2.1-2.3 AP gov
2.1 Congress: The Senate and the House of Representative
- Republicanism: A political ideology centered on citizenship in a state organized as a republic, where the people hold popular sovereignty through elected representatives.
- Bicameral: A legislative body with two chambers, such as the U.S. Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
- Senate:
- # in Chamber: 100 members (two per state).
- Representation Based On: Equal representation for each state.
- Term Length: 6 years, with elections staggered so that one-third of senators are elected every two years.
- House of Representatives:
- # in Chamber: 435 members.
- Representation Based On: Population of each state.
- Term Length: 2 years.
2.2 Structures, Powers, and Functions of Congress
- Leadership Structure: House of Representatives: Led by the Speaker of the House, with Majority and Minority Leaders and Whips.
- Leadership Structure: Senate: Led by the Vice President (President of the Senate), the President Pro Tempore, Majority and Minority Leaders, and Whips.
- Committees:
- Standing Committee: Permanent committees that handle specific policy areas (e.g., finance, defense).
- Joint Committee: Committees made up of members from both the House and Senate, usually for conducting investigations or special tasks.
- Select Committee: Temporary committees created for a specific purpose, such as investigating an issue.
- Conference Committee: A temporary joint committee formed to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.
- House Rules Committee* A powerful committee in the House that sets the terms for debate and amendments to bills.
- Committee of the Whole: The entire House of Representatives acting as a committee to expedite the passage of legislation.
- Unanimous Consent: An agreement by all members of the Senate to bypass certain formalities and proceed to action more quickly.
- Discharge Petition: A process by which a bill can be forced out of a committee to the House floor for a vote if a majority of House members sign it.
- Filibuster: A tactic in the Senate where a senator speaks at length to delay or block legislative action.
- Cloture: A procedure to end a filibuster, requiring 60 votes in the Senate.
- Non-Germane Rider: An amendment added to a bill that is unrelated to the bill's main topic, often used to pass controversial measures.
- Pork Barrel Spending: Government spending for localized projects to bring money to a representative’s district.
- Log Rolling: The practice of exchanging favors, such as trading votes among legislators to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
- Mandatory Spending: Federal spending required by law for specific programs, such as Social Security and Medicare.
- Discretionary Spending: Spending that is subject to annual approval by Congress, such as defense and education funding.
- Deficit Spending: The practice of the government spending more money than it collects in revenue.
2.3 Congressional Behavior
- Categorical Grant: Federal funding provided to states for a specific purpose with strict guidelines on how it can be used.
- Block Grant: Federal funding provided to states with more flexibility in how it can be used.
- Mandate: A requirement by the federal government that states must follow, often without federal funding.
- Unfunded Mandate: A mandate imposed by the federal government without providing the necessary funds to fulfill it.
- Gridlock: A situation in which there is little to no legislative progress due to political stalemate.
- United Government: A government where the same party controls the presidency and both houses of Congress.
- Divided Government: A government where one party controls the presidency, and the other controls one or both houses of Congress.
- Lame Duck President: A president whose successor has been elected but is still in office during the transition period, often seen as having reduced influence.
- Instructed Delegate Model: A model of representation where representatives act according to the wishes of their constituents.
- Trustee Model: A model of representation where representatives use their own judgment in decision-making.
- Politico Model: A hybrid model where representatives act as delegates on issues important to constituents and as trustees on less salient issues.
- Redistricting: The process of redrawing electoral district boundaries based on population changes.
- Gerrymandering: Manipulating district boundaries to favor one party or group.
- Partisan Gerrymandering: Redistricting aimed at benefiting a specific political party.
- Racial Gerrymandering: Redistricting aimed at diluting the electoral power of a particular racial group.
- Baker v. Carr: A 1962 Supreme Court case that established the principle of "one person, one vote," allowing courts to review redistricting cases.
- Shaw v. Reno: A 1993 Supreme Court case that ruled racial gerrymandering unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause.
Test 1 Concepts
- Articles of Confederation: The first governing document of the U.S., which created a weak national government and was replaced by the Constitution.
- Federalism: A system of government in which power is divided between a national government and state governments.
- Supremacy & Equal Protection Clauses:
- Supremacy Clause: Establishes that the Constitution, federal laws, and treaties are the supreme law of the land, taking precedence over state laws.
- Equal Protection Clause: Part of the 14th Amendment, guaranteeing that no state shall deny any person within its jurisdiction equal protection under the law.
- McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): A Supreme Court case that established the federal government’s implied powers and affirmed the supremacy of federal laws over state laws.
- United States v. Lopez (1995): A Supreme Court case that limited Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause, ruling that regulating gun possession near schools was beyond Congress's authority.
