AP U.S. Government & Politics: Key Concepts and Court Cases

Political Socialization

How people develop political beliefs (family, school, media, religion).

Gallup Poll

A well-known organization that measures public opinion.

Exit Poll

Surveys voters outside polling places on Election Day to predict results.

Public Opinion Polls

Strengths: show public attitudes, guide leaders, give citizens a voice; Weaknesses: sampling error, wording bias, timing issues.

Selection Bias

Non-random samples.

Question Wording Bias

Leading questions.

Confirmation Bias

Favoring one side.

Unintended Bias

Unintentional framing.

Citizen Journalists

Ordinary people reporting news via social media.

Media Effects

How media influences opinions, voting, and political behavior.

Agenda Setting

Media decides which issues people think are important (gatekeeper role).

Gatekeeper

Media chooses what becomes a national issue.

Scorekeeper (Horse Race)

Media focuses on who's winning/losing elections.

Watchdog

Media investigates government wrongdoing.

Demographics

Population traits (age, race, income, education).

Political Knowledge

Understanding of government and politics.

Political Participation

Voting, protesting, campaigning, media engagement.

Supreme Court & Media

Media shapes public understanding of Court decisions.

Direct Democracy

Citizens vote on laws directly.

Indirect (Representative) Democracy

Voters elect representatives.

Republic

Elected officials make decisions for citizens.

Popular Sovereignty

Government power comes from the people.

Conservatives

Favor limited government intervention.

Liberals

Favor more government involvement.

Moderates

Middle-ground views.

Political Identification

How a person identifies politically.

Declaration of Independence

Listed reasons for separating from Britain.

Articles of Confederation

Weak central government.

Constitution

Stronger federal government with state protections.

Federalist Papers

#10 (Madison): large republic controls factions; #51 (Madison): checks & balances protect liberty; #78 (Hamilton): judiciary weakest branch.

Brutus #1

Anti-Federalist argument against Constitution.

Checks and Balances

Branches limit each other's power.

Federalism

Shared power between state and national governments.

Enumerated Powers

Powers listed for Congress.

Implied Powers

Powers inferred from Constitution.

Reserved Powers

Powers kept by states.

Concurrent Powers

Shared powers.

10th Amendment

Protects state powers.

16th Amendment

Income tax.

17th Amendment

Direct election of senators.

Legislative Branch

Makes laws.

Executive Branch

Enforces laws.

Judicial Branch

Interprets laws.

Marbury v. Madison

Established judicial review.

Federal System

Shared power.

Unitary System

Central government holds power.

Confederal System

States hold most power.

Dual Federalism

State & federal separate roles.

Cooperative Federalism

Shared responsibilities.

Devolution Revolution

Power returned to states.

Block Grants

Flexible funding.

Categorical Grants

Specific-purpose funding.

Commerce Clause

Regulates interstate trade.

Political Party

Group with shared political beliefs.

Development of Parties

Evolved through history.

Political Machines

Party organizations that controlled cities.

Polarization

Parties becoming more extreme.

Minor Parties

Libertarian, Green, Reform.

National Party

Party organization at national level.

GOTV

Get Out the Vote efforts.

Party Platform

Party's policy goals.

Linkage Institutions

Connect people to government.

Pluralist Theory

Many groups compete equally.

Iron Triangle

Interest group + bureaucracy + Congress.

Lobbying

Influencing lawmakers.

PACs

Limited donations.

Super PACs

Unlimited spending, independent.

Citizens United v. FEC

Money = Speech

Election Process

How candidates get elected.

Campaign Finance

Funding rules.

Hard Money

Regulated donations.

Soft Money

Unregulated party money.

FECA

Campaign finance law.

Primaries

Choose party candidates.

Caucuses

Party meetings to pick candidates.

Electoral College

Selects president.

Incumbency Advantage

Easier reelection.

Motor Voter Laws

Voter registration at DMV.

Ways to Improve Turnout

Easier registration, education, Election Day holiday.

Selective Incorporation

Bill of Rights applied to states.

14th Amendment

Due Process, Equal Protection.

1st Amendment

Establishment Clause, Free Exercise Clause.

Exclusionary Rule

Illegally obtained evidence excluded.

Gideon v. Wainwright

Right to an attorney.

Miranda v. Arizona

Miranda rights.

Schenck v. US

Clear/Present Danger

Wisconsin v. Yoder

Free Exercise Clause

Death Penalty

Constitutional debate.

Brown v. Board

Ended school segregation.

13th/14th/15th Amendments

Freedom, citizenship, voting.

Civil Rights Act

Ended discrimination.

Voting Rights Act

Protected minority voting.

Black Codes/Jim Crow

Segregation laws.

NAACP

Civil rights organization.

Suffrage Movement

Women's voting rights.

19th Amendment

Women vote.

24th Amendment

Ended poll tax.

MLK Jr. (Letter)

Moral duty to resist unjust laws.

Thurgood Marshall

Civil rights lawyer, Supreme Court justice.

De Jure vs De Facto Segregation

By law vs by practice.