The Ultimate Guide to AP United States Government and Politics (copy)

Enlightenment

An 18th-century philosophical movement that emphasized reason over tradition in solving social problems.

Thomas Hobbes

A philosopher who believed that people could not govern themselves, advocating for an absolute monarch to ensure protection and order.

Social Contract

An agreement in which individuals give up certain freedoms in exchange for government protection.

John Locke

A philosopher who argued that natural rights (life, liberty, property) must be protected and that people have the right to revolution if these rights are violated.

Separation of Powers

The division of government into three branches (legislative, executive, and judicial) to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

Checks and Balances

Mechanisms through which each branch of government can monitor and limit the functions of the other branches.

Participatory Democracy

A model of democracy characterized by broad participation in politics and civil society.

Federalism

A system of government where power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units (like states).

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution that guarantee individual liberties.

Federalists

Supporters of the Constitution who advocated for a strong central government.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the Constitution who favored smaller state governments and feared the potential for tyranny.

The Great Compromise

An agreement during the Constitutional Convention that created a bicameral legislature with representation based on population in the House and equal representation in the Senate.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement that stipulated enslaved persons would be counted as three-fifths of a person for congressional representation.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that government power is derived from the consent of the governed.

Judicial Review

The authority of the Supreme Court to declare laws unconstitutional.

Electoral College

The body that formally elects the President and Vice President of the United States.

Interest Groups

Organizations dedicated to influencing government policy and promoting specific issues.

Public Opinion

The collective attitudes and beliefs of individuals on important issues, often measured through polls.

Incumbent Advantage

The electoral advantage held by current officeholders when running for reelection, typically resulting in high success rates.

Lobbying

The act of influencing government decisions through advocacy, often conducted by interest groups.

Mixed Economy

An economic system combining private and public enterprise.

Keynesian Economics

An economic theory suggesting that government intervention can help manage economic cycles by influencing demand.