APGOV Unit 1

Branches of Government

The government is comprised of the three branches of government: Executive Branch (the President, Vice President), Legislative Branch (House of Representatives and Senate), Judicial Branch (Supreme Court and other federal courts).

Sovereignty

Maintain a national defense to protect ______, the right and ability of a nation to independently govern its territory.

Public Goods

Public services such as highways and water treatment facilities. Both of these services are considered public goods, goods collectively owned and shared by all citizens for the benefit of all.

Political Participation

______ includes all of the ways citizens get involved in politics including voting, protesting, lobbying, running for office, campaigning, donating money to a candidate, discussing politics, etc.

Policymaking System

______ is the process by which a policy evolves from a problem/interest of citizens to an actual law or policy that affects the people.

Linkage Institution

________ are those entities that connect people to their government and the government to the people. The four prime examples are elections, the media, political parties, and interest groups.

Policy Agenda

_____ is the set of issues that attract serious attention from public officials and constituents.

Political Issue

______ are those issues about which there is substantial disagreement. _____ will only be dealt with when they are high on the policy agenda.

Congressional Statute

Official Law passed by Congress. Example: No Child Left Behind.

Majority Rule

To be considered democratic, a government must practice ______ , that is, the preference of over 50% of the population should be followed.

Pluralist Theory

Government is comprised of competing groups. No one group is dominant. Groups have their own policies they think are important. All voices have equal opportunity to express views.

Hyperpluralism

Groups are so powerful that government has the inability to act. There are too many layers of government (state, local, federal) to make governing effective and swift. Courts are jammed with lawsuits from groups seeking to influence policy.

Elite/Class Theory

Government is controlled by wealthy elites and large corporations. Common people are subject to the interests of a small percentage of the population. $$ = influence = power.

Policy Gridlock

There are so many important issues people care about leading to_____, the inability for the government to take action because too many groups are competing for their policies to dominate.

Elements of US Shared Political Culture:

• Liberty: includes freedom of speech, the press, religion, etc.

• Egalitarianism: people are born equal and should be treated as such under the law.

• Individualism: Americans seem to have more concern for individual freedoms than corporate well-being.

• Laissez-Faire: the government should promote free markets, and tax as little as possible.

• Populism: Issues important to 'The Common Man' should be atop the policy agenda."

Consent of the Governed

The government derives its authority from the people.

Natural Rights

People are born with certain inherent rights.

Limited Government

The sole purpose of government is to protect the rights of the people.

The Enlightenment

A time in which great minds questioned whether the autocratic rulers of the past had actually been chosen by God to rule (divine right), or could be replaced by representatives of the (mostly rich) people.

Articles of Confederation

States were super inconsistent in sending (or not sending) delegates to attend meetings. Congress had no power to tax. Congress could not regulate commerce. It could not coin money.

Shay's Rebellion

Debtors attacked courthouses in New York to prevent the foreclosure of their property made worse because some were veterans and owed back pay from the Revolutionary War. Neither the state nor the federal government could stop it.

Virginia Plan

Called for each state to be represented in the legislature based on population (favoring the large states).

New Jersey Plan

Called for equal representation of the states in the legislature (favoring small states).

Connecticut Compromise

Created in the Constitution a bicameral legislature with equal representation in the Senate (two per state), and representation by population in the House.

3/5 Compromise

Counted each slave as 3/5 of a person for the purpose of determining representation.

Separation of Powers

The three branches of government—Executive, Legislative, and Judicial—are relatively independent of one another.

Checks and Balances

Parts of our government have the ability to limit the power of other parts of the government.

Federalists

Primarily wealthy merchants, landowners, professionals. Supported the Constitution and strong federal government.

Anti-Federalists

Farmers, laborers, shopkeepers. Opposed the constitution and wanted strong state governments.