Ap Gov Unit 3 / College Boards Unit 1

Key terms, concepts, & vocabulary for Intro to Government and the Constitution

Natural Rights

Belief that all individuals possess inherent rights - such as * life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness * - that government is not allowed to take away (inalienable)

Popular Sovereignty

Idea that all government power (aka sovereignty) comes from consent of governed ( the population )

republicanism ( lower - case r ) / republic

Idea that we elect representatives to make laws and decisions on our behalf

Articles of Confederation

rewrite this

Preamble

Intro to U.S. Constitution (outlines principles)

Foundation for Constitutions goal

Declaration of Independence

Foundational Document (July 4, 1776) / Independence from Britain

Philadelphia Convention

purpose was to revise the Articles of Confederation, but delegates ultimately decided to create a new constitution for the United States

Representative Democracy

Citizens elect officials to make decisions and laws on their behalf

Participatory Democracy

Model places premium on broad citizen involvement in political affairs and civil society

Emphasizing direct engagement and grassroots activism, participatory democracy seeks to empower individuals to actively shape political outcomes and public policy through participation in decision - making processes

Pluralist Democracy

Prioritizes role of organized interest groups in influencing political decision - making

Advocating for group - based activism by diverse non - governmental entities ( like NRA & NAACP ) , contends that societal interest groups seeking to impact policy outcomes

Elite Democracy

Political participation & influence are predominantly restricted to a select group of individuals or institutions. This model says that effective governance is achieved through the leadership & decision - making of society elite, who are deemed best suited to navigate complex policy issues & uphold interests of society as a whole

Federalists

Those who favored a stronger national government & supported the proposed US Constitution

Anti - Federalists

Those who favored strong state government > a weaker national government ; opposed ratification of the constitution

Shay’s Rebellion

Daniel Shays led an armed uprising of poor farmers who were made about the economic conditions ( the problem was made worse by AoC Econ Chaos)

Other states feared rebellion would spread from Massachusetts led to realizing their was a need for army

AoC led to national government not having power to raise army

Showed weak federal government did not work for America

Factions

Groups of people who share similar ideas or beliefs that potentially cause literal and / or figurative damage

Inherent part of American life

The government through a republic / representative democracy, should control them to prevent instability

Great ( Connecticut ) Compromise

Established bicameral ( two - chamber ) legislature consisting of House of Representatives & senate

House = based on each states population, ensured proportional representation

Senate = provided equal representation for each state

Electoral College

Enabled each state to appoint electors who would cast votes on behalf of states populace, safeguarding state sovereignty while preserving a measure of popular influence in presidential selection process

“ Three - Fifths “ Compromise

Established formula for determining representation of enslaved individuals in the House of Representatives & ‘ compromise ‘ about taxes among states while placating ( intended to make someone less angry or hostile ) enslavers in the South led to undercounting enslaved as ‘ 3/5 ‘ of a person for purpose of boosting South representative & alleviating taxation while denying individuals full humanity in horrible system of slavery

Articles of the Constitution

1. Legislative

2. Executive

3. Judicial

4. State Relation

5. Amendment Process

6. Supremacy Clause

7. Ratification

Amendment Process

Requires either two - thirds vote in both houses of Congress or a proposal from two - thirds of state legislatures, w/ final ratification determined by three - fourths of the states

Separation of Powers

The constitution divides power of government into 3 separate branches : legislative, executive, & judicial

Idea is if one makes laws, they shouldn’t be enforcing them, nor interpreting whether they follow the constitution

Checks and Balances

Complementary to separation of powers, whereby each branch of government is able to monitor & restrain actions of others

Ex : if congress passes unjust law, president has right to veto that law

Exclusive Powers

Any power that is given only to the national or only to state government

Examples :

• Right to regulate commerce ~ national government

• Right to intrastate commerce ~ state government

Reserved Powers

Right that isn’t explicitly listed in constitutions as belonging to federal government = reserved to the states

Includes

• Education

• Public Health

• Marriage

• Questions of morality

• Intrastate commerce

Enumerated Powers

Powers of national government explicitly named in the constitution (specifically congress) leads to ability to tax & spend ( “ power of the purse “ ) declare war, coin, grant patents, regulate interstate commerce & trade with other countries, post offices, army & navy, call a military draft, establish courts, etc

Necessary & Proper Clause

Congress has right to “ make all laws which shall be necessary & proper for carrying into Execution foregoing power & all other powers vested by Constitution in government of United States

Make laws necessary for it to carry enumerated

Inherent Powers

Not explicitly stated in the constitution ( assumed for national government )

Ex : foreign affairs, controlling immigration

Supremacy Clause

Article VI. establishes that federal law, including the Constitution and treaties, is the supreme law of the land, taking precedence over conflicting state laws

Ratification

Necessitating a series of compromises to garner widespread support & secure the agreement of divergent interests

( compromises instrumental in forging path toward national unity & effective governance )

Tyranny of the majority

the potential for a majority to use its power to suppress or infringe upon the rights and interests of a minority

Impeachment

Legislative = charge a government official with misconduct

Federalism / Federal System

constitutional arrangement of power shared between national government and state governments ( + municipal / local govs )

National Government ( aka Federal Gov )

• political authority that governs a nation

• encompasses the executive, legislative, and judicial branches

• responsible for setting and maintaining foreign policy, collecting taxes, and maintaining a national army

State government

• Three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial

• Local governments, regulating commerce, and conducting elections

• Health, Safety, Welfare, Education, Transportation

• Has a governor, legislature, and court system

Local / Municipal Government

Lowest tier of governance within a state, providing public services and infrastructure to residents within a defined area

Concurrent Powers

• Powers held by national government & state

  • Taxation, law enforcement, and establishing courts

Delegated Powers

Article 1 , Section 8

• Expressed powers, Implied powers, Inherent powers

• Limits national governments authority

• Distinct from state powers

• Promotes system of checks and balances

Full Faith & Credit Clause

• Legal decision made in one state = honored in all

  • ( marriage license & court judgements )

Dual Federalism - “ layer cake “

• Seperation of powers between two levels of government

• National government and state government operate with in own district of authority

Cooperative Federalism - “ marble cake “

• National and state government work together

• Blending of responsibilities and powers between two levels of government

Tenth Amendment - as it relates to federalism

• powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution

• nor prohibited to the states

• are reserved to the states or the people

the Commerce Clause

Article 1 Section 8

gives Congress the power “to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among states, and with the Indian tribes.”

Fiscal Federalism / Federal Grants in aid

national government's primary means of influencing state governments is giving money to states in the form of grants-in-aid

Revenue sharing

federal policy where the government distributes tax revenue to state and local governments with minimal restrictions, allowing them flexibility in how the funds are used

Grants

Financial assistant provided by Federal Government to state & local government

Block Grants

Provide general guidelines & therefore give states more leeway > categorical grants for how to spend the money

Details left to individual state and local discretion

large sums of money granted by the federal government to state or local governments for broad purposes, allowing the recipients flexibility in how to spend the funds

( fix this one )