Unit 1 Foundations Flashcards
AP Gov Concepts for unit 1
Limited Government
A government’s power can not be absolute: ensured by separation of Powers, checks and balances, federalism, and republicanism
Natural Rights
Inalienable rights under natural law
Popular Sovereignty
Gov based on the consent of the people
Social contract, obligation to rebel, declaration of independence, letter of birmingham
Republicanism
Form of gov where power is held by people, either directly or through elected representatives
Voting, popular sovereignty, social contract
Social Contract
Agreement between gov and people to govern
Participatory Democracy
Democracy where people directly participate
Pluralist Democracy
Representative democracy where power is distributed among interest groups
Fed 10, interest groups, variety regulates factions
Elite Democracy
Theory that small group of influential people should make all decisions
Separation of Powers
exec, leg and judicial branches are separate powers
Checks & Balances
Gov has checks and balances to prevent anyone from becoming too powerful
Exclusive Powers
Powers exclusively granted to federal gov and not states
Includes: declaring war, coining and printing money
Concurrent Powers
Roles that both state and federal government perform together
Mandates
Directions that the government gives a state
Revenue Sharing
Revenue sharing between federal and state/local governments
Categorical Grant
When the federal gov gives a state money for a specific purpose
Block Grant
When the fed gov gives money to the state for anything they want based on need
Enumerated Power
A power listed in the constitution
Implied Power
A power not listed in the constitution but given in order to interpret constitutional powers
Necessary and Proper/Elastic Clause
A clause in the constitution which gives Congress the ability to deem what article 1-17 needs to be upheld
Commerce Clause
A clause that allows Congress to control interstate commerce: often used to justify social cases
Amendment Process
Proposed by 2/3s of both House and Senate
Must be ratified by 3/4 of state legislatures
Great Compromise
The compromise that creates a bicameral legislature: Senate and HOR. New Jersey compromise and Virginia Compromise
Supremacy Clause
A constitutional clause that prevents states from having more power than the federal gov. Federal gov takes priority over conflicting states rules.
Cant tax national bank
Federalism
Federal gov & State gov interaction
Constitution, amendments, voting
