AP Gov Unit 1 

Social Contract :: unwritten agreement, people give up certain rights for protection from the government (can never take life, liberty, property)

Natural Rights :: rights the government can’t take away from you (life, liberty, property, pursuit of happiness

Direct Democracy :: people participate directly in the government

Representative Democracy :: people elect representatives to represent them in government

Constitutional Democracy :: the government has limits laid out by a constitution

Participatory Democracy: people participate directly in government

Pluralist Democracy :: multiple groups exert influence on the government, but none have complete control

Elite Democracy :: small number of people influence decision making

Individualism :: individuals and their thoughts are valued

Equal Opportunity :: everyone starts at the same place and has the same chance

Limited Government :: government has limits

Economic Opportunity :: capitalism, free market, laissez-faire

Limiting Majority Control :: stopping tyranny of majority

Checks and Balances :: different branches of government limit each others powers, prevents individual branches from gaining too much power

Separation of Powers :: branches of government have different powers and abilities, similar purpose to checks and balances

American Bicameral Legislature :: legislative branch is split in two (Senate and House of Reps)

Judicial Review :: ability to declare other branches actions unconstitutional, like impeachment trials

Federalism :: relationship between different layers of government (espc federal and state)

Supremacy Clause :: federal rulings/ laws are the supreme law of the land

Necessary and Proper Clause :: gives Congress right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out their needs

Interstate Commerce Clause :: the national government gets to make laws about interstate commerce (things like transporting food over state lines)

Nation :: a bunch of people united by common beliefs, ancestry, history, culture, etc.

State :: centralized political organization

Politics :: debate/ conflict between different groups or people on the running of the gov.

Popular Sovereignty :: authority of a government is created/sustained by its people

Federalist :: supports Constitution and its ideals

Anti-Federalist :: doesn’t support Constitution or centralization of government power

Connecticut/Great Compromise :: created House and Senate, compromising on representation in the legislative branch

3/5s Compromise :: slaves will count as 3/5 of a person for things like judging population and how many electoral college votes or House of Reps a state gets

Writ of Mandamus :: judicial branch orders another branch to do something specific, and they have to do it

Bill of attainder :: a law that puts people directly in jail or execution, something we do NOT have

Writ of habeas corpus :: court cannot take you in without evidence

Ex Post Facto Law :: making a law and enforcing it in the past, changing a speed limit and sending fines for offenses before the law was changed

Jurisdiction :: power to make legal decisions, usually in places or levels of government

Appeals Court :: somebody can appeal to the appeals court if they think their trial came to a decision with illegal evidence, jury, etc.

Enumerated Powers :: powers specifically stated or written

Implied Powers :: powers discussed, but not specifically stated

Block Grants :: federal government gives money to someone/thing/company/state for a broad range, like public health

Categorical Grants :: federal government gives money to someone/thing/company/state for something more specific, like Medicare programs

Formula Grants :: federal government gives money to someone/thing/company/state based on a formula, like the COVID relief checks given out to the unemployed/struggling

Project Grants :: federal government gives money to someone/thing/company/state for a specific project, like the Apollo missions

Preemption :: purchase of something by someone/thing/company before the opportunity is offered to others

Devolution :: transfer of power to a lower level

Mandates (Funded and Unfunded) :: national gov telling the states they must do something, can give or not give money (funded, unfunded)

Bill of Rights :: first 10 amendments, highly encouraged by anti-federalists

Marbury v. Madison :: gets rid of the writ of mandamus (too powerful) and replaces it with judicial review

McCulloch v. Maryland :: decides that there can be a national bank, and that the supremacy clause can stick around

Foundational Documents :: Dec of Independence, AoC, Constitution, Federalist Paper 10, Fed Paper 51, Brutus Paper 1