AP Gov Chapters 1-2 Vocab

government

the system for implementing decisions made through the political process

factions

groups of like-minded people who try to influence the government. american government is set up to avoid domination by any one of these groups.

separation of powers

the division of government power across the judicial, executive, and legislative branches

checks and balances

a system in which each branch of government has some power over the others

federalism

the division of power across the local, state, and national levels of government

public goods

services or actions (such as protecting the environment) that, once provided to one person, become available to everyone. government is typically needed to provide public goods because they will be underprovided by the free market

collective action problems

situations in which the members of a group would benefit by working together to produce some outcome, but each individual is better off refusing to cooperate and reaping benefits from those who do the work

free rider problem

the incentive to benefit from others’ work without making a contribution, which leads individuals in a collective action situation to refuse to work together

politics

the process that determines what government does

free market

an economic system based on competition among businesses without government interference

redistributive tax policies

policies, generally favored by democratic politicians, that use taxation to attempt to create social equality (for example, higher taxation for the rich to provide programs for the poor)

culture wars

political conflict in the US between “red state” Americans, who tend to have strong religious beliefs, and “blue state” Americans, who tend to be more secular

ideology

a cohesive set of ideas and beliefs used to organize and evaluate the political world

conservative

the side of the ideological spectrum, defined by the support for lower taxes, a free market, and a more limited government; generally associated with Republicans

liberal

the side of the ideological spectrum defined by support for stronger government programs and more market regulation; generally associated with Democrats

libertarians

those who prefer very limited government and therefore tend to be conservative on issues such as social welfare policy, environmental policy, and government funding for education but liberal on issues involving personal liberty such as free speech, abortion, and the legalization of drugs

norms

unwritten rules and informal agreements among citizens and elected officials about how government and society should operate

democracy (key norm of American political culture)

government by the people. in most contexts, this means representative democracy in which the people elect leaders to enact policies. democracies must have fair elections with at least two options.

liberty (key norm of American political culture)

political freedom, such as the freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion. these and other legal and due process rights protecting individuals from government control are outlined in the bill of rights and US constitution.

equality (key norm of American political culture)

in the context of American politics, “equality” means equality before the law, political equality (one person, one vote), and the equality of opportunity (the equal chance for everyone to realize their potential), but not material equality (equal income or wealth)

constitution

a document that embodies the fundamental laws and principles by which the US is governed. it was drafted at the constitutional convention and later supplemented by the bill of rights and other amendments.

articles of confederation

sent to the states for ratification in 1777, these were the first attempt at a new American government it was later decided that the articles restricted national government too much, and they were replaced by the constitution.

limited government

a political system in which the powers of the government are restricted to prevent tyranny by protecting property and individual rights

declaration of independence

adopted by congress on 7/4/1776, this foundational document declared the colonies’ independence from britain. its bold statement “all men are created equal” gave a limited conception of equality

monarchy

a form of government in which power is held by a single person, or monarch, who comes to power through inheritance rather than election

shay’s rebellion

an uprising of about 1500 men in MA in 1786 and 1787 to protest oppressive laws and gain payment of war debts. the unrest prompted calls for a new constitution

republicanism

as understood by James Madison and the framers, the belief that a form of government in which the interests of the people are represented through elected leaders is the best form of government. our form of government is known as a republican democracy

popular sovereignty

the idea that government gains its legitimacy through regular elections in which the people living under that government participate to elect their leaders

natural rights

“unalienable rights”, these rights are defined in the declaration of independence as “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” the founders believed that upholding these rights should be the government’s central purpose

federalist 51

a foundational document written by James Madison in 1788 and titled the structure of the government must furnish the proper checks and balances between the different departments

federalist 10

a foundational document written by James Madison in 1787 and titled the union as a safeguard against domestic faction and insurrection

federalists

those at the constitutional convention who favored a strong national government and a system of separated powers

antifederalists

those at the constitutional convention who favored strong state governments and feared that a strong national government would be a threat to individual rights

pluralism

the idea that having a variety of parties and interests within a government will strengthen the system, ensuring that no group possesses total control

virginia plan

a plan proposed by the larger states during the constitutional convention that based representation in the national legislature on population. the plan also included a variety of other proposals to strengthen the national government

new jersey plan

a plan that was suggested in response to the virginia plan; smaller states at the constitutional convention proposed that each state should receive equal representation in the national legislature, regardless of size

great compromise

a compromise between the large and small states, proposed by Connecticut, in which congress would have two houses: a senate with two legislators per state and a house of representatives in which each state’s representation would be based on population (aka the Connecticut compromise)

parliamentary system

a system of government in which legislative and executive power are closely joined. the legislature (parliament) selects the chief executive (prime minister), who forms the cabinet from members of the parliament

reserved powers

as defined in the tenth amendment, powers that are not given to the national government by the consitution, or not prohibited to the states, are reserved by the states or the people

national supremacy clause

the part of article VI, section 2, of the constitution stating that the constitution and the laws and treaties of the US are the “supreme law of the land,” meaning national laws take precedence over state laws if the two conflict

3/5 compromise

the states’ decision during the constitutional convention to count each enslaved person as 3/5 of a person in a state’s population for the purpose of determining the number of House members and the distribution of taxes

brutus 1

antifederalist writing that advocated for a small, decentralized Republic, arguing that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government at the expense of the states

bill of rights

the first 10 amendments to the Constitution; they protect individual rights and liberties

power of the purse

the constitutional power of Congress to raise and spend money. Congress can use this as a negative or checking power over the other branches by freezing/cutting their funding

necessary and proper clause

the part of Article I, section 8, of the constitution that grants congress the power to pass all laws related to its expressed powers; aka the elastic clause

enumerated powers

powers explicitly granted to congress, the president, or the supreme court in the first three articles of the constitution. examples include congress’s power to “raise and support armies” and the president’s power as commander in chief

impeachment

a negative or checking power over the other branches that allows congress to remove the president, VP, or other “officers of the US” (including federal judges) for abuses of power

Marbury v. Madison

the landmark case in which the supreme court for the first time declared the part of a law passed by congress was unconstitutional, this case helped establish judicial review

judicial review

the supreme court’s power to strike down a law or executive branch action that is finds unconstitutional

executive power clause

the part of article II, section 1, of the constitution states: “The executive power shall be vested in a president of the USA.” This broad statement has been used to justify many assertions of presidential power

commerce clause

the part of article I, section 8, of the constitution that gives congress “the power to regulate commerce…among the several states.” the supreme court’s interpretation of this clause has varied, but today it serves as the basis for much of Congress’s legislation

implied powers

powers supported by the constitution that are not expressly stated in it

social contract

a concept developed by political philosophers of the 18th century that defined the legitimacy of the state. the people recognize the authority of the state to govern them, and, in turn, the government protects the rights/freedoms of the people