AP Government Units 1 & 2

Term: Social Contract
Definition: Philosophical idea from Hobbes and Locke that individuals consent to form societies and governments to protect their rights.

Flashcard #2
Term: Natural Rights
Definition: Rights that individuals are born with that cannot be taken away, including life, liberty, and property, as emphasized by John Locke.

Flashcard #3
Term: Separation of Powers
Definition: Montesquieu's principle of dividing government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from exercising the core functions of another.

Flashcard #4
Term: Federalists
Definition: Supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong central government and advocated for its ratification.

Flashcard #5
Term: Anti-Federalists
Definition: Opponents of the Constitution who feared a strong central government and demanded a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties.

Flashcard #6
Term: The Great Compromise
Definition: Created a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate.

Flashcard #7
Term: Checks and Balances
Definition: System that prevents any one branch of government from becoming too powerful by allowing each branch to limit the powers of the others.

Flashcard #8
Term: McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Definition: Supreme Court case that upheld the supremacy of federal laws over state laws and the implied powers of Congress.

Flashcard #9
Term: Judicial Review
Definition: The power of the courts to review and invalidate actions of the executive and legislative branches that they find unconstitutional.

Flashcard #10
Term: Gerrymandering
Definition: The practice of manipulating district boundaries to favor one political party over others.

Flashcard #11
Term: The Voting Rights Act of 1965
Definition: Legislation that aimed to eliminate various forms of voting discrimination against African Americans.

Flashcard #12
Term: Incumbency Advantage
Definition: The electoral advantage experienced by current officeholders, often leading to high reelection rates.

Flashcard #13
Term: Participatory Democracy
Definition: A model of democracy where broad participation in politics is encouraged.

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Term: Pluralist Democracy
Definition: A model of democracy that emphasizes group-based activism and the influence of various interest groups.

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Term: Elite Democracy
Definition: A model of democracy that emphasizes limited participation in political decision-making, focused on the educated and wealthy.

Flashcard #16
Term: Federalism
Definition: A system of government where power is divided between a central authority and regional authorities.

Flashcard #17
Term: The Articles of Confederation
Definition: The first governing document of the United States, which was ultimately replaced due to its weaknesses.

Flashcard #18
Term: The Constitutional Convention (1787)
Definition: Meeting in Philadelphia where the framework for the Constitution was created.

Flashcard #19
Term: Bill of Rights
Definition: The first ten amendments to the Constitution that guarantee certain rights and liberties to individuals.

Flashcard #20
Term: The Declaration of Independence
Definition: A document written by Thomas Jefferson declaring the colonies' independence from Great Britain.

Flashcard #21
Term: Three-Fifths Compromise
Definition: Agreement that enslaved people would be counted as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes.

Flashcard #22
Term: Elastic Clause
Definition: Clause in the Constitution that allows Congress to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out its duties.

Flashcard #23
Term: Supremacy Clause
Definition: Article VI of the Constitution stating that federal laws take precedence over state laws.

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Term: Political Action Committee (PAC)
Definition: An organization that collects political donations to support candidates or political parties.

Flashcard #25
Term: Lobbying
Definition: The act of attempting to influence the decisions of government officials, often used by interest groups.

Flashcard #26
Term: Interest Groups
Definition: Organizations of people with shared goals that seek to influence public policy.

Flashcard #27
Term: Framers of the Constitution
Definition: The group of delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention and shaped the structure of the new government.

Flashcard #28
Term: Impeachment
Definition: The process by which a legislative body levels charges against a government official, including the president.

Flashcard #29
Term: Shays’ Rebellion
Definition: An uprising led by farmers in 1786 to protest economic injustices and the weak central government.

Flashcard #30
Term: Federalist Papers
Definition: A series of essays written to support ratification of the Constitution, authored by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay.

Flashcard #31
Term: Executive Agreement
Definition: An international agreement made by the president that does not require the approval of the Senate.

Flashcard #32
Term: Bicameral Legislature
Definition: A legislative body that has two houses, as in the structure of the U.S. Congress.

Flashcard #33
Term: Marbury v. Madison (1803)
Definition: The Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review.

Flashcard #34
Term: Civil Liberties
Definition: Individual rights protected by law from unjust governmental interference.

Flashcard #35
Term: Civil Rights
Definition: The rights of individuals to receive equal treatment under the law, often concerning discrimination.

Flashcard #36
Term: Direct Democracy
Definition: A form of democracy in which people decide on policy initiatives directly.

Flashcard #37
Term: Habeas Corpus
Definition: The legal principle that a person should be brought before a judge to secure their release unless lawful grounds are shown for their detention.