AP Key Concepts Review

Flashcards based on key concepts from Chapters 13-16 of the AP review.

political party

An organized group of people who share similar political beliefs and work together to influence government policy.

party identification

An individual's psychological attachment to a political party.

straight-ticket voting

The practice of voting for all candidates of the same political party on a ballot.

split-ticket voting

The practice of voting for candidates from different parties on the same ballot.

party platform

A formal set of principles and objectives which are supported by a political party.

recruitment

The process of identifying and attracting candidates to run for political office.

party coalition

An alliance of various groups who come together to achieve a common goal in politics.

realignment

A significant change in the way voters align themselves with political parties.

critical election

An election that signals a significant change in the political landscape.

party era

A period characterized by the dominance of a particular political party.

era of divided government

A situation in which one party controls the presidency and another party controls one or both houses of Congress.

nomination

The process by which party members select a candidate for an upcoming election.

delegate

A person chosen to represent others, particularly in party conventions.

two-party system

A political system dominated by two major parties.

primary election

An election held to determine a party's candidate for office.

open primary

A primary election in which voters can choose candidates from any party.

closed primary

A primary election in which only registered party members can vote.

caucus

A meeting of party members to select candidates or decide policy.

front-loading

The practice of scheduling primaries early in the election season.

national convention

A gathering of party members to nominate candidates and set the party platform.

candidate-centered campaign

A campaign strategy focused on the individual running for office rather than the party as a whole.

proportional representation system

An electoral system in which parties gain seats in the legislature in proportion to the number of votes they receive.

single-member plurality system

An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins, but does not need to achieve an absolute majority.

third party

A political party that is not one of the two dominant parties; often focused on specific issues.

superdelegate

A delegate to the Democratic National Convention who is free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination.

political participation

The ways in which people take part in politics and government.

demographic characteristics

Statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it.

political action committee (PAC)

An organization that raises money to elect candidates and influence legislation.

socioeconomic status (SES)

A social standing or class of an individual or group, often measured as a combination of education, income, and occupation.

linkage institution

An entity that connects citizens to the government (e.g., political parties, interest groups, the media).

political efficacy

The belief that one can influence political events.

party-line voting

Voting in which voters select candidates of the same party for all offices.

Electoral College

The body of electors established by the Constitution to elect the President and Vice President.

winner-take-all system

An electoral system in which the candidate with the most votes wins all the electoral votes.

social movement

A collective effort to promote or resist social change.

political mobilization

The process by which a group of people are organized to participate in political activities.

battleground state

A state in which no candidate has overwhelming support, making it a key target for campaigns.

franchise or suffrage

The right to vote in political elections.

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

An amendment to the U.S. Constitution that lowered the voting age to 18.

registration requirements

The criteria that a person must meet to register to vote.

absentee ballot

A voting method that allows a person to mail or submit their votes remotely.

swing state

A state where both major political parties have similar levels of support among voters.

Get out the vote (GOTV)

Efforts made by political parties and organizations to encourage people to vote.

Twenty-Fourth Amendment

An amendment to the U.S. Constitution that prohibits the use of poll taxes in federal elections.

rational choice voting

A theory that suggests voters choose candidates based on their own self-interest.

super PAC

A type of independent political action committee that can raise unlimited sums of money.

poll tax

A fee required for voting, often used to suppress minority voters.

retrospective voting

Voting based on an assessment of an incumbent's past performance.

voter turnout

The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election.

prospective voting

Voting based on predictions of how a candidate will perform in the future.

interest groups

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

social movements

Collective efforts calling for change in social norms or policies.

theory of participatory democracy

A theory that emphasizes broad participation in political decision-making.

collective good

A benefit that is available to all members of a community regardless of individual contribution.

revolving door

The movement of individuals between roles as legislators and regulators and the industries affected by the legislation and regulation.

free riders

Individuals who benefit from resources, goods, or services without paying for them.

amicus curiae brief

A document filed in court by someone who is not directly involved in the case but has a strong interest.

selective benefits

Goods that a group can restrict to those who pay for them.

iron triangle

The stable, cooperative relationship between a congressional committee, a bureaucracy, and an interest group.

economic interest groups

Groups that influence public policy to benefit the economic interests of their members.

issue network

A network of people in similar interest groups seeking to influence government.

public interest groups

Organizations that advocate for public benefit issues.

grassroots lobbying

A form of lobbying that involves mobilizing citizens to contact government officials.

protest

A public demonstration expressing strong objection to something.

single-issue groups

Interest groups that focus on one specific area of policy.

civil disobedience

The active refusal to obey certain laws as a form of peaceful protest.

government interest groups

Organizations that represent government entities at various levels.

lobbying

The act of attempting to influence the decisions of government officials.

civil society

The aggregate of non-governmental organizations and institutions that manifest interests and will of citizens.

pluralist theory

The theory that multiple groups compete for power in a democratic society.

elitist theory

The theory that a small number of powerful elites dominate politics.

policy agenda

The set of issues that are deemed important and receive the most attention from policymakers.

collective action

Action taken by a group of people to achieve a common goal.

news media

Various media technologies that cover news reports.

social media

Platforms that allow users to create and share content or participate in social networking.

agenda setting

The process by which the media determines which topics are of public interest.

mass media

The means for delivering mass communications, including television, radio, newspapers, the internet.

wire service

An organization that gathers news reports and sells them to subscribing newspapers, radio, and television stations.

investigative journalism

The type of journalism that seeks to uncover the truth through in-depth research.

broadcast media

Media that transmit audio and video content to a mass audience.

media consolidation

The process by which fewer organizations control increasing shares of the media market.

partisan bias

The tendency of journalists to report news in a way that supports one political party.

horse-race journalism

News reporting that focuses on competitive aspects of politics rather than policy issues.