AP United States Government and Politics: Chapter 1-2

politics

process of influencing the actions and policies of government

government

rules and institutions that make, enforce, and interpret laws

democracy

a system of government in which power is held by the people

natural rights

john locke; rights that all humans are born with → life, liberty, and property

social contract

jean-jacques rousseau; an agreement between people and their government in which people give up some freedoms in exchange for protection of rights

American political culture

shared values that define the relationship between the citizens and government

popular sovereignty

idea that government’s legitimacy comes from the consent of the collective

republicanism

system in which government authority comes from the people through elected representatives

inalienable rights

inherit rights that cannot be taken away

liberty

freedom from government control and freedom to pursue personal opportunity

participatory democracy

a “direct democracy” where individual citizens influence policy decisions, rather than solely relying on elected representatives

pluralist democracy

a type of democracy that emphasizes the role of civil service groups (interest groups) in policymaking

elitist democracy

a type of democracy where elites hold a disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process

civil society groups

independent associations outside government that influence public policy (e.g., nra, naacp)

political institutions

structures of government that make, enforce, and interpret laws

constitutional republic

a democratic system with elected representatives where the constitution is the supreme law

constitution

a document that sets out the fundamental principles and structures of government

republic

a government ruled by representatives of the people

Articles of Confederation (AoC)

first constitution of the United States, created a weak national government

unicameral

a legislature with only one house

shays’ rebellion

an uprising of farmers in Massachusetts protesting taxes and debt from the state; federal government’s inability to intervene with a militia or tax directly showed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Constitutional Convention (Philadelphia, 1787)

meeting where delegates created the constitution

writ of habeas corpus

court order that requires government to provide a legitimate reason for imprisonment

ex post facto law

a law that punish people for actions that were not crimes at the time they were committed; forbidden by constitution

bill of attainder

a law that punishes a person without trial

virginia plan

proposal at the constitutional convention calling for representation based on population

new jersey plan

proposal calling for equal representation for each state regardless of population

Grand Committee

a committee at the Constitutional Convention that worked out the Great Compromise

Great Compromise

an agreement for a bicameral legislature, one house based on population and one with equal representation

bicameral

having two houses in the legislature

Three-Fifths Compromise

an agreement that enslaved persons would count as three-fifths of a person for purposes of representation

Slave Trade Compromise

Congress could not ban the importation of slaves until 1808

separation of powers

division of government power into the legislative, executive, and judicial branches

checks and balances

design of government in which each branch has powers to limit the other branches

federalism

system of government where power is divided between national and state governments

the three branches and their responsibilities

legislative makes laws, executive enforces laws, and judicial interprets laws

expressed (enumerated) powers

powers specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution

necessary and proper clause (elastic)

constitutional clause giving Congress “implied powers” and authority to pass laws needed to carry out its listed powers (e.g. Congress has the power to collect taxes, so it can create a National Bank to collect those taxes)

implied powers

powers not directly stated in the Constitution but necessary to implement expressed powers; implied powers from necessary and proper clause

supremacy clause

constitutional provision declaring the Constitution and federal laws as the supreme law of the land

amendment

a formal change to the Constitution

federalists/anti-federalists

federalists supported the Constitution; anti-federalists opposed it for fear of strong national government

federalist papers

essays written to promote ratification of the constitution

Federalist No. 10

federalist paper by James Madison arguing that factions are best controlled in a large republic (competing interests are always checking each other so that no one group holds all power)

Federalist No. 51

federalist paper by James Madison arguing for separation of powers and checks and balances

Brutus No. 1

anti-federalist essay arguing that a large republic (centralized federal government) would be too powerful and crush state authority; representatives would not represent interests of the people

faction

a group of people with common political interests