AP and IB US Government Exam
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
Anti-Federalists - ✔✔Opponents of a strong central government who campaigned
against the ratification of the Constitution in favor of a confederation of independant
states
Articles of Confederation - ✔✔1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no
executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)
authoritarian regimes - ✔✔small group of elites exercising power, citizens with little or
no impact in government, no constitutional responsibility for leaders, restriction of civil
rights and civil liberties, still legitimate governments!, do not seek to control all aspects
of political and economic systems
Bill of Rights - ✔✔A formal statement of the fundamental rights of the people of the
United States, incorporated in the Constitution as Amendments 1-10, and in all state
constitutions.
Consent of the governed - ✔✔the idea that government derives its authority by the
sanction of the people
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 1
,democracy - ✔✔A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of
citizens who can elect people to represent them
direct democracy - ✔✔A system of government in which members of the polity meet to
discuss all policy decisions and then agree to abide by majority rule.
An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution - ✔✔Written by Charles Beard, this was
the first book to attack the constitution as a conspiracy of the founding fathers to profit
economically from a larger national government
elite theory - ✔✔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.
Electoral college - ✔✔A group selected by the states to elect the president and the vice-
president, in which each state's number of electors is equal to the number of its senators
and representatives in Congress.
european enlightenment - ✔✔European intellectual movement of the eighteenth
century that applied the lessons of the Scientific Revolution to human affairs and was
noted for its commitment to open-mindedness and inquiry and the belief that
knowledge could transform human society.
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 2
,Federalist papers - ✔✔A series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay
(using the name "publius") published in NY newspapers and used to convice readers to
adopt the new constitution
Federalist #10 - ✔✔An essay composed by James Madison which argues that liberty is
safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such diversity makes
tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always be unstable.
Federalists - ✔✔A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during
ratification debates in state legislatures.
formal amendment process - ✔✔Article V; the (very difficult) process of adding or
deleting words to the constitution (27 times since 1788); propose by 2/3 vote of
Congress or Constitutional Convention (never used); ratify by 3/4 vote of state
legislators or state convention (only used once)
The Great Compromise - ✔✔t, A state's representation in the House of Representation
would be based on population; Two senators for each state; all bills would originate in
the house; direct taxes on states were to be assessed according to population
informal amendment process - ✔✔-legislative actions- Congress may pass acts that
make clear or alter the meaning of the Constitution
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 3
, judicial review - ✔✔Review by a court of law of actions of a government official or
entity or of some other legally appointed person or body or the review by an appellate
court of the decision of a trial court
John Locke - ✔✔17th century English philosopher who opposed the Divine Right of
Kings and who asserted that people have a natural right to life, liberty, and property.
majoritarianism - ✔✔A political theory holding that in a democracy, the government
ought to do what the majority of the people want.
natural rights - ✔✔Jefferson used Natural Rights in the declaration of Independence
and he gave his appeal universality by invoking "natural rights" not just British rights.
Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness
New Jersey Plan - ✔✔A constitutional proposal that would have given each state one
vote in a new congress
pluralism - ✔✔A theory of government that holds that open, multiple, and competing
groups can check the asserted power by any one group.
ratification - ✔✔Formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a constitution,
constitutional amendment, or treaty
republic - ✔✔A form of government in which the people select representatives to
govern them and make laws.
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 4
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
Anti-Federalists - ✔✔Opponents of a strong central government who campaigned
against the ratification of the Constitution in favor of a confederation of independant
states
Articles of Confederation - ✔✔1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no
executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)
authoritarian regimes - ✔✔small group of elites exercising power, citizens with little or
no impact in government, no constitutional responsibility for leaders, restriction of civil
rights and civil liberties, still legitimate governments!, do not seek to control all aspects
of political and economic systems
Bill of Rights - ✔✔A formal statement of the fundamental rights of the people of the
United States, incorporated in the Constitution as Amendments 1-10, and in all state
constitutions.
Consent of the governed - ✔✔the idea that government derives its authority by the
sanction of the people
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 1
,democracy - ✔✔A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of
citizens who can elect people to represent them
direct democracy - ✔✔A system of government in which members of the polity meet to
discuss all policy decisions and then agree to abide by majority rule.
An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution - ✔✔Written by Charles Beard, this was
the first book to attack the constitution as a conspiracy of the founding fathers to profit
economically from a larger national government
elite theory - ✔✔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.
Electoral college - ✔✔A group selected by the states to elect the president and the vice-
president, in which each state's number of electors is equal to the number of its senators
and representatives in Congress.
european enlightenment - ✔✔European intellectual movement of the eighteenth
century that applied the lessons of the Scientific Revolution to human affairs and was
noted for its commitment to open-mindedness and inquiry and the belief that
knowledge could transform human society.
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 2
,Federalist papers - ✔✔A series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay
(using the name "publius") published in NY newspapers and used to convice readers to
adopt the new constitution
Federalist #10 - ✔✔An essay composed by James Madison which argues that liberty is
safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such diversity makes
tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always be unstable.
Federalists - ✔✔A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during
ratification debates in state legislatures.
formal amendment process - ✔✔Article V; the (very difficult) process of adding or
deleting words to the constitution (27 times since 1788); propose by 2/3 vote of
Congress or Constitutional Convention (never used); ratify by 3/4 vote of state
legislators or state convention (only used once)
The Great Compromise - ✔✔t, A state's representation in the House of Representation
would be based on population; Two senators for each state; all bills would originate in
the house; direct taxes on states were to be assessed according to population
informal amendment process - ✔✔-legislative actions- Congress may pass acts that
make clear or alter the meaning of the Constitution
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 3
, judicial review - ✔✔Review by a court of law of actions of a government official or
entity or of some other legally appointed person or body or the review by an appellate
court of the decision of a trial court
John Locke - ✔✔17th century English philosopher who opposed the Divine Right of
Kings and who asserted that people have a natural right to life, liberty, and property.
majoritarianism - ✔✔A political theory holding that in a democracy, the government
ought to do what the majority of the people want.
natural rights - ✔✔Jefferson used Natural Rights in the declaration of Independence
and he gave his appeal universality by invoking "natural rights" not just British rights.
Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness
New Jersey Plan - ✔✔A constitutional proposal that would have given each state one
vote in a new congress
pluralism - ✔✔A theory of government that holds that open, multiple, and competing
groups can check the asserted power by any one group.
ratification - ✔✔Formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a constitution,
constitutional amendment, or treaty
republic - ✔✔A form of government in which the people select representatives to
govern them and make laws.
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 4
