AP Gov Test: October 6th
Federalist 10
-85 essays defending need for central government/Constitution -written mainly by James Madison/ Alexander Hamilton and John Jay wrote 5 -1787-1788-best insight into framers intentions and political philosophy
problems under AOC
-9/13 quorum made it difficult for states to agree on laws -Congress didn't have power to tax -money not backed and states made own money -no true Executive -states had own armies and made treaties
Social Contract Theory
-A voluntary agreement between the government and the governed -The idea that we give up freedom for resources provided by the government
Great Compromise
-Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population in the other house-bicameral legislature (house of representatives directly elected by the people and senate in which state legislatures elect)-decided that 56 delegates and one representative per 30,000 inhabitants
elite democracy
-Emphasizes limited participation in politics and civil society -ex: Elon Musk donating that limits people's power
Enumerated Powers of Congress
-Lay and collect taxes -regulate commerce -borrow/coin money
the federalist number 51
-The essay where Madison explains his idea for checks and blanches and separation of powers to keep the government from overstepping on the liberties of other people
Shay's Rebellion
-When farmers were angered by taxes raised on their farms-In Massachusetts-turning point in which people realized the AOC must be amended because state military wasn't big enough to fight back and there was no national government
Brutus 1 - Anti-federalists
-anti-federalist argument-argued that federal power was bad -Constitution gives too much power to the Federal government
New Jersey Plan
-called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population -unicameral legislature (representatives elected by state legislatures) -wanted to strengthen AOC, not replace them
participatory democracy
-emphasizes broad participation in politics and civil society -ex: voting
Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)
-final sentence of article 1 section 8 which states that Congress can "make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers"-aka "Implied Powers" because they're hidden and not directly stated in the Constitution
Powers denied under the Constitution
-no bill of attainder -no ex post facto laws
pluralist democracy
-recognizes group-based activism by nongovernmental interests striving for impact on political decision making -ex: church
Virginia Plan
-strong national gov -bicameral legislature (one elected by people and one elected by state legislatures) -consisted of 3 branches being Legislative, Executive and Judicial -legislative elects other branches -executive makes laws
Cooperative Federalism (Marble Cake)
-the intertwined relationship between the national and state Governments in which states take secondary role of Gov
At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, delegates from larger states argued that each state's representation in the legislature should be proportional to its population. Smaller states argued that each state should have equal representation, regardless of population. The disagreement over representation threatened to derail the ratification of the United States Constitution. Which statement accurately describes the compromise that led to both sides reaching agreement?
A bicameral legislature with an upper house representing each state equally and a lower house with representation proportional to each state's population
In The Federalist 10, which of the following did James Madison argue would best control the negative effects of factions?
A large federal republic
Which of the following best characterizes the general argument made in Brutus 1?
A large republic is dangerous to personal liberty and undermines the states.
Which of the following is an accurate summary of James Madison's argument in The Federalist 10?
A large republic presents more opportunities for groups to participate, compete, and limit each other.
Federalism
A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments
Social Contract
A voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules
Articles of Confederation
A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War.
Supremacy Clause
Article VI of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits
Which of the following describes a possible method that can check the power of the president who willingly violates the constitutional balance of power as described in the passage?
Congress can impeach and remove a president who is unable or unwilling to perform his or her official functions.
Which of the following statements accurately describes the majority opinion of the Supreme Court in United States v. Lopez (1995) ?
Congress may not use the commerce clause to make possession of a gun in a school zone a federal crime.
Cooperative Federalism
Cooperation among federal, state, &local govts; "marble cake" federalism
article 2
Executive Branch
factions
Groups such as parties or interest groups, which according to James Madison arose from the unequal distribution of property or wealth
Preamble to the Constitution
Introduction to the U.S. Constitution, establishing the goals and purposes of government "we the people"
Which of the following excerpts from the passage best describes the author's reason for opposing an expansion of the scope of the federal government?
It is impossible to have a representation, possessing the sentiments, and of integrity, to declare the minds of the people, without having it so numerous and unwieldy, as to be subject in great measure to the inconveniency of a democratic government.
article 3
Judicial Branch
article 1
Legislative Branch
Executive checks
Legislative: veto legislation or call Congress into special session Judicial: appoints federal judges and refuse to implement decisions
Article I, Section 9 of the United States Constitution lists several powers that are denied to the federal government, such as granting titles of nobility and passing ex post facto laws. This best demonstrates which of the following ideals of democracy?
Limited government
what happened in McCulloch vs Maryland
Maryland tried to tax McCulloch who was the head of the United States Bank branch in Maryland. McCulloch refuse to pay. The Supreme Court sided with McCulloch, strengthening the national government.
McCulloch v. Maryland
Maryland was trying to tax the national bank and Supreme Court ruled that federal law was stronger than the state law
Which of the following cases expanded the powers of Congress by defining the necessary and proper clause more broadly?
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Constitutional Convention
Meeting in 1787 of the elected representatives of the thirteen colonies to discuss better ways to improve the AOC
Block grants
Money from the Federal Government that states can spend within broad guidelines
example of a categorical grant
Money given to states for special education programs
are local powers granted in the Constitution?
NO must be charted by state governments
What does Brutus argue?
Nations with extended territory cannot fairly represent their citizens in a republican form of government.
The Declaration of Independence cites specific reasons for separating from British rule, including the British imposing taxes and maintaining a standing army without consent. Which of the following principles or ideas would these grievances be most related to?
