AP GOV: Unit 1

14th Amendment

Constitutional amendment incorporating the Bill of Rights and applying federal civil rights protections to the states

Concurrent Powers

Powers shared by both the national government and the states, such as taxation and building roads

Electoral College

System where electors chosen by each state vote for President based on the total members of Congress

Categorical Grants

Federal funding for specific programs with detailed guidelines and restrictions on use

Federalism

Division of authority between the national government and the states, allowing for both exclusive and shared powers

McCulloch v. Maryland

Supreme Court case that upheld the Necessary and Proper Clause and confirmed federal law supremacy over state law

Mandates

Federal directives requiring states to meet certain standards, potentially with or without accompanying funding

Elite Democracy

Decision-making by a smaller, more educated elite, potentially through indirect representation

Three-Fifths Compromise

Counted three-fifths of the enslaved population for representation and taxation purposes

Declaration of Independence

Document that echoes natural rights and social contract theory, stating governments derive power from the consent of the governed

Brutus 1

Critique arguing that a large, centralized republic suppresses individual liberty and risks tyranny of the majority

Great Compromise

Established a bicameral legislature with representation by population in the House and equal state representation in the Senate

Natural Rights

Rights inherent to all humans, bestowed by a creator, and not subject to governmental revocation

United States v. Lopez

Supreme Court case that limited Congress's power under the Commerce Clause, protecting state sovereignty

Articles of Confederation

First governing document of the United States, emphasizing strong state sovereignty and a weak central government

10th Amendment

Constitutional amendment reserving to the states or the people any powers not delegated to the United States

Social Contract

An agreement where individuals consent to surrender certain freedoms to a government in exchange for protection of their fundamental rights

Pluralist Democracy

Competition among organized interest groups influencing government policies

Unfunded Mandates

Federal requirements imposed on states without providing the necessary financial support

Laboratory of Democracy

Concept where states experiment with policies that can later inform national legislation

Constitutional Convention

1787 gathering that drafted the current U.S. Constitution to address weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Federalist No. 10

Argument that a large, diverse republic can manage factions through structural design, preventing any single group from dominating

Separation of Powers

Division of government into legislative, executive, and judicial branches to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful

Necessary and Proper Clause

Constitutional provision empowering Congress to enact laws necessary for executing its enumerated powers

Reserved Powers

Powers retained by the states, including police powers, education, and public health

Participatory Democracy

Broad citizen engagement in political processes, often through direct voting mechanisms

Republicanism

A system where citizens elect representatives to act in the public interest

U.S. Constitution

Blueprint for a representative republic with separation of powers to enforce limited government

Popular Sovereignty

The idea that power to govern resides with the people, who grant authority to their government

Commerce Clause

Constitutional provision granting Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce

State of Nature

Pre-government condition where humans are free and have inherent rights

Exclusive Powers

Powers solely granted to the national government, such as making treaties

Limited Government

A government constrained by checks and balances to prevent tyranny

The Enlightenment

18th-century European intellectual movement that shaped modern views of government and individual rights

Checks and Balances

System where each branch of government has some ability to limit the actions of the other branches

Block Grants

Federal funding for broad purposes, giving states flexibility in implementation

Another name for Necessary & Proper Clause

Elastic Clause