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AP GOVERNMENT TERMS > American Foundations > Flashcards

American Foundations Flashcards

1
Q

Government

A

the decision making bodies of a nation, state , or community

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2
Q

Politics

A

the methods used by the government to reach their decisions

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3
Q

Monarchy

A

a system of government where the power belongs to a monarch

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4
Q

Theocracy

A

a system of government in which the power belongs to religious leaders who rule in the name of God

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5
Q

Oligarchy

A

a system of government in which the power belongs to a small group of people

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6
Q

Democracy

A

a system of government where the power to govern comes from the people - either directly or indirectly - through elected officials

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7
Q

Direct Democracy

A

a government in which people vote directly on laws and government officials

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8
Q

Referendum

A

a direct vote by the electorate

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9
Q

Initiatives

A

a petition signed by a certain number of registered voters that can force the government to enact a law

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10
Q

Recall Election

A

occurs when the electorate votes to remove a politician from office

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11
Q

Representative Democracy

A

also known as a republic; a government in which citizens choose government officials to make decisions on their behalf

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12
Q

Constitutional Democracy

A

a government that forces recognized limits on government officials and allows the people to participate in free and fair elections

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13
Q

Popular Sovereignty/ Popular Consent

A

when the government only derives its power and ability to govern from the people

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14
Q

Personal Liberty/ Self-Determination

A

when all individuals have the opportunity to realize their own goals

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15
Q

Individualism

A

the idea that individuals and the collective have rights - focus is specifically placed on the individual

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16
Q

Equality

A

the concept of every individual having the right to equal protection under the law and equal voting power

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17
Q

American Dream

A

the concept of American being the land of opportunity and that hard work will bring economic success

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18
Q

Capitalism

A

an economic system based of private property, competitive markets, and limited government involvement

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19
Q

Free and Fair Elections

A

the concept of elections being free, fair, and frequent enough to impact policy choices

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20
Q

Majority Rule

A

the candidate with over half the vote

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21
Q

Plurality Rule

A

the candidate - out of 3 or more - with the most votes

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22
Q

Freedom of Expression

A

non-government newspapers and other publications must be able to present facts and opposing opinions and view without fear of retribution

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23
Q

Right of Assembly and Protest

A

citizens must be free to gather together for political purposes - including forming opposing political parties to challenge those in power

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24
Q

Rule of Law

A

the government is based on a body of laws that are applied equally to everyone

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25
Q

An Educated Citizenry

A

without educated masses participating in government, power is wielded by the “uneducated masses”

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26
Q

Economic Opportunity

A

massive inequity in wealth in society can lead to a more unstable democracy

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27
Q

Social Cohesion

A

people interacting in government must have multiple overlapping beliefs/ groups that bind people together

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28
Q

Ideological Commitment

A

people must believe in the system and be committed to maintaining a democratic system

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29
Q

Thomas Hobbes

A

Believed that human nature was inherently self-serving and violent; wrote Leviathan

30
Q

John Locke

A

Believed in a social contract between the government and its people and natural rights (life, liberty, and property); wrote The Second Treatise of Civil Government

31
Q

Baron de Montesquieu

A

Believed in the separation of powers; wrote Spirit of Laws

32
Q

Jean Jaques Rousseau

A

Believed in popular sovereignty - people should form/ choose their own system; wrote Social Contract

33
Q

English Bill of Rights

A

a codified list of the individuals’ rights that no entity could take away

34
Q

Declaration of Independence (1776)

A

a list of grievances and wrongs perpetrated by the British government; written by Thomas Jefferson

35
Q

Unitary Government

A

a government in which there is only a single government - the national government - and no state or provincial governments

36
Q

Advantages of a Unitary Government

A
  • no disagreement within
  • a central government can move quickly
37
Q

Disadvantages of a Unitary Government

A
  • can’t respond to local needs
  • easier to over power
38
Q

Confederate Government

A

a confederation; the alliance of powerful state governments that are tied together by a weak central government

