Upgrade to remove ads
Only $35.99/year

AP Gov Fall Final

Terms in this set (47)

Direct Democracy
citizens meet and vote directly on government decisions
Representative Democracy (republic)
citizens choose officials who make decisions on government policy
Social Contract Theory
People enter into a social contract with the government by giving it the power to rule over them
consent of the governed
there are no supreme rulers, all rulers depend on the approval of the people, when governments fail to protect rights the people have the right to change the government
Natural rights
Everyone is born with right to life, liberty, and property
Declaration of Independence
US declares itself independent from England based on natural rights
common good
Belief in doing what's best for the nation overall
Articles of Confederation
-weak association of the states
-no federal power to directly tax citizens
-federal gov could raise an army, print money, declare war, and run the post office
-9/13 state majority required to pass laws
-no strong central gov supervision: states taxed and printed money and made foreign treaties
Shay's Rebellion
1786 farmer rebellion that proved how weak the Articles of Confederation were
3/5 Compromise
Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person when counting population
Virginia plan
Leads to House of Representatives
New Jersey Plan
Leads to senate
Connecticut Compromise
Established House of Representatives and Senate
Federalists
Supporters of the Constitution and a strong central government
Anti-federalists
opposed the constitution and supported a weak central government
Federalist Paper #10
Factions are important, inevitable, and best when handled by a large republic
Federalist Paper #51
discusses importance of checks and balances and the separation of powers in the constitution
Marburg vs. Madison
Established judicial review
Legislative Powers
-approve budget
-pass laws
-override veto
-impeach president and judges
-approve appointments and treaties
Executive Powers
-propose laws
-veto laws-call special sessions of congress
-appeal to the public
-appoint judges and officials
-pardon convicted felons
Judicial Powers
-interpret laws
-declare executive acts and legislative laws unconstitutional
Federalism
Separation of powers between Federal, State, and Local governments
Confederacy
System of government in which the central government is very weak, and most of the true power lies in individual states
Unitary System
System of government in which all power is invested in a central government, individual states have few powers
Dual Federalism
A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.
Cooperative Federalism
Sharing powers between state and federal governments
grants-in-aid
money given by the national government to the states
categorical grants
Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport
Block grants
Federal government gives local/state governments freedom to spend money as they please
Revenue Sharing
federal sharing of a fixed percentage of its revenue with the states
Mandates
terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants
Devolution
the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states
Express powers
Federal powers listed in the constitution
Implied powers
Federal powers based on the elastic clause (necessary and proper)
inherent powers
The powers of the national government in foreign affairs that the Supreme Court has declared grow out of the very existence of the national government.
concurrent powers
powers shared by the national and state governments: tax and spend, establish courts, make laws
1st Amendment
Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition
2nd Amendment
Right to bear arms
3rd Amendment
No quartering of soldiers
4th Amendment
Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures
5th Amendment
The Right to Remain Silent, protection from Double Jeopardy, right to due process
6th Amendment
Right to a fair, speedy trial
7th Amendment
Right to trial by jury
8th Amendment
No cruel or unusual punishment
9th Amendment
Citizens entitled to rights not listed in the Constitution
10th Amendment
Powers Reserved to the States
Supremacy Clause
Federal law is supreme over state law
Other sets by this creator