Chapter 1 Study Guide AP Gov

Make a list of items that illustrate the scope of American government.

- Proposing a massive economic stimulus package ($787 billion worth) - Spends about $3.8 trillion annually - About 24 million Americans work for our government, mostly the state and local level. - Own's 1/3 of the land in the US -Occupies over 3.2 billion square ft. of office space. -(GDP) -Unemployment, terrorism, illegal immigration, energy, education lack of access to health care [national problem(s)]

What is gross domestic product and how does the term illustrate the scope of American government?

GDP is the total value of all goods and services produced annually by the US, illustrating records of what the America government has spent throughout the time.

What is "political culture" and why is it crucial to understanding American government?

Political culture is the overall set of values widely shared within American society and its crucial to understanding American government because Americans are so diverse in terms of ancestry, religion, and heritage.

policy impact

The effects a policy has on people & problems. Impacts are analyzed to see how well policy has met its goal, & at what cost.

Define the term "government".

The institutions through which public policies are made for a society.

Define the word "policy agenda".

The issues that attract the serious attention of public officials & other people involved in politics at a point in time.

Explain the principles of majority rule and minority rights.

The principle of majority rule is choosing among alternatives requiring that the majority's desire is to be respected while minority rights is a principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to majorities.

Define the term "politics".

The process of determining the leaders we select & the policies the they pursue. Politics produces authoritative decisions about public issues.

How does a government agenda change?

When jobs are scarce & business productivity is falling, economic problems occupy a high position on the governments agenda.

List and describe the five cornerstones of an ideal democracy.

a. "equality in voting" b. "effective participation" c. "enlightened understanding" d. "citizen control of the agenda" e. "inclusion"

List and describe the major challenges facing American democracy.

a. Increased complexity of issues b. Limited participation in government c. Escalating campaign costs d. Diverse political interests

List, describe, and give an example of the give elements of the American creed according to Seymour Martin Lipset

a. Liberty: it reflected many American's preference for fighting to the bitter end rather than submitting to the oppression of communist rule. (ex.) One of the most famous statements of the American Revolution is Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty or give me death". b. Individualism: the belief that people can and should get ahead on their own. (ex.) Louis Hartz's The liberal Tradition in America is a analysis of the dominant political beliefs during American's formative years c. Laissez-faire: Promotes free markets and limited government (ex.) As John Kingdon writes in his book American the Unusual, "Government in the US is much more limited and much smaller than government in virtually every other advanced industrialized county on earth." d. Populism: A political philosophy supporting the rights of average citizens in their struggle against privileged elites. (ex.) Abraham Lincoln summarized American democracy as "government of the people, by the people, and for the people." e. Egalitarianism: In the US it involves equality of opportunity and respect in the absence of a monarchy and aristocracy. (ex.) The most famous phrase in the history of democracy is the Declaration of Independence's statement "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

List and describe the five functions that all national governments perform.

a. Maintain a national defense b. Provide public goods & services c. Preserve order d. socialize the young e. collect taxes

What are the two fundamental questions about governing that serve as themes throughout the textbook?

a. Should we govern? b. What should the government do?

List fur key linkage institutions in a democratic society.

a. political parties b. elections c. interest groups d. the media

Give examples of "who", "what", "when", & "how" of politics.

a. who: voters, candidates, groups, & parties b. what: medical care for the elderly, & burdens c. When: d. How: voting, supporting, compromising, lobbying.

Democracy

is a system of selecting policy makers & of organizing government so that policy reflects citizens preferences.