AP Government Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy advanced text.2024/2025.

Limited Government - AnswersThe idea that certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect the natural rights of citizens. Natural Rights - AnswersRights inherent in human beings, not dependent on governments, which include life, liberty, and property. The concept of natural rights was central to English philosopher John Locke's theories about government and was widely accepted among America's Founders. Social Contract - AnswersA voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules. Popular Sovereignty - AnswersA government in which the people rule by their own consent. Grand Committee - AnswersA group chosen to settle disputes between power in states. Led by Benjamin Franklin Declaration of Independence - AnswersThe document approved by representatives of the American colonies in 1776 that stated their grievances against the British monarch and declared their independence. Articles of Confederation - AnswersThe first constitution of the United States, adopted by Congress in 1777 and enacted in 1781. The Articles established a national legislature, the Continental Congress, but most authority rested with the state legislatures. Very weak. Preamble - AnswersIntroduction to the Constitution U.S. Constitution - AnswersThe document written in 1787 and ratified in 1788 that sets forth the institutional structure of the U.S. government and the tasks these institutions perform. It replaced the Articles of Confederation. Representative Democracy - AnswersA system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people. participatory democracy - Answersa system of democracy in which all members of a group or community participate collectively in making major decisions. Pluralist Democracy - Answersdescribes a political system where there is more than one center of power elite democracy - AnswersA political system in which the privileged classes acquire the power to decide by a competition for the people's votes and have substantial freedom between elections to rule as they see fit. Federalists - Answerssupporters of the Constitution Anti-Federalists - Answerspeople who opposed the Constitution central government - Answersa government that acts for all the states within the country reserved powers - Answerspowers that the Constitution does not give to the national government that are kept by the states Republic - AnswersA form of government in which the people select representatives to govern them and make laws. Factions - AnswersGroups such as parties or interest groups, which according to James Madison arose from the unequal distribution of property or wealth and had the potential to cause instability in government. Shay's Rebellion - AnswersA series of attacks on courthouses by a small band of farmers led by Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shays to block foreclosure proceedings. Virginia Plan - AnswersThe proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for representation of each state in Congress in proportion to that state's share of the U.S. population. New Jersey Plan - AnswersThe proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population. Great Compromise - AnswersA compromise that proposed two houses of Congress; one where a state's population would determine representation and another where all states were represented equally Three-Fifths Compromise - AnswersAgreement that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person in determining representation in the House for representation and taxation purposes (negated by the 13th amendment) slave trade - AnswersThe business of capturing, transporting, and selling people as slaves ex post facto law - Answersa law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it was committed bill of attainder - Answersa law that punishes a person accused of a crime without a trial or a fair hearing in court Electoral College - AnswersA unique American institution created by the Constitution, providing for the selection of the president by electors chosen by the state parties. Amendment Process - Answersthe way in which changes are added to the Constitution, 2/3 vote in congress, 3/4 of states Article V of the Constitution - Answerswhenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments. Article VI of the Constitution - AnswersStates that the Constitution is the highest law of the land. Federal and state officers and judges must uphold the Constitution (Supremacy Clause). Article VII of the Constitution - AnswersThe Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same Ratification - Answersthe action of signing or giving formal consent to a treaty, contract, or agreement, making it officially valid. Checks and Balances - AnswersFeatures of the Constitution that limit government's power by requiring that power be balanced among the different governmental institutions. These institutions continually constrain one another's activities. tyranny of the majority - Answersthe suppression of minority opinions by those voted into power by the majority seperation of powers - AnswersA feature of the Constitution that requires each of the three branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial—to be relatively independent of the others so that one cannot control the others. Power is shared among these three institutions. Article IV of the Constitution - Answersaddresses relationship between the federal and state governments Multiple policy access points - Answers Impeachment - AnswersThe political equivalent of an indictment in criminal law, prescribed by the Constitution. The House of Representatives may impeach the president by a majority vote for "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." Exclusive powers - AnswersThose powers that can be exercised by the National Government alone concurrent powers - AnswersPowers held jointly by the national and state governments. Federal balance of power - Answersdistribution of power between a central government and its subnational governments. Dual Federalism - AnswersA system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies. Layer Cake Federalism - Answersfederalism characterized by a national government exercising its power independently from state governments. Cooperative Federalism - AnswersA system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs, administration, and even blame for programs that work poorly. Marble Cake Federalism - AnswersConceives of federalism as a marble cake in which all levels of government are involved in a variety of issues and programs, rather than a layer cake, or dual federalism, with fixed divisions between layers or levels of government. Fiscal Federalism - AnswersThe pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system; it is the cornerstone of the national government's relations with state and local governments. Grants - AnswersA sum of money given by a certain organization, especially the government, for a certain reason or cause incentive - Answerssomething of value one cannot get without joining an organization conditions of aid - Answersterms set by the national government that states must meet if they are to receive certain federal funds revenue sharing - Answersfederal sharing of a fixed percentage of its revenue with the states mandate - Answersa requirement that a state undertake an activity or provide a service, in keeping with minimum national standards categorical grants - AnswersFederal grants that can be used only for specific purposes, or "categories," of state and local spending. They come with strings attached, such as nondiscrimination provisions. block grants - AnswersFederal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services (infrastructures). enumarated powers - AnswersPowers of the federal government that specifically addressed in the Constitution; for Congress, including the powers listed in Article I, Section 8, for example, to coin money and regulate its value and impose states. implied powers - Answerspowers of the federal government that go beyond those enumerated in the Constitution inherent powers - AnswersThe powers of the national government in foreign affairs that the Supreme Court has declared do not depend on constitutional grants but rather grow out of the very existence of the national government. state sovereignty - Answersthe concept that states have the right to govern themselves independent of the federal government Supreme Court of the United States - AnswersThe highest court in the federal judiciary specifically created by the Constitution. It is composed of nine justices and has appellate jurisdiction over lower federal courts and the highest state courts. It also possesses a limited original jurisdiction. statute - Answersa written law passed by a legislative body McCulloch v. Maryland - AnswersMaryland was trying to tax the national bank and Supreme Court ruled that federal law was stronger than the state law Commerce Clause - AnswersThe clause in the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 1) that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations. Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause) - AnswersThe final paragraph of Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which authorizes Congress to pass all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out the enumerated powers. Supremacy Clause - AnswersThe clause in Article VI of the Constitution that makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws as long as the national government is acting within its constitutional limits. Full Faith and Credit Clause - AnswersA clause in Article IV, Section 1, of the Constitution requiring each state to recognize the official documents and civil judgments rendered by the courts of other states. Privileges and Immunities Clause - AnswersThe provision of the Constitution according citizens of each state the privileges of citizens of other states. Federalist 10 - AnswersTopic = factions (interest groups); minority factions controlled by majority; majority faction controlled by greater size of USA + virtuous leaders Brutus 1 - AnswersIt is impossible to have a Large republic and have a stable government.