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AP Gov > Unit 1 Review > Flashcards

Unit 1 Review Flashcards

1
Q

Natural rights

A

The idea that people are born with certain rights (life, liberty & property)

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2
Q

Popular sovereignty

A

The idea that the power to govern is in the hands of the people

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3
Q

Social contract

A

In order to protect peoples’ natural rights, they willingly give some of their power away to the government

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4
Q

Republicanism

A

People elect leaders to represent them & create laws in the public interest

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5
Q

Limited government

A

The idea that the government is prevented from tyranny through a system of checks & balances & distribution of power among several acting members

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6
Q

Declaration of Independence

A

Provides foundation for popular sovereignty, the social contract & natural rights.

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7
Q

US Constitution

A

Provides a blueprint for republicanism & the separation of powers.

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8
Q

3 kinds of democracy

A

Pluralist, elite & participatory

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9
Q

Participatory democracy

A

Participation from most if not all members across society

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10
Q

Pluralist democracy

A

Groups of people form interest groups and compete to influence policy

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11
Q

Elite democracy

A

The idea that the most “educated” people need to run the government

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12
Q

Example of participatory democracy

A

Town halls

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13
Q

Example of pluralist democracy

A

Interest groups (like NAACP or the National Rifle Association)

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14
Q

Examples of elite democracy

A

The electoral college (people vote for people who vote)

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15
Q

How is elite democracy present in the Constitution

A

Elected representatives legislate on behalf of their people

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16
Q

How is pluralist democracy present in the Constitution

A

First Amendments freedom of assembly (which allows political parties / interest groups to flourish)

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17
Q

How is participatory democracy present in the Constitution

A

First Amendment’s freedom of speech and press, and the 15th and 19th Amendments that expanded voting rights

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18
Q

Brutus 1

A
  • Pro participatory democracy
  • Feared that a large republic would restrict personal liberties
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19
Q

Federalist 10

A
  • Pro pluralist democracy
  • Argued that a larger republic = more interest groups = less likely for one group to take over
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20
Q

What did the federalist and anti-federalists debate

A

The ratification of the US Constitution

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21
Q

Ratification

A

Accepting something as law

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22
Q

What did Federalist 10 & Brutus 1 argue

A

Majority rule vs minority rights

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23
Q

Factions

A

Groups of people who believe their interests are more important than any other interest

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24
Q

Madison’s two solutions to the issues of factions, and which one he favored

A
  • Take away causes of factions
  • Try to manage their effects

He favored the second option because the first one would mean stripping people of their liberty which would be worse than the problem itself

25
Q

The clauses that anti-federalists strongly opposed

A

Necessary & Proper Clause
Supremacy Clause
(These gave more power to the federal government rather than state governments)

26
Q

Articles of Confederation

A

The first US ‘constitution’ where much of the power belonged to the states and the federal government was very weak

27
Q

Some primary problems with the Articles of Confederation are ..

A

• Only one branch of federal government (Congress)
• No president or federal court
• Congress had no power to raise revenue through taxes
• No power to raise an army

28
Q

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was very weak and couldn’t pay its bills. The states tried to propose a resolution which granted Congress the power to collect a 5% tax on imported goods. What happened then?

A

11 out of 13 states said yes, but under the Articles of Confederation, you needed all 13 states to agree in order to change the Articles themselves, so this failed & Congress remained weak

29
Q

Shay’s Rebellion

A

A lot of war veterans weren’t getting paid by Congress because they basically had no money and yet Congress still prosecuted them if they didn’t pay their taxes.
Because of this, a bunch of them joined together in Massachusetts. Since there was no national army to come in and help, a bunch of Massachusetts citizens had to form their own militia
This made everyone realize how weak the federal government was, so the Philadelphia Convention was called in

30
Q

Philadelphia Convention

A

Called in after Shay’s Rebellion. Goal was to change the Articles of Confederation but they ended up just drafting an entirely new Constitution

31
Q

The Great Committee

A

Washington, Hamilton, Madison and others were tasked with making compromises needed to create the Constitution

32
Q

Great Compromise

A

A compromise on how people would be represented in the new Congress

33
Q

Virginia Plan

A

• Proposal to the Great Compromise
• Congressional representatives should be apportioned by population
• Big states have more representatives & thus more power

34
Q

New Jersey Plan

A

• Opposed Virginia Plan
• Argued that each state should be represented equally with one vote per state
• ^ which would mean small states still have less power if small populations have the same power as large populations

35
Q

Virginia Plan & New Jersey Plan compromise was ..

