The Ultimate Guide to AP United States Government and Politics

Enlightenment (18th century)

Enlightenment (18th century)

A philosophical movement in Western Europe rooted in the Scientific Revolution, emphasizing reason over tradition in solving social problems.

Thomas Hobbes

A philosopher who believed in absolute monarchy, stating that people could not govern themselves and needed a monarch to protect life best.

John Locke

Advocated for natural rights protection, including life, liberty, and property, and the right to revolution if these rights were violated.

Charles de Montesquieu

Proposed the separation of powers into three branches of government and checks and balances to limit each branch's power.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Argued that people are born good but corrupted by society, advocating for acting for the greater good over self-interest.

Participatory democracy

Involves broad participation in politics and society by people of various statuses.

Pluralist democracy

Focuses on group-based activism by citizens with common interests seeking similar goals.

Elite democracy

Grants power to the educated and wealthy, discouraging participation by the majority.

Republicanism

Supports individualism, natural rights, popular sovereignty, and civic participation, characterized by representative democracy.

The Declaration of Independence

A formal declaration of war against Great Britain, listing grievances and explaining the colonies' independence.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Outlined the first U.S. government, leading to issues like trade decline, social disorder, and inability to levy taxes or control interstate trade.

Federalism

A system of government where power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.

Separation of Powers

The division of governmental responsibilities into distinct branches to prevent the concentration of power in one entity.

System of Checks and Balances

A mechanism where each branch of government can limit the powers of the other branches to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

Amendment Process

The procedure outlined in the Constitution for modifying or adding provisions to the document.

State and Local Governments

Political entities that have their own governing structures and powers within the federal system.

Congress

The bicameral legislature responsible for making laws and overseeing the government in the United States.

Gerrymandering

Manipulating the boundaries of electoral districts to favor one political party or group.

Legislative Process

The series of steps a bill goes through to become a law, involving both houses of Congress and the President.

Committee

A group within Congress responsible for specific legislative tasks, such as investigating issues, amending bills, and overseeing agencies.

Filibuster

A tactic used in the Senate to delay or prevent a vote on a bill by making lengthy speeches.

Select committees

Temporary committees formed in each house of Congress for specific purposes like investigations or drafting special bills.

Conference committee

Temporary joint committees comprising members from both houses to reconcile differences in bills and create compromise legislation.

Congressional Leadership

The Speaker of the House, majority and minority leaders, and whips who manage party members, set agendas, and influence legislation.

Notable Legislation

Key laws like the Northwest Ordinance, Pendleton Act, Sherman Anti-Trust Act, and others that shaped government, industry, rights, and freedoms.

The President's Powers

Formal and informal powers of the President, including roles as head of state, commander in chief, legislative leader, and the ability to appoint officials.

Executive Office of the President

Agencies within the White House assisting the President in various areas like domestic policy, national security, and economic matters.

Impeachment

The process by which Congress can remove a President for crimes, with the House impeaching and the Senate holding a trial for removal.

American Legal Principles

Concepts like equal justice, due process, adversarial system, and types of law such as criminal and civil law.

Structure and Jurisdiction of Courts

The federal court system, including District Courts, Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court, and their roles in interpreting laws.

Politics of the Judiciary

The appointment process of judges, their lifetime tenure, confirmation by the Senate, and the political nature of judicial appointments.

Nomination Process

In the U.S., nominees for the Supreme Court are typically from the same party as the president.

Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings

Both parties in the Senate Judiciary Committee assess nominees' stances on key issues.

American Bar Association

Evaluates the qualifications of Supreme Court nominees.

Senatorial Courtesy

Senators from the state where an appointee will serve may suggest acceptable nominees to the president.

Judicial Restraint

Judges who are cautious about overturning legislation practice judicial restraint.

Judicial Activist

A judge who readily overturns legislative acts.

Judicial Review

Established in Marbury v. Madison, it allows the Supreme Court to review laws' constitutionality.

Writ of Certiorari

Document used by the Supreme Court to request lower court transcripts for review.

Amicus Curiae Briefs

Submissions by interest groups to influence Supreme Court decisions.

Unanimous Opinion

A Supreme Court decision where all justices agree, carrying significant legal weight.

Lemon Test

Criteria established by the Supreme Court in Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) to determine if a law violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Engel v

Supreme Court case where school prayer was ruled unconstitutional under the First Amendment's Establishment Clause.

Wisconsin v

Supreme Court case allowing Amish families to withdraw children from school after the eighth grade based on the Free Exercise Clause.

Second Amendment

Protects the right to keep and bear arms, as interpreted in cases like McDonald v. Chicago (2010).

Fourth Amendment

Protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, requiring warrants based on probable cause, as well as the exclusionary rule.

Fifth Amendment

Protects against self-incrimination, double jeopardy, and ensures due process of law.

Gideon v

Supreme Court case establishing the right to an attorney under the Sixth Amendment.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislation prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public areas and programs.

