AP U.S. Government & Politics: Foundations of American Democracy

Vocabulary flashcards covering Topic 1.1 (Ideals of Democracy), Topic 1.2 (Types of Democracy), foundational documents, and constitutional compromises.

Natural Rights

Fundamental rights of all humans that cannot be taken away, such as Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that governmental power is derived from the consent of the governed/people.

Social Contract

The agreement in which people give up some freedom to maintain social order and protect natural rights by creating a government.

Limited Government

The principle that the power of a government cannot be absolute, maintained through mechanisms like separation of powers, checks and balances, and the Bill of Rights.

Participatory Democracy

A model of democracy characterized by high levels of citizen participation and direct involvement in governance, such as town hall meetings, citizen initiatives, referendums, and citizen assemblies.

Pluralist Democracy

A model of democracy where power is dispersed among various competing interest groups, represented by activities such as lobbying by interest groups and advocacy organizations.

Elite Democracy

A model of democracy where policy decisions are made by a select group of elected officials within a representative republic, often influenced by experts.

Federalist No. 10

An essay supporting pluralist democracy by arguing that a large republic with many factions (interest groups) prevents any single group from dominating.

Brutus No. 1

An Anti-Federalist paper that expresses concern about a powerful, distant elite controlling the government, highlighting the risks of elite democracy.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement at the Constitutional Convention that counted three-fifths of the enslaved population for the purposes of congressional representation and taxation.

Compromise on the Importation of Slaves

An agreement at the Constitutional Convention that allowed the slave trade to continue for 20 years.

Articles of Confederation (AOC)

The original governing document of the U.S. that provided for state sovereignty and permitted individual states to create their own currencies, while lacking a federal power to tax or regulate interstate commerce.

Constitutional Amendment Process

The process requiring proposal either by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress or by a national convention called for by two-thirds of state legislatures, followed by ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures or state conventions in three-fourths of the states.