AP Government Review

The Enlightenment

a movement in the 1700s that emphasized science and reason as guides to help see the world more clearly

natural rights

rights people posses by natural law apart from government

popular sovereignty

by nature, the power to govern is in the hands of the people

social contract

to protect natural rights, people give away some of the power from popular sovereignty to a government

republicanism

people elect leaders to represent them and create laws in public interest

limited government

a government that is prevented from tyranny through a system of checks and balances and the distribution of power among several acting members

participatory democracy

emphasizes broad participation in the political process by most, if not all, members of a society

pluralist democracy

groups of people associate with interest groups who then compete to influence policy

elite democracy

emphasizes more limited participation in policymaking on the assumption that government is complicated and therefore the most educated people need to run in

3 types of democracy

participatory, pluralist, elite

Brutus 1

championed a broad, participatory model. feared the curtailment of personal liberties reflected in a larger republic like the US.

Federalist 10

argued that with so many competing factions in a large republic, liberty would be upheld by their competition (pluralist). discussed mischief of factions and because there are so many factions, none can win.

Conflict of Brutus 1 and Federalist 10

majority rule vs minority rights, different types of democracy

problems with the Articles of Confederations (4)

1. only one branch of the federal government (Congress)
2. no president and no federal court
3. Congress had no power to raise money through taxes
4. Congress had no power to raise an army

Shay's Rebellion

no army could stop Massachusetts rebellion over not getting paid by Congress as veterans - weakness of AOCs

Constitutional Convention

1787, goal was to modify AOCs but instead drafted Constitution made by the Grand Committee

The Great Compromise

how the people should be represented in Congress. Virginia Plan (population) vs New Jersey Plan (1 per state). resulted in bicameral system!

The Electoral College Compromise

each state is given the # of electors that corresponds to # of congressional representatives in the House, but state legislatures have all the power to decide who those people are

The Three-Fifths Compromise

three-fifths of the enslaved population would count towards representation

Slave Trade Compromise

Congress could not regulate or outlaw slavery or slave trade until 1808

4 main compromises in the Constitution

1. Great Compromise
2. Electoral College
3. 3/5ths Compromise
4. Slave Trade Compromise

Article V

2 stage process to amend Constitution (proposal and ratification)

Steps of Article V

1. proposed by Congress or states at special convention
2. 2/3rds vote is needed of ^ to become official
3. 3/4ths of state legislatures or state ratifying conventions need to agree

Congress/legislative branch

proposes and makes laws -- checks on executive by advise and consent

Senate's advice and consent

any appointment by president has to be approved by the senate

executive branch

executes and enforces the law -- checks by veto on Congress

vetos

president can veto a law passed by Congress (but Congress can overturn this with a 2/3 vote)

judicial branch

determines constitutionality of laws -- checks by judicial review

judicial review

the power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional

federalism

the sharing of power between national and state governments

exclusive powers

powers specifically delegated by the Constitution to the federal government (ex. Congress making treaties)

reserved powers

kept by the states -- if not exclusively stated for the federal government, it's reserved, per the 10th Amendment (police, hospitals, education)

concurrent powers

shared by both federal and state governments (income tax)

categorical grants

given to states as long as the states comply with specific federal standards

block grants

given to states for a relatively broad purpose and the states can spend that money as they see fit

fiscal federalism

grants and mandates

USA Patriot Act

post 9/11, gave government more surveillance power but opposed by citizens (state vs. federal fight)

No Child Left Behind Act

to recieve federal funding, schools must meet criteria or face sanctions (federal overreach?)(state vs. federal fight)

10th Amendment

lays down basis for reserved powers

14th Amendment

applies Bill of Rights to state governments as well

Commerce Clause

allows Congress to regulate commerce among states

Necessary and Proper Clause/Elastic Clause

government can make laws that are necessary to uphold exclusive powers

McCulloch v. Maryland

ruled that N&P Clause implied certain powers given to the federal government even if they aren't explicit. also ruled that the Supremacy Clause meant that where the 2 conflicted, federal law trumps state law

Supremacy Clause

federal law trumps state law if they conflict

United States v. Lopez

Congress used the Commerce Clause to ban guns on school property, but Supreme Court ruled that this is an overstepping of the federal government via the Commerce Clause

how do environmental regulations show federalism?

