ap gov midterm

John Locke

Advocated natural rights (life, liberty, property); believed government is a social contract to protect rights.

Voltaire

Championed freedom of speech and religion; criticized corruption in institutions.

Rousseau

Emphasized general will and direct democracy; believed society corrupts natural goodness.

Hobbes

Advocated for a strong central authority; wrote 'Leviathan'; believed humans are naturally selfish and need government for order.

Declaration of Independence

Declares independence from Britain, lists grievances against the King, and asserts natural rights.

Articles of Confederation

Weak central government with no power to tax or enforce laws, no executive branch, and required unanimous consent to amend.

Constitution

Established a stronger federal government with three branches and a system of checks and balances.

Shay's Rebellion

Exposed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, highlighting the need for a stronger federal government.

Elite Democracy

Power is concentrated in the hands of a few (wealthy, educated), exemplified by the Electoral College.

Pluralist Democracy

Many groups compete to influence policy, illustrated by interest groups like the NRA.

Participatory Democracy

Broad participation by citizens in decision-making, as seen in town hall meetings.

Article 1

Legislative Branch (creates laws).

Article 2

Executive Branch (enforces laws).

Article 3

Judicial Branch (interprets laws).

Full Faith and Credit Clause

States honor each other’s laws and judicial decisions.

Necessary and Proper/Elastic Clause

Congress can make laws needed to execute powers.

Equal Protection Clause

Prohibits states from denying equal protection under the law.

Reserved Powers

Powers kept by states, like education.

Concurrent Powers

Shared powers between federal and state governments, such as taxation.

Enumerated/Expressed Powers

Explicitly listed powers of Congress, like regulating interstate commerce.

Implied Powers

Powers inferred from the Elastic Clause, like creating a national bank.

Great Compromise

Combined Virginia Plan (population-based) and New Jersey Plan (equal representation); created a bicameral Congress.

⅗ Compromise

Counted enslaved people as ⅗ of a person for representation and taxation.

Federalist 10

Argued for a large republic to control factions.

Federalist 51

Advocated for separation of powers and checks and balances.

Federalist 70

Emphasized the need for a strong, energetic executive.

Federalist 78

Supported judicial review and life tenure for judges.

Brutus 1

Criticized a strong central government; feared loss of state power.

Marbury v Madison

Established judicial review; strengthened the judiciary by allowing it to declare laws unconstitutional.

McCulloch v Maryland

Confirmed federal supremacy over states; upheld the Necessary and Proper Clause.

US v Lopez

Limited Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause (gun-free zones).

Brown v Board

Ended segregation in public schools (overturned Plessy v. Ferguson).

Mapp v Ohio

Established exclusionary rule for evidence obtained illegally.

Gideon v Wainwright

Right to an attorney for poor defendants.

Engle v Vitale

Prohibited state-sponsored prayer in schools.

Miranda v Arizona

Required police to inform suspects of their rights (Miranda Rights).

Hazelwood v Kuhlmeier

Schools can censor student newspapers.

Tinker v Des Moines

Students have free speech rights (armband case).

Schenck v US

Limited free speech during wartime ('clear and present danger').

Wisconsin v Yoder

Allowed religious exemption for Amish children from school attendance.

McDonald v Chicago

Incorporated the 2nd Amendment to the states.

1st Amendment

Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly.

2nd Amendment

Right to bear arms.

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery.

14th Amendment

Equal protection under the law.

Steps for a Bill to Become a Law

Introduced in House/Senate, sent to committees, debated and voted on, reconciled, signed or vetoed by President.