AP Gov - Unit 1

I'm doing this to study lol (ty heimler) - will eventually have all units, rn its only unit one

Enlightenment

A European movement from 17th-19th century, emphasized reason, liberty, education, progress, and personal freedom. Challenged traditional authorities like monarchy and religion. (reason, nature, progress, liberty, and happiness)

TLDR: Set of ideas that shaped US and their documents.

Natural Rights

States that when you are born, you have rights that no government can take away. (As a Monarch didn’t give them these rights, it cannot be taken away by a monarch). John Locke was one of those guys that promoted this, and said that every person has inherent rights to life, liberty, and property. Hobbes said (similarly) that people are born free.

TLDR: Says you have rights that can’t be taken away by any gov.

Popular Sovereignty

By nature, power is in the people.

Social Contract

Goes along w popular sovereignty, just says that people willingly give over some of their power to the gov in order to protect their rights. If the gov violates their duty and becomes tyrannical, the people should overthrow the government.

Republicanism

People elect representatives to make decisions for them.

Limited Government

A principle where the government's power is restricted and governed by the rule of law.

Rule of Law

Government HAS to follow this, nobody is above the law.

Democracy

‘rule by the people' - Any system of government in which people vote their elected representatives into parliament.

Elitist Democracy

A system where only a SMALL amount of people have control of the government (rich, educated, etc).

Some founding fathers - AKA John Adams - were concerned over “mob rule” (where most people are stupid and shouldn’t vote, so the educated should have control).

Participatory Democracy

EVERYBODY contributes to the votes. Opposite of Elitist, basically.

Founding fathers were like nuh-uh because America is too large (cuz it’s hard to get everybody’s votes in a crisis, also lots of resources are needed), diverse, and also dumb.

Pluralist Democracy

Gov is run by multiple groups all fighting for control, main word here is COMPROMISE between the two groups.

Federalism

Power is run by both the National AND State governments.

It is NOT just about the federal government!!!

Concurrent powers

Powers shared by both federal and state governments.

Ex: Taxes, establishing courts, enforcing laws

Reserved Powers

Powers not explicitly granted to the federal governments, nor prohibited to the states. This is said in the 10th amendment.

i.e. Powers reserved for the STATES only

Ex: local governments, licenses, educations

Enumerated powers

Powers explicitly given to the FEDERAL government through the Constitution

Ex: Coin money, declare war, raise army

Electoral college

A process used in the U.S. for electing the President and Vice President. Consists of 538 Electors, 270 needed to elect pres. State has same number of electors as it does members in Congress (one for each member in House, and two for Senate).

Most states have a “winner-take-all” system where all electors are given to the Presidential candidate who wins the State's popular vote. except Maine and Nebraska, but we don’t gaf abt them.

Grants

A financial award provided by a federal, state, or local government to support a specific project or initiative.

Categorical grant

A grant given for a specific program, with strict rules on how to use it. States don’t like these, as they don’t control where it is spent.

Ex: highway programs, education, social services.

Block grants

A grant given for a broad purpose, with flexibility.

States like these, since the federal gov has no specific regulations on them and they have more freedom.

Clauses of the Constitution

Defines specific powers, rights, and obligations within the government. You need to know these!!!!!

Commerce Clause

Article I (section 8) of the Constitution, establishes that Congress has the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among states. States cannot restrict interstate commerce (ie can’t put taxes on interstate stuff).

Due Process Clause

5th and 14th Amendment

Basically as stated in the name, no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

Everybody - and I mean EVERYBODY, doesn’t matter if they aren’t a citizen - has a right to: fair trial, right to an impartial jury, right to be innocent until proven guilty, and the right to a speedy and public trial.

Equal Protection Clause

wow i wonder what this could be about :|

14th Amendment, Makes sure that states treat individuals equally under the law. It prohibits states from denying any person the equal protection of the law.

Basically, everybody’s equal under the law.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Also in Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution.

Grants Congress the authority to make laws “necessary and proper” to carry out its enumerated powers.

Supremacy Clause

Article 6 of the Constitution - Federal Laws ALWAYS win over State Laws.

Articles of Confederation

First draft of the Constitution

Was really bad. Writers of the articles were scared of a tyrannical central government (cause they just came out of a monarchy), so they gave most powers to the states, leading to a weak federal government that struggled to enforce laws and collect taxes. No president, no fed courts, no revenue.

TLDR: First draft of the Constitution that had a weak central government and couldn’t raise taxes or make an army.

Shays Rebellion

Uprising by farmers, took a long time to defeat because the government had no army. Rev war veterans were poor and not being paid, so they rebelled.

Highlighted weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

Constitutional Convention

Place where they created the Constitution, due to the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation - lol

Great Compromise - also called Connecticut Compromise

Agreement from the Constitutional Convention. Created a bicameral legislature (House and the Senate). Called Connecticut Comp bcuz 2 CT senators made it. - Combined virginia and NJ plan.

Virginia Plan

Proposal for representation based on POPULATION - mostly cuz larger states wanted more power.

Imagine it as virginia has a big population, so they like the population proposal

New Jersey Plan

Proposal for representation based on equality - Favors smaller states (cuz nj is small cough loser cough)

House of Representatives

One chamber of Congress - representation based on population, with members elected by the citizens in that state. The number of representatives cannot exceed one for every 30,000 people.

Each rep has a 2 year term limit, must be 25 years old, more rules when speaking on the floor (time limit).

Senate

Second chamber of Congress - representation based on equal state votes, with two senators from each state, no matter the population. Senators have 6 year term limit, and must be at least 30 years old. Considered the older branch, so they’re allowed to filibuster and have fewer rules on debate.

Senate’s powers

Approves presidential nominations

Ratifies treaties

For impeachment, the Senate holds the trial to remove an official, and a two-thirds vote is required to win.

HoR’s Powers

Initiates revenue bills (tax/spending bills)

Begins the process for impeachment,

Elects the President if no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes.

3/5ths Compromise

Gave more representation to Southern states, determined how enslaved people would be counted for both population and tax purposes- each slave is worth 3/5ths of a person.

Need to know court cases

15 landmark cases you need to know for AP Gov

Schenck v. United States (1919)

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)

Baker v. Carr (1961)

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)

New York Times Company v. United States (1971)

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

United States v. Lopez (1995)

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Reno v. Shaw (1996)

Marbury v Madison (1803)

Judicial Review!!!