APGOV Unit 1

natural rights

People are born with certain rights that are given to them by their Creator, so they can’t be taken away by a monarch

state of nature

comes before government, where humans are free

social contract

to protect their natural rights, people willingly give over some of their power to the government

popular sovereignty

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

republicanism

People elect leaders to represent them and create laws in the public interest

constitutional convention/philadelphia convention 1787

A new constitution was drafted

james madison

who wrote the constitution

representative republic

people elect office representatives who would legislate on behalf of the people

pure democracy

everyone gets a vote

participatory democracy

broad participation, citizens vote on laws directly

initiative

When voters put a measure on a ballot, they want it passed into law

referendum

people oppose a law that is passed by their legislature, and if it is unpopular enough they can call for a vote to defeat that law

elite democracy

limited participation only by a few, well-educated, and informed group of people who are qualified enough to direct the nation

plurist democracy

group-based acitivism by regular people who work to impact political decision-making (interest groups)

July 1776

Americans gained independence from Britain

Articles of Confederation

states held most power, weak central government, Congress was only branch

13 states had to agree to amend, Congress had no power to raise taxes, no national currency, no power to raise national army

weaknesses of Articles of Confederation

Shay’s rebellion

Congress had no money, and Revolutionary soldiers weren’t getting paid, and the government wouldn’t help with relief, so a dude raised a militia and started shooting but when they started shooting the MA governer asked for the help of the national army BUT THERE IS NO NATIONAL ARMY (they lost btw even without the over side having an army)

great compromise

debate over how people would be represented in the new Congress

virginia plan

representatives should be apportioned by population

representatives should be apportioned equally

new jersey plan

electoral college

each state is ginve the same number of electors as they have representatives in Congress

3/5 compromise

how enslaved people would count for representation in the House of Representatives

proposal

Congress or a state convention proposes an amendment

2/3

how many votes needed to pass an amendment from proposal stage

3/4

how many states have to ratify an amendment in order for it to become official

separation of power

power is separated; no one branch of government holds all authority

checks and balances

each branch has the power to check the other branches

stakeholder

anyone with a vested interest in the outcome of policymaking

federalism

shared power between the states and the federal government

exclusive powers

powers delegated to federal government

concurrent powers

powers both the national and state governments share

reserved powers

powers kept by the states

fiscal federalism

Congress establishes national standards, then directs the funds to states that comply with the standards, and withholds from those that don’t

categorical grant

gives federal money to the states as long as they comply with specific federal standards

block grants

federal money is given to the states to be spent in a broad category

mandates

require states to follow federal directives, and gives the money to the states so that they can carry out the directives

unfunded mandate

government sets a mandate, but doesn’t give money to help the states comply

full faith and credit clause

each state must respect the other’s laws

laboratories for democracy

states will pass certain laws, then representatives will look at how the states are doing with those laws and decide if it should be implemented nationally

legalization of marijuana

example of laboratories for democracy