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AP GOVERNMENT REVIEW SET
10th Amendment Powers not expressly given to federal government by the Constitution are reserved to states or the people. Also known as "reserved powers amendment" or "states' rights amendment" 13th Amendment Abolished slavery. First of three "Reconstruction Amendments" passed after Civil War (1865-70) 14th Amendment (1) All persons born in the U.S. are citizens; (2) no person can be deprived of life, liberty or property without DUE PROCESS OF LAW; (3) no state can deprive a person of EQUAL PROTECTION of the laws. Second of three "Reconstruction Amendments" passed after Civil War. 15th Amendment States cannot deny any person the right to vote because of race. Third of three "Reconstruction Amendments" passed after Civil War. First Voting Rights Amendment (with 19, 24 & 26) 16th Amendment Power of Congress to tax income 17th Amendment Established the direct election of senators (instead of being chosen by state legislatures) 19th Amendment States cannot deny the right to vote based on gender 1st Amendment Freedom of religion (establishment & free exercise clauses), speech, press, assembly, and petition. 22nd Amendment
Limits the president to two terms. 23rd Amendment Gives Washington DC electoral college votes as if it were a state (DC still has no representation in Congress) 24th Amendment Abolishes poll taxes 26th Amendment States cannot deny the right to vote based on age (18+) 2nd Amendment Right to arm bears. Supported by National Rifle Association interest group & Republican Party. 4th Amendment No "unreasonable" searches and seizures. Exclusionary rule (Weeks v. US, Mapp v. Ohio) 5th Amendment (1) No Self-Incrimination (Miranda) (2) No Double Jeopardy (defendant cannot be tried again on the same, or similar charges) (3) No deprivation of life liberty or property without "due process of law" (fair treatment) 6th Amendment The right to counsel in criminal trials. Gideon v. Wainwright held that states must provide indigent defendants with a free lawyer ("public defender"). Right to jury in criminal trials. 7th Amendment Right to jury in civil trials. 8th Amendment Government cannot inflict cruel and unusual punishment. Meaning of "cruel" based on "evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society." Categorical bans on death penalty: juveniles, retarded, non-murder crimes...
have discretion to decide how to spend the money. Example = Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) (States develop and implement welfare programs using federal money). Casework Assistance given to individual constituents by congressional members, like helping an elderly person figure out how to get Medicare benefits. Major incumbency advantage. Categorical Grant A grant ($) given to the states by the federal government for a specific purpose or program. The federal government tells the states exactly how to spend the money (no state discretion unlike block grants). Example = Medicaid. Most common type of federal grant because it gives Congress the most control over the states. Checks and Balances A major principle of the American system of government. Helps maintain separation of powers so that no one branch gets too powerful. Explained in Federalist 51. Examples: President vetos laws; Senate confirms appointments & treaties; Congress impeaches president & judges... Chief Justice John Marshall In office from 1801-1835 (longest serving CJ). Supported increased power of federal government. Decided McCulloch v. Maryland, Gibbons v. Ogden, and Marbury v. Madison. Civil Rights Act of 1964 Prohibits discrimination based on race or gender in employment or public accommodations (restaurants, hotels). Created EEOC to enforce. Based on Congress's interstate commerce clause power (discrimination impacts interstate commerce). The most important federal civil rights law. Commerce Clause Art. 1, Sec. 8 of the Constitution (enumerated power). Congress has the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among the several states ["Interstate Commerce Clause"], and with the Indians. Interpreted by the Supreme Court very broadly (Gibbons v. Ogden) until Lopez & Morrison. Confederation
Nonbinding union of sovereign states (example = European Union, America under Articles of Confederation). Congressional Demographics Rich highly educated white male protestant lawyers & businessmen! Women VERY underrepresented! (<17%) Connecticut Compromise Solves big state-little state debate over representation in federal legislature at Philly Convention. Created bicameral legislature with equal representation for states in Senate and proportional representation in House (seats based on population). Cooperative Federalism System of federalism where federal & state governments help each other perform governmental duties. Also known as marble-cake federalism. E.g., After hurricanes federal and state agencies work together to provide relief. Can cause confusion and/or conflict among among different levels of government. Best explanation of how federalism works today (instead of dual federalism) Condition of Aid A technique of fiscal federalism used by Congress to control states. Requires states to do something in order to get the money (ex. South Dakota v. Dole, raise drinking age 21 to get highway money). Department of Defense Cabinet-level agency in charge of the armed forces and military policy. HQ = The Pentagon. (Secretary Panetta) Department of State Cabinet-level agency in charge of foreign policy & international affairs. (Secretary Clinton) Descriptive Representation The idea that politicians can only represent people like them (ex. only women can represent women, blacks represent blacks, etc.) Devolution Revolution
A system of government in which power is divided between one central government and several regional governments (dual or cooperative). Used in USA and a few other countries. Most countries have unitary governments. Federalist Papers Written in 1788 by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay to support ratification of the Constitution. Fed 10 (factions) & Fed 51 (separation of powers, checks & balances) Federalists Supporters of the new constitution in 1787. Supported a strong central government. Hamilton, Washington, Marshall. Became first political party (vs. Jefferson's Democratic-Republicans) Fiscal Federalism Federal government using money (grants) to influence & control states. Formal Amendment Process Article V; the (very difficult) process of adding or deleting words to the constitution (27 times since 1788); propose by 2/3 vote of Congress or Constitutional Convention (never used); ratify by 3/4 vote of state legislators or state convention (only used once) Franking Privilege The right of congresspeople to send job-related mail to their constituents without paying postage. Incumbency advantage. Gender Gap Belief / observation that women are more likely to support Democratic / liberal candidates & issues than men. Women are more likely to support spending on welfare & education, and to oppose higher levels of military spending. General Election Election in which the winner becomes an elected government official. Gerrymandering The drawing of district boundaries by the state legislature to benefit a party, group, or incumbents. Major types are political & racial.
Gibbons v Ogden Commerce clause case (1824). Decision greatly enlarged Congress' interstate commerce clause power by broadly defining the meaning of "commerce" to include virtually all types of economic activity. Pair with Lopez & Morrison cases (limiting commerce power). Grandfather Clause Jim Crow era state laws that discouraged African Americans from voting by saying that if your grandpa couldn't vote, then neither can you. The newly- freed slaves grandpas couldn't vote, so neither could they. Declared unconstitutional in 1915. Informal Amendment Process Changing the meaning of the Constitution without changing the actual words (which requires a formal amendment through Article V process). Examples = Supreme Court opinions, laws, traditions. Initiative Some states allow citizens to come up with their own ideas for laws to put on an election ballot. If the proposition passes it becomes a law. Requires many voter signatures to get on the ballot. Most direct form of democracy (citizen law-making) Isolationism Old as Washington, a belief that America should not seek to become engaged in foreign affairs. Jacksonian Democracy The first major opening up of American suffrage (voting rights) by Jackson's new Democratic Party in 1830s. Franchise extended to all white men (not just rich white men). Achieved by state legislation not constitutional amendment. Jim Crow Era Era in the South after Civil War (1865) until 1950s. African Americans were freed from slavery and could legally vote (Amendments 13, 14, 15) but were still subjected to discriminatory state laws enforcing segregation and kept from voting by laws (ex. poll taxes, literacy tests) and by violence (KKK) John Locke
North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Cold War military alliance (USA + Western Europe vs. USSR). Necessary and Proper Clause Gives congress the power to do anything that is necessary and proper to carry out an enumerated power. Also known as the "elastic clause." Leads to implied powers doctrine (McCulloch