AP U.S. Government & Politics 2026-27 Vocabulary Guide

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the five foundational units of the AP U.S. Government & Politics 2026-27 framework.

Natural rights

Rights inherent to individuals, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Popular sovereignty

The principle that government derives its authority from the people.

Republicanism

A system in which citizens exercise political power through elected representatives.

Social contract

An agreement in which people consent to government in exchange for protection of their rights.

Limited government

The principle that government power is restricted by law and constitutional rules.

Rule of law

The principle that citizens and government officials are equally subject to the law.

Representative democracy

A system in which citizens elect officials to make governmental decisions.

Participatory democracy

A model emphasizing broad and direct citizen involvement in political life.

Pluralist democracy

A model in which political power is distributed among competing groups.

Elite democracy

A model emphasizing a limited citizen role and substantial influence by political and economic elites.

Majority rule

The principle that public decisions generally reflect the preferences of the majority.

Minority rights

Constitutional protections that prevent majorities from denying fundamental rights to minorities.

Articles of Confederation

The first U.S. governing document, which created a weak national government.

Shays' Rebellion

A 1786-87 uprising that highlighted weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

Federalism

The division of governmental authority between the national and state governments.

Separation of powers

The division of governmental authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Checks and balances

Powers that allow each branch to limit the powers of the other branches.

Bicameralism

The division of a legislature into two chambers.

Great Compromise

The agreement creating a House based on population and a Senate with equal state representation.

Three-Fifths Compromise

The constitutional compromise that counted three-fifths of the enslaved population for representation and direct taxation.

Federalists

Supporters of Constitution ratification and a stronger national government.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of ratification who feared excessive national power and sought stronger protections for individual liberties.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Enumerated powers

Powers specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution.

Implied powers

Powers reasonably inferred from the national government's enumerated powers.

Necessary and Proper Clause

The clause giving Congress authority to enact laws needed to carry out its enumerated powers.

Commerce Clause

The clause giving Congress authority to regulate interstate and international commerce.

Supremacy Clause

The clause establishing the Constitution, federal laws, and treaties as the supreme law of the land.

Reserved powers

Powers retained by the states under the Tenth Amendment.

Concurrent powers

Powers shared by the national and state governments.

Fiscal federalism

The use of federal funding to influence state and local policy.

Categorical grants

Federal funds designated for narrowly defined purposes.

Block grants

Federal funds provided for relatively broad policy areas.

Mandate

A requirement imposed by the federal government on state or local governments.

Devolution

The transfer of authority from the national government to state or local governments.

Congress

The bicameral national legislature consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Constituency

The people represented by an elected official.

Incumbency

The status of holding elected office while seeking reelection.

Reapportionment

The redistribution of House seats among states following the census.

Redistricting

The redrawing of congressional district boundaries.

Gerrymandering

Drawing electoral districts to advantage a political group.

Partisan gerrymandering

Drawing districts to benefit a political party.

Majority-minority district

A district in which a racial or ethnic minority constitutes a majority of the population.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer and principal leader of the House of Representatives.

Majority/minority leader

The principal party leader for the majority or minority party within a legislative chamber.

Whip

A party official responsible for building support and tracking votes.

Standing committee

A permanent congressional committee specializing in a policy area.

Select committee

A usually temporary committee established for a particular purpose.

Joint committee

A committee containing members of both the House and Senate.

Conference committee

A committee formed to reconcile House and Senate versions of legislation.

Discharge petition

A House procedure for bringing legislation out of committee for consideration.

Filibuster

A Senate tactic used to delay or prevent action on legislation.

Cloture

A Senate procedure for limiting debate.

Unanimous consent

A Senate agreement allowing business to proceed under negotiated conditions.

Pork-barrel legislation

Government spending directed toward particular constituencies.

Logrolling

The practice of legislators exchanging support for one another's proposals.

Oversight

Congressional monitoring of executive agencies and programs.

Power of the purse

Congressional authority over government spending.

Formal powers

Presidential powers explicitly granted by the Constitution.

Informal powers

Presidential powers developed through political practice rather than explicit constitutional language.

Veto

The president's rejection of legislation.

Pocket veto

The process by which legislation dies when the president does not sign it within the constitutional period and Congress adjourns.

Executive order

A presidential directive governing executive-branch operations.

Executive agreement

An international agreement made by the president without Senate treaty ratification.

Signing statement

A written presidential statement accompanying the signing of legislation.

Bargaining and persuasion

The president's use of political influence to obtain cooperation.

Bully pulpit

The president's use of the office's visibility to influence public opinion and the political agenda.

Commander in chief

The president's constitutional role as leader of the armed forces.

Cabinet

The heads of major executive departments who advise the president.

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

Agencies and staff that directly assist the president.

Judicial review

The authority of courts to determine the constitutionality of governmental actions.

Precedent

An earlier judicial decision used to guide later cases.

Stare decisis

The principle of adhering to established judicial precedent.

Judicial activism

An approach favoring a relatively active judicial role in interpreting constitutional principles.

Judicial restraint

An approach emphasizing deference to elected branches and established precedent.

Original jurisdiction

The authority to hear a case first.

Appellate jurisdiction

The authority to review decisions of lower courts.

Writ of certiorari

A Supreme Court order agreeing to review a lower-court case.

Majority opinion

The court opinion explaining the reasoning of the majority.

Concurring opinion

An opinion agreeing with the result but offering different reasoning.

Dissenting opinion

An opinion disagreeing with the majority decision.

Federal bureaucracy

The agencies and departments responsible for implementing federal law and policy.

Cabinet department

A major executive-branch organization headed by a presidential appointee.

Independent regulatory commission

An agency created to regulate an area of economic or governmental activity.

Government corporation

A government organization that provides services in a business-like manner.

Bureaucratic discretion

The authority of bureaucrats to make choices when implementing laws.

Rulemaking authority

An agency's power to create regulations carrying the force of law.

Iron triangle

A stable relationship among congressional committees, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups.

Issue network

A looser collection of officials, experts, organizations, and advocates involved in a policy area.

Civil liberties

Constitutional protections against government interference with individual freedom.

Civil rights

Protections against discriminatory treatment and guarantees of equal citizenship.

Due Process Clause

The constitutional guarantee against deprivation of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

Selective incorporation

The application of most Bill of Rights protections to state governments through the Fourteenth Amendment.

Establishment Clause

The First Amendment prohibition against government establishment of religion.

Free Exercise Clause

The First Amendment protection of religious practice.

Freedom of speech

The First Amendment protection of expression, subject to certain limitations.

Symbolic speech

Conduct intended to communicate a political or social message.

Prior restraint

Government action preventing publication or expression before it occurs.

Freedom of the press

The First Amendment protection of news gathering and publication.

Right to privacy

A judicially recognized protection of certain personal decisions from government interference.