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AP U.S Government & Politics > Unit 1 > Flashcards

Unit 1 Flashcards

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0
Q

Autocracy

A

A form of government in which a single individual rules

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1
Q

Government

A

The institutions and procedures through which a land and its people are ruled

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2
Q

Oligarchy

A

A form of government in which a small group of landowners, military officers, or wealthy merchants controls most of the governing decisions

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3
Q

Democracy

A

A system of rule that permits citizens to play significant part in the governmental process, usually through the selection of key public officials

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4
Q

Constitutional government

A

A system of rule in which formal and effective limits are placed on the powers of the government

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5
Q

Authoritarian government

A

A system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits but may nevertheless be restrained by the power of other social institutions

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6
Q

Totalitarian government

A

A system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits on its power and seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it

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7
Q

Politics

A

The conflicts and struggles over the leadership, structure, and policies of government

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8
Q

Rationality principle

A

Political acts, both minor and major, are all done for a reason and therefore purposeful. No political acts are random

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9
Q

Instrumental

A

Done with purpose, sometimes with forethought, and even with calculation

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10
Q

Retail politics

A

Involves dealing directly with constituents.

Example: when a politician helps an individual navigate a federal agents

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11
Q

Wholesale Politics

A

Involves appealing to a collection of constituents.

Example: when the legislator introduces a bill that would benefit a group that is active in his or her state

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12
Q

Institution

A

The rules and procedures that provide incentives for political behavior, thereby shaping politics

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13
Q

Jurisdiction

A

The domain over which an institution or member of an institution has authority

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14
Q

Agenda power

A

The control of what a group will consider for discussion

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15
Q

Veto power

A

The ability to defeat something even if it has made it on to the agenda of an institution

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16
Q

Delegation

A

The transmission of authority to some official or body for the latter’s use (through often with the right of review and revision)

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17
Q

Principal-agent relationship

A

The relationship between the principal and his or her agent. This relationship may be affected by the fact that each is motivated by self interest, yet their interest may not be well aligned

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18
Q

Transaction costs

A

The cost of clarifying each aspect of the principal-agent relationship and monitoring it to make sure arrangements are complied with

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19
Q

Collective action

A

The pooling of resources and the coordination of effort connectivity play group of people (often a large one) to achieve common goals

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20
Q

Free riding

A

Enjoying the benefits of some good or action while letting others bear the costs

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21
Q

Public good

A

A good that may be enjoyed by anyone if it is provided and may not be denied to anyone once it has been provided

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22
Q

By-product theory

A

Mancur Olsen: The idea that groups provide members with private benefits to attract membership. The possibility of group collective action emerges as a consequence.

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23
Q

Selective benefits

A

Benefits that do not go to everyone but, rather, are distributed selectively – only to those who contribute to the group enterprise

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24
Q

Path dependency

A

The idea that certain possibilities are made more or less likely because of the historical path taken

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25
Q

Authority

A

The power to enforce laws, command, or judge, usually because of ascribed legitimacy. For most societies, government is the ultimate authority.

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26
Q

Consent of the governed

A

The idea that government and laws derived their legitimacy from the approval and acceptance (consent) of the people (the governed).

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27
Q

Democracy

A

A system of government placing ultimate political authority in the people. Free and frequent elections

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28
Q

Direct democracy

A

Government in which citizens vote on laws and select officials directly

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29
Q

Representative democracy

A

Government in which the people elect those who govern and pass laws; also called a republic.

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30
Q

Constitutional democracy

A

A government that enforces recognize limits on those who govern and allow the voice of the people to be heard through free, fair, and relatively frequent elections

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31
Q

Divided Government

A

One party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress

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32
Q

Elite theory

A

A political view that societies is ruled by a small number of people who exercise power in their self interest

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33
Q

Hyperpluralism

A

Theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakend

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34
Q

Legislature

A

A government body responsible for making laws. The legislature includes both houses of Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives

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35
Q

Legitimacy

A

The acceptance of the governments right to rule by the people the government rules. Legitimacy is conferred by the citizens of a government

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36
Q

Limited government

A

A form of government in which the people grant the government the right to rule. The government’s powers are clearly limited.

