AP Gov Chapters 1+2 Test

Ideals of Democracy (5)

1. Limited Government

2. Natural Rights

3. Social Contract

4. Popular Sovereignty

5. Republicanism

Limited Government

restrictions are placed on the government to protect individual rights

Natural Rights

rights and privileges people are born with

“life liberty and property” according to John Locke, “life liberty and the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration

Social Contract

people give up some freedoms in exchange for the protection of the government

if gov gives up these rights and protects the people, the people must give up some of these rights and comply with the gov

Popular Sovereignty

a governments power comes from the consent of the governed

if gov violates the will of the people, they can reject the gov and form a new one

Republicanism

a form of gov in which elected leaders represent the interests of the people

Models of Democracy (3)

1. Participatory

2. Pluralist

3. Elite

Participatory Democracy

citizens have the power to decide on policy and elected officials implement those decisions

(ex: referendum, citizens participate by voting, then politicians take over)

Pluralist Democracy

organized groups compete with each other to influence policy

(ex: Democrats and Republicans)

Elite Democracy

a small number of (usually wealthy, well-educated) people influence political decision making

(ex: electoral college)

Issues with the Articles of Confederation

1. gov couldn’t raise or collect taxes

2. no national army, tariffs

3. gov couldn’t regulate interstate/international trade

4. unicameral with equal representation

   • needed 9/13 states to pass a law (really hard)

   • needed 13 states to amend AoC

5. no executive or judicial branches

Shay’s Rebellion

exemplified the weaknesses of AoC

gov couldn’t raise money to pay back war debts or pay the revolutionary soldiers. Shay started a rebellion that the gov could barely put down because they had no national guard or defense system

Compromises at the Constitutional Convention (4)

1. Great Compromise

2. 3/5 Compromise

3. Electoral College

4. Compromise on the importation of slaves

Virginia Plan

favored large states

gave states proportional representation

bicameral legislation

congress would elect president and judges

New Jersey Plan

favored small states

unicameral legislation

one vote per state, regardless of population

strengthened power of fed gov

Great Compromise

a compromise between the New Jersey and Virginia plans

bicameral legislature: house and senate

• house is proportional to population

• senate has 2 reps per state (elite)

one president, elected by electoral college

national judiciary: judges chosen by president and approved by senate

3/5 Compromise

for issues of proportional representation in taxes and census, slaves would be counted as 3/5 of a person

Southern slave states dominated the gov

Electoral College Compromise

a group of reps from every state will formally cast votes to elect the president and vice president

Compromise on the Importation of Slaves

the convention decided to table vote on slavery until 1808

Federalists

pro Constitution (7 original articles)

wanted a strong fed gov

Anti-Federalists

didn’t like the first draft of the constitution because it didn’t protect individual rights

wanted a weaker fed gov, stronger states

pushed for the Bill of Rights

Federalist 10

• factions are necessary for a democratic government so that the public can share ideas (pluralist)

• can’t eliminate factions because you can’t threaten liberty or enforce ideas

• separation of powers to maintain balance in the gov

• need a strong gov

Brutus 1

• anti-federalist paper

• argued against a strong central gov

• believed that a central gov wouldn’t meet the needs of US citizens

• didn’t like the “necessary and proper” or supremacy clauses

• constitution gives too much power to legislative branch

• pro participatory dem.

• feared the corruption of elected officials

Factions

an organized group of citizens who share a common goal/belief/interest

source: “various and unequal distribution of property”

can’t be removed so they must be controlled by a strong government

Four Principles of a Representative Democracy

1. federalism

2. checks and balances

3. separation of powers

4. limited government

Federalism

the balance and division of power between state and national govs

Checks and Balances

separate branches of gov are able to veto actions of other branches, so no one branch is too powerful

Separation of Powers

assigns different branches of gov different powers/domains so each has equal influence

Limited Government

government’s power is legally restricted to protect the rights of the citizens

Constitution: Preamble

outlines goals/purposes of gov:

• form a more perfect union

• establish justice, insure domestic tranquility

• provide for the common defense

• promote the general welfare

Constitution: Article 1

established the Legislative Branch

• bicameral

• requirements for House and Senate

• procedure for how a bill becomes a law

• lists powers of the legislative branch

• limits to power:

  • Habeus Corpus

  • Bill of Attainder

  • Ex Post Facto Laws

  • States (cannot make money, declare war, tax interstate goods)

Constitution: Article 2

established the Executive Branch

• executive office rules+requirements

• electoral college

• powers+limits of the president

Constitution: Article 3

established the Judiciary Branch

(Supreme Court only)

• appointed by president, confirmed by senate

• lifetime appointment

• Appellate Jurisdiction: hear appeal cases

• Original Jurisdiction: hear brand new cases (rare)

• Judicial Review: ability to declare laws unconstitutional (Marbury v Madison)

Constitution: Article 4

State and National Government Relationship

• Full Faith and Credit Clause: states must respect other state laws

• treat citizens with rights, expedite criminals

Constitution: Article 5

outlines the two formal methods to Amend the Constitution:

1. Introduce it to Congress

2. National Convention

Informally Changing the Constitution

• Judicial Review

• Executive Orders

• Congressional Legislation

• Changes in Political Norms

Constitution: Article 6

US Matters

• US would gain all debts under AoC

• Supremacy Clause

Supremacy Clause

constitution, US laws, and federal treaties are supreme law

Constitution: Article 7

Ratification

• 9/13 states needed to pass the constitution

First Amendment

Five Freedoms

• religion

• speech

• press

• assembly

• petition

Second Amendment

the right to bear arms

Third Amendment

quartering of troops

Fourth Amendment

unreasonable search and seizure

Fifth Amendment

criminal and legal proceedings

• right to a jury in a criminal case

• right against self incrimination

• no double jeopardy

• due process

• eminent domain

Sixth Amendment

rights of the accused

• speedy and public trial

• case decided by a jury

• know the charges against you

• right to a lawyer

Seventh Amendment

right to a jury in a civil case

Eighth Amendment

protection against cruel and unusual punishment (bail included)

Ninth Amendment

the BoR doesn’t list every single right of the citizens

Tenth Amendment

if a power is not given directly/explicitly to the fed gov, it is reserved for the states (ex: education)

Checks and Balances