AP Government Units 1 & 2

Social Contract

Philosophical idea from Hobbes and Locke that individuals consent to form societies and governments to protect their rights.

Natural Rights

Rights that individuals are born with that cannot be taken away, including life, liberty, and property, as emphasized by John Locke.

Separation of Powers

Montesquieu's principle of dividing government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from exercising the core functions of another.

Federalists

Supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong central government and advocated for its ratification.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the Constitution who feared a strong central government and demanded a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties.

The Great Compromise

Created a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate.

Checks and Balances

System that prevents any one branch of government from becoming too powerful by allowing each branch to limit the powers of the others.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Supreme Court case that upheld the supremacy of federal laws over state laws and the implied powers of Congress.

Judicial Review

The power of the courts to review and invalidate actions of the executive and legislative branches that they find unconstitutional.

Gerrymandering

The practice of manipulating district boundaries to favor one political party over others.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation that aimed to eliminate various forms of voting discrimination against African Americans.

Incumbency Advantage

The electoral advantage experienced by current officeholders, often leading to high reelection rates.

Participatory Democracy

A model of democracy where broad participation in politics is encouraged.

Pluralist Democracy

A model of democracy that emphasizes group-based activism and the influence of various interest groups.

Elite Democracy

A model of democracy that emphasizes limited participation in political decision-making, focused on the educated and wealthy.

Federalism

A system of government where power is divided between a central authority and regional authorities.

The Articles of Confederation

The first governing document of the United States, which was ultimately replaced due to its weaknesses.

The Constitutional Convention (1787)

Meeting in Philadelphia where the framework for the Constitution was created.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution that guarantee certain rights and liberties to individuals.

The Declaration of Independence

A document written by Thomas Jefferson declaring the colonies' independence from Great Britain.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Agreement that enslaved people would be counted as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes.

Elastic Clause

Clause in the Constitution that allows Congress to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out its duties.

Supremacy Clause

Article VI of the Constitution stating that federal laws take precedence over state laws.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An organization that collects political donations to support candidates or political parties.

Lobbying

The act of attempting to influence the decisions of government officials, often used by interest groups.

Interest Groups

Organizations of people with shared goals that seek to influence public policy.

Framers of the Constitution

The group of delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention and shaped the structure of the new government.

Impeachment

The process by which a legislative body levels charges against a government official, including the president.

Shays’ Rebellion

An uprising led by farmers in 1786 to protest economic injustices and the weak central government.

Federalist Papers

A series of essays written to support ratification of the Constitution, authored by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay.

Executive Agreement

An international agreement made by the president that does not require the approval of the Senate.

Bicameral Legislature

A legislative body that has two houses, as in the structure of the U.S. Congress.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

The Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review.

Civil Liberties

Individual rights protected by law from unjust governmental interference.

Civil Rights

The rights of individuals to receive equal treatment under the law, often concerning discrimination.

Direct Democracy

A form of democracy in which people decide on policy initiatives directly.

Habeas Corpus

The legal principle that a person should be brought before a judge to secure their release unless lawful grounds are shown for their detention.