AP Government Final Exam Review Guide

Articles of Confederation

First constitution, weak central government + more state sovereignty.

The Constitution

Governing document of the US, fundamental law.

Separation of Powers

Powers distributed among the 3 branches of government.

Limited Government

A government that does not have absolute power.

Article I

Establishes the legislative branch, sets up Congress outlines its powers and how a law is made.

Powers of Congress

Lawmaking, declare war, regulate commerce, and control nation's finances.

Powers of the House

Initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, electoral college tiebreaker.

Powers of the Senate

Propose and amend bills, confirm presidential appointments, ratify treaties, hold impeachment trials.

17th Amendment

Senators are elected by the people of each state.

Lawmaking Function

Creating laws that fit the need of the constituents, interest groups, and the executive branch.

Conference Committee

Mixture of house and senate, temporary committee used to resolve differences.

Oversight Function

Monitoring and reviewing and supervising the implementation of policies by the executive branch.

Select Committees

Specialized committees formed to investigate a specific concern.

Joint Committees

Composed of both the house and the senate, used to address matters of joint interest.

Single Member Districts

Electoral district that elects one representative to a legislative body.

Budget Function

Setting spending levels, approving funding, and overseeing how the government spends taxpayer money.

Entitlement Programs

Government programs that provide benefits to individuals who meet a specific criteria.

Standing Committees

Permanent committee, responsible for reviewing bills, conducting oversight, and shaping legislation.

Pork Barrel Legislation

'Bringing home the bacon,' the practice of legislators when they use federal funds to benefit their specific district or state, often at the expense of national interests.

Discharge Petition

Used to force a bill out of committee to get it to the special floor for a vote, needs house majority to be approved.

Article II

Establishes the executive branch, focuses on the role and powers of the president.

Negotiate Treaties

The power of the president to engage in discussions and agreements with foreign nations, requiring Senate approval.

Commander in Chief

The role of the president as the supreme leader of the military forces.

War Powers Act of 1973

Requires the president to report to Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops into a hostile situation, with a time limit of 60-90 days unless Congress acts.

Presidential Cabinet

An advisory body composed of the heads of the executive departments and the vice president, which advises the president and plays a role in succession.

The Bureaucracy

Administrative agencies and departments within the executive branch that implement and enforce laws.

Administrative Discretion

The authority granted to bureaucratic agencies to make rules and decisions in implementing laws.

Checks on the Bureaucracy

Legislative oversight through appropriations, investigations, and legislation, and judicial invalidation of executive actions.

Regulatory Policy

Policies designed to prevent market abuse and protect consumers from exploitation.

Monetary Policy

Actions taken by the Federal Reserve to manage the money supply and interest rates.

Fiscal Policy

The government's use of taxation and spending to influence the economy.

Writ of Habeas Corpus

A legal order requiring a jailer to bring a prisoner before a judge to determine the legality of detention.

The Four Freedoms

Freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

Fourth Amendment Protections

Protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures.

14th Amendment

Addresses citizenship requirements, equal protection, due process, and selective incorporation.

Due Process Clause

Ensures that laws are carried out legally and protects personal liberties.

Equal Protection Clause

Ensures all citizens are equally protected under the law without discrimination.

Affirmative Action

policies and practices that are designed to counteract the effects of past discriminatory practices.

19th Amendment

gave women the right to vote.

Equal Rights Amendment

equal rights under the law regardless of sex.

Title IX

prohibits sex-based discrimination in areas of education and activities that receive federal funding.

Americans with Disabilities Act

law prohibiting discrimination of individuals with disabilities in the workplace, ensuring equal opportunity.

Political Socialization

process by which individuals shape their political beliefs and attitudes.

Factors of Political Socialization

family, peers, schools/education, religious beliefs, media, demographic characteristics, generational effects, life-cycle effects, political events.

Polling

process of surveying a specific group of individuals to gauge their interests and beliefs regarding political issues or candidates.

Saliency

the degree to which the public is aware or considers an issue important.

Political Parties

organized groups of individuals who share similar political beliefs.

Perpetuation of the 2 party system

political system where the 2 main parties dominate and compete for political offices.

Realignment

the movement of voters from one party to the other resulting in a major shift in the political spectrum.

Dealignment

process where voters move away from their affiliation and become more indifferent, shift from party loyalty.

Critical Elections

type of election that signifies a shift in voter loyalty and party control often leading to a lasting realignment.

Grassroots Mobilization

process of building political support and activism, involving direct engagement with citizens to influence policy or political outcomes.

Electioneering Activities

aimed at influencing voters to support or oppose specific candidates, parties, or issues.

Influences on voting

the factors that influence an individual's decision to vote and choice of candidate, includes demographic factors, political factors, psychological factors, and institutional factors.

General Election

nationwide event where voters choose their representatives for various levels of government.

Primary

preliminary election in which voters decide the candidates fit to run for office.

Caucus

meetings of political party members to discuss candidate selection and decide on policies.

Campaigns

organized effort by a candidate and their supporters to win an election.

Presidential Campaigns

organized effort by a candidate to win presidency.

Political Action Committees

non-profit organization that pools campaign contributions and donates those funds to candidates.

FEC

Ruled that corporations and unions can spend unlimited amounts of money on campaigns, violates first amendment right to speech (symbolic speech).

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

Includes banning the spending of soft money and placing limits on campaign advertising.

Media's influence on Public Opinion

Agenda setting, 'horse race' journalism, bias.

Scapegoat

Refers to the Nazi's practice of unfairly blaming the Jews for Germany's problems after the Great Depression and during WWII.

Perpetrator

A person who carries out a harmful act.

Collaborator

A person who works jointly on an act alongside the perpetrator.

Bystander

A person who is present at an event, but doesn't do anything about it.

Upstander

A person who stands in between a bystander and a bully.

Resistance

Various forms of opposition ranged from armed uprisings to non-violent spiritual protests.

Nuremberg Laws

Set of antisemitic and racist laws that defined who was considered Jewish.

Final Solution

The plan for the systemic and mass execution of Jews.

Lebensraum Campaign

The Nazi ideology and policy of territorial expansion for the purpose of acquiring more 'living space.'

Representative Democracy

Citizens elect representatives on their behalf to make decisions