AP Gov unit 1

Legislative Power

the power to make laws

Executive Power

the power to execute/enforce laws

Judicial Power

the power to interpret laws

Social Contract

People willingly give up freedoms in order to gain protections and stability from their gov’t

Natural Rights

Life, Liberty, and Property. Everyone is born with these rights simply because they are human; all people are entitled to them

Republicanism

Citizens have power by holding their elected officials accountable by voting.

Popular Sovereignty

The people are the source of political power. Government should be created by and subject to the will of the people.

Sovereignty

This is the ability of governments to make and enforce laws without having to check with a higher authority. If you are supposed to ask for permission, then you do not have this.

Legitimacy

The belief of the people that a government has the right to make public policy

Limited Government

 A government may only do what the people give it the power to do (similar to consent of the governed)

Democracy

supreme political authority rests with (all/most) of the people

Republic

Political power is held by a select voting class

Confederation

alliance of independent states

Authoritarianism

blind submission to authority and the repression of individual freedom of thought and action.

Oligarchy

Government power rests with a small group of especially powerful, wealthy, and/or influential people

Direct Democracy

form of democracy in which the electorate directly decides on policy initiatives, without elected representatives

Representative (indirect) Democracy

citizens elect individuals to represent them in government, handling legislation and ruling on their behalf.

Articles of Confederation

The Second Continental Congress needed to create a “plan of confederation” for the newly independent states.

Shays’ Rebellion

Took place because the rural population of Massachusetts had to pay taxes that they did not have money to pay.

Virginia Plan

proposed a strong central government composed of three branches and a bicameral legislature. Representation was population based.

New Jersey Plan

proposed state based representation. Each state is represented equally. Proposed Legislature as unicameral.

Elastic (Necessary and Proper) Clause

A constitutional rule giving Congress the implied power to pass any laws needed to carry out its listed duties. It also allows federal authority to stretch beyond what is literally written in the Constitution.

Supremacy Clause

A constitutional rule declaring that federal laws and the U.S. Constitution override state laws whenever they conflict. Federal gov’t has the supreme law of the land.

Great Compromise

An agreement creating a two-house Congress with equal representation for each state in the Senate and population-based representation in the House.

⅗ Compromise

A constitutional agreement counting three-fifths of enslaved people toward a state's population for legislative representation and taxation.

Federalists

Supporters of ratifying the U.S. Constitution who advocated for a strong national government over state power.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of ratifying the U.S. Constitution who advocated for stronger state power and demanded a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties.

Ratification

The process of making something official.

Constitution

The supreme law of the United States that establishes the framework, powers, and limits of the federal government.

Checks and Balances

Each branch of government is limited by the other branches

Separation of Powers

Basic powers are divided among 3 distinct branches of government

Bill of Rights

Many Anti-Federalists refused to sign any Constitution without one. It lists Civil Liberties which are limits on the government’s power