AP GOV

What is popular sovereignty?

The principle that government gets its authority from the people. The people are the ultimate source of governmental power.

What phrase from the Constitution best represents popular sovereignty?

"We the People."

What is republicanism?

The principle that people exercise political power by electing representatives to govern for them.

What is the difference between popular sovereignty and republicanism?

Popular sovereignty explains where government power comes from—the people. Republicanism explains how people exercise that power—through elected representatives.

What is federalism?

The division of power between the national government and state governments.

What is separation of powers?

The division of the federal government into three branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—with different responsibilities.

What are the three branches created by separation of powers?

Legislative (makes laws), executive (enforces laws), and judicial (interprets laws).

What are checks and balances?

A system in which each branch of government has powers that can limit the other branches.

What is the main purpose of checks and balances?

To prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

What is limited government?

The principle that government officials and institutions must obey the Constitution and cannot exercise unlimited power.

What are individual rights?

Freedoms and protections that government must respect, such as freedom of speech, religion, due process, and protection from unreasonable searches.

What is the difference between federalism and separation of powers?

Federalism divides power between levels of government; separation of powers divides power among branches of the federal government.

What is the difference between separation of powers and checks and balances?

Separation of powers divides governmental responsibilities among branches; checks and balances allow those branches to limit one another.

What does Article I establish?

The legislative branch, Congress.

What type of legislature does Article I create?

A bicameral legislature consisting of the House of Representatives and Senate.

How is representation determined in the House?

By population.

How is representation determined in the Senate?

Each state has two senators.

How long is a House term?

Two years.

How long is a Senate term?

Six years.

What are major powers of Congress under Article I?

Making laws, taxing, spending, borrowing, regulating interstate and foreign commerce, declaring war, maintaining armed forces, and using the Necessary and Proper Clause.

What is the Necessary and Proper Clause?

A provision allowing Congress to make laws necessary and proper for carrying out its enumerated powers; it is also called the Elastic Clause.

What are enumerated or expressed powers?

Powers specifically listed in the Constitution.

What are implied powers?

Powers not explicitly listed but reasonably inferred from Congress's enumerated powers, especially through the Necessary and Proper Clause.

What compromise created the bicameral Congress?

The Great/Connecticut Compromise: representation by population in the House and equal representation by state in the Senate.

What does Article II establish?

The executive branch, headed by the President.

What are major presidential powers under Article II?

Enforcing laws, serving as Commander in Chief, making appointments, negotiating treaties, granting federal pardons, conducting foreign affairs, and vetoing legislation.

What role does the Senate play in treaties?

The Senate must approve treaties by a two-thirds vote of senators present.

How can Congress override a presidential veto?

By a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.

What does Article III establish?

The federal judicial branch, including the Supreme Court.

What is the Supreme Court's role under Article III?

It is the highest federal court and resolves cases involving federal law and constitutional questions.

How long do federal judges generally serve?

During "good behavior," which generally means lifetime tenure unless they resign, retire, are removed, or otherwise leave office.

What does Article IV primarily address?

Relationships among states and between states and the federal government.

What is the Full Faith and Credit Clause?

States generally must recognize the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of other states.

What is the Privileges and Immunities Clause?

States generally cannot discriminate against citizens of other states with respect to fundamental privileges and immunities.

Why is Article IV important to federalism?

It establishes rules governing relationships among states and between state and national governments.

What does Article V establish?

The process for amending the Constitution.

How can a constitutional amendment be proposed?

By a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress, or by a convention called by Congress upon applications from two-thirds of the state legislatures.

How is a constitutional amendment ratified?

By three-fourths of the states.

What does Article VI establish?

The Supremacy Clause and the requirement that federal and state officials take an oath to support the Constitution.

What is the Supremacy Clause?

The Constitution, valid federal laws, and treaties are supreme over conflicting state laws.

Does the Supremacy Clause eliminate state power?

No. States retain their constitutional powers, but valid federal law prevails when it conflicts with state law.

What does Article VII establish?

The ratification process for the original Constitution.

How many states originally had to ratify the Constitution?

Nine of the thirteen states.

What does ratification mean?

Formal approval.

What is the easiest way to memorize Articles I-VII?

I = Legislative, II = Executive, III = Judicial, IV = States, V = Amendments, VI = Supremacy, VII = Ratification.

What are the Bill of Rights?

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, which protect individual liberties and limit government power.

What five freedoms are protected by the First Amendment?

Religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition—"RAPPS."

What is the Establishment Clause?

The First Amendment principle that government may not establish or officially favor a religion.

What is the Free Exercise Clause?

The First Amendment protection for the exercise of religion, subject to constitutional limitations.

What does the Second Amendment protect?

The right to keep and bear arms, subject to constitutional interpretation and applicable law.

What does the Third Amendment protect?

It generally prevents the government from forcing soldiers to be quartered in private homes without the owner's consent during peacetime.

What does the Fourth Amendment protect against?

Unreasonable searches and seizures.

What is generally required for a search warrant?

Probable cause and particularity.

What does the Fifth Amendment protect?

Grand jury protection in federal criminal cases, protection against double jeopardy and compelled self-incrimination, due process, and just compensation for qualifying government takings of private property for public use.

What does "pleading the Fifth" mean?

Invoking the Fifth Amendment protection against compelled self-incrimination.

What rights are protected by the Sixth Amendment?

Speedy and public trial, impartial jury, notice of charges, confrontation of witnesses, compulsory process, and assistance of counsel in criminal cases.

What does the Seventh Amendment protect?

Jury trials in certain federal civil cases.

What does the Eighth Amendment prohibit?

Excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.

What does the Ninth Amendment establish?

Listing certain rights in the Constitution does not mean people have no other rights.

What does the Tenth Amendment establish?

Powers not delegated to the United States and not prohibited to the states are reserved to the states or the people.

Why is the Tenth Amendment important to federalism?

It reinforces the reservation of undelegated powers to the states or people.

What does the Thirteenth Amendment do?

It abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime after conviction.

What does the Fourteenth Amendment establish?

Citizenship, due process, and equal protection.

What is the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?

It establishes citizenship for persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction, subject to constitutional interpretation.

What does the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment do?

It prevents states from depriving persons of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

What does the Equal Protection Clause require?

States must provide equal protection of the laws.

Why is the Fourteenth Amendment especially important in AP Government?

It provides a major constitutional foundation for applying many rights against state governments and challenging governmental discrimination.

What does the Fifteenth Amendment protect?

The right to vote from being denied or abridged by the federal or state governments because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

What is the easiest way to memorize the Reconstruction Amendments?

13 = slavery ends/free, 14 = citizenship/equal protection, 15 = race and voting.

What does the Seventeenth Amendment do?

It establishes direct election of U.S. senators by voters.

How were senators selected before the Seventeenth Amendment?

By state legislatures.

Why is the Seventeenth Amendment connected to popular sovereignty?

It increased direct participation by allowing voters to directly elect senators.

What does the Nineteenth Amendment do?

It prohibits denying or abridging the right to vote on the basis of sex.

What does the Twenty-Sixth Amendment do?

It prevents citizens age 18 or older from having their right to vote denied or abridged because of age.

What is the voting-amendment memory trick for 15, 17, 19, and 26?

15 = Race, 17 = Senators, 19 = Sex, 26 = Age 18.

If a question says government power comes from the people, what principle is being tested?

Popular sovereignty.

If citizens elect representatives to make decisions for them, what principle is being tested?

Republicanism.

If power is divided between state and national governments, what principle is being tested?

Federalism.

If Congress, the President, and the courts have different governmental responsibilities, what principle is being tested?

Separation of powers.

If one branch blocks or limits another branch, what principle is being tested?

Checks and balances.

If the Constitution prevents government officials from exercising unlimited power, what principle is being tested?

Limited government.

If the government must respect freedoms such as speech or religion, what principle is being tested?

Individual rights.

Congress passes a bill and the President vetoes it. What principle is illustrated?

Checks and balances.

The Senate confirms a President's judicial appointment. What principle is illustrated?

Checks and balances.

A federal court determines that government action violates the Constitution. What principles are involved?

Checks and balances and limited government.

A citizen peacefully protests against government policy. Which amendment is most directly involved?

First Amendment.

Police conduct an unreasonable search of someone's home. Which amendment is involved?

Fourth Amendment.

A defendant is forced to testify against himself in a criminal case. Which amendment is involved?

Fifth Amendment.

A criminal defendant is denied the constitutional right to assistance of counsel. Which amendment is involved?

Sixth Amendment.

A government imposes cruel and unusual punishment. Which amendment is involved?

Eighth Amendment.

A state denies a person equal protection of the laws. Which amendment is most directly involved?

Fourteenth Amendment.

A government action involves slavery or involuntary servitude. Which amendment is most directly relevant?

Thirteenth Amendment.

A question involves citizenship, due process, or equal protection. Which amendment should you immediately consider?

Fourteenth Amendment.

A state or federal government denies voting rights because of race or color. Which amendment is involved?

Fifteenth Amendment.

Voters directly elect U.S. senators. Which amendment established this?

Seventeenth Amendment.

A government denies someone the right to vote because of sex. Which amendment is involved?

Nineteenth Amendment.

An 18-year-old is denied the right to vote because of age. Which amendment is involved?

Twenty-Sixth Amendment.

Which constitutional provision deals with Congress, and which deals with freedom of speech?

Article I establishes Congress; the First Amendment protects freedom of speech.

Which constitutional provisions should you distinguish when you see "states" versus "search"?

Article IV concerns states; the Fourth Amendment concerns searches and seizures.

Which constitutional provisions should you distinguish when you see "amending the Constitution" versus "self-incrimination"?

Article V establishes the amendment process; the Fifth Amendment protects against compelled self-incrimination.