AP Government Unit 1

AP Government Unit 1, Key Terms/People/Concepts

Government

 System that runs a country

Politics

How people gain government power

Political Participation

Ways people influence their government

Public Policy

Government actions to solve problems

Policymaking

• Creating government solutions

Policy agenda

Problems government focuses on

Policy institutions

•  Groups that make policy

Policy impacts

• Effects of government decisions

Republicanism / Democratic Republic / Representative Democracy

 People elect leaders to govern

Direct Democracy

 People vote on laws directly

Majority Rule

 Most people decide the outcome

Minority Rights

 Protecting smaller groups from unfairness

Pluralism

Many groups influence government decisions

Elitism

Powerful few control decisions

Hyperpluralism

Too many groups block decisions

Political Culture

Shared beliefs about government

Mayflower Compact

Settlers agreed to govern themselves

Abuse of Power / Tyranny

 Government uses power unfairly

Social Contract Theory

People agree to create government

John Locke

 Government must protect people’s rights

Natural Rights

Rights people have from birth

Declaration of Independence

Colonies declared freedom from Britain 

Articles of Confederation

First U.S. government was weak 

Shays’ Rebellion

Farmers protested taxes and debt

Constitutional Convention

 Meeting that created the Constitution 

Ancient Greek Democracy

Citizens directly voted on government

Ancient Roman Civic Virtue

 Citizens should serve their country

The U.S. Constitution

Rules for how government works

Montesquieu

Government power should be divided

Separation of Powers

Power divided among three branches

Checks and Balances

Branches can limit each other

Legislative, Executive & Judicial Branch

Make, enforce, interpret laws

Voltaire

Supported freedom of speech

Great (Connecticut) Compromise

Created House and Senate

3/5s Compromise

Enslaved people partly counted for representation 

Electoral College

System states use to choose president

Civil Libertie

Basic freedoms protected from government

Bill of Rights

 First ten Constitutional amendments 

Popular Sovereignty

People are the source of power

Limited Government

Government power has boundaries

Federalist Debate

Argument over approving Constitution

Federalists & Federalist Papers

Supported Constitution and stronger government

Anti-Federalists & Brutus Essays

Feared a powerful national government

Federalism

National and state governments share power

Cooperative Federalism

National and state governments work together

Dual Federalism

National and state governments have separate roles

Block Grants

Federal money states can spend flexibly

Supremacy Clause

Federal law beats conflicting state law

Equal Protection & Due Process Clauses

 Government must treat people fairly

Necessary and Proper / Elastic Clause

Congress can make needed laws

Commerce Clause

Congress regulates business between states

Enumerated (Expressed) Powers

Powers specifically written in Constitution

Implied Powers

Powers needed to use listed powers

Reserved Powers (10th Amendment)

Powers kept by the states

Judicial Review

Courts can reject unconstitutional laws

Marbury v. Madison

 Court gained power to reject unconstitutional laws