AP gov unit 1

Natural Rights

the right to life, liberty, and property which government cannot take away

Limited Government

a system in which the power of the government is not absolute

Social Contract

people allow the government to rule over them to ensure an orderly and functioning society

Popular Sovereignty

the idea that the government’s right to rule comes from the people

Republicanism

a system where elected representatives serve at the will of the people for the common good

Representative Democracy

a political system in which voters select representatives who then vote on matters of public policy

Participatory Democracy

the theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government

Pluralist Democracy

the theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of groups in the policymaking process

Elite Democracy

the theory that elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process

Articles of Confederation

the first governing document that created a weak union of 13 sovereign states

Shays’ Rebellion

a popular uprising against the government of Massachusetts that showed the weakness of the Articles

Constitutional Convention

a meeting in 1787 where delegates gathered to revise the Articles and created the Constitution

Great (Connecticut) Compromise

an agreement that created a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate

Three-Fifths Compromise

an agreement that counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation

Electoral College

the system used to elect the president through electors chosen by each state

Federalists

supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong national government

Anti-Federalists

opponents of the Constitution who favored stronger state governments and wanted a Bill of Rights

Ratification

the process of formally approving a document to make it valid

Separation of Powers

dividing government power among legislative, executive, and judicial branches

Checks and Balances

a system where each branch can limit the powers of the others

Impeachment

the formal accusation of misconduct against a public official

Removal

the act of taking a public official out of office after conviction in an impeachment trial

Federalism

the sharing of power between the national government and the states

Enumerated (Expressed) Powers

powers explicitly granted to the national government in the Constitution

Implied Powers

powers not specifically listed but necessary to carry out enumerated powers

Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)

allows Congress to make laws needed to carry out its powers

Supremacy Clause

establishes that the Constitution and federal laws are the supreme law of the land

Exclusive Powers

powers that only the national government can exercise

Reserved Powers

powers kept by the states under the 10th Amendment

Concurrent Powers

powers shared by both the national and state governments

Dual Federalism

a system where state and national governments operate separately in different areas (layer cake)

Cooperative Federalism

a system where state and national governments work together on shared goals (marble cake)

Categorical Grants

federal funds given to states for specific purposes with strict rules

Block Grants

federal funds given to states for broad purposes with more flexibility

Mandates

requirements that states must follow whether or not they receive funding

Revenue Sharing

when the federal government distributes tax money to states with no strings attached

Devolution

the transfer of power from the federal government back to states or local governments