AP Government - Unit 1

Limited Government

The government is limited in nature/power and cannot go beyond what is stated in the constitution

Natural Rights

Rights that are not dependent on laws and are born with

Popular Sovereignty

People are the source of governmental power—government is based on the consent of the people

Social Contract

The government is required to protect the people and their rights as they gaining their power from the people.

Republicanism

A republican system of government that uses representatives (aka U.S type of government)

Rule of Law

People, institutions, and entities are subject to the law

Majority Rule with Minority Rights

The majority makes laws while still protecting the minority rights

Representative Democracy

• A form of democracy where people vote for representatives who vote on policies.

• We do not have a direct democracy but there is some at state/local level:

  • Initiative (Citizen rights a bill and is voted by the general public)

  • Referendum (Representative rights a bill and is voted by the general public)

  • Recall

Participatory Democracy

The people are directly involved with policy making and emphazies broad participation in politics and civil society

Pluralist Democracy

Organized groups (ex: factions) compete with each other to influence policy making

Elite Democracy

A small group, usually wealthy or well-educated) controls policy making and limits the participation of citizens

Great Compromise

A compromise at the Constitutional Convention where a bicameral legislature was created: House of Representatives (based on population) and Senate (two seats per state) Was created because:

• Large states wanted a representation of their larger population

• Smaller states wanted equal representation (as found in the Articles of Confederation)

Electoral College

The choosing of the president

• State electors choose the president

• The People vote on the presidential candidates

3/5 Compromise

The South wanted their slaves to have representation (more rep.= more power), while the North did not. Resulted in a compromise that states that for every 5 enslaved African Americans, three will count towards representations

Slave Trade Compromise

Slave importation would stop after 20 years, or stop in 1808

Separation of Powers

Each branch has its own powers and jobs

• Legislation (Congress) - make laws and policies

• Executive (President) - enforce laws

• Judicial - interprets laws

Checks and Balances

Based on separations of powers, each branch has the power to check on the other branches to prevent one branch from becoming too powerful.

• The president can veto Congress laws

• Congress confirms a President’s appointed for the Supreme Court

Amendment Process

As stated in Article V of the Constitution

• 2/3s of Congress must pass the proposed amendment

• ¾s of the states must approve ratification

Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)

Allows Congress to make laws necessary to carry out their expressed powers

• Strengthens Congress

• Allows Congress to make laws that are not necessarily stated

  • Implied powers

Supremacy Clause

When Federal and State Laws conflict, the Federal Law is superior

Commerce Clause

Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce

• Gives Congress much more power

• Comes from Article 1, Section 8

• Has been expanded to “only Congress” can regulate interstate commerce and anything “affecting” interstate commerce can also be regulated by Congress

10th Amendment

All powers not delegated to the federal government or denied, are reserved for the states/people

Devolution

A movement since the 1980s where power was returned to the state level

U.S. v Lopez

The case between a 12th grader who brought in a gun to school and the government

• Lopez argued the federal law was not allowed to pass the Gun-Free School Act and exceeded Congressional power under the Commerce Clause

• The government argued possession of firearms affected the economy (Commerce Clause)

• Supreme Court ruled in Lopez’s favor

• Limited Congressional use of the Commerce Clause

MuCulloch v. Maryland

A case between whether Congress had the power to create a national bank and whether Maryland could tax it, which would interfere with congressional powers

• Supreme Court ruled Congress did have the power to establish a national bank under the Necessary and Proper Clause.

• Supreme Court ruled that in this case, Congress had the power under the Supremacy Clause

• Expanded the power of Congress and established Federal law over State law

The Declaration of Independence

The United States declares independence from Great Britain

• Explained why we wanted to cut ties so that everyone knew why

Federalist #10

Madison discusses how to control factions within the government and argues for an extended republic

• A representative republic is more effective against partisanship and factionalism

• Rebuts principles of direct democracy and factionalism

• Points out that an extended republic will allow more representation of different ideas

Federalist #51

Madison discusses how the government will provide separation of powers and checks and balances

• It will create a limited government and prevent one branch from becoming too powerful

• Talks about compound republic—not only division of power between state and national government, but also within the separate governments

• All politicians are ambitious and want power, so there must be checks and balances

Shays Rebellion

A rebellion in Massachusetts due to a monetary debt crisis and economic hardships

• Farmers could not pay debts and taxes and the government could not suppress it

• Demonstrated weakness in the Articles of Confederation—weak central government

• This led to the writing of the Constitution

• Poor and indebted were treated unfairly

• Thousands rebelled —> courts shut down/federal armory was seize

• Fear of uncontrolled rebellion and insurrection (communism)

Strengths of the Articles of Confederation

• Congress could declare war

• Coin money

• Direct the post office

• Negotiate with foreign powers

• Raise money or soldiers

• Request the states provide what was needed

• States had a lot of power

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederations

• No compulsory ability to fund debts of policies —couldn’t collect taxes

• Can’t regulate interstate or international trade

• can’t raise a compulsory army

• All states had one vote regardless of population or economy

• No executive to carry out laws

• No judicial branch to settle disputes

• Too difficult to pass legislation or amendments

• No central government led to a struggling economy

• Shays Rebellion

• Territorial Disputes

• Economic Recession

The Constitution

The supreme law of the United States

• Created after the Articles of Confederation

• Outlines the national government system

Elastic Clause v. 10th Amendment

The Elastic Clause states that Congress has the power to make necessary laws to carry out Constitutional purposes (aka implied powers). However the 10th Amendment gives and power that isn’t delegated to the Federal Government to the States.