39
Q

Advantages of a Confederation

A
  • different states are better able to represent/ govern themselves
  • easier to handle state and local issues
40
Q

Disadvantages of a Confederation

A
  • weak central government
  • encouraged disunity because each state is able to manage itself
41
Q

Articles of Confederation (1781)

A

the first document to govern the entire country; it created a confederation among the original 13 states and required unanimous consent for any government action

42
Q

Weaknesses in the Articles

A
  • no president
  • no power to tax the states
  • no federal court system
  • could not regulate trade between the states
  • required unanimous consent to pass anything
43
Q

What was the one benefit of the Articles of Confederation?

A

the Northwest Ordinance (1787)

44
Q

Northwest Ordinance (1787)

A

established a way to add new states to the country and guaranteed that new states admitted would be equal under the law to the original 13 states

45
Q

Shay’s Rebellion

A

a series of armed attacks across western Massachusetts to prevent judges from foreclosing on farms

46
Q

What was the cause of Shay’s Rebellion?

A

the states were taking farmer’s land because they could not pay taxes

47
Q

How did Shay’s rebellion impact the government?

A

it showed that the Articles of Confederation were an ineffective form of government and that the national government needed to be stronger

48
Q

What was the result of Shay’s rebellion

A

privately funded armed forces (citizens) gathered and put a stop to the rebels

49
Q

Aborted Annapolis Meeting (1786)

A

was purposed with discussing potential changes to the Articles of Confederation

50
Q

What was the result of the Aborted Annapolis Meeting

A

because only 12 delegated from five states appeared was adjourned; the Constitutional Convention (1787) took its place

51
Q

What demographic made up the Constitutional Convention?

A

wealthy, educated, white men

52
Q

Concepts agreed upon at the Constitutional Convention

A
  • the government must play some role in limiting people’s natural self-interest
  • the government must prevent one faction from running the entire government
  • voting rights should be limited in order to minimize the threat of the majority
  • there must be separate branches of government designed to limit/ check the other branches
53
Q

Equality Issues

A
  • Representation
  • Slavery
  • Suffrage
54
Q

Proposed plans for Equality Issue I: Representation

A
  • New Jersey Plan
  • Virginia Plan
55
Q

New Jersey Plan

A

all states should have equal representation in Congress

56
Q

Virginia Plan

A

representation should be based on population

57
Q

Result of Equality Issue I: Representation

A

the Connecticut Compromise

58
Q

Connecticut Compromise

A

legislature is bicameral (two houses); one house is based on population and the other is based on equal representation

59
Q

What was Pennsylvania’s view on slavery?

A

decried slavery and viewed that it should not be allowed to persist

60
Q

What was South Carolina’s view on slavery?

A

pro-slavery; it was the lifeblood of Southern economy

61
Q

Result of Equality Issue II: Slavery?

A
  • no new slaves could be imported into the U.S. after 1808
  • runaway slaves must be returned to slave states
  • Three-Fifths Compromise
62
Q

Three- Fifths Compromise

A

a slave counted as 3/5 of a person toward a states representation in Congress

63
Q

Equality Issue III: Suffrage

A

how far should the right to vote extend under America’s new government?

64
Q

Result of Equality Issue III: Suffrage

A

everyone agrees that there was no national solution; states should decide for themselves

65
Q

Separation of Powers

A

branches are relatively independent of the others, so no single branch controls the government

66
Q

Checks and Balances

A

for most government actions, each branch needs the consent of other branches

67
Q

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

A

establish judicial review

68
Q

Federalists

A

supported the new Constitution and wrote the Federalist Papers to defend their views; James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Hay

69
Q

Anti-Federalists

A

opposed the new Constitution because they believed it to be an enemy of freedom; Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams

70
Q

Compromise between Federalists and Anti-Federalists

A

the Bill of Rights

AP GOVERNMENT TERMS (6 decks)

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