AP US GOV Cheat Sheet

Popular Sovereignty: Government's power is derived from the people.
Social Contract: Individuals concede certain freedoms in exchange for governmental protection.
Federalist No. 10: This essay advocates for a large republic as a means to effectively manage and control factions. Its primary argument is that a larger republic is better equipped to handle factions than smaller ones due to the increased diversity and the difficulty for any single faction to dominate.
Brutus No. 1: An anti-federalist paper that warns against the dangers of a strong central government, fearing it would become tyrannical and infringe upon individual liberties and state rights.
Separation of Powers: Governmental responsibilities are divided among different branches (legislative, executive, and judicial) to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
Checks and Balances: A system where each branch of government can limit the power of the other branches. This is designed to prevent tyranny and ensure no single branch becomes too dominant.
Federalism: Power is divided between the national and state governments, allowing for a balance of authority and autonomy.

Congress: A bicameral legislature comprised of:
- House of Representatives: Representation is based on the population of each state.
- Senate: Each state has equal representation, with two senators.
- Powers:
  - Taxation: Congress has the power to levy taxes.
  - Declaration of War: Congress has the power to declare war.
  - Impeachment: The House can impeach, and the Senate tries the impeachment.
President: The chief executive who enforces laws.
- Powers:
  - Veto Power: The President can veto legislation passed by Congress.
  - Executive Orders: Directives issued by the President that manage operations of the federal government.
  - Commander-in-Chief: The President serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Judiciary: The branch that interprets laws.
- Judicial Review: This power, established in Marbury v. Madison, allows the judiciary to review laws and executive actions for constitutionality.
Bureaucracy: Implements and enforces policies.
- Operates through iron triangles (alliances between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees) and possesses rule-making authority (the ability to create regulations).

1st Amendment: Guarantees freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.
14th Amendment: Provides due process and equal protection under the law.
Key Cases:
- Engel v. Vitale: Ruled that school-sponsored prayer is unconstitutional.
- Wisconsin v. Yoder: Affirmed the right to religious freedom for Amish parents to keep their children out of school after a certain age.
- Tinker v. Des Moines: Protected students' free speech rights in schools, allowing symbolic speech like wearing armbands.
- NYT v. U.S.: Upheld freedom of the press, limiting prior restraint (government censorship).
- Schenck v. U.S.: Established the "clear and present danger" test, limiting speech that presents an immediate threat.
- Gideon v. Wainwright: Guaranteed the right to counsel (attorney) for defendants in criminal cases.
- Roe v. Wade: Established a woman's right to privacy, including the right to an abortion.
- Brown v. Board: Ended racial segregation in public schools, overturning the "separate but equal" doctrine.

Political Socialization: The process by which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values.
Liberalism: Ideology that generally favors government intervention in the economy and supports individual rights and social justice.
Conservatism: Ideology that typically advocates for limited government intervention, traditional values, and individual responsibility.
Types of Polls:
- Benchmark Poll: Initial poll conducted to establish baseline information on voters’ views and preferences.
- Tracking Poll: Continuous polls that track changes in public opinion over time.
- Entrance Poll: Conducted as voters enter polling places on election day.
- Exit Poll: Conducted as voters leave polling places to predict election results and gather demographic data.

Voting Amendments:
- 15th Amendment: Prohibits denying the right to vote based on race.
- 17th Amendment: Established the direct election of senators by the people.
- 19th Amendment: Granted women the right to vote.
- 24th Amendment: Abolished poll taxes in federal elections.
- 26th Amendment: Lowered the voting age to 18.
Voting Models:
- Rational Choice Voting: Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen's individual interest.
- Retrospective Voting: Voting based on past performance of incumbents or the incumbent party.
- Prospective Voting: Voting based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future.
- Party-Line Voting: Voting consistently for candidates of one's own party.
Linkage Institutions: Channels through which individuals can express their preferences to policymakers.
- Examples include political parties, interest groups, elections, and the media.
Campaign Finance:
- Citizens United v. FEC: Supreme Court case that allows unlimited independent spending by corporations and unions in political campaigns, based on free speech rights. This altered the landscape of campaign finance significantly.

FRQs (Free-Response Questions):
- Use clear definitions.
- Provide relevant examples to support your arguments.
- Write in full, coherent sentences.
MCQs (Multiple-Choice Questions):
- Employ the process of elimination to narrow down choices.
- Ensure a thorough understanding of key terms and fundamental principles.
Required Documents:
- Familiarize yourself with essential documents such as Federalist No. 10, Brutus No. 1, the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence.
Required Cases:
- Understand key cases and use them as evidence to support arguments in essays and discussions.