AP Gov
Unit 1
Chapter 1 Vocabulary
direct democracy - government in which citizens vote on laws and select officials directly
direct primary - an election in which voters choose party nominees
initiative - a procedure whereby a certain number of voters may, by petition, propose a law or constitutional amendment and have it submitted to the voters
referendum - procedure for submitting to popular vote measures passed by the legislature or proposed amendments to a state constitution
recall - a procedure for submitting to popular vote the removal of officials from office before the end of their term
representative democracy - government in which the people elect those who govern and pass laws; also called a republic
constitutional democracy - government that enforces recognized limits on those who govern and allows the voice of the people to be heard through free, fair, and relatively frequent elections
constitutionalism - the set of arrangements, including checks & balances, federalism, separation of powers, rule of law, due process, and a bill of rights, that requires our leaders to listen, think, bargain, and explain before they act or make laws. We then hold them politically and legally accountable for how they exercise their powers.
natural rights - the rights of all people to dignity and worth
political culture - the widely shared beliefs, values, and norms citizens hold about their relationship to gov't and to one another
statism - the idea that the rights of the nation are supreme over the rights of the individuals who make up the nation
American dream - complex set of ideas that holds that the US is a land of opportunity where individual initiative and hard work can bring economic success
capitalism - an economic system based on private property, competitive markets, economic incentives, and limited gov't involvement in the production, pricing, and distribution of goods & services
popular consent - idea that a just gov't must derive its powers from the consent of the people it governs
majority rule - governance according to the expressed preferences of the majority
majority - candidate or party that wins more than half the votes cast in an election
plurality - candidate or party with the most votes cast in an election, not necessarily more than half
democratic consensus - a condition for democracy is that the people widely share a set of attitudes and beliefs about governmental procedures, institutions, core documents, and fundamental values
theocracy - gov't by religious leaders, who claim divine guidance
Articles of Confederation - 1st governing document of the confederated states, drafted in 1777, ratified in 1781, and replaced by the present Constitution in 1789 (only good for winning the war - no taxes)
Annapolis Convention - a convention held in Sept. 1786 to consider problems of trade and navigation, attended by 5 states and important b/c it issued the call to Congress and the states for what became the Constitutional Convention
Constitutional Convention - convention in Philadelphia from May 25-Sept. 17, 1787, that debated and agreed on the Constitution of the United States
Shays' Rebellion - a rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Mass. in 1786-87 protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national gov't just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out
bicameralism - principle of a two-house legislature
Virginia Plan - initial proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by the Va. delegation for a strong central gov't with a bicameral legislature dominated by the big states (more populous)
New Jersey Plan - the proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by William Paterson of NJ for a central gov't with a single-house legislature in which each state would be represented equally
Connecticut Compromise - compromise agreement by states at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislation with a lower house in which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators
three-fifths compromise - compromise b/w northern and southern states at the CC that 3/5 of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives
Electoral College - electoral system used in electing the president and vice pres., in which voters vote for electors pledged to cast their ballots for a particular party's candidates
Federalists - supporters of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central gov't
Antifederalists - opponents of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central gov't generally
The Federalist - essays promoting ratification of the Constitution, published anonymously by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison in 1787-88
Chapter 2 Vocabulary
separation of powers - leg., exec., and jud. branches
checks and balances - enables each of the 3 branches to check some of the acts of the others and ensures that no one branch can dominate
autocracy - a type of gov't in which one person with unltd. power rules
partisanship - strong allegiance to one's own political party, often leading to unwillingness to compromise with the other party
divided gov't - one party holds the presidency and the other controls one or both houses of Congress
unified gov't - one party controls the presidency and Congress
Electoral College - voters vote for electors pledged to cast their ballots for a particular party's candidates
judicial review - power of a court to review laws or gov't regulations to determine whether or not they are constitutional
Federalists - group that argued FOR the ratification of the Constitution, including a stronger nat'l gov't at the expense of states' power
writ of mandamus - court order directing an official to perform an official duty
congressional elaboration - congressional legislation that gives meaning to the Constitution based of sometimes vague authority, like the necessary and proper clause
impeachment - formal accusation by lower house of leg. against a public official; the first step in removal from office
executive order - directive issued by a president/governor that has the force of law
executive privilege - power to keep exec. comm. confidential, esp. if they relate to nat'l security
originalist approach - envisions the document as having a fixed meaning that might be determined by a strict reading of the text or the Framers' intent
adaptive approach - understands the document to be flexible and responsive to the changing needs of the times
Chapter 3 Vocabulary
unitary system - concentrates power in a central gov't
confederation - sovereign nations or states create a central gov't but carefully limit its power and do not give it direct authority over individuals (Articles of Confederation)
delegated/express powers - powers given explicitly to the nat'l gov't and listed in the Constitution
implied powers - powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions
necessary & proper clause - Article I.8.3 setting forth the implied powers of Congress; states that Congress, in addition to its express powers, has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the nat'l gov't
inherent powers - powers of the nat'l gov't in foreign affairs that the Supreme Court has declared do not depend on constitutional grants but rather grow out of the nat'l gov'ts obligation to protect the nation from domestic and foreign threats
supremacy clause - contained in Article IV of the Constitution, the clause gives nat'l laws the absolute power even when states have enacted a competing law
commerce clause - Article I.8.1 gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations
federal mandate - requirement the federal gov't imposes as a condition for receiving federal funds
reserve powers - all powers not specifically delegated to the nat'l gov't by the Constitution; found in 10th Amendment
concurrent powers - powers that the Constitution gives to both the nat'l and state gov'ts such as the power to levy taxes
full faith & credit clause - Article IV.1 requiring each state to recognize the civil judgments rendered by the courts of the other states and to accept their public records and acts as valid
extradition - legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed
interstate compact - agreement b/w two or more states and Congress must approve it
national supremacy - constitutional doctrine that whenever conflict occurs b/w the constitutionally authorized actions of the nat'l gov't and those of a state or local gov't, the actions of the nat'l gov't prevail
preemption - right of a nat'l law or regulation to preclude enforcement of a state or local law or regulation
centralists - people who favor nat'l action over action at the state/local levels
decentralists - people who favor state or local action over nat'l action
states' rights - powers expressly or implicitly reserved to the states
devolution revolution - effort to slow the growth of the nat'l gov't by returning many functions to the states