Obama entered US into Paris Agreement but Trump took them out. despite this, some states still kept the Paris Agreement terms

how does the legalization of marijuana show federalism?

federal law banned it, but California legalized medical marijuana by means of a state-wide vote. when Colorado allowed it recreationally, Obama basically said the federal government isn't going to persecute people and spend resources on it

coalitions

in both houses, the durability of the working relationships are affected by term length differences

enumerated powers

powers to Congress explicitly listed in Article I Section 8. include federal funding, foreign policy, military legislation

Congress funding enumerated powers

raise revenue through taxation, coin money, pass a federal budget

Congress foreign policy/military legislation enumerated powers

power to declare war and raise armies, pass draft laws, and direct funding to the armed forces

implied powers

Congress can pass any law that is required by the enumerated powers, as per the Necessary and Proper Clause

Speaker of the House

leader chosen by the House members, member of the majority party

majority and minority leaders

direct debates in the House, guide their party members in policy making issues

whips

in the House and Senate, render party discipline and make sure party members walk in line with party goals

President of the Senate

Vice President of the US. non-voting unless there is a tie

President Pro Tempore

most senior member of the majority party in the Senate. can act as president when vice president is not there

Senate Majority Leader

sets the legislative agenda

standing committees

committees that endure for a long time

joint committees

committees that have members from both the House and the Senate

select committees

temporary and created for a specific purpose

conference committees

formed to reconcile differences in legislation

House Rules Committee

decides which bills make it to the floor for debate

discharge petition

used to force a bill out of a committee for debate and voting via majority vote

filibuster

Senate, an attempt to stall or kill a bill by talking for a very long time

cloture rule

a 3/5ths vote that ends a filibuster

how a bill is passed

1. bill is introduced (house or senate)
2. bill is assigned to committee and is debated
3. vote
4. heads to President's desk to be signed

factors that slow down legislative action

ideological divisions (political polarization), differing ideas about their duties (trustee, delegate, politica

Baker v. Carr

Tennessee had not redistricted in 60 years. resulted in Supreme Court ruling that districting must be drawn in order to evenly distribute voting power (one person, one vote)

Shawn v. Reno

racial gerrymandering to make majority Black districts. SC ruled unconstitutional

formal powers

powers of the president listed in Article 2 (veto)

informal powers

powers not laid out in the Constitution but used to carry out presidential duties (bargaining & persuasion, executive order, signing statement)

Federalist 70

Hamilton argues that a single executive can act decisively and can be checked by other branches, and corruption is easier detected in a single executive

bully pulpit

the president's use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public (State of the Union)

3 levels of courts

US District Courts (94, original jurisdiction) -> US Circuit Court of Appeals (12, appellate jurisdiction) -> Supreme Court (both original and appellate jurisdiction)

Federalist 78

Hamilton argued that the independence of the judicial branch acted as a protection for its power. this is seen through lifetime appointment and the right of judicial review

Marbury v. Madison

1803 Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review

stare decisis

let the decision stand; decisions are based on precedents from previous cases

judicial activism

the Court acts to establish policy and considers more than just the constitutionality of a decision, it considers the decision's broader effects on society.

Brown v. Board of Education

1954 Supreme Court decision that declared state laws segregating schools to be unconstitutional. Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Plessy v. Ferguson

Supreme Court ruled that segregation was not discriminatory provide that blacks received accommodations equal to those of whites (separate but equal)

judicial constraint

a law should only be struck down if it violates the actual written word of the Constitution

Dred Scott v. Sanford

Supreme Court case that ruled that slaves were property and thus could not sue (allowing slavery to essentially be legal)

structure of the bureaucracy

Cabinet Secretaries (leaders of the 15 executive departments) -> Agencies (work together to accomplish department goals) -> Commissions (regulatory groups that fall under executive authority but somewhat independent and is run by board of individuals) -> Government Corporations (hybrid of a business and a government agency)

delegated discretionary authority

the authority given to the bureaucracy by Congress on how to make rules and carry out the law

compliance monitoring

the bureaucratic agencies establish rules and makes sure the industries are following those rules

iron triangle

a close relationship between bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups

Department of Homeland Security

protests the US from terrorism and maintains and controls the nation's borders

Department of Transportation

manages all kinds of transportation like highway and air travel

Department of Veteran's Affairs

manages Veteran's Hospitals and the general welfare of America's veterans

Department of Education

oversees states and their implementation of federal education standards

Environmental Protection Agency

works to protect the environment and human health through industrial regulations

Federal Elections Commission

administers and enforces campaign finance laws

Securities and Exchange Commission

regulates the stock market and prevents fraud

power of the purse

Constitutional power given to Congress to raise and spend money, provides checks on other branches and the bureaucracy

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments added to appease the Anti-Federalists to protect civil liberties, initially just from the federal government

1st Amendment

freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition

2nd Amendment

right to bear arms

3rd Amendment

no quartering of troops

4th Amendment

freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures