ap gov unit 1

Federalist 

• Those at Constitutional Convention who favored strong national government and a system of separated powers

Anti-federalist

• Those at Constitutional Convention who favored strong state governments and feared that a strong national government would be a threat to their rights

Enumerated powers

• Powers explicitly granted to the Congress, the president, or SCOTUS in the first 3 articles of the Constitution

Implied powers

• Powers supported by the Constitution that aren’t expressly stated in it. SCOTUS often defines boundaries of it, but Congress, the president, and public can play key roles in this power.

Concurrent powers

• Responsibilities for particular policy areas (like transportation) that are shared by federal, state, and local governments

Reserved powers

• Powers not given to the national government by the Constitution or not prohibited to the states, are reserved by the states or the people

• 6. Factions

  • A group of citizens with common interests who influence others to join their group

Tyranny of the majority 

• A faction’s interests influences a majority of citizens, prevailing over the government and the rights of the minorities

Popular sovereignty 

• The idea that the government is authorized by citizens and influenced by what they want

Limited government

• A government that is limited in its powers by laws such as the constitution and individual rights to prevent tyranny

Federalism

• The division of power across local, state, and national levels government

Separation of powers

• The division of power across 3 branches of government with their own main power

Checks and balances

• Giving a branch power over the other 2 branches of government

Participatory democracy

• A democracy in which citizens are directly involved in proposing laws and voting for laws through some form of referenda

Pluralist democracy

• A democracy in which each citizen has an equal amount of influence over government politics in factions (that are constrained by the Constitution)

Elitist democracy 

• A democracy in which citizens are elected as representatives to make decisions in their role as trustees with the skills, education, and ability to protect against unwise decisions. They have a disproportionate influence over government politics.

Shay’s Rebellion

• An economic chaos led to a depression and many farmers lost land because they couldn’t pay their debts or state taxes

• Frustration from the depression cause the former captain, Daniel Shays, to lead a force of 1,000 farmers to attempt to take over the Massachusetts state government arsenal

• Rebels were repelled by State militia, yet many other protests took place in Pennsylvania and Virginia

• Exposed fundamental discontent with the new government, and that the future of the fledgling nation was at risk

Commerce clause

• Giving Congress the power to regulate commerce among several states and foreign lands. This clause serves as a basis for much of Congress’s legislation

Supremacy clause

• States that any national law is the supreme law of land and takes precedence over any state law that conflicts with it

• Judges are bounded by these laws such as the Constitution and treaties

Necessary and proper clause

• Giving Congress the power to pass all laws related to its expressed powers 

Full faith and credit clause

• Each state’s laws must be honored by the other states (Ex: legal marriage in one state must be recognized across state lines)

Judicial review

• Ability of SCOTUS to strike down a law or executive branch action as unconstitutional 

Block grants

• Federal aid provided to the state government to be spent within a certain policy area, but the state can decide how to spend money within that area

• Best way for levels of government to cooperate to solve problems

Categorical grants

• Federal aid to state or local governments that is provided for a specific purpose, such as school lunch programs within the education budget

Dual federalism

• National and state governments are seen as distinct entities providing separate services. 

• This usually, not always, limits the power of the national government. Mainly seen in decisions of court cases

Cooperative federalism 

• National and state government work together to provide services efficiently

• A profound shift toward less concrete boundaries of responsibility in national-state relations

• National government played enhance role of initiator of key policies

Picket fence federalism

• A more refined and realistic form of cooperative federalism in which policy makers within a particular policy area work together across levels of government. Activity occurs within policy areas

Ideology

• A cohesive set of ideas and beliefs used to organize and evaluate the political world

Conservative

• One side of the ideological spectrum defined by support for lower taxes, free market, and more limited government

• Usually associated with Republicans

Liberal

• One side of the ideological spectrum defined by support for stronger government programs and more market regulations

• Usually associated with Democrats

Natural rights

• “Unalienable rights” known as “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”

• Believed that these rights should be the government’s central purpose

Social contract

• Developed by political philosophers of 18th century that defined legitimacy of the state

• People allow the authority of state to govern over them if the government protects their rights and freedoms

Power of the purse

• Control over taxation and spending

10th amendment

• SCOTUS interpreted this amendment as it being to protect the state power and to limit the reach of national government in areas of environmental policy such as gun control

Privileges and immunities clause

• States must treat visitors within their borders as they would treat their own residents

• Meant to promote commerce and travel between states

Unfunded mandates

• Federal laws that require states to do certain things but do not provide state government with the funding to implement these policies

Consent of the governed

• Idea that the government gains its legitimacy through regular elections in which people participate to elect their leaders

Libertarian

Culture wars

Federal preemption