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
1
100% Pass Guarantee Katelyn Whitman, All Rights
,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
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
2
100% Pass Guarantee Katelyn Whitman, All Rights
,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.
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.
3
100% Pass Guarantee Katelyn Whitman, All Rights
, 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
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
4
100% Pass Guarantee Katelyn Whitman, All Rights
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
1
100% Pass Guarantee Katelyn Whitman, All Rights
,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
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
2
100% Pass Guarantee Katelyn Whitman, All Rights
,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.
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.
3
100% Pass Guarantee Katelyn Whitman, All Rights
, 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
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
4
100% Pass Guarantee Katelyn Whitman, All Rights
