AP GOV FULL
Q: What is popular sovereignty?
A: The idea that government’s power comes from the people.
Q: What is republicanism?
A: People elect representatives to make decisions for them.
Q: What is social contract theory?
A: People agree to form a government to protect their rights.
Q: What is natural rights theory?
A: Rights people are born with (life, liberty, property).
Q: What are the main ideas of the Declaration of Independence?
A: Natural rights, government by consent, right to revolt.
Q: What weaknesses were exposed by the Articles of Confederation?
A: No tax power, no military, weak central government.
Q: What was the Great Compromise?
A: Created a bicameral legislature: Senate (equal) + House (population).
Q: What was the 3/5 Compromise?
A: Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person for representation.
Q: What is federalism?
A: Division of power between national and state governments.
Q: What are separation of powers?
A: Divides government into three branches.
Q: What are checks and balances?
A: Each branch limits the powers of the others.
Q: What is participatory democracy?
A: Broad citizen participation (example: town hall meetings).
Q: What is pluralist democracy?
A: Interest groups compete to influence policy.
Q: What is elite democracy?
A: Small group of wealthy/powerful people influence policy.
Q: What does Congress do?
A: Makes laws (legislative branch).
Q: What does the President do?
A: Enforces laws (executive branch).
Q: What does the Judiciary do?
A: Interprets laws (judicial branch).
Q: What is the Necessary and Proper Clause?
A: Congress can make all laws needed to carry out its powers.
Q: What is the Commerce Clause?
A: Congress controls interstate and international trade.
Q: What is the Supremacy Clause?
A: Federal law is the highest law of the land.
Q: What is a veto?
A: President rejects a bill passed by Congress.
Q: What is judicial review?
A: Courts can declare laws unconstitutional (Marbury v. Madison).
Q: What is executive order?
A: President’s directive that acts like a law without Congress.
Q: What is the difference between the House and Senate?
A: House = based on population, 2-year terms. Senate = equal per state, 6-year terms.
Q: What is a filibuster?
A: Senate tactic to delay a vote by speaking endlessly.
Q: What is cloture?
A: Vote to end a filibuster (needs 60 votes in Senate).
Q: What is a pocket veto?
A: President ignores a bill, and Congress adjourns — bill dies.
Q: What does the Bill of Rights protect?
A: Individual liberties against government actions.
Q: What is selective incorporation?
A: Applying Bill of Rights protections to the states via the 14th Amendment.
Q: What is the Establishment Clause?
A: Government cannot establish a religion (1st Amendment).
Q: What is the Free Exercise Clause?
A: People can freely practice their religion.
Q: What is freedom of speech?
A: Right to express opinions without government censorship.
Q: What is prior restraint?
A: Government preventing publication — generally not allowed.
Q: What is due process?
A: Fair treatment through the judicial system (5th and 14th Amendments).
Q: What is the Equal Protection Clause?
A: States must protect all citizens equally under the law (14th Amendment).
Q: What is the right to privacy?
A: Implied right (Griswold v. Connecticut, Roe v. Wade).
Q: What is the Voting Rights Act of 1965?
A: Banned literacy tests and helped end racial voting barriers.
Q: What is political socialization?
A: How people develop political opinions (family, education, media).
Q: What is political ideology?
A: A consistent set of political beliefs.
Q: What do liberals generally believe?
A: Support social programs, government regulation, progressive values.
Q: What do conservatives generally believe?
A: Favor limited government, traditional values, free markets.
Q: What is political efficacy?
A: Belief that your political participation matters.
Q: What is public opinion?
A: The distribution of the population’s beliefs about politics and policy.
Q: What is sampling error?
A: The margin of error in a poll.
Q: What is random sampling?
A: Every person has an equal chance of being selected for a poll.
Q: What is a political party?
A: Group organized to win elections and influence government.
Q: What is an interest group?
A: Organization seeking to influence government policy.
Q: What is a PAC (Political Action Committee)?
A: Group that raises and spends money for candidates/issues.
Q: What is an iron triangle?
A: Alliance among Congress, bureaucracy, and interest groups.
Q: What is a linkage institution?
A: Connects people to government (parties, elections, media, interest groups).
Q: What is a primary election?
A: Voters choose candidates for a general election.
Q: What is a caucus?
A: Party members meet to select candidates.
Q: What is the Electoral College?
A: System for electing the President; each state gets votes based on population.
Q: What is gerrymandering?
A: Drawing district lines to favor one party.
Q: What is divided government?
A: When one party controls Congress and the other controls the presidency.
Q: What is the Full Faith and Credit Clause?
A: States must respect other states’ laws and court decisions.
Q: What is the Privileges and Immunities Clause?
A: Citizens are treated equally across states.
Q: What is the Establishment Clause?
A: Government cannot favor a religion.
Q: What is the Free Exercise Clause?
A: People can practice religion freely.
Required Court Cases Flashcards
Q: Marbury v. Madison (1803)
A: Judicial review.
Q: McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
A: Supremacy of national government; implied powers.
Q: U.S. v. Lopez (1995)
A: Limits on Commerce Clause.
Q: Engel v. Vitale (1962)
A: No school prayer (Establishment Clause).
Q: Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)
A: Free Exercise beats school attendance.
Q: Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
A: Students have free speech at school.
Q: New York Times v. United States (1971)
A: No prior restraint.
Q: Schenck v. United States (1919)
A: “Clear and present danger” speech test.
Q: Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
A: Right to a lawyer (6th Amendment).
Q: Roe v. Wade (1973)
A: Right to privacy includes abortion.
Q: McDonald v. Chicago (2010)
A: 2nd Amendment applies to states.
Q: Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
A: No segregation in schools.
Q: Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
A: Unlimited independent political spending.
Q: Baker v. Carr (1961)
A: Courts can rule on redistricting.
Q: Shaw v. Reno (1993)
A: No racial gerrymandering.