Natural rights such as life and liberty
Brutus is most concerned with the conflict between which of the following political ideas?
Participatory Democracy and Elite Democracy
10 amendment
Powers Reserved to the States
10th Amendment
Powers Reserved to the States
article 7
Ratification of the Constitution by 3/4 of the state
article 4
Relations among states and full faith and credit clause
Enlightenment
Rousseau and John Locke created theory of natural liberty in which the people enter a social contract with the government -idea that the government exists to preserve property right and preserve life and liberty
Which of the following principles of government is most related to the author's argument in the passage?
Separation of powers is necessary to our constitutional system to limit the power of the three branches and guarantee limited government.
Which of the following experiences most likely influenced the perspective conveyed in the Federalist 15?
Shay's Rebellion, which was an armed response to the inability of the national government to address unjust economic state policies.
article 6
Supremacy Clause and establishes the separation of church and state. -Constitution is law of the land
Which of the following is a difference between the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution that is a response to a problem expressed in the Federalist 15?
The Articles of Confederation allowed for the federal government to request revenues from states but did not permit it to tax citizens directly, whereas under the United States Constitution the federal government could tax citizens directly.
Which of the following excerpts from Article I of the United States Constitution resolves a problem described in the Federalist?
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;"
Which of the following political processes would best solve the problem regarding the system of checks and balances?
The Supreme Court rules on a suit brought by an interest group that legislation permitting the president to launch military strikes without congressional approval is unconstitutional.
In the 1950s Southern states attempted to prevent integration of their public schools. In return, the National Guard was sent to force states to implement federal regulations. This scenario illustrates which of the following about the relationship between the state and national governments?
The debate over the role of the central government and state powers is ongoing.
Limited Government
The idea that certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect the natural rights of citizens
enumerated powers
The powers specifically granted to Congress in article 1 section 8 of the Constitution
The Gun-Free School Zones Act made it illegal for individuals knowingly to carry a gun in a school zone. The Supreme Court determined this act to be an unconstitutional stretch of the commerce clause in
United States v. Lopez (1995)
Electoral College
a compromise that each state would get the number of electors equal to its representation in congress
bill of attainder
a law that punishes a person accused of a crime without a trial or a fair hearing in court
ex post facto law
a law that would allow a person to be punished for an action that was not against the law when it was committed
In order to appease both Federalists and Anti-Federalists, it was agreed at the Constitutional Convention that a group of delegates would be charged with selecting the president. This would ensure that
a qualified person representative of the people would become president
Dual Federalism (layer cake federalism)
a way of describing the system of dual federalism in which there is a division of responsibilities between local, state, and the national governments
Categorial Grants
appropriated by Congress for SPECIFIC purposes such as building an airport
political culture
commonly shared attitudes, beliefs, and core values about how government should operate
Marble Cake Federalism
cooperative federalism (mixed powers)
Progressive Federalism
cooperative/coercive relationship between the States and Federal Government
article 5
describes the amendment process in which 2/3 of both the Senate and House of Representatives must agree on the amendment of a Constitutional Convention is held by 2/3 of the states this must be followed by the ratification of 3/4 of the states
Why is the Electoral College important?
electors ensure that a qualified and representative person would become president
Legislative checks
executive: impeach president, override president's veto by 2/3 judicial: impeach federal judges and propose amendments to the Constitution to overrule Supreme Court decisions
programmatic requests (earmarks)
federal funds designated for special projects within a state
framers
found fathers who wrote the Constitution
As a compromise, the framers agreed on a bicameral legislature, with the House of Representatives directly elected by popular vote within states and the Senate selected by state legislatures. The method chosen for electing members of the House of Representatives conforms most to which of the following democratic ideals?
government should be based on the consent of the governed.
under great compromise
house of representatives were elected by the people and senate state legislatures would elect
the Supreme Court
interprets the constitution
Ex post facto laws are
laws that makes an act punishable as a crime even if the action was legal at the time it was committed
judicial checks
legislative: rule the laws made by Congress unconstitutional executive: declare Executive actions as unconstitutional
Article 1 Section 8
lists specific powers of Congress: -establish and maintain an army and navy -establish post offices -create courts -regulate commerce between the states -declare war -raise money It also includes a clause known as the Elastic Clause which allows it to pass any law necessary for the carrying out of the previously listed powers.
9/13 Quorum
makes it very hard for states to agree on anything or pass any laws under AOC
national, concurrent and state powers:
national: -collect excises and duties -coin money -post office -declare war concurrent: -tax -borrow money -establish courts state: -appoint electors -ratify amendments -regulate commerce within a state and set up local governments
Popular Sovereignty
power comes from consent of the governed
inherent powers
powers claimed by a PRESIDENT that are not expressed in the Constitution but are inferred from it
concurrent powers
powers shared by the national and state governments
issue of great compromise
representation among state population
Natural Rights
rights that humans are born with including the right to life, liberty, and property
Dual Federalism
separate and equally powerful State and Federal Governments
if the power hasn't been given or prohibited, it's reserved for the
states (10th amendment)
democracy
system of government by the people through elected officials
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
the Supreme Court upheld the power of the national government and denied the right of a state to tax the federal bank using the Constitution's supremacy clause
3/5 Compromise
the decision at the Constitutional convention to count slaves as 3/5 of a person for the purpose of deciding the population and voting laws
nullification
the right of a state to declare a federal law void
about 90 percent of Federal money goes to
the states
Declaration of Idependence
was NOT a system of government and scared many as it appeared to be a rebellion against Great Britain
