Unit one ap gov

natural rights

the right to life, liberty, and property, which government cannot take away

social contract

people allow their governments to rule over them to ensure an orderly and functioning society

popular sovereignty

Federalist 10

Federalist 51

brutus

republicanism

a system in which the governments authority comes from the people through their representatives

inalienable rights

rights the government cannot take away

liberty

social, political, and economic freedoms

participatory democracy

a theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government

civil society groups

independent associations outside the governments control

pluralist theory

a theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of groupons in the policy making process

elitist theory

a theory of democracy that the elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policy making process

constitutional republic

a democratic system with elected representatives in which the constitution is the supreme law

constitution

a document that sets out the fundamental principles of governance and establishes the institutions of government

republic

a government ruled by representatives of the people

unicameral

a one-house legislation

Shay’s rebellion

a popular uprising against the government of massachusetts

constitutional convention

a meeting attended by the state delegates in 1787 to fix the articles of confederation

writ of habeas corpus

the right of people detained by the government to know the charges against them

bills of attainder

when the legislature declares someone guilty without a trial

ex post facto laws

laws punishing people for acts that were not crimes at the time they were committed

virginia plan

a plan of government calling for a three-branch government with a bicameral legislature, where more populous states would have more representation in congress

new jersey plan

a plan of government that provided for a unicameral legislature with equal votes for each state

great compromise

an agreeement of government that drew upon both virginia and new jersey plans; it settled issues of state representation by calling for a bicameral legislature with a house of representatives apportioned proportionately and a senate apportioned equally

bicameral

a two-house legislature

three-fifths compromise

an agreement reached by delegates at the constitutional convention that a slave would count as three-fifths of a person in calculating a states representation

compromise on importation

congress could not restrict the slave trade until 1808

separation of powers

a design of government that distributes powers across institutions in order to avoid making one branch too powerful on its own