A

Creation of a bicameral Congress
• House of Representatives where people are represented by population
• Senate where states are represented equally with two votes per state

36
Q

Compromise on how the president would be elected

A

Electoral College
• Each state is given the number of electors that corresponds to the number of congressional representatives they have in the House
• ^ State legislatures have all the power to decide who those people are, and its those people who elect the president

37
Q

3/5 Compromise

A

Tension:
• Northern states thought slaves shouldn’t be counted as representatives
• Southern states wanted all slaves to be counted & thus increase Southern power in Congress

Compromise:
• Three-fifths of the enslaved population would count towards representation

38
Q

Article V

A

Two stage process to amend the Constitution:
• Proposal (proposed either by Congress or the states)
• Ratification
• 2/3 vote is needed for the proposal to become official
• Then the amendment is sent to the states for ratification (3/4 of state legislatures need to agree)

39
Q

Example of legislative branch’s checking power:

A

Advice and consent: Any appointments that the president makes to the Cabinet or Supreme Court has to be approved by the Senate

40
Q

Example of executive branch’s checking power:

A

Veto: If Congress passes a law that the president doesn’t like, the president can veto it (unless Congress overrides the veto with a 2/3 vote)

41
Q

Example of judicial branch’s checking power:

A

Judicial review:
It’s the Supreme Court’s duty to judge the laws passed by Congress and signed by the president on the basis of their constitutionality
• Not mentioned in Constitution, but implied

42
Q

Federalism

A

The sharing of power between national and state governments

43
Q

Exclusive powers

A

Powers specifically delegated by the Constitution to the federal government
(Ex: only Congress can make treaties with other sovereign nations)

44
Q

Reserved powers

A

Powers kept by the states (explained in 10th Amendment)
(Ex: police powers, hospitals, education, etc.)

45
Q

Concurrent powers

A

Powers shared by both federal and state governments
(Ex: Income tax)

46
Q

Fiscal federalism

A

How federal and state governments share funding

47
Q

Types of grants

A

Categorical grants & block grants

48
Q

Categorial grants

A

Given to the states as long as the states comply with specific federal standards
• Given to very specific needs of the states & Congress decides how that money is going to be spent

49
Q

Block grants

A

Given to states for a more broad purpose & the states can spend that money as they see fit
(Ex: Congress gives a state money for the prevention of crime & the state decides how to spend that money in order to meet that requirement—hiring more police officers etc.)

50
Q

Mandates

A

An official order or commission to do something

51
Q

Unfunded mandates

A

Federal government issues the mandate and provides no funding to help the states achieve it

• These were largely struck down during the Devolution Revolution under Reagan
• Clinton signed Unfunded Mandates Reform Act which denied Congress the power to issue these

52
Q

10th Amendment

A

Lays down basis for reserved powers

53
Q

14th Amendment

A

Applies Bill of Rights (first 10 amendments) to the states
• Bill of Rights originally protected citizens from the federal government

54
Q

Commerce Clause

A

Allows Congress to regulate commerce among the states

55
Q

Necessary and Proper Clause

A

Congress can make any other laws to uphold those powers explicitly delegated to them
(Ex: Hamilton establishing a national bank, Constitution never says you can but it says Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce & raise taxes)

56
Q

McCulloch vs Maryland

A

(Example of the balance of power tipping into federal power’s favor)
• Court ruled that Necessary & Proper clause implied certain powers given to the federal government even if they weren’t specifically mentioned in the Constitution
• Court argued that the Supremacy Clause meant that where the two conflicted, federal law trumps state law

57
Q

United States v. Lopez

A

(Example of the balance of power tipping towards the states favor)
• Congress used the commerce clause to ban guns on school property & the Court decided that carrying guns to school is in no way related to interstate commerce
• Court ruled that Congress overstepped its bounds into state authority, thus providing a win for state power

58
Q

Example of federalism in action

A

Marijuana legalized in many states although it’s federally illegal

59
Q

Stakeholders

A

Anyone affected by the outcome of legislation

AP Gov (13 decks)

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