AP Government Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy final exam 2024/2025.

Limited Government - Answersa governing or controlling body whose power exists only within pre-defined limits that are established by a constitution or other source of authority. The government doesn't have absolute authority. The government only has the power that the constitution gives. Social Contract - Answersthe authority to rule is granted to the government by the people who make the contract with the government. People agreed to give up power voluntarily to the state in return for the state's service to the general wellbeing of the people. Theory promotes popular sovereignty, limited government, and individual right. Natural Rights - Answersthe idea that all humans are born with rights. That which is inalienable cannot be bought, sold, or transferred from one individual to another. The personal rights to life and liberty guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States are inalienable. According to John Locke , what three rights must the government protect? - Answerslife, liberty, and property Which three rights are mentioned as unalienable in the deceleration of independence? - AnswersLife, liberty, and pursuit of happiness Define popular sovereignty - Answersthe concept that political power rests with the people who can create, alter, and abolish government. People express themselves through voting and free participation in government Define republicanism - Answersa form of government in which power resides in the people and is exercised by their elected representatives Define equality - Answersthe state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities Which of these ideas of democracy are reflected on the Declaration of independence? Quotes to support? - AnswersI think elite democracy is presented in the deceleration of independence because in order to be a leader or of higher power in that democracy you have to own land, be of a certain age, and have some type of political background so when the framers were making requirements of who is able to hold certain positions they made sure that they had similar characteristics as them. Old, rich (with land), and educated. Define participatory democracy. Give and example. - Answersa political system in which all of most citizens participate directly by either holding office or making policy. The town meeting, in which citizens vote on major issues, is an example of this type of democracy Define pluralist democracy. Give an example. - Answersis the idea that the policy making is open to lots of groups who have different interests. Each of these groups has potential to influence policy making, but no one group dominates all political decisions. Example is the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons --> empower people to choose how they live as they age) A model of democracy that emphasizes the need for different organized groups to compete against each other in order to influence policy. Define elite democracy. Give an example. - Answersa form of democracy in which a small number of people, usually those who are wealthy and well-educated, influence political decision making. A model of democracy that emphasizes limited participation in politics and civil society.a theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization Which type of democracy would Madison argue combats against factions (Federalist 10) - AnswersHe defended a republican government proposed by the constitution. People argued that the proposed government was too large and would be unresponsive to the people. What type of government did the Anti-Federalists argue in Brutus No. 1 was best? why? - AnswersOne argument that was in Brutus No. 1 made was the federal government had immense power which required the people to sacrifice their liberties. They also argued that the bill of rights was necessary in the document in order to protect the people from the government. They wanted a weaker central government. According to Brutus, what could happen to the individual rights as the scope of government grew? - AnswersIndividual rights wouldn't exist they would be over shadowed by the government and their rights wouldn't be valued. What type of government did the Federalist argue in Federalist 10 was best? Why? - AnswersThe Federalist wanted a strong government and a strong executive branch. They also didn't want the bill of rights. Define the confederation/ confederate system. - AnswersConfederation: is a group of people, countries, organizations, etc. that are joined together in some activity or effort. An organization which consists of a number of parties or groups united in an alliance or league. Why did the founders establish the confederate system upon declaring independence? - AnswersThey founded a confederate system because they wanted to come together to create a government that would free them from being under the rule of England. What did the American government look like under the Articles of Confederation? Be specific! - AnswersThe Articles was the first governing document that attempted to establish a national government. The Articles called for the individual states to maintain supreme power over a national government with restricted governing authority. A form of government in which states hold power over a limited national government. What were three weaknesses of the Articles of confederation? - AnswersEconomic: Congress did not have the power to tax and they didn't have the power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce Leadership: No executive branch to enforce any acts passed by Congress. Also, there was no national court system or judicial branch Military: Almost every state had its own militia, but the national government was unable to gather a combined military force. What incidents highlighted key weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? - AnswersShays Rebellion: Showed the weaknesses of the Article of Confederation because the central government couldn't put down the rebellion. An armed revolt that lasted for six months in January 1787; more than a thousand armed soldiers, led by Daniel Shays, seized an arsenal in Massachusetts to protest high taxes and the loss of their farms due to debt. The Great Compromise - AnswersAn agreement by the framers that the House of Representatives would be the larger house of Congress and include members that were directly elected by the citizens to serve two-year terms and that the Senate would be the smaller house of Congress and include members who were appointed by state legislatures for six-year terms. Electoral College - AnswersA system for electing the president in which each state is provided a certain number of electoral votes equal to the number of its representatives plus the number of its senators. Three-Fifths Compromise - AnswersA decision made during the Constitutional Convention to count each slave as three-fifths of a person in a state's population for the purposes of determining the number of House of Representatives members and the distribution of taxes. Slavery (couldn't be solved at the convention) - AnswersThe practice or system of owning people. Using them to do free labor. Slavery amendments are the 13th, 14th, and 15th Right to vote (couldn't be solved at the convention) - AnswersThe 15th amendment says the right to vote shall not be denied on account of race. SCOTUS has said fundamental right protected under the equal protection Define seperation of powers - AnswersThe division of government power across the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. What did Madison say about separation of powers in Federalist 51? - AnswersEssay written by James Madison to address concerns raised by the Anti-Federalists, who feared that the national government would grow too powerful. Promoted the ratification of the Constitution; argued that the federal system and the separation of powers would prevent any one part of the government from becoming too powerful. Define checks and balances - AnswersA system in which each branch of government has some power over the others in order to limit the abuse or accumulation of power by one branch. What does Madison say about checks and balances in federalist 51? - AnswersWhen power is granted, it is natural to want to expand that power. The system of checks and balances ensures that one branch of government can never have too much power over the other branch. Checks on the legislative branch: The Legislature is broken into bicameral structure with both the House and the Senate having different functions and duties. Additionally, they serve different terms and have different requirements for serving. They were the most power branch due to the necessary and proper clause so Madison thought they should be checked. Define Federalism - AnswersA key constitutional principle that calls for the division or separation of power across local, state, and national levels of government. Define enumerated powers. Where can they be found in the constitution? - AnswersPowers that are expressly written in the Constitution. This is found in the constitution in Article 1 section 8 is a list of powers vested to congress. Define implied powers. - Answersthose delegated powers of the national government that are suggested by the expressed powers set out in the constitution. Powers supported by the Constitution that are not expressly stated in it. What constitutional clause gives congress implied powers. Define the clause. - AnswersThe Necessary and proper clause gives congress implied power. A statement in Article I of the Constitution giving Congress the implied power to expand the scope of its enumerated powers. What clause gives the President implied powers? Define that clause. - AnswersThe president's constitutional authority to control most executive functions. Article 2 of the constitution grants presidents the vesting power . "Article II, Section 1, Clause 1: The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America." Define reserved powers. Where can they be found in the constitution? - AnswersPowers that are neither delegated to the federal government nor denied to the states. These powers are not expressly listed in the Constitution but are rather guaranteed to the states by the Tenth Amendment. 10th amendment reserve the powers for the states "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Define concurrent powers. Give an example. - AnswersPowers that are those held by both the federal and state governments. Example: the power to tax, build roads, create lower courts, and establish bankruptcy laws Define dual federalism. When was this most prominent? - Answersthe idea that having separate and equally powerful state and national governments is the best constitutional arrangement. Basically a system of government where the state and national government remain supreme in their own spheres each responsible fr some policies. Define cooperative federalism. When was this prominent? - Answersin which the national and state governments share responsibility for public policies. revenue sharing - AnswersThe distribution of tax dollars or other revenue from one level of government to another, such as from the federal government to a state government, Provinces or states may share revenue with local governments, or national governments may share revenue with provinces or states. Example: Safe Streets Act of 1968, contained elements of Special Revenue Sharing, as states were given some leeway in designating federal funds in the areas of health and law enforcement. How concept impacts the balance/ who benefits most: this is a balance of power and doesn't give either side more power than the other. No one benefits most. Mandate (unfunded mandate) - Answerswhen a new piece of federal legislation requires another entity to perform functions for which it has no funds. Is a statute or regulation that requires a state or local government to perform certain actions, yet provides no money for fulfilling the requirements. Example: Congress created an unfunded mandate with the Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act of 2004. This prohibited states from collecting sales taxes on internet purchases. That cost states between $80 million and $120 million in annual revenue. Example: Another unfunded mandate is reducing federal funds to administer Food Stamps or other welfare programs. The 1998 reduction in food stamp administration costs added $5 million to state budgets. Example: Eliminating federal matching funds for states to administer child support enforcement. How concept impacts the balance/ who benefits most: the federal government creates unfunded mandates when it reduces an organizations ability to pay for an existing mandate. it either cuts funds marked for the program, changes requirements for receiving funds or interferes with governments ability to raise funds through taxes. Congress benefits the most because they are allowed to create laws for other bodies without providing funding. It reduces the ability of states and local jurisdiction to develop, fund and manage programs according to their particular needs. Categorical grants - AnswersFederal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport. Federal money gives to states with very strict, narrow, and specific rules to what the money should be used for. Was preferred by interest groups. States are never required to accept a categorical grant, but if they do, they must adhere to the rules and regulations of that grant or it will be withdrawn.