AP GOV Cheat sheet flashcards

Federalist No. 10

Factions are bad

Brutus No. 1

Anti-Federalist Document. Proposed that this is nothing more than a Big Bad Government under this Constitution which will = disaster

Federalist No. 51

Checks & Balances under three equal branches, in a Federal system where there is national government and each state has a state government = good

Federalist No. 70

Strong Presidency means stability, protection, and unified government

Federalist No. 78

Judicial review and the independence of the judiciary, arguing that courts have the authority to declare laws unconstitutional.

Article 1

Establishes the legislative branch of the United States government, outlining the structure and powers of Congress.

Article 2

Establishes the executive branch of the United States government, detailing the powers and responsibilities of the President.

Article 3

Establishes the judicial branch of the United States government, defining the powers of the Supreme Court and other federal courts.

Due Process Clause

Part of the 14th Amendment that prohibits the government from denying individuals their legal rights without fair judicial process.

Equal Protection Clause

Part of the 14th Amendment that requires states to provide equal protection under the law to all persons within their jurisdiction.

Commerce Clause

Part of Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to regulate trade and commerce among the states and with foreign nations.

Supremacy Clause

Part of Article VI of the Constitution stating that federal law takes precedence over state law when there is a conflict.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, guaranteeing individual liberties and limiting government power.

Enumerated powers v. Implied powers

Enumerated powers are those specifically listed in the Constitution, while implied powers are those not explicitly stated but essential for executing enumerated powers.

Amendment 1

protects freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition.

Amendment 2

protects the right of individuals to keep and bear arms.

Amendement 3

prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes without the owner's consent during peacetime.

Amendment 4

protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures and establishes the requirement of probable cause for search warrants.

Amendment 5

guarantees the right to due process, protects against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, and ensures compensation for the taking of private property.

Amendment 6

guarantees the right to a speedy and public trial, the right to an impartial jury, and the right to counsel for defendants in criminal cases.

Amendment 7

guarantees the right to a jury trial in civil cases and prevents a court from overturning a jury's findings of fact.

Amendment 8

prohibits excessive bail and fines, as well as cruel and unusual punishment.

Amendment 9

states that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution does not deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment 10

reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

was a landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of federal supremacy over state laws and upheld the implied powers of Congress to create a national bank.

Lopez v. United States (1995)

was a Supreme Court case that limited Congress's power under the Commerce Clause by ruling that carrying a gun in a school zone was not an economic activity that affected interstate commerce.

Marybury v. Madison (1803)

was a landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Supreme Court to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

was a significant Supreme Court case that ruled against school-sponsored prayer in public schools, asserting it violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

was a Supreme Court case that held that Amish children could not be compelled to attend school past the eighth grade, as it violated their religious freedom.

Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)

was a pivotal Supreme Court case that upheld students' rights to free speech in public schools, ruling that they could wear armbands in protest of the Vietnam War.

New York Times Company v. United States (1971)

was a landmark Supreme Court case that affirmed the right of the press to publish information without government interference, ruling against prior restraint in the case of classified documents.