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AP Government > Unit 1 (Ch. 1 - 3) > Flashcards

Unit 1 (Ch. 1 - 3) Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the seven tenants of American democracy?

A 
Personal liberty
Popular consent
Popular sovereignty
Individualism
Equality
Majority rule
Civil society
Religious faith and freedom
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2
Q

Describe personal liberty.

A

The protection of individual rights to participate in certain activities without government interference

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3
Q

Describe popular consent.

A

The idea that the government’s power comes from the consent of people it governs

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4
Q

Describe popular sovereignty.

A

The idea that political authority rests with those who can put it in action

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5
Q

Describe individualism.

A

The idea that all individuals are create “equal and fair” with certain unalienable rights

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6
Q

Describe equality.

A

The idea that all Americans have equal say in the political process; defined by the phrase “one person, one vote”

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7
Q

Describe majority rule.

A

The premise that the majority of the citizens (over 50%) hold power, but still protect minority rights

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8
Q

Describe civil society.

A

The ideal society created when all people are free to express political opinions openly in debate about public policy

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9
Q

Describe religious faith and freedom.

A

The principle that religion has played a major role in the shaping of our government and continues to do so

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10
Q

Define government.

A

The institution that allows a society to make and enforce laws about public policy

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11
Q

What are the three branches of the US government?

A

Executive, legislative, and judicial

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12
Q

What is the main unit of government?

A

The state

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13
Q

What are the four characteristics of a state?

A

Population, territory, sovereignty, and government

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14
Q

What is sovereignty?

A

The absolute power within its own territory to decide domestic and foreign policy

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15
Q

What is territory to a state?

A

A state needs territory to give it definite and recognized boundaries.

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16
Q

What are the four main theories on the origin of the state?

A

The force theory, the evolutionary theory, the divine right theory, and the social contract theory

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17
Q

What is the force theory?

A

The theory that the state rose from a certain individual or group claiming control of a territory and forcing its population to submit

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18
Q

What is the evolutionary theory?

A

The theory that the state arose from the structure of primitive families; the heads of families became the government

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19
Q

What is the divine right theory?

A

The theory that the state arose from God mandating or willing a certain group of people to rule over a certain territory or people

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20
Q

What is the social contract theory?

A

The theory that the state rose from people choosing to give up power to promote the well-being of the group and all power comes from the will of the people

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21
Q

Which theory on the origin of the state is closes to US ideals?

A

The social contract theory

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22
Q

Why did the colonists originally leave England?

A

For religious freedom and economic opportunity

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23
Q

How many representatives came to the Stamp Act Congress?

A

Nine out of thirteen colonies

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24
Q

What was the result of the Stamp Act Congress?

A

Drafted a document to send to the king on how he violated their rights

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25
Q

What was the result of the First Continental Congress?

A

Drafted the Declaration of Rights and Resolves, decided to meet in May of 1775 if the king did not respond

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26
Q

What was the result of the Second Continental Congress?

A

United by hostility towards British and appointed Washington as commander in chief of the Continental Army

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27
Q

Define a league of independent states.

A

A type of government where power comes from the states.

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28
Q

Who worked on writing the Declaration of Independence?

A 
Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Jefferson
Robert Livingston
John Adams
Roger Sherman
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29
Q

Describe the first attempt of the Articles of Confederation.

A

Given the power to: coin money, make peace, appoint officers for an army, control the post office, and negotiate with Indian tribes

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30
Q

What was the significance of Shay’s rebellion?

A

Revealed the weakness of the Articles of Confederation in governing a country.

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31
Q

Who was the main proponent behind the New Jersey plan?

A

William Patterson

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32
Q

Define constitution.

A

A document establishing the structure, functions, and limitations of a government

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33
Q

Describe the Virginia Plan.

A

Three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial
Two houses: one directly elected, one nominated by state legislature
Legislation holds the power to appoint judiciary and executive

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34
Q

Describe the New Jersey Plan.

A

Strengthened the Articles, didn’t replace them
One house legislate with one vote for each state
Gave congress the power to raise revenue from duties and postal
Created Supreme Court appointed for life by executive officer

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35
Q

Who proposed the Great Compromise?

A

Roger Sherman

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36
Q

Describe the Great Compromise.

A

One house of legislature; elected directly by the people; held power to originate all bills for raising and spending money
Second house: each state gets an equal vote
Made national law supreme

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37
Q

What was the three-fifths compromise?

A

That for population purposes, slaves counted as thee-fifths of a person

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38
Q

What is grounds for removing the executive officer?

A

Treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors

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39
Q

What is the separation of powers?

A

Way of dividing power among the three branches of government

40
Q

What is checks and balances?

A

Gives each of the three branches of government ways to oversee and limit the power of the other branches

41
Q

Define federalism.

A

The plan of government created by the Constitution in which power is divided among the national government and the states

42
Q

What does Article I of the Constitution deal with primarily?

A

The legislative branch

43
Q

What does Article II of the Constitution deal with primarily?

A

The executive branch

44
Q

What does Article III of the Constitution deal with primarily?

A

The judicial branch

45
Q

What does Articles IV-VII of the Constitution deal with primarily?

A

Anticipated problems that might occur in the operation of the new national government and relations to the states

46
Q

What does Article V of the Constitution deal with primarily?

A

Amendments

47
Q

What does Article VI of the Constitution deal with primarily?

A

The supremacy clause

48
Q

What does Article VII of the Constitution deal with primarily?

A

Ratification of the Constitution

49
Q

Who are federalists?

A

Favored and supported a strong national government and supported the proposed Constitution

50
Q

Who are antifederalists?

A

Favored and supported strong state governments and opposed ratification of the Constitution

51
Q

What are expressed powers?

A

Powers given to Congress word for word in the Constitution

52
Q

What are examples of expressed powers?

A

The power to coin money, the right to levy taxes, the ability to raise troops, etc.

53
Q

What are implied powers?

A

Powers that exist to help the expressed powers happen; necessary and proper clause

54
Q

What are examples of implied powers?

A

Interstate highway system, banning racial discrimination in public

55
Q

What are inherent powers?

A

Powers not based on the Constitution

56
Q

What are examples of inherent powers?

A

Acquiring territory, defending the nation, and immigration

57
Q

What are denied powers?

A

Powers that the Constitution strictly withholds from the federal government

58
Q

What are examples of denied powers?

A

The power to tax exports, prohibit freedom of speech, suppress freedom of the press

59
Q

What are reserved powers?

A

Powers defaulted to the states by the 10th amendment

60
Q

What are examples of reserved powers?

A

Conducting elections, promote public health, and public safety

61
Q

What powers are denied to the state?

A

Powers specifically withheld from the state government such as the ability to tax the federal government

62
Q

What are concurrent powers?

A

Powers shared by the state and federal governments; all powers not exclusive the national government or denied to the state

63
Q

What are examples of concurrent powers?

A

The power to levy taxes, the power to create laws

64
Q

What is the significance of McCulloch v Maryland?

A

Ruled that when federal and state governments conflict, the federal law wins if it is constitutional

65
Q

What type of cake symbolizes the federal government’s relation to the state?

A

Marble cake

66
Q

How did the New Deal impact federalism?

A

It involved the federal government more in state and local government with public works projects and financial assistance

67
Q

What is cooperative federalism?

A

The intertwined relationship between national, state, and local governments

68
Q

What is New Federalism?

A

The movement in the 1980s of returning power to the states

69
Q

What did the seventeenth amendment do?

A

Made senators elected directly by the people and not their state legislature

70
Q

What did the sixteenth amendment do?

A

Allowed the federal government to collect an national income tax

71
Q

What is the significance of Gibbons v. Ogden?

A

Ruled that the federal government has the power to regulate interstate commerce

72
Q

What is the extradition clause?

A

The clause of Article IV that states criminals must be returned and tried in the state they are convicted in

73
Q

Define ex post facto law.

A

A law that makes an act punishable as a crime even if the act was legal at the time it was committed

74
Q

Define bill of attainder.

A

A law declaring an act illegal without a judicial trial

75
Q

Define confederation.

A

A system of government in which the national government derives its power from the states; league of states

76
Q

Define unitary system.

A

A system of government in which state government is granted by a strong federal government

77
Q

What is another name for the expressed powers?

A

Enumerated powers

78
Q

What are block grants?

A

Grants given to the state for a specific cause with little or no strings attached.

79
Q

What are categorical grants?

A

Grants given to the states for a specific purpose that allocated money by a precise formula

80
Q

True or false - Bush followed New Federalism.

A

False

81
Q

Define libertarian.

A

A proponent of little or no government interference with personal liberties and free market economies

82
Q

Define conservatism.

A

Believes that government should be restrained and limited (especially in the economy), leaves domestic problems to the private sector and supports moral teachings

83
Q

Define liberalism.

A

Supporters of active government involvement to promote equality through social services and the protection of rights and women, elderly, environment, and minorities

84
Q

Who wrote majority of the Constitution?

A

Thomas Jefferson

85
Q

How are amendments passed?

A

A vote by 2/3 of the members of each house of Congress or a vote of 2/3 of the state legislatures requesting a national convention

86
Q

What did “the pursuit of happiness” originally mean?

A

Happiness replaced the original word property

87
Q

Who influenced the phrase, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?”

A

John Locke

88
Q

Describe the executive branch under the Articles of Confederation.

A

Basically nonexistent.

89
Q

What types of cases are heard by the Supreme Court?

A

Those dealing with federal law or disputes between states

90
Q

How was the Constitution passed?

A

With unanimous approval from all thirteen colonies

91
Q

When was the Articles of Confederation written?

A

1776

92
Q

When was the Articles of Confederation ratified?

A

1781

93
Q

What government practice did Marbury v. Madison establish?

A

Judicial review

94
Q

Who stated that “the power to tax is the power to destroy” and what did he mean?

A

John Marshall felt that states’ powers to tax would violate the supremacy clause.

95
Q

What is dual federalism?

A

The policy of giving equal authority to the state and federal governments

96
Q

What is a unitary system?

A

A system of governance where local and region government derive all authority from a strong national government

AP Government (8 decks)

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