AP GOV VOCAB REVIEW

Federalists

supporters of the Constitution

Anti- Federalists

people who opposed the Constitution

Federalist Papers

A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail.

Federalist No. 51

James Madison talks about how separation of powers and checks and balances will prevent the government from becoming too powerful.

Faction

a group with a shared interest or goal

Federalist No. 10

James Madison argues that the republic will prevent a majority faction from dominating and oppressing others because the citizens will have a wide variety of interests (pluralist democracy) if they are united under one government, and elected representatives can prevent majority oppression unlike a direct vote.

Brutus No. 1

argues that the government with the supremacy clause and necessary and proper clause will have far too much power, and citizens will be unable to take back their power after relinquishing it.

Federalist No. 70

Hamilton argues that a strong executive is essential in the new government.

Federalist No. 78

argument by Alexander Hamilton that the federal judiciary would be unlikely to infringe upon rights and liberties but would serve as a check on the other two branches

Unitary System

central government has all the power like in China or the UK

Confederal System

States and Federal government share power, e.x. USA

Federal System

Balance of powers between Federal and State governments

Exclusive powers

powers only the federal government has like declaring war, foreign relations, having armed forces, and coining money

Commerce clause

congress can regulate foreign and interstate trade

tenth amendment

all powers not given to the federal government are powers the states have

Reserved powers

powers only the state governments have like marriage, education, elections, and drinking age

concurrent powers

powers that both states and the federal government have like taxation, infrastructure (e.x. roads), establishing lower courts, and defining laws and their punishments

full faith and credit clause

states have to recognize the proceedings of other states, for example, being married in any state will make you legally married in all states

Privileges and Immunities Clause

states can't discriminate against someone from another state, for example, impose a tax out of state fishers that they don't impose on their own fishers

Dual Federalism

A system of government where the state and federal governments work separate, each in their own sphere of power

Cooperative Federalism

a system of government where the states and federal government work together (the federal government funds state programs)

Grants-in-aid

money provided to the states to carry out a specific policy that the federal government deems an important use of funding

Fiscal Federalism

the use of the governments grants-in-aid to influence state policies

Categorical grant

a grant given to the states with specific conditions/provision. For example, states had to raise MLDA or they would lose highway funding.

unfunded mandate

a mandate given to the states that doesn't come with additional funding. e.x. americans with disabilites act.

Block grant

type of grant favoured by conservatives that grants states money that they can spend how they like

revenue sharing

the government gives states funding without any specific requirements of how it should be spent or any strings attached

devolution

the federal government giving authority back to state of local governments

concepts

Concepts:
Differences Between Federalists and Anti-Federalists
Differences between Unitary, Confederal and Federal Systems of Government
Examples of Exclusive, Concurrent, and Reserved Powers
Necessary and Proper Clause and examples of implied powers
Power provided by the Commerce Clause
Full Faith and Credit Clause - Definition and Example
Privileges and Immunities Clause - Definition and Example
Significance of McCulloch v. Maryland
Significance of Lopez v. the United States
Significance of Gonzalez v. Raich
Differences between Dual and Cooperative Federalism (examples)
Examples of -
Grants in aid
Categorical Grants (conditions for categorical grants)
Unfunded Mandates
Block Grants
Revenue Sharing
Devolution

Political Culture

commonly shared attitudes, beliefs, and core values about how government should operate

Individualism

giving priority to one's own goals over group goals and defining one's identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications

Equality of Opportunity

a widely shared American ideal that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential. American dream, climbing social ladder

Free-Enterprise System

an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods which aren't regulated much by the government

Rule of Law

principle that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern

Limited Government

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.

Benchmark Poll

initial poll on a candidate and issues on which campaign strategy is based and against which later polls are compared

Tracking Poll

a poll taken for the candidate on a nearly daily basis as election day approaches

Entrance Poll

A poll that is taken before voters have cast their votes at the polling stations

Exit Poll

a survey taken at polling places of how people voted after they cast their vote

Focus Group

A small group of individuals who are led in discussion by a professional consultant in order to gather opinions on and responses to candidates and issues.

Scientific Polling

method of polling that provides a fairly precise reading of public opinion by using random sampling

Sample

A relatively small proportion of people who are chosen in a survey so as to be representative of the whole.

Random Selection

A way of ensuring that a sample of people is representative of a population by giving everyone in the population an equal chance of being selected for the sample

Representative Sample

randomly selected sample of subjects from a larger population of subjects

Weighting

adjustments to surveys during analysis so that selected demographic groups reflect their values in the population, usually as measured by the census

Mass Survey

a way to measure public opinion by interviewing a large sample of the population, 1500 people

Question Order

the sequencing of questions in public opinion polls

Question Wording

the way in which survey questions are phrased, which influences how respondents answer them

Political Socialization

the process by which people gain their political attitudes and opinions and relate to the government

Party Ideology

a party's philosophy about the proper role of government and its set of positions on major issues

Party Identification

a citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other

Conservatism

a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, favoring less market regulation and more social regulation

Liberalism

A government that wants more market control and less social control

Libertarianism

An ideology that cherishes individual liberty and insists on minimal government, promoting a free market economy, a noninterventionist foreign policy, and an absence of regulation in moral, economic, and social life.

