AP Gov important knowledge

1st amendment

Free speech, press, petition, free exercise of religion.

Amendment 2

Right to bear arms.

Amendment 3

No quartering of soldiers

Amendment 4

No unreasonable searches and seizures.

Amendment 5

Cannot be forced to incriminate yourself/no double jeopardy/eminent domain.

Amendment 6

Right to a lawyer, fair trial, speedy trial, right to confront witnesses against you.

Amendment 7

Citizens have the right to a jury trial in federal non-criminal cases.

Amendment 8

No cruel and unusual punishment/unreasonable bail.

Amendment 9

Just because it is not mentioned in the constitution does not mean we don’t have that right.

Amendment 10

All powers not given to the national government go to the states.

Amendment 11

Citizens cannot sue a state in federal court without the state’s permission.

Amendment 12

Separate electoral college ballots for president and vice president.

Amendment 13

Abolished Slavery

Amendment 14

Reiterated citizenship for freed slaves/privileges and immunities clause/due process clause/equal protection clause.

Amendment 15

All males could vote

Amendment 16

Congress can levy an income tax .

Senators now elected by the people of the state not legislatures.

Amendment 18

Prohibition of alcohol.

Amendment 19

Women’s suffrage.

Amendment 20

Moved up the time national office holders take office/if something happens to Pres., VP takes over.

Amendment 21

Repealed prohibition

Amendment 22

Limited presidents terms to two 4 year terms ( max of 10 years).

Amendment 23

Gave D.C three electoral votes

Amendment 24

Abolished poll taxes

Amendment 25

Procedures for if the President becomes unfit for duty.

Amendment 26

18 year olds can vote.

Amendment 27

Congress cannot increase their pay in the same term.

Legislative branch checks executive branch

1. Overrides a presidential veto with 2/3 vote in each house of Congress

2. Oversight hearings

3. Can reduce/increase the budget proposed by President

4. House of Representatives can impeach the president

5. Senate is the jury for the impeachment trial and convicts or acquits the president.

6. Senate ratifies treaties by 2/3 majority

7. Senate approves presidential appointments by simple majority.

Legislative branch checks the judicial branch

1. Can change the number and jurisdiction of federal courts

2. Sets lower federal court jurisdiction

3. Can change the number of justices on the Supreme Court

4. Senate approves federal judge appointees

5. House of Representatives can impeach a federal judge

6. Senate is the jury for the impeachment trial and convicts or quits a federal judge

7. Can initiate a constitutional amendment

Executive branch checks the legislative branch

1. Can veto a bill

2. President can decide not to enforce a law

3. Executive orders

4. Executive agreements

5. Bully Pulpit (appealing directly to the people)

6. Can convene Congress

Executive branch checks the judicial branch

1. Appoints federal judges

2. Can choose not to enforce a court decision

3. Pardon power

Judicial branch checks the legislative branch

Judicial review

Judicial review checks the executive branch

Judicial review

Bureaucratic Discretion

Bureaucratic discretion Is the power given to agencies by Congress to implement laws using their expert judgement.

Bureaucratic Rulemaking

Bureaucratic rulemaking is the process by which agencies create the regulations necessary to carry out the laws that Congress makes. These regulations have the same effects as laws.

Executive Branch checks on the Bureaucracy

1. Appoint and remove agency heads (not all agency heads can be removed by President)

2. Reorganize the bureaucracy (with congressional approval)

3. Change an agency’s budget

4. Adjust policies that would alter the bureaucracy’s activities

5. Issue executive orders

Legislative Branch checks on Bureaucracy

1. Pass legislation that alters the bureaucracy’s activities

2. Abolish existing programs

3. Reduce funding to bureaucracy

4. Congressional oversight (hearings requiring bureaucrats to testify)

5. Senate approves bureaucrat appointments

Judicial Branch checks on the bureaucracy

Judicial review

Margin required to override a presidential veto

2/3 majority in the House of Representatives and 2/3 majority in the senate

Margin required to ratify a treaty

2/3 majority in senate

Margin required to impeach a president

Simple majority (half plus one) in the House of Representatives

Margin required to convict a president that’s been impeached

2/3 majority in senate

Margin required to elevate a presidents nominee to a seat on a federal court (including the Supreme Court)

Simple majority in the senate

Margin required to elect the president

Simple majority (270 electoral votes)

Margin required to pass a law

Simple majority in both houses of Congress

Margin required to propose an amendment

2/3 majority in both houses of Congress or if 2/3 of state legislatures request a convention.

Margin required to ratify an amendment

¾ of states.