign advertising.

Media's influence on Public Opinion

Agenda setting, 'horse race' journalism, bias.