AP United States Government & Politics Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key concepts from the AP United States Government & Politics Cram Chart, including democratic models, constitutional powers, landmark SCOTUS cases, and foundational documents.

Participatory Democracy

A system where citizens are provided power to make political decisions.

Pluralist Democracy

A model where organized groups compete with each other to influence policy.

Elitist Democracy

A system where a small number of people, usually wealthy and educated, influence decision making.

Federalism

A division of power between the national and state levels of government, including delegated, reserved, and concurrent powers.

Amending Process

The procedure requiring a $\frac{2}{3}$ vote in both the House and Senate plus approval by $\frac{3}{4}$ of state legislatures.

Policy agenda

The priorities of an administration in terms of the policies and laws it wants to see enacted.

Office of Management and Budget

The executive office agency responsible for creating and submitting the President's budget to Congress.

Bureaucracy

The hierarchy of cabinet departments, executive agencies, and government corporations that implement policy.

Patronage

The practice of awarding government jobs based on political loyalty.

Rule-Making

The power of the bureaucracy to design the specific rules for how a law will be implemented.

Discretion

The power of the bureaucracy to decide how firmly the rules about a policy will be enforced.

Iron Triangle

The relationship and interaction between a Bureaucratic Agency, a Congressional Committee, and an Interest Group.

Civil liberties

Constitutional protections that shield citizens from government tyranny.

Civil rights

Legal rights protected by the government to prevent discrimination.

Incorporation

A legal doctrine that makes the Bill of Rights applicable to all states via the $14$th Amendment.

Establishment Clause

A $1$st Amendment provision stating there shall be no official state religion.

Prior restraint

State censorship of materials before they are published.

Original jurisdiction

The authority of the first court to rule on a specific case.

Appellate jurisdiction

The authority of a court to rule on an appeal from a lower court.

Writ of certiorari

The formal acceptance of an appeal by the Supreme Court.

Rule of 4

The requirement that $4$ justices must agree to place a case on the docket and grant certiorari.

Amicus curiae

'Friend of the court' briefs submitted by outside parties, such as interest groups, to influence a case.

Stare decisis

'Let the decision stand,' a principle of standing behind the precedents of old cases in common law.

Judicial Review

The power of the Supreme Court to declare a law or presidential action unconstitutional.

Delegate Model

A leadership style where a legislator honors the specific wishes of their constituents.

Trustee Model

A leadership style where a legislator uses their own judgment to make decisions.

Politico Model

A hybrid leadership style that uses both the delegate and trustee models.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of district boundaries by state legislators to favor a specific political party.

Divided government

A situation where the party of the President is opposite from one or both chambers of Congress, often creating gridlock.

Political Socialization

The methods and agents that shape an individual's political identity.

Political efficacy

The feeling that an individual's participation in the political process matters.

Federalist 10

Madison's argument that a large republic is the best measure to curb the influence of factions.

Brutus 1

The Anti-Federalist argument that a large republic would deprive states and towns of sovereignty over their policy.

Federalist 51

Madison's argument for three distinct branches with the authority to keep others in check through checks and balances.

Federalist 70

Hamilton's argument for a single, energetic executive leader.

Federalist 78

Hamilton's argument for a court serving life terms to avoid political pressure and determine the constitutionality of laws.

Marbury v. Madison ($1803$)

A landmark case that firmly established the Supreme Court's power of judicial review.

McCulloch v. Maryland ($1819$)

Affirmed the Supremacy Clause and the 'necessary and proper' clause, preventing states from taxing the central government.

Baker v. Carr ($1961$)

Established the 'one person, one vote' principle for redistricting.

$14$th Amendment

Grants citizenship to former slaves and ensures due process and equal protection under the law.