AP US Government Study Guide QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
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Chapter 1: The Study of American Government - ...
Legitimacy - political authority conferred by law or by a state or national constitution
Authority - the power or right to give orders or make decisions
Democracy - a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can
elect people to represent them
Political elite - An identifiable group of persons who poses a disproportional share of some
valued resource, such as money or political power; people who possess more political power
than others and are commonly referred to in the U.S. as "activists"
Direct democracy - A form of government in which citizens rule directly and NOT through
representatives
Representative democracy - A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or
leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people.
Bureaucratic theory - The hierarchical structure and standarized procedures of government allow
bureaucrats to hold the real power over public policy; proposed by Max Weber
Power elite theory - the theory that a small number of very wealthy individuals, powerful
corporate interest groups, and large financial institutions dominate key policy areas.
Pluralist theory - A theory of government and politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a
competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies.
Marxist theory - the ideology espoused by Karl Marx which holds that government is a reflection
of economic forces, primarily ownershop of the means of production
Chapter 2: The Constitution - ...
Unalienable - incapable of being repudiated or transferred to another, natural rights that belong
to everyone and cannot be taken away
Federalists - Supporters of the Constitution that were led by Alexander Hamilton and John
Adams. They firmly believed the national government should be strong. They didn't want the
Bill of Rights because they felt citizens' rights were already well protected by the Constitution.
,Articles of Confederation - this document, the nations first constitution, was adopted by the
second continental congress in 1781during the revolution. the document was limited because
states held most of the power, and congress lacked the power to tax, regulate trade, or control
coinage
Anti-Federalists - They opposed the ratification of the Constitution because it gave more power
to the federal government and less to the states, and because it did not ensure individual rights.
Many wanted to keep the Articles of Confederation. The Antifederalists were instrumental in
obtaining passage of the Bill of Rights as a prerequisite to ratification of the Constitution in
several states. After the ratification of the Constitution, the Antifederalists regrouped as the
Democratic-Republican (or simply Republican) party.
Declaration of Independence - the document recording the proclamation of the second
Continental Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the colonies from Great
Britain
The Federalist Papers - This collection of essays by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James
Madison, explained the importance of a strong central government. It was published to convince
New York to ratify the Constitution.
Constitutional Convention - The meeting of state delegates in 1787 in Philadelphia called to
revise the Articles of Confederation. It instead designed a new plan of government, the US
Constitution.
Separation of powers - Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and
judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing
the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law
Shays's Rebellion - Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-
1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government
just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out; Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of
farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted
the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went
out.
Bill of attainder - A law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime
Great Compromise - Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would
have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population
in the other house
Writ of habeas corpus - a court order that requires police to bring a prisoner to court to explain
why they are holding the person
Bill of Rights - The first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution, containing a list of individual
rights and liberties, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press.
, Ex post facto law - a law that would allow a person to be punished for an action that was not
against the law when it was committed
Line-item veto - an executive's ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the
legislature
Federalism - a form of government in which power is divided between the federal, or national,
government and the states
Republic - a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect
people to represent them
Amendment - a change in, or addition to, a constitution or law
Checks and balances - A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of
the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
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
Chapter 3: Federalism - ...
Unitary system - a government that gives all key powers to the national or central government
School districts - A special-district government responsible for administering public schools
Confederate system - system of government in which nations or states agree to join together
under a central government, to which the nations or states grant certain powers. The United
States had a confederate system of government under the Articles of Confederation, from 1781
to 1789.
Counties - A territorial unit between a city/town and the state itself.
Federal system - a government that divides the powers of government between the national
government and state or provincial governments
Sovereignty - ability of a state to govern its territory free from control of its internal affairs by
other states
Grant-in-aid - when the national gov. appropriates money to the states on the condition that it be
spent as dictated by the national gov
10th amendment - 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.
RATED A+
Chapter 1: The Study of American Government - ...
Legitimacy - political authority conferred by law or by a state or national constitution
Authority - the power or right to give orders or make decisions
Democracy - a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can
elect people to represent them
Political elite - An identifiable group of persons who poses a disproportional share of some
valued resource, such as money or political power; people who possess more political power
than others and are commonly referred to in the U.S. as "activists"
Direct democracy - A form of government in which citizens rule directly and NOT through
representatives
Representative democracy - A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or
leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people.
Bureaucratic theory - The hierarchical structure and standarized procedures of government allow
bureaucrats to hold the real power over public policy; proposed by Max Weber
Power elite theory - the theory that a small number of very wealthy individuals, powerful
corporate interest groups, and large financial institutions dominate key policy areas.
Pluralist theory - A theory of government and politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a
competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies.
Marxist theory - the ideology espoused by Karl Marx which holds that government is a reflection
of economic forces, primarily ownershop of the means of production
Chapter 2: The Constitution - ...
Unalienable - incapable of being repudiated or transferred to another, natural rights that belong
to everyone and cannot be taken away
Federalists - Supporters of the Constitution that were led by Alexander Hamilton and John
Adams. They firmly believed the national government should be strong. They didn't want the
Bill of Rights because they felt citizens' rights were already well protected by the Constitution.
,Articles of Confederation - this document, the nations first constitution, was adopted by the
second continental congress in 1781during the revolution. the document was limited because
states held most of the power, and congress lacked the power to tax, regulate trade, or control
coinage
Anti-Federalists - They opposed the ratification of the Constitution because it gave more power
to the federal government and less to the states, and because it did not ensure individual rights.
Many wanted to keep the Articles of Confederation. The Antifederalists were instrumental in
obtaining passage of the Bill of Rights as a prerequisite to ratification of the Constitution in
several states. After the ratification of the Constitution, the Antifederalists regrouped as the
Democratic-Republican (or simply Republican) party.
Declaration of Independence - the document recording the proclamation of the second
Continental Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the colonies from Great
Britain
The Federalist Papers - This collection of essays by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James
Madison, explained the importance of a strong central government. It was published to convince
New York to ratify the Constitution.
Constitutional Convention - The meeting of state delegates in 1787 in Philadelphia called to
revise the Articles of Confederation. It instead designed a new plan of government, the US
Constitution.
Separation of powers - Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and
judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing
the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law
Shays's Rebellion - Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-
1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government
just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out; Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of
farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted
the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went
out.
Bill of attainder - A law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime
Great Compromise - Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would
have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population
in the other house
Writ of habeas corpus - a court order that requires police to bring a prisoner to court to explain
why they are holding the person
Bill of Rights - The first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution, containing a list of individual
rights and liberties, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press.
, Ex post facto law - a law that would allow a person to be punished for an action that was not
against the law when it was committed
Line-item veto - an executive's ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the
legislature
Federalism - a form of government in which power is divided between the federal, or national,
government and the states
Republic - a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect
people to represent them
Amendment - a change in, or addition to, a constitution or law
Checks and balances - A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of
the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power
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
Chapter 3: Federalism - ...
Unitary system - a government that gives all key powers to the national or central government
School districts - A special-district government responsible for administering public schools
Confederate system - system of government in which nations or states agree to join together
under a central government, to which the nations or states grant certain powers. The United
States had a confederate system of government under the Articles of Confederation, from 1781
to 1789.
Counties - A territorial unit between a city/town and the state itself.
Federal system - a government that divides the powers of government between the national
government and state or provincial governments
Sovereignty - ability of a state to govern its territory free from control of its internal affairs by
other states
Grant-in-aid - when the national gov. appropriates money to the states on the condition that it be
spent as dictated by the national gov
10th amendment - 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.
