AP Gov VOCAB (Unit 1): Foundations of American Democracy

government

institutions that make up a system of policymaking within a country

politics

process of influencing the actions and policies in the government

democracy

a system of government where power is held by the people, including free and fair elections and civil rights and liberties

natural rights

the rights to life, liberty and property (govt. cannot take away)

social contract

an agreement between the people and the government where the people give some freedoms to allow their government to rule over them to ensure a functioning society

popular sovereignty

idea the govt.’s right to rule comes from the people

limited government

a system where the govt. authority is not absolute

republican government

system where the people elect representatives to carry out their wishes

inalienable rights

right the government cannot take away (L,L,PoH)

liberty

social, political, and economic freedoms

participatory democracy

theory the widespread participation in politics and civil society is essential to a democracy

civil society groups

independent associations outside govt. control (i.e. labor unions, humanitarian aid)

pluralist theory

theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of nongovernmental, group-based activism in an effort to impact the policymaking process

elite theory

theory of democracy based on the premise that participation in politics ind civil society is limited because elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process

political institutions

structure of government including the executive, legislative, and judicial branches

The Constitution

a document that sets out the fundamental principles of governance and establishes institutions of government

supremacy clause

provision declaring that the Constitution and all national laws and treaties are the supreme law of the land

federalism

sharing of power between the national government and the states

separation of powers

design of govt the distribute powers across institutions in order to avoid making one branch too powerful

checks and balances

a design of government in which each branch has powers that can prevent the other branches from making policies

legislative branch

institution responsible for making laws

executive branch

institution responsible for carrying out laws

judicial branch

institution responsible for interpreting the laws

Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union

document that created a union of 13 states where the states, not the national government, were supreme

unicameral

one-house legislature (set this way in AoC)

Shay’s rebellion

an uprising by debtors against the government of Massachusetts

constitutional convention

meeting attended by state delegates in 1787 to fix the Articles of Confederation

bicameral

two-house legislature (made in the Constitution)

grand committee

a committee at the constitutional convention that worked out the compromise on representation

Great (Connecticut) Compromise

an agreement to create a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives and Senate proportioned equally

Three-Fifths Compromise

agreement reached by delegates at the Constitutional Convention that an enslaved person would count as 3/5 of a person when calculating representation (favored Southern States)

Compromise on Importation

agreement that Congress could not restrict the slave trade until 1808

amendment

formal change made to the constitution

federalists

supporters of proposed constitution, called for a strong national government

anti-federalists

those who opposed the proposed constitution, who favored stronger state governments

faction

group of self-interested people who use the government to get what they want, trampling the rights of others in the process

Federalist No. 10

essay in which Madison argues that the dangers of faction can be mitigated by a large republic and republican government

Brutus No. 1

an anti-federalist paper arguing that the country was too large to be governed as a republic and that the Constitution gave too much power to the national government

Federalist No. 51

an essay where Madison agrees that the separation of powers and federalism will prevent tyranny