AP Gov - US Government Flashcards

Flashcards for the vocab in the American Politics Today textbook for AP Gov.

government

the system for implementing decisions made through the political process

factions

groups of like-minded people who try to influence the government

separation of powers

the division of government power

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 that, once provided to one person, become available to everyone

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

politics

the process that determines what government does

free market

an economic system based on competition among businesses without government interference

redistributive tax policies

politics that use taxation to attempt to create social equality

culture wars

political conflict between groups with different ideals

ideology

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

conservative

one side of the ideological spectrum defined by support for a free market

liberal

one side of the ideological spectrum defined by support for a stronger government

libertarians

those who prefer very limited government

representative democracy

a democratic government in which the citizens choose among candidates in an election, with the winners given the power to determine government policy until the next election

participatory democracy

a democratic government in which citizens are directly involved in making choices about government policy through some sort of referenda

pluralist democracy

a democratic government in which each citizen has an equal amount of influence over government policy

elitist democracy

a democratic government in which some citizens have disproportionate influence over government policy

liberty

political freedom

equality

equality before the law, political equality, and equality of opportunity

Articles of Confederation

the first attempt at a new American government

limited government

political system in which the powers of the government are restricted to prevent tyranny

Shays’s Rebellion

a 1786 uprising to protest oppressive laws and gain payment of war debts

monarchy

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

republicanism

the belief in a form of government in which the interests of the people are represented through elected leaders

“consent of the governed”

the idea that government gains its legitimacy from participation of people living under that government

natural rights

life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

social construct

the concept that the people recognize the authority of the state to govern over them, and in turn, the government protects the rights and freedoms of the people

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

pluralism

the idea that having a variety of parties and interests within a government will strengthen the system

Virginia Plan

a plan that based representation in the national legislature on population

New Jersey Plan

a plan where each state receives equal representation in the national legislature

Great Compromise

an agreement that defined the structure and representation in Congress

parliamentary system

a system of government in which legislative and executive power are closely joined

reserved powers

powers not given to the national government and reserved for the states

national supremacy clause

Constitutional rule establishing that federal laws take precedence over state laws

Three-Fifths Compromise

an agreement over the inclusion of slaves in a state’s population

Bill of Rights

the first ten amendments to the US Constitution

necessary and proper clause

Constitutional rule granting Congress the power to pass all laws related to its expressed powers

impeachment

Congress’s removal of the president, vice president, or other officer

power of the purse

the Constitutional power of Congress to raise and spend money

Marbury v. Madison

an 1803 Supreme Court case that established judicial review

executive powers clause

Constitutional rule granting the President “executive power”

commerce clause

Constitutional rule granting Congress the power to “regulate commerce”

enumerated powers

powers explicitly granted to the national government in the Constitution

implied powers

political powers granted to the federal government that aren’t explicitly stated in the Constitution

majority rule

the principle that the greater number should excersize greater power

equality of outcome

a state in which everyone’s general economic conditions are alike

equality of opportunity

a state in which everyone can compete on equal terms

procedural democracy

the particular procedures that produce an electorally-legitimated government

substantive democracy

a democratic government in which the outcome of elections is representative of the people

majoritarian

governed by or believing in decision by a majority

tyranny of the majority

majority rule in which the majority pursues exclusively its own objectives at the expense of the minority

10th Amendment

amendment reserving powers not in the Constitution to the states

Declaration of Independence

the founding document establishing the United States as a nation

Federalist 10

an essay by James Madison as part of the Federalist Papers

Brutus 1

an essay by Robert Yates written as a response to the Federalist Papers

minority rights

protected rights of groups not in the majority

sovereign power

the supreme power of an independent state ti regulate its internal affairs without foreign interference

police powers

the power to enforce laws and provide for public safety

concurrent powers

responsibilities for public policy areas that are shared by federal, state, and local governments

unitary government

a system in which the national, centralized government holds ultimate authority

confederal government

a form of government in which states hold power over a limited national government

intergovernmental organizations

organizations that seek to coordinate policy across member nations

full faith and credit clause

Constitutional rule requiring that each state’s laws be honored by the other states

privileges and immunities clause

Constitutional rule requiring that states must treat nonstate residents within their borders as they would treat their own residents

McCulloch v. Maryland

an 1819 Supreme Court case that let Congress create the Second Bank of the US

states’ rights

the idea that states are entitled to a certain amount of self-government, free of federal government intervention

dual federalism

the form of federalism in which national and state governments are seen as distinct entities providing separate services

cooperative federalism

a form of federalism in which the national and state governments work together to provide services efficiently

picket fence federalism

a more refined and realistic form of cooperative federalism in which policy makers within a particular policy area work together across the levels of government

fiscal federalism

a form of federalism in which the federal funds are allocated to the lower levels of government through transfer payments or grants

categorical grants

federal aid to state or local governments that is provided for a specific purpose

block grants

federal aid provided to a state government to be spent within a certain policy area, but the state can decide how to spend the money within that area

unfunded mandates

federal laws that require the states to do certain things but do not provide state governments with funding to implement these policies

coercive federalism

a form of federalism in which the federal government pressures the states to change their policies by using regulations, mandates, and conditions

federal preemptions

impositions of national policies on the states through national legislation that is based on the Constitution’s supremacy clause

competitive federalism

a form of federalism in which states compete to attract businesses and jobs through the policies they adapt

remedial legislation

national laws that address discriminatory state laws

states’ sovereign immunity

immunity that prevents state governments from being sued by private parties in federal court unless the state consents to the suit

United States v. Lopez

a 1995 Supreme Court case that restricted Congress’s power to pass legislation under the commerce clause

Gibbons v. Ogden

an 1824 Supreme Court case establishing that states can’t interfere with Congress’s commerce clause with legislation

Gitlow v. New York

A 1925 Supreme Court case saying 1st Amendment rights are protected by due process

Americans with Disabilities Act

a law prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities

selective incorporation

how portions of the Bill of Rights apply to each state

US v. Morrison

a 2000 Supreme Court case that restricted Congress’s legislation under the commerce clause

Barron v. Baltimore

an 1833 Supreme Court case that limited amendments to the national government

Welfare Reform Act

a law increasing personal responsibility within the welfare system

Affordable Care Act

a law increasing health insurance coverage for the uninsured

14th Amendment

amendment giving due process and equal protection under the law to citizens

Violence Against Women Act

a comprehensive legislature package designed to improve criminal justice responses to violence against women

Clean Air Act

a law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources

11th Amendment

amendment prohibiting the federal courts from hearing certain lawsuits against states

civil liberties

basic political freedoms that protect citizens from governmental abuses of power

Civil War amendments

the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments

due process clause

part of the 14th Amendment that forbids states from denying “life, liberty, or property” to any person without due process of law

establishment clause

part of the 1st Amendment that states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion”