AP Government: Key Concepts in American Political Theory and History

Democracy

Power is held by the people

Natural rights

The right to life, liberty, and property, which government cannot take away

Social contract

People allow their governments to rule over them to ensure an orderly and functioning society

American Political Culture

Beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that Americans share

Popular sovereignty

The idea that the government's right to rule comes from the people

Republicanism

The authority of the government comes from the people

Representative government

Americans use free, fair, and frequent elections to hold officials accountable

John Locke

Believed in Natural Rights—rights to life, liberty, & ownership of property (Opposed to the Divine Rights of Kings)

Liberty

No restrictions on speech, religion, or the economy

Baron Montesquieu

Wanted separation of powers & checks and balances, to keep kings from gaining too much power in the government

Voltaire

Freedom of religion, press and speech

Rousseau

Believed in the 'Noble savage' concept; people are good and lived equal and peacefully in nature

David Hume

Humans are ruled by passion not logic; leaders will abuse power if the system does not limit power

Boston Massacre

In 1770 an unruly mob of colonists attacked British soldiers

Civil Disobedience

Exchanged snowballs for bullets; was brutally suppressed by British

Tea Act

Allowed direct sale of tea to the American colonies and enforced Townshend Tax

Boston Tea Party

1773 colonists dressed up as Natives, boarded ships and dumped 342 chests of tea overboard

1st Continental Congress

Philadelphia 1774; sought solutions for British 'abuses' through boycotts and unity

2nd Continental Congress

Philadelphia 1775; responded to battles at Lexington and Concord and mobilized a military

Political Institutions

The structure of government, including the executive, legislature, and judiciary

Constitutional Republic

A democratic system with elected representatives in which the Constitution is supreme law

Participatory Democratic Theory

A theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government

Pluralist Theory

A theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of groups in the policymaking process

Elitist Theory

A theory of democracy that the elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policymaking process

Annapolis Convention

Called in 1786 to address trade and navigation disputes among the states

Shays's Rebellion

A popular uprising against the government/ courts of Massachusetts, led by Daniel Shays

Writ of habeas corpus

The right of people detained by the government to know the charges against them

Bills of attainder

When the legislature declares someone guilty without a trial

Ex post facto laws

Laws punishing people for acts that were not crimes at the time they were committed

Virginia Plan

Representation based on population; those who do the most work get the most goodies

New Jersey Plan

Representation equal for all states; create equality between states

The Great Compromise

Create two houses/bicameral: Every state gets two senators; representatives based on population

Federalists and Antifederalists

Divided over the feasibility of republican government in a large republic and the lack of a bill of rights

Limited Government

A design of government that distributes powers across institutions to avoid making one branch too powerful

Checks and Balances

A design of government in which each branch has powers that can prevent the other branches from having too much power

Fear of too much concentration of unchecked power

In a single executive

Federalism

The sharing of power between the national government and the states

Congress powers

Declares war, creates lower courts, determines number of Supreme Court justices, Senate ratifies treaties, House issues articles of impeachment, Senate holds impeachment trials, Senate confirms judicial nominees and key executive branch officials

Enumerated/Expressed Powers

Authority specifically granted to a branch of the government in the Constitution

Necessary and Proper Clause

Article I, Section 8, granting Congress necessary powers to carry out enumerated powers

Implied powers

Authority of the federal government that goes beyond its expressed powers

Supreme Court

Highest court in the land

Jurisdiction of Supreme Court

To handle disputes between states and national government, between two or more states, and between citizens of different states

Supremacy Clause

Constitution and all national treaties and laws shall be the supreme law of the land

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Article IV, Section I that state courts respect the laws and judgments of courts from other states

Judicial review

The ability of the courts to overturn a law or executive action, not explicit in Constitution

Amendment

Process by which changes may be made to the Constitution

Gonzales v. Raich

Supreme Court case addressing conflict between California's medical marijuana laws and the federal Controlled Substances Act

Confederal System

A system where the subnational governments have most of the power

Federal System

A system where power is divided between the national and state governments

Unitary System

A system where the central government has all of the power over subnational governments

Exclusive powers

Powers that only the national government may exercise

Commerce Clause

Grants Congress the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among the several states, and with the Indian tribes

Concurrent powers

Powers granted in the Constitution that allow national and state authority to overlap in public policy

Extradition

The requirement that officials in one state return a defendant to another state where a crime was allegedly committed

Privileges and Immunities Clause

Prevents states from discriminating against people from out of state

Dual Federalism

A form of American federalism where states and the nation operate independently in their own areas of public policy

Cooperative Federalism

Both levels work together in the same areas of public policy

Grants-in-aid

Tool used by the federal government to achieve policy objectives within states

Categorical grants

Provided to states with specific provisions on their use

Fiscal federalism

The federal government's use of grants-in-aid to influence policies in the states

Unfunded mandates

The national government requiring states to pay for programs without providing funds

Selective incorporation

The process through which the Supreme Court applies fundamental rights in the Bill of Rights to the states on a case-by-case basis

Devolution

Returning more authority to state or local governments

Block grants

A form of grant-in-aid that gives the state more control over how to disperse federal funds

Revenue sharing

When the federal government apportions tax money to the states with no strings attached

13th Amendment

Outlaws slavery

14th Amendment

Birthright citizenship and states cannot deny due process or equal protection

15th Amendment

All races can vote

Plessy v. Ferguson

Supreme Court case establishing 'separate but equal' doctrine

Federal Grants for Public Education

Money provided by the federal government to states aimed at creating more educational opportunities for low-income areas.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

A federal policy that provided grant money to states under the condition that they administer standardized assessment tests to students at specific grade levels, replaced in 2015 to give states more latitude over national standards

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (1996) / TANF

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; a welfare reform act that serves as an example of devolution by increasing state authority over implementing a federal social welfare program.

State Authority under TANF

Under TANF, states gained the power to set work requirements and place time limits on how long individuals can receive welfare assistance.