AP U.S. Government Vocabulary - Foundations of Democracy and Beyond

Foundations of Democracy

• Limited Government: Government power is restricted through laws.

  • Principles ensuring limited government:
  • Separation of Powers: Division of government responsibilities into distinct branches.
  • Checks and Balances: Each branch has powers that can check the other branches to prevent abuses of power.
  • Federalism: Power is divided between the national and state governments.
  • Republicanism: The government is based on the consent of the governed through elected representatives.

• Natural Rights: Individuals have inherent rights that cannot be taken away.

• Popular Sovereignty: Government derives its power from the consent of the governed.

• Social Contract: An implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits.

• Representative Democracy: Citizens elect representatives to make policy decisions on their behalf. It can take on several forms:

  • Participatory Democracy: Emphasizes broad citizen participation in political decision-making.
  • Pluralist Democracy: Focuses on the influence of groups in political processes.
  • Elite Democracy: Suggests political decision-making is dominated by a small, elite segment of society.

• Declaration of Independence: Articulated the philosophy of natural rights and popular sovereignty;
  drafted by Thomas Jefferson with help from Adams and Franklin.

• U.S. Constitution: Framework of government that establishes a limited government;
  a social contract creating a unique democratic system in the U.S.

• Federalist 10: Discusses the benefits of a large republic in controlling factions and dispersing power.

• Brutus 1: Argues for the advantages of a decentralized government and potential dangers of a strong central government.

• Articles of Confederation: Identified weaknesses:

  • No centralized military power (Shays' Rebellion)
  • No executive branch to enforce laws
  • No national court system
  • Limited regulation of interstate commerce
  • No power to coin money

Political Parties and Elections

• Federalist vs Anti-Federalist: Opposing viewpoints on the Constitution, with Federalists supporting a strong central government and Anti-Federalists wanting more power decentralized to states.

• Democracy: A system where power lies with the people, exercised directly or through elected representatives.

• Faction: Groups with contentious interests potentially harming the public good.

• Shays’ Rebellion: A revolt highlighting the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation; led to calls for a stronger national government.

• Great Compromise: Established a bicameral legislature:

  • House of Representatives based on state population.
  • Senate with equal representation from each state.

• Electoral College: Established a system for electing the president through electors from each state, rather than a popular vote.

• 3/5ths Compromise: Formula for representation that counted enslaved individuals as three-fifths of a person for taxation and representation.

• Constitutional Convention: Meeting in 1787 to address the weaknesses of the Articles and draft the Constitution.

• Amendment Process (Article V): Requires two-thirds approval in both congressional houses or by two-thirds of state legislatures for proposals;
  ratified by three-fourths of the states.

• Checks and Balances: Each branch of government can restrict the powers of the other branches.

• Separation of Powers: Divides government into three branches: legislative (Congress), executive (President), and judicial (Courts).

• Federalism: A system sharing power between national and state governments.

Interactions Among Branches of Government

• Congressional Powers: Legislative authority to enact laws, along with formal and informal powers.

• Speaker of the House: Leader of the House, facilitating legislative work.

• Bicameral Legislature: Congress consists of two chambers: Senate and House.

  • Senate: 100 members, representing states equally, with informal debates and unanimous consent for bills.
  • House: 435 members, more formal debate, originates revenue bills.

• Federal Budget: Congress manages and decides on mandatory (entitlements) and discretionary spending.

• Oversight: Congressional authority to ensure legislation is correctly implemented, including inspections and funding controls.

• Committee System: Committees play a crucial role in reviewing legislation before it reaches the larger house for debate.

• Filibuster and Cloture: Techniques used in the Senate to prolong debate or end debate.

• Discretionary and Mandatory Spending: Types of governmental expenditure; mandatory is required by law.

• Iron Triangles and Issue Networks: Key policy-making coalitions involving Congress, bureaucracies, and interest groups.

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

• Judicial Review: Power of courts to determine and declare laws unconstitutional.

• Bill of Rights: First ten amendments protecting citizens' liberties and rights.

• Civil Liberties vs Civil Rights:

  • Civil Liberties: Protections against government actions.
  • Civil Rights: Protections from discrimination.

• Key Amendments:

  • First Amendment: Protects freedoms of speech, press, religion, and assembly.
  • Second Amendment: Right to bear arms.
  • Fourth Amendment: Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.
  • Fifth Amendment: Due process rights.
  • Fourteenth Amendment: Grants due process and equal protection to all.

• Significant Supreme Court Cases:

  • Brown v. Board of Education: Declares racial segregation in schools unconstitutional.
  • Roe v. Wade: Upheld privacy rights regarding abortion.
  • McDonald v. Chicago: Extended Second Amendment rights to the states.

American Political Ideologies and Beliefs

• Core Values: Individualism, equal opportunity, free enterprise, and rule of law.

• Political Ideologies:

  • Liberalism: Advocates more governmental regulation in social issues.
  • Conservatism: Supports less government intervention in the marketplace.
  • Libertarianism: Advocates for minimal government regulation beyond protecting property rights.

• Political Socialization: Formation of political beliefs influenced by family, education, and social environments.

• Polling: Various types of polls (exit, tracking, benchmark) assess public opinion and voter behavior.

• Campaigns and Elections:

  • Electoral Systems: Winner-take-all versus proportional representation affecting party success.
  • Fundamental Amendments: Affect voter rights and accessibility to electoral processes.