Laissez-Faire Economy

economic policy in which governments intrude as little as possible in the economic transactions between citizens and businesses

Command-and-Control Economy

economic policy in which government dictates much of a nation's economic activity, including the amount of production and price for goods

Mixed Economy

An economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and promotion.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

A measurement of the total goods and services produced within a country.

Economic Recession

A period of economic decline when demand for work is low or even stops.

Unemployment Rate

the portion of people in the labor force who are not working

Inflation

a general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money.

Consumer Price Index

The key measure of inflation- the change in the cost of buying a fixed basket of goods and services.

Monetary Theory

the theory that relates the quantity of money and monetary policy to changes in aggregate economic activity and inflation

Keynesianism

the belief the government must manage the economy by spending more money when in a recession and cutting spending when there is inflation

Supply - Side Theory

the belief that lower taxes and fewer regulations will stimulate the economy

Monetary Policy

Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates.

Federal Reserve

The central bank of the United States that is responsible for regulating the banking industry and the money supply.

Medicare

A federal program of health insurance for persons 65 years of age and older

Medicaid

A federal and state assistance program that pays for health care services for people who cannot afford them.

bureaucracy

A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials

Civil Service Commission

government agency created by the Pendleton Act of 1883 to fill federal jobs on the basis of merit

Civil Service Reform Act (1978)

An act that reformed the civil service, in response to the watergate scandal. This act

compliance monitoring

Activities undertaken to establish whether a process or procedure is carried out in conformance with relevant external requirements, whether set through legislation, regulations, or directions

iron triangle

A close relationship between an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group

issue networks

The loose and informal relationships that exist among a large number of actors who work in broad policy areas

merit system

hiring people into government jobs on the basis of their qualifications

National Performance Review

A 1993 effort, led by Bush presidency Vice President Al Gore, to make the bureaucracy work better and cost less.

Office of Personnel Management

The office in charge of hiring for most agencies of the federal government, using elaborate rules in the process.

patronage

(politics) granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support

Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883)

law that created a Civil Service Commission and stated that federal employees could not be required to contribute to campaign funds nor be fired for political reasons. Also stopped the spoils system; established that people should be hired based upon merit.

spoils system

A system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends.

Administrative Procedures Act (1946)

A law passed in 1946 requiring federal agencies to give notice, solicit comments, and (sometimes) hold public hearings before adopting any new rules.

Code of Federal Regulations

Describes the laws and regulations for dietary supplements, including how supplements are labeled, manufactured, and brought to or removed from market, as well as much more broad regulations.

Department of Education

This Department promotes national education and works to keep America competitive and to make sure that education is available to everyone

delegated discretionary authority

The extent to which appointed bureaucrats can choose courses of action and make policies that are not spelled out in advance by laws.

Department of Homeland Security

US federal agency created in 2002 to coordinate national efforts against terrorism

Department of Transportation

Manages the nations highways, railroads, airlines, and sea traffic

Environmental Protection Agency

an independent federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment

Federal Election Commission

A six-member bipartisan agency created by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974. The federal Election Commission administers and enforces campaign finance laws.

Federal Register

An official document, published every weekday, which lists the new and proposed regulations of executive departments and regulatory agencies.

independent regulatory agencies

Federal regulatory agencies that are independent, thus not fully under the power of the president. Ex. Federal Trade Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission.

notice-and-comment opportunity

A step in the rule-making process in which proposed rules are published in the Federal Register and made available for debate by the general public.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Directs services for armed forces veterans

Securities and Exchange Commission

monitors the stock market and enforces laws regulating the sale of stocks and bonds

concepts

Difference between Formal and Informal Powers (including examples)
Checks on the Executive Branch
Executive Branch checks on other branches
Roles of the President
Executive Powers
Different ways the Presidents have communicated with the public
Organization of the Federal Bureaucracy
Difference between Spoils System and Merit System
Significance of Pendleton Act of 1883
Relationship between interest groups, Congress and the Bureaucracy (Iron Triangle)
Differences between Iron Triangles and Issue Networks

22nd amendment

Limits the president to two terms or 10 years.

12th amendment

the president and vice president are elected together

Formal Powers

powers given to the president in the constitution

Informal Powers

powers that the president needs, but aren't mentioned directly in the constitution.

Chief Executive

the president is the chief executive responsible for enforcing the laws passed by congress