AP Government Unit 1 Vocabulary Flashcards

Foundations of American Democracy

• Enlightenment Influence: 18th-century European intellectual movement shaping the Constitution's principles.

  • Natural Rights: Rights granted by a creator, not by monarchs.
  • State of Nature: Concept of human freedom before government.

• Popular Sovereignty and Social Contract:

  • Power resides with the people; they consent to government for protection of rights; if violated, the government can be overthrown.

• Republicanism: People elect representatives to create laws; separation of powers among executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

• Overall Concept: Limited government preventing tyranny through checks and balances.

• Key Documents:

  • Declaration of Independence: Expresses natural rights and social contract; emphasizes life, liberty, pursuit of happiness (Jefferson’s adaptation of Locke).
  • U.S. Constitution: Blueprint for republicanism and separation of powers.

Types of Democracy

• Participatory Democracy: Emphasizes broad participation; seen at local levels and through initiatives/referenda.

• Pluralist Democracy: Groups compete to influence policy; citizens engage through interest groups (e.g., NAACP, NRA).

• Elite Democracy: Limited participation based on the belief that educated individuals should govern; seen in Electoral College.

• Document Tensions:

  • Conflict between participatory (Brutus 1) and pluralist democracy (Federalist 10) perspectives on representation.

Ratification Debate: Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

• Federalist 10 (James Madison): Advocates for a large republic to manage factions through competition; protects minority rights via diversity.

• Brutus 1: Expresses fears of centralized power harming local representation; supports participatory democracy.

• Major Contention: Majority rule vs. minority rights. (Historical context of minority rights focused on regional and economic aspects.)

History of the Constitution

• Articles of Confederation: Weak central government; only one branch (Congress); lacked taxation power.

  • Significant Events:
  • Shay's Rebellion: Exposed weaknesses of Articles; led to calls for a stronger federal government.

• Constitutional Convention (1787): Aimed to modify Articles, produced a new Constitution.

  • Compromises:
  • Great Compromise: Bicameral legislature; House by population, Senate equal representation.
  • Electoral College: Compromise for presidential election process.
  • Three-Fifths Compromise: Counting enslaved people for representation.
  • Slave Trade Compromise: No federal interference in slave trade for 20 years.

• Amendment Process: Proposal by Congress or states; requires two-thirds vote, then three-fourths state ratification.

Federalism Explained

• Definition: Sharing of power between national and state governments.

• Types of Powers:

  • Exclusive Powers: Federal government's specific powers (e.g., treaties).
  • Reserved Powers: State powers, defined by the 10th Amendment (e.g., education).
  • Concurrent Powers: Shared powers (e.g., taxation).

• Fiscal Federalism:

  • Federal funding used to establish national standards (e.g., categorical & block grants).
  • Categorical Grants: Specific federal guidelines.
  • Block Grants: Broad use with fewer restrictions.
  • Federal mandates compel state compliance, sometimes without funding (unfunded mandates).

Legislation and Court Cases Affecting Federalism

• Major Constitutional Provisions:

  • 10th Amendment: Reserved powers to states.
  • 14th Amendment: Applies Bill of Rights to states.
  • Commerce Clause: Congressional regulation of interstate commerce.
  • Necessary and Proper Clause: Elastic clause; Congress’s implied powers.

• Key Supreme Court Cases:

  • McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): Federal power reinforced, Necessary and Proper Clause justified federal bank.
  • U.S. v. Lopez (1995): Limitation on federal power, affirmed state authority over local matters.

• Contemporary Examples:

  • Environmental Regulations: States can set stricter standards (e.g., California's carbon emissions).
  • Marijuana Legalization: States legalize marijuana despite federal prohibition, showcasing state-federal relations.