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37
Q

Majority rule

A

A principle of democracy asserting that a simple majority, defined as 50% plus one, should select public officials and determine the policies and actions of their government. Exception: the two thirds majority within the Senate that the Constitution requires to approve a treaty

38
Q

Natural rights

A

The doctrine that humans have certain inalienable rights and that the governments role is to protect these rights. Example: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

39
Q

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

40
Q

Political science

A

The formal, scientific study of the processes, principles, and structure of government and political institutions

41
Q

Politics

A

The method in which decisions are made either by or for a society to allocate resources, distribute benefits, and impose costs.

42
Q

Power

A

Ability to make other people change their behavior and do with the person exercising power wants them to do

43
Q

Power elite

A

Theoretical group of corporate, political, military leaders who together form an interlocking, highly centralized, decision-making structure

44
Q

Republic

A

A government in which ultimate sovereignty belongs to the people, and people elect officials to represent them in government decisions

45
Q

Theory

A

A supposition about how our why events occur

46
Q

Tyranny

A

A government in which a single ruler is vested with absolute power; absolute power, especially when exercised unjustly or cruelly

47
Q

Universal suffrage

A

The right of all people to vote

48
Q

10th Amendment

A

The final part of the Bill of Rights that declares powers not given to the national government or denied by the states are reserved for states or for the people

49
Q

1st Amendment

A

Protects civil rights which includes speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition

50
Q

Advice and consent

A

Power the Constitution grants the U.S. Senate to give its advice and consent to treaties and presidential appointment of federal judges, ambassadors, and cabinet members

51
Q

Alien and sedition acts (1798)

A

These acts authorized the president to deport “undesirable aliens” and made it a crime to criticize the government or its officials.

52
Q

Amendment process

A

The means spelled out Article V by which formal changes in, or additions to, to the Constitution are made

53
Q

Anti-Federalist

A

A person opposed the adoption of the Constitution because of its centralist tendencies and who attacked the Constitution’s framers for failing to include a Bill of Rights

54
Q

Articles of Confederation

A

The compact made among the 13 original states to form the basis of their government. Officially adopted in 1781

55
Q

Bicameral legislature

A

A legislature made up of two parts. The US Congress, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, is a bicameral legislature

56
Q

Bill of rights

A

The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. They contain a listing of the freedoms that a person enjoys and that cannot be infringed on by the government, such as the freedom of speech, press, and religion.

57
Q

Checks and balances

A

A major principle of the US governmental system whereby each branch of government exercises a limiting power on the actions of the others and in which powers are distributed among the three branches in a manner designed to prevent tyranny

58
Q

Confederation

A

A political system in which states or regional governments have ultimate authority except for those powers expressly delegated to a central government.

59
Q

Delegated to ratifying convention

A

Representatives for each 13th original states who attended their state conventions to ratify the Constitution. These delegates were chosen by special elections. Nine of the 13 states had to vote to ratify for the constitution to become the law of the land

60
Q

Democratic Republican

A

A political party founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1792. It was dissolved in 1828

61
Q

Elastic clause

A

Grants Congress the power to choose whatever means are necessary to execute its specifically delegated powers. Officially known as the “necessary and proper” clause

62
Q

Electoral college

A

A group of electors selected by the voters in each state and Washington DC this group officially elects the President and vice president of the United States

63
Q

Enumerated powers

A

Powers specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution. The first 17 clauses of article 1, section 8, specify most of Congress’s enumerated powers

64
Q

Executive agreement

A

A binding international agreement between Chiefs of State. Unlike treaties, these do not require the consent of the Senate

65
Q

Faction

A

A group in the legislature or party acting in pursuit of some special interest or position

66
Q

Federalist

A

A person who supported the adoption of the new Constitution and the creation of the federal union. Federalist former the first American political party, which was led by Alexander Hamilton and John Adams

67
Q

Federalist No. 10

A

A Federalist paper written by James Madison that discusses factions (or single interest groups) that seek to dominate the political process

68
Q

Federalist Papers

A

A group of 85 essays published in several New York newspapers in 1787 to persuade the people in New York to adopt the constitution. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote the first Federalist Papers under the name Publius

69
Q

Great compromise

A

The compromise reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 between the New Jersey and Virginia plans, creating a bicameral governments with states represented equally in the Senate and by population in the house of representatives. Also count called the Connecticut Compromise, the Great Compromise gives disproportionate influence to states with small populations by granting them equal representation in the Senate

70
Q

Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804)

A

The first US Sec. of the Treasury he established a National Bank and public credit system

71
Q

Implied powers

A

Authority possessed by the national government by inference from those powers delegated to it in the Constitution

72
Q

Indirect democracy

A

Democracy in which people do not directly govern or directly vote for the representatives. For example, citizens vote for the electoral college, which elects president.

73
Q

Interstate commerce

A

The buying and selling of commodities, transportation, and other commercial dealings across state lines. It also includes radio, television, telephone, and telegraphic transmissions

74
Q

Judicial review

A

The power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional. Judicial review is not mentioned in the Constitution

75
Q

Judiciary Act of 1791

A

This act ended the”circuit riding” by Supreme Court justices and established the courts of appeal

76
Q

James Madison (1751-1836)

A

Fourth president of the US (1809-1817). A member of the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, he wrote many of the Federalist Papers including Federalist No. 10 and Federalist No. 51

77
Q

Madisonian model

A

The political philosophy proposed by James Madison that espoused the system of checks and balances.

78
Q

Marbury versus Madison (1803)

A

This case struck down, for the first time in US history, an act of Congress as unconstitutional. It declared the Constitution to be the supreme law of the USA and that its is “the duty of the Justice Department to say what the law is”

79
Q

Mischiefs of faction

A

Madison’s reference, in Federalist No. 10, to his concern about the dangers posed by factions, or groups who might attempt to dominate the political process

80
Q

Necessary and proper clause

A

Delegates legislative powers to Congress. Also known as the elastic clause

81
Q

Nullification

A

Declaring something null or void. Before the Civil War, states’ rights advocates in the South claimed that a state has the right to nullify national law. They argued that ultimate power rested with the state governments.

82
Q

Popular sovereignty

A

A principal originating in natural rights philosophy that claims political authority rests with the people

83
Q

Publius

A

The name used by the three authors – Hamilton, Madison, and Jay – of the Federalist Papers

84
Q

Rage for paper money

A

Madison’s reference, in Federalist No. 10, to the decision by some state governments to print currency that was not backed by gold.

85
Q

Ratification

A

The formal approval, as of a law or constitutional amendment

86
Q

Separation of powers

A

The principle that divides American government among three branches

87
Q

Shay’s Rebellion

A

An armed revolt led by farmers in Massachusetts in 1786-1787, seeking relief from debts and possible foreclosure of mortgages. It’s credited with being a major factor in the demand for revision of the articles of confederations

88
Q

Super majorities

A

Define voting blocks of greater than 51% needed to approve the proposal for example, a two thirds vote is required for proposing a constitutional amendment.

89
Q

Supremacy clause

A

The provision in the Consultation that makes the Constitution, federal government, and federal laws superior to state and local laws that contradict them, but only on issues over which the federal government has a constitutionally granted authority

90
Q

Unicameral legislature

A

Legislature made up of only one legislative body. Nebraska is the only unicameral state legislature, though many local governments use this form.

91
Q

Writ of Habeas Corpus

A

A court order requiring police officials producing individual held in custody and show sufficient cost for that person’s detention.

92
Q

Writ of Mandamus

A

An order issued by a court to compel performance of an act.

AP U.S Government & Politics (2 decks)

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