2.1-2.3 AP gov
2.1 Congress: The Senate and the House of Representative
- Republicanism: A political ideology centered on citizenship in a state organized as a republic, where the people hold popular sovereignty through elected representatives.
- Bicameral: A legislative body with two chambers, such as the U.S. Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
- Senate:
- # in Chamber: 100 members (two per state).
- Representation Based On: Equal representation for each state.
- Term Length: 6 years, with elections staggered so that one-third of senators are elected every two years.
- House of Representatives:
- # in Chamber: 435 members.
- Representation Based On: Population of each state.
- Term Length: 2 years.
2.2 Structures, Powers, and Functions of Congress
- Leadership Structure: House of Representatives: Led by the Speaker of the House, with Majority and Minority Leaders and Whips.
- Leadership Structure: Senate: Led by the Vice President (President of the Senate), the President Pro Tempore, Majority and Minority Leaders, and Whips.
- Committees:
- Standing Committee: Permanent committees that handle specific policy areas (e.g., finance, defense).
- Joint Committee: Committees made up of members from both the House and Senate, usually for conducting investigations or special tasks.
- Select Committee: Temporary committees created for a specific purpose, such as investigating an issue.
- Conference Committee: A temporary joint committee formed to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.
- House Rules Committee* A powerful committee in the House that sets the terms for debate and amendments to bills.
- Committee of the Whole: The entire House of Representatives acting as a committee to expedite the passage of legislation.
- Unanimous Consent: An agreement by all members of the Senate to bypass certain formalities and proceed to action more quickly.
- Discharge Petition: A process by which a bill can be forced out of a committee to the House floor for a vote if a majority of House members sign it.
- Filibuster: A tactic in the Senate where a senator speaks at length to delay or block legislative action.
- Cloture: A procedure to end a filibuster, requiring 60 votes in the Senate.
- Non-Germane Rider: An amendment added to a bill that is unrelated to the bill's main topic, often used to pass controversial measures.
- Pork Barrel Spending: Government spending for localized projects to bring money to a representative’s district.
- Log Rolling: The practice of exchanging favors, such as trading votes among legislators to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
- Mandatory Spending: Federal spending required by law for specific programs, such as Social Security and Medicare.
- Discretionary Spending: Spending that is subject to annual approval by Congress, such as defense and education funding.
- Deficit Spending: The practice of the government spending more money than it collects in revenue.
2.3 Congressional Behavior
- Categorical Grant: Federal funding provided to states for a specific purpose with strict guidelines on how it can be used.
- Block Grant: Federal funding provided to states with more flexibility in how it can be used.
- Mandate: A requirement by the federal government that states must follow, often without federal funding.
- Unfunded Mandate: A mandate imposed by the federal government without providing the necessary funds to fulfill it.
- Gridlock: A situation in which there is little to no legislative progress due to political stalemate.
- United Government: A government where the same party controls the presidency and both houses of Congress.
- Divided Government: A government where one party controls the presidency, and the other controls one or both houses of Congress.
- Lame Duck President: A president whose successor has been elected but is still in office during the transition period, often seen as having reduced influence.
- Instructed Delegate Model: A model of representation where representatives act according to the wishes of their constituents.
- Trustee Model: A model of representation where representatives use their own judgment in decision-making.
- Politico Model: A hybrid model where representatives act as delegates on issues important to constituents and as trustees on less salient issues.
- Redistricting: The process of redrawing electoral district boundaries based on population changes.
- Gerrymandering: Manipulating district boundaries to favor one party or group.
- Partisan Gerrymandering: Redistricting aimed at benefiting a specific political party.
- Racial Gerrymandering: Redistricting aimed at diluting the electoral power of a particular racial group.
- Baker v. Carr: A 1962 Supreme Court case that established the principle of "one person, one vote," allowing courts to review redistricting cases.
- Shaw v. Reno: A 1993 Supreme Court case that ruled racial gerrymandering unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause.
Test 1 Concepts
- Articles of Confederation: The first governing document of the U.S., which created a weak national government and was replaced by the Constitution.
- Federalism: A system of government in which power is divided between a national government and state governments.
- Supremacy & Equal Protection Clauses:
- Supremacy Clause: Establishes that the Constitution, federal laws, and treaties are the supreme law of the land, taking precedence over state laws.
- Equal Protection Clause: Part of the 14th Amendment, guaranteeing that no state shall deny any person within its jurisdiction equal protection under the law.
- McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): A Supreme Court case that established the federal government’s implied powers and affirmed the supremacy of federal laws over state laws.
- United States v. Lopez (1995): A Supreme Court case that limited Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause, ruling that regulating gun possession near schools was beyond Congress's authority.
