AP Government Flashcards

7258403890	Government	is composed of the formal and informal institutions, people, and processes used to create and conduct public policy	0
7258405719	Public Policy	is the exercise of government power in doing those things necessary to maintain legitmate authority and control over society	1
7258405720	Democracy	is rule by the people	2
7258406154	Direct Democracy	is where citizens meet and make decisions about public policy issues	3
7258406592	Representative Democracy	is where citizens choose officials who make decisions about public policy. This is the system in place in most "democratic" nations.	4
7258407243	Traditional Democratic Theory	is where government depends on the consent of the governed, which may be given directly or through representatives; it may include criteria for the measure of "how democratic."	5
7258424677	Pluralist Theory	envisions a world where interest groups compete in the political arena, with each promoting its policy preferences through organized efforts. Conflict among groups may result, requiring bargaining and compromise.	6
7258424678	Elite Theory	A small number of powerful elite (corporate leaders, top miltary officers, government leaders) form an upper class, which rules in its own self-interest.	7
7258425138	Bureaucratic Theory	The hierarchiacal structure and standardized procedures of modern governments allow burearucrats, who carry out day-to-day workings of government, to hold real power over public policy.	8
7258425139	Hyperpluralism	Democracy is a system of many groups having so much strength that government is often "pulled" in numberous directions at the same time, causing gridlock and ineffectiveness.	9
7258425529	Social Contract	It is the voluntary agreement between the government and the governmened (Two Treatises on Civil Government [1689, John Locke]	10
7258425530	Natural Rights	Locke argued that people are born with life, liberty, and property rights.	11
7258426347	Declaration of Independence	The Declaration of Independence, a document where the USA removed their consent to be governed, adopted the idea that we have natural rights.	12
7258427844	Federal System	The constitutional delegates decided on a federal system composed of three branches: executive, legistlative, and judicial.	13
7258427850	Connecticut (Great) Compromise	Congress would be a bicameral legislature, with representation in the lower house based on the population of the state and equal representation of the states in the upper house.	14
7258428601	Virginia Plan	The Virginia plan had four main components: a bicameral legislature, representation based upon population, single exectutive chosen by legislative branch, and judges chosen by the legislative branch.	15
7258429074	Three-Fifths Compromise	Each state would count three-fifths of its slave population for the purpose of determining representation and taxation.	16
7258429075	Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise ratification	Congress was prohibited from banning the slave trade for 20 years and from taxing exports.	17
7258430181	Federalists	stressed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the government it created. They supported (1) a stronger central government and (2) expanded legislative powers. John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison wrote 85 essays supporting these ideas.	18
7258431739	Federalist Papers	defended the new government created under the Constitution and even today provide insight into the framers' original intent.	19
7258431740	Anti-Federalists	believed that the the new constitution gave too much power to the national government at the expense of the state governments.	20
7258432448	Bill of Rights	Supported by the anti-federalists, a section ensuring fundamental liberties.	21
7258432873	Constitution	details the structure of a government. The United States constitution describes the structure and powers of the national government as well as the relationship between the national and state governments.	22
7258432874	Limited Government	belief that government is not all-powerful; government has only those powers given to it.	23
7258433385	Popular Sovereignty	the people are the source of government's authority	24
7258433386	Separation of Powers	Power is separated among three branches of government; each has its own powers and duties and is indepedent of and equal to the other branches.	25
7258433724	Checks and Balances	each branch is subject to restraints by the other two branches.	26
7258433725	Federalism	a division of governmental powers between the national governmment and the states	27
7258434267	Amendments	Amending the constitution requires proposal, a national function, and ratification, a state function. There are two way ways to propose an amendment to congress.	28
7258436617	Judicial Review	The people who serve as judges and the times in which they serve affect how courts interpret laws.	29
7258437402	Marbury v. Madison	The concept of judicial review resulted from Marbury vs. Madison.	30