Brown v

Landmark case declaring school segregation unconstitutional nationwide.

Public Opinion

Views held by the general public on political issues, measured through polls and influenced by factors like political socialization.

Income level

The higher income Americans tend to support liberal goals but are fiscally conservative, while lower income Americans are more conservative except on welfare issues.

Region

The East Coast leans more liberal, the South more conservative, and the West Coast is the most polarized; cities tend to be liberal, rural areas conservative.

Public Opinion and the Mass Media

News media includes TV, radio, Internet broadcasts, newspapers, magazines, websites, social media, and talk radio; it sets the public agenda and exposes Americans to government and politicians.

Political Participation

Citizen participation in politics, rational choice, retrospective voting, prospective voting, and party-line voting are models of voting behavior.

Political Parties

Organizations with similar ideologies that aim to influence elections and legislative issues; Democrats and Republicans are the two major parties in the U.S.

Party Characteristics

Political parties act as intermediaries between the government and people, raise funds, nominate candidates, and have party platforms outlining their goals.

Party Functions

Parties recruit candidates, educate voters, provide campaign support, organize government activities, and promote negotiation and compromise.

Party Coalitions

Political parties are made up of various groups aiming to attract voters and create winning coalitions; they tend to rely on specific bases of support.

Third Parties

Form to represent disenfranchised constituencies, can be doctrinal or single-issue parties, and often struggle due to the two-party system and lack of resources.

Interest Groups

Organizations with specific political goals that lobby, educate, write legislation, and mobilize members to influence government decisions.

How Interest Groups Influence Government

Interest groups use tactics like lobbying, testifying before Congress, socializing, political donations, endorsements, court action, rallying membership, and propaganda to influence government decisions.

Political Action Committees and Super PACs

PACs raise campaign funds with restrictions on contributions, while super PACs have no fundraising limits but cannot coordinate with candidates directly.

Elections

Held every two years federally, with nominations and general elections; incumbents have a significant advantage, especially in the House of Representatives.

Closed primary

Only registered members of a political party can vote.

Open primary

Voters can vote in one + any party primary which they choose.

Blanket primary

Voters can vote for one candidate per office of either party.

General elections

When voters decide who will hold office, held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November.

Presidential elections

Elections when the president is being selected.

Midterm elections

Elections between presidential elections.

First Steps Toward Nomination

Most officials receive the endorsement/nomination of a major party, usually have backgrounds in government.

Gubernatorial experience

Allows candidates to claim executive abilities and run as outsiders.

Testing the waters

Year before first primaries, attempt to increase public profile through public appearances and media coverage.

Financing Campaigns

Successful campaign needs large staff, transportation, and resources to hire advertising agencies, pollsters, and consultants.

Primary System

Candidates campaign widely during the election year, debates, campaign in states, and plan media events.

Electoral College

Created by the framers to insulate government from whims of less-educated public, winner of state wins all of state’s electors.

Media Influence on Elections

News media provides voters with daily campaign information, concentrate on polls and campaign advertisements.

Election Day

Voter turnout lower for midterm elections, affected by legislation like the National Voter Registration Act (1993).

Policy Making Objectives

Can have three purposes - solving a social problem, countering threats, pursuing an objective.

Economic Policy

Economy is often the most important issue, mixed economies involve private and public ownership of production and distribution of goods and services.

Fiscal Policy

Government action of raising/lowering taxes, resulting in more/less consumer spending or enacting government spending programs.

Monetary Policy

How the government controls the supply of money in circulation and credit through actions of the Federal Reserve Board.

Trade Policy

Balance of trade, trade deficits, and surpluses, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Domestic Policy

Liberals believe in government social-welfare programs, conservatives believe they encroach on individual responsibilities and liberties.

Social insurance programs

National insurance programs funded by taxes from employees and employers, with benefits considered earned due to contributions.

Public assistance programs

Government aid not paid for by recipients, provided based on need and societal responsibility to assist the less fortunate.

Social Security

Mandated entitlement program providing benefits to those meeting requirements, challenging to change due to the aging population and political dynamics.

Medicare

Healthcare assistance for individuals over 65, supplementing medical costs for retirees through additional taxes on social security benefits.

Medicaid

Offers health services to low-income individuals, jointly funded by states and the federal government, with state administration.

Temporary unemployment insurance

State-administered program providing limited weekly benefits, funded by both federal and state governments.

Social Welfare

Federal welfare programs like AFDC and SSI, aimed at aiding families in need and individuals living near poverty levels.

SNAP benefits

Food assistance program providing food stamps to enhance the diet and purchasing power of low-income individuals.

Welfare Reform Act (1996)

Legislation aimed at reducing public assistance dependency, introducing TANF, work requirements, and time limits on welfare eligibility.

Health Care

U.S. health care system, the most expensive globally, with debates on universal coverage, costs, and government versus private administration.

Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act (2010)

Landmark legislation under President Obama, including the individual mandate and reforms to enhance health care access.