AP gov 1.1-1.4 quiz study guide. key terms

Sovereignty

Ultimate political authority and the independent power to govern a territory.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that government power comes directly from the consent and will of the people.

Checks and Balances

A system that gives each branch of government mechanisms to limit, inspect, or block the powers of the other branches to prevent tyranny.

Separation of Powers

The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial) so no single group holds absolute control.

Federalism

A system dividing power between a central national government and regional state governments.

Limited Government

The principle that government power is restricted by law and constitutional boundaries to protect individual rights.

Republicanism / Representative Republic

A system where citizens elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on their behalf, rather than voting on laws directly.

Democracy

Rule by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.

Codified

Written down systematically into a single formal document (e.g., a codified constitution).

Natural Law

Universal moral standards inherent in human nature that can be understood through reason.

Natural Rights

Fundamental rights that belong to all human beings at birth—such as life, liberty, and property—which government cannot take away.

Centralized Government

A system where power and decision-making are concentrated in a strong national authority rather than dispersed among states or localities.

Exclusive Power

Powers reserved solely for the national government (e.g., declaring war, coining money) or solely for the states.

Enlightenment

An 18th-century intellectual movement emphasizing reason, individualism, natural rights, and skepticism of absolute monarchy.

The Social Contract

The political theory that individuals give up some freedoms to a government in exchange for the protection of their remaining rights and order.

Thomas Hobbes and The Leviathan

Argued that humans are naturally selfish and chaotic, requiring a strong, absolute government (the Leviathan) to maintain order and security.

John Locke

Philosopher who advocated for Natural Rights (life, liberty, property) and argued government gets authority from the consent of the governed.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Proposed that legitimate political authority rests on the Social Contract driven by the 'general will' of the people.

Baron de Montesquieu and The Spirit of the Laws

Advocated for dividing government power into three distinct branches (Separation of Powers) to prevent absolute rule.

Participatory Democracy

A model emphasizing broad, direct citizen participation in politics and civil society (e.g., town hall meetings).

Pluralist Democracy

A model where non-governmental groups (interest groups) compete to influence policy-making, ensuring no single group dominates.

Elite Democracy

A model where a small, wealthy, or highly educated minority holds the real decision-making power in politics.

Representative Democracy

Citizens elect leaders to handle day-to-day governance and lawmaking.

Initiative

A process allowing citizens to propose new legislation or constitutional amendments directly by gathering voter signatures.

Referendum

A direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a specific legislative proposal or law.

Interest Group

An organized group of individuals who share common goals and actively attempt to influence public policy.

Constituency

The body of voters in a specified area who elect a representative to a legislative body.

Faction

A group of citizens united by a common passion or interest that is contrary to the rights of other citizens or the interests of the community.

Declaration of Independence

Who: Thomas Jefferson. What: Statement declaring independence from Great Britain. When/Where: 1776 in Philadelphia. Why/How: To break from British tyranny by laying out natural rights and grievances.

Articles of Confederation

Who: 2nd Continental Congress. What: First US constitution creating a weak central govt. When/Where: 1777-1789. Why/How: Unify states during war while preventing tyranny; lacked taxing power.

Shays' Rebellion

Who: Daniel Shays & MA farmers. What: Armed uprising against debt/tax collection. When/Where: 1786-1787 in MA. Why/How: Exposed central govt weaknesses under Articles, triggering Constitutional Convention.

The Grand Committee

Who: Convention delegates (e.g., Ben Franklin). What: Committee formed to break deadlock on representation. When/Where: 1787 in Philadelphia. Why/How: Created Great Compromise (bicameral legislature).

U.S. Constitution

Who: Framers/Delegates. What: Supreme law establishing a 3-branch federal republic. When/Where: Written 1787, Ratified 1788. Why/How: Replaced weak Articles to create strong central govt with checks/balances.

Federalists

Who: Hamilton, Madison, Jay. What: Supporters of ratifying the Constitution. When/Where: 1787-1788 across states. Why/How: Argued strong national govt was needed for defense/unity; wrote Federalist Papers.

Anti-Federalists

Who: Patrick Henry, George Mason, 'Brutus'. What: Opponents of 1787 Constitution. When/Where: 1787-1788 across states. Why/How: Feared federal overreach and loss of rights; demanded a Bill of Rights.

Ratification

Who: State conventions. What: Official approval process of a legal document. When/Where: 1787-1790. Why/How: Required 9 of 13 states to adopt Constitution through debates and Bill of Rights promise.

Federalist No. 10

Written by James Madison. Argues that factions are inevitable, but a large representative republic controls their dangerous effects better than a direct democracy.

Brutus No. 1

Anti-Federalist essay warning that a strong central government under the Necessary/Proper and Supremacy clauses would destroy state sovereignty and individual liberty.