AP US Government and Politics Foundational Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering foundational documents, constitutional articles, amendments, major SCOTUS cases, and government terminology for the AP US Government and Politics exam.

Declaration of Independence

Primary author Thomas Jefferson; declared independence from Britain, identified Natural Rights (Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness), and established that government's job is to protect those rights.

Articles of Confederation

Authored by John Dickerson; established a weak confederal government with a unicameral legislature where each state had one vote, and lacked the power to raise an army or create executive/judicial branches.

Federalist No. 10

Written by James Madison; argues that factions are inevitable and that a large republic is the best form of government to manage them, preventing any one group from gaining too much power.

Brutus 1

An Anti-Federalist paper by Robert Yates arguing that the Constitution gives too much power to the central government, specifically citing the Necessary and Proper Clause and the Supremacy Clause.

Federalist No. 51

Written by James Madison; focuses on checks and balances and the separation of powers to ensure the government is powerful enough to control the people but also able to control itself.

Federalist No. 70

Written by Alexander Hamilton; argues for a single, "energetic" executive (President) to ensure decisive action and clear accountability, rejecting a plural executive.

Federalist No. 78

Written by Alexander Hamilton; describes the judiciary as the "least dangerous branch" because it has neither force nor will, only judgment, and advocates for judicial review and lifetime appointments.

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; argues that "justice delayed is justice denied" and advocates for nonviolent direct action to create urgency for legislative action against injustice.

Article I of the Constitution

Details the Legislative branch (Congress), including the bicameral structure, qualifications, and powers such as the commerce clause and the elastic clause.

Article II of the Constitution

Establishes the Executive branch (The Presidency), outlining the term, qualifications, duties, and powers of the President.

Article III of the Constitution

Creates the judicial system and the Supreme Court; outlines qualifications, jurisdictions, and establishes the right to trial by jury.

Article V of the Constitution

Outlines the amendment process, requiring a proposal by 2/3 of both houses or states, and ratification by 3/4 of the states.

14th Amendment

Ratified in 1868; defines citizenship and contains the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses, serving as the source for selective incorporation.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review using Article III of the Constitution.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Supreme Court case that affirmed the supremacy of the federal government over states using the Supremacy Clause and established the implied power doctrine via the Elastic Clause.

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Ruled that Congress may not use the Commerce Clause to make possession of a gun in a school zone a federal crime, reflecting the principle of devolution.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Ruled that school sponsorship of religious activities violates the Establishment Clause of the 1st Amendment.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Ruled that forcing Amish students to attend school past 8th grade violates the Free Exercise Clause of the 1st Amendment.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Established that public school students retain 1st Amendment freedom of speech/expression on campus as long as it does not disrupt the learning environment.

Schenk v. US (1919)

Established the "clear and present danger" test, stating that not all speech is protected under the 1st Amendment.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Incorporated the 6th Amendment's right to counsel to the states via the 14th Amendment's Due Process Clause.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Incorporated the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms for self-protection to the states via the 14th Amendment's Due Process Clause.

Baker v. Carr (1961)

Established the "one person, one vote" doctrine, ruling that unequal representation in legislative districts can be reviewed by the courts under the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Ruled that political spending by corporations and organizations is protected speech under the 1st Amendment and cannot be limited by the government.

Commerce Clause

Found in Article I, Section 8; grants Congress the power to regulate business activity with foreign nations and among the several states.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Also known as the Elastic Clause (Article I, Section 8); gives Congress the power to make laws essential for carrying out its expressed powers.

Supremacy Clause

Article VI clause declaring the Constitution and federal laws as the supreme law of the land, taking precedence over state laws.

Selective Incorporation

The legal process by which the Bill of Rights is applied to state governments through the 14th Amendment's Due Process Clause.

Pluralist Theory of Democracy

A model where competition among multiple affected interests or groups shapes public policy.

Fiscal Federalism

The federal government's practice of accomplishing national goals at the state level by granting money through block or categorical grants.

Judicial Activism

The theory that the Constitution should be interpreted for the present time and that judges should feel free to strike down laws to fit that interpretation.

Stare decisis

A legal principle meaning "let the decision stand," requiring judges to adhere to established precedents from higher courts.

Keynesian Economics

The economic belief that government spending is necessary to bring a country out of an economic downturn.

Monetary Policy

Economic policy controlled by the Federal Reserve that regulates the money supply through interest rates and credit availability.

War Powers Act (1973)

Legislation that limits the President's ability to deploy troops overseas to a 60-day period in peacetime without Congressional approval.