AP GOV UNIT 1

Natural Rights -

Natural Rights -

the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property (later changed to pursuit of happiness by Thomas Jefferson)

Popular Sovereignty -

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

Shay's Rebellion -

Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.

Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise) -

Plan to have a popularly elected House based on state population and a state-selected Senate, with two members for each state

bicameral legislature -

A law making body made of two houses. Example: Congress is made of House and Senate

Three-Fifths Compromise -

Agreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person in determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (negated by the 13th amendment)

Preamble to the Constitution -

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Constitution Article I -

The Powers, Eligibility Requirements and Limitations of the Legislative Branch

Constitution Article II -

Executive Branch

Constitution Article III -

Judicial Branch

Constitution Article IV -

Interstate Relations

Constitution Article V -

Amendment Process; 2/3 of congress, 3/4 of states must approve for amendment to be ratified; cannot affect the equal suffrage of the states

Federalist -

A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during ratification debates in state legislatures.

Anti-Federalist -

Those who opposed ratification of the Constitution

James Madison -

"Father of the Constitution," Federalist leader, and fourth President of the United States.

Bill of Rights -

First 10 amendments to the Constitution

Enumerated/Expressed Powers of Congress -

Powers granted by the constitution

Delegated Powers of Congress -

Collecting taxes, declaring war and making peace, and granting patents and copyrights

Exclusive Powers -

Powers that can be exercised by the National Government alone

Concurrent Powers -

Powers held jointly by the national and state governments.

Reserved Powers -

Powers given to the state government alone

Implied Powers -

Powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution

Elastic Clause -

The part of the Constitution that permits Congress to make any laws "necessary and proper" to carrying out its powers

Necessary and Proper Clause -

Constitutional authorization for Congress to make any law required to carry out its powers

Inherent Powers -

The powers of the national government in foreign affairs that the Supreme Court has declared do not depend on constitutional grants but rather grow out of the very existence of the national government

Checks and Balances -

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

Separation of Powers -

Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law

Limited Government -

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.

Republic -

A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting

Power of the Purse -

Constitutional power given to Congress to raise and spend money

Interstate Commerce -

Trade between states

Commerce Clause -

Clause stating that Congress can regulate interstate and international commerce

Confirmation -

The constitutional requirement that appointments by the president be made "by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate"

Ratification -

Formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a constitution, constitutional amendment, or treaty

Judicial Review -

Allows the court to determine the constitutionality of laws

Amendment Process -

The Constitution provides that an amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures

Impeachment -

A formal document charging a public official with misconduct in office

Federalism -

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Cooperative Federalism (Marble Cake) -

A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs, administration, and even blame for programs that work poorly

Dual Federalism (Layer Cake) -

A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies

10th Amendment -

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people

Police Power -

The authority of each State to act to protect and promote the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of its people

States' Rights -

The rights and powers held by individual US states rather than by the federal government.

Advantages of Federalism -

Local self government is responsive, facilitates "laboratories of democracy," multiple access points, keep Congress members tied to local interests, states laws better reflect local preferences

Disadvantages of Federalism -

Harder to maintain national unity, state government may resist policies that adversely affect them even if they benefit the country, overlapping powers cause confusion, duplication of work and operating costs, strengthening of local elites who abuse power

Laboratories of Democracy -

A metaphor that emphasizes the states' ability to engage in different policy experiments without interference from the federal government.

Multiple Points of Access -

Fiscal Federalism -

The pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system; it is the cornerstone of the national government's relations with state and local governments

Matching Funds -

Contributions of up to $250 matched from the presidential Election Campaign Fund to candidates for the presidential nomination who qualify and agree to meet various conditions, such as limiting their overall spending

Supremacy Clause -

Federal law is supreme over state law

Full Faith and Credit Clause -

Constitution's requirement that each state accept the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state

Privileges and Immunities Clause -

Prevents a state from treating citizens of other states in a discriminatory manner (laws of state citizens are the same as non-citizens)

Devolution -

Transferring responsibility for policies from the federal government to state and local governments

Initiative -

A procedure by which voters can propose a law or a constitutional amendment (petition signing required)

Referendum -

Similar to initiative, but created by elected body and no need for petition

Recall -

Means of removing an official, petition required to hold recall election

Pluralist Democracy -

A theory of democracy that holds that citizen membership in groups is the key to political power

Federalist 10 -

An essay composed by James Madison which argues that liberty is safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such diversity makes tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always be unstable

Participatory Democracy -

A system of government where rank-and-file citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives to govern on their behalf

Elite Democracy -

A political system in which the privileged classes acquire the power to decide by a competition for the people's votes and have substantial freedom between elections to rule as they see fit

Federal Revenue Sharing -

The practice of sharing federal income tax revenue with state and local governments

Categorical Grant -

Funds provided for a specific and clearly defined purpose

Block Grant -

Funds provided and consolidated for a more general purpose

Federal Mandate -

A requirement the federal government imposes as a condition for receiving federal funds (most conditions deal with civil rights and environmental protection)

Unfunded Mandate -

A regulation that requires any entity to perform certain actions, with no money provided for fulfilling the requirements