AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam Flashcards

AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam Vocabulary Flashcards

Principles of Government

Popular Sovereignty, Limited Government, Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, Federalism, Republicanism.

The Constitution

Structure, key clauses (Necessary and Proper Clause, Supremacy Clause, Commerce Clause, Full Faith and Credit Clause), and amendments.

Federalism

Dual vs. Cooperative federalism, fiscal federalism, and devolution.

Separation of Powers & Checks and Balances

Examples include veto power, judicial review, and impeachment.

Democratic Ideals

Participatory, Pluralist, and Elite democracy.

Political Socialization

Influences such as family, education, media, and peers.

Political Ideologies

Liberal, Conservative, Libertarian.

Public Opinion & Polling

Poll reliability, sample size, random sampling, margin of error.

Political Participation

Voting, protesting, and civic engagement.

Political Parties

Republican, Democrat, Third parties, Party realignment.

Interest Groups

Lobbying, PACs, Iron Triangles, Grassroots movements.

Media

Role in agenda-setting, gatekeeping, watchdog journalism.

Congress

Bicameral structure, lawmaking, oversight, representation.

The Presidency

Executive orders, veto power, Commander-in-Chief.

Bureaucracy

Regulation, implementation, discretionary authority, red tape.

The Judiciary

Judicial review, precedent, stare decisis.

Bill of Rights

First 10 Amendments, key protections including freedom of speech, religion, and due process.

Selective Incorporation

Application of the Bill of Rights to states through the 14th Amendment.

Equal Protection & Due Process Clauses

Key Supreme Court interpretations of the 14th Amendment.

Economic Policy

Monetary vs. fiscal policy, Keynesian vs. supply-side economics.

Social Policy

Welfare programs, healthcare, education policy.

Foreign Policy

Isolationism vs. interventionism, military alliances.

Declaration of Independence

Justification for independence, natural rights, social contract.

Articles of Confederation

Weaknesses: no executive, no power to tax, no national army.

The U.S. Constitution

Framework for federal government, key principles.

Federalist No. 10

Factions and the benefits of a large republic (Madison).

Federalist No. 51

Separation of powers, checks and balances (Madison).

Federalist No. 70

Strong executive leadership (Hamilton).

Federalist No. 78

Independent judiciary, importance of an impartial judiciary (Hamilton).

Brutus No. 1

Anti-Federalist argument against centralized government.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Justification for civil disobedience and equal rights.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Established judicial review.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Necessary and Proper Clause, Supremacy Clause.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

"Clear and present danger" test, limits on free speech.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson, desegregation of schools.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

"One person, one vote," redistricting.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

No school-led prayer in schools.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Right to an attorney.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Students' symbolic speech rights.

New York Times v. United States (1971)

Prior restraint and press freedom.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Free exercise of religion.

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

No racial gerrymandering.

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Limits on federal power under the Commerce Clause.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Second Amendment applied to states.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Political spending as free speech.