Ap Gov Set One

Front 1

John Locke

Back 1

English philosopher who advocated the idea of a "social contract" in which government powers are derived from the consent of the governed and in which the government serves the people; also said people have natural rights to life, liberty and property.

Front 2

Unalienable Rights

Back 2

These rights are fundamental or natural rights guaranteed to people naturally instead of by the law. They include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Front 3

Direct Democracy

Back 3

A government in which the public votes on issues and elects officials directly.

Front 4

Representative Democracy

Back 4

A government in which the public elects officials to represent them.

Front 5

Oligarchy

Back 5

A political system governed by a few people

Front 6

Monarchy

Back 6

An autocracy governed by a monarch who usually inherits the authority

Front 7

Articles of Confederation

Back 7

The document that created the first central government for the United States; it was replaced by the Constitution in 1789

Front 8

Constitutional Convention

Back 8

Meeting of delegates in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation, which produced the new U.S. Constitution

Front 9

Shay's Rebellion

Back 9

A rebellion led by Daniel Shays, a disgruntled farmer. It highlighted the issues with the Articles and the need to strength the national government.

Front 10

Federalist Papers

Back 10

85 essays written over six months by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison defending the Constitution.

Front 11

Virginia Plan

Back 11

A plan suggested at the Constitutional Convention that wanted state representation based on population.

Front 12

New Jersey Plan

Back 12

A plan suggested at the Constitutional Convention that wanted state representation to be equal regardless of population.

Front 13

Connecticut Compromise

Back 13

The decision that a state's representation in the House of Representation would be based on population; Two senators for each state; all bills would originate in the house; direct taxes on states were to be assessed according to population.

Front 14

Republic

Back 14

A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them.

Front 15

Judaical Review

Back 15

The power of the Supreme Court to declare laws and actions of local, state, or national governments unconstitutional.

Front 16

Separation of Powers

Back 16

The division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.

Front 17

Federalism

Back 17

A form of government in which power is shared between the national government and and other bodies of government, like states or providences.

Front 18

Popular Sovereignty

Back 18

The belief that people hold the final authority in all matters of government.

Front 19

Federalists

Back 19

People who supported a stronger national government and the Federal system.

Front 20

Anti-Federalists

Back 20

People who supported stronger state governments.

Front 21

James Madison

Back 21

'Father' of the constitution and one of the leaders of the Federalist movement. Author of the bill of rights.

Front 22

Federalist 10

Back 22

An essay composed by James Madison which argues that liberty is safest in a large republic because many interests (factions) exist. Such diversity makes tyranny by the majority more difficult since ruling coalitions will always be unstable.

Front 23

Bill of Attainder

Back 23

An act of legislature finding a person guilty of treason or felony without trial.

Front 24

Ex Post Facto Laws

Back 24

Alaw that makes illegal an act that was legal when committed, increases the penalties for an infraction after it has been committed, or changes the rules of evidence to make conviction easier.

Front 25

Bill of Rights

Back 25

First Ten Amendments of the US Constitution.

Front 26

Proportional Representation

Back 26

An electoral system in which parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them.

Front 27

Enumerated Powers

Back 27

A list of items found in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution that set forth the authority of Congress.

Front 28

Separated Powers

Back 28

A fundamental principle of the United States government, whereby powers and responsibilities are divided among the legislative branch, executive branch, and judicial branch.

Front 29

Necessary and Proper clause

Back 29

The Necessary and Proper Clause allows Congress "To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the [enumerated] Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof."

Front 30

Apportionment

Back 30

The determination of the proportional number of members each US state sends to the House of Representatives, based on population figures.

Front 31

Supremacy Clause

Back 31

The clause in United States Constitution's Article VI, stating that all laws made furthering the Constitution and all treaties made under the authority of the United States are the “supreme law of the land.”

Front 32

Fugitive Slave Clause

Back 32

The Fugitive Slave Clause of the United States Constitution, also known as either the Slave Clause or the Fugitives required a "person held to service or labor" who flees to another state to be returned to the owner in the state from which that person escaped.

Front 33

Treason

Back 33

The crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.

Front 34

Pardon

Back 34

The action of forgiving or being forgiven for an error or offense.

Front 35

Veto

Back 35

A constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body.

Front 36

Electoral College

Back 36

A body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.

Front 37

Line Item Veto

Back 37

The power of a president, governor, or other elected executive to reject individual provisions of a bill.

Front 38

Texas v Johnson

Back 38

A decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that invalidated prohibitions on desecrating the American flag enforced in 48 of the 50 states.

Front 39

Block Grant

Back 39

A grant from a central government that a local authority can allocate to a wide range of services.

Front 40

Grant in Aid

Back 40

An amount of money given to a local government, an institution, or a particular scholar.

Front 41

McCulloch v Maryland

Back 41

A landmark decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. The state of Maryland had attempted to impede operation of a branch of the Second Bank of the United States by imposing a tax on all notes of banks not chartered in Maryland.

Front 42

Nullification

Back 42

The act of cancelling something.

Front 43

Dual Federalism

Back 43

A political arrangement in which power is divided between the federal and state governments in clearly defined terms, with state governments exercising those powers accorded to them without interference from the federal government.

Front 44

Natural Born Citizen

Back 44

Someone born in US territory.