Unit I. Foundations of American Democracy

AP GOV

Limited government

Government can only exercise the powers granted yo it by the constitution. Government should be conducted according to the rules of law

Natural rights

John Locke stated that the natural rights were life, liberty, and property; these rights were inalienable (cannot be taken away)

Popular sovereignty

The principle that governmental authority is derived from the people- consent of the governed

Republicanism

The idea that government is rooted in the consent of the governed; a representative or indirect democracy (laws are made by the people the citizens elect)

Social contract

John Locke’s Social Contract states that citizens up a little of their rights in order to have the remainder of their rights protected by the government

Direct/participatory democracy

A system of government in which members of the polity (voters in the community) meet to discuss all policy decisions and then agree to abide by majority rule

Pluralism

the interpretation of democracy in which government by the people is taken to mean government by people operating through competing interest groups

Elite theory

The view that a small group of people actually makes most of the government decisions

Federalism

Power is divided between the national government and the state governments

Federalists

Supporters of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution; they wanted a strong national (federal) government and weaker state governments

Anti-federalists

Did not support ratification of the U.S. Constitution; they wanted stronger state governments and weaker national (federal) government; they wanted a bill of rights

Factions

James Madison Calle political parties and interest groups in federalist No. 10

Articles of confederation

The first constitution of the United States; gave more power to the states than the national (federal) government

Shay’s rebellion

A 1786 rebellion in which an army of 1,500 disgruntled farmers marched to Springfield, MA, and forcibly restrained the state court from foreclosing on farmers’ mortgages. The rebellion caused many U.S. leaders to call for a stronger national government

Great compromise/ Connecticut compromise

A decision made during the constitutional convention to give each state the same number of representatives in the senate regardless of size; representation in the House was determined by population

Electoral college

A body of electors chosen by each party to cast ballots for presidential and vice president. If the Democratic Party candidate wins the most votes in the state, the Democratic Party electors vote for presidential and vice president. If the Republican Party candidate wins the most votes, the Republican electors vote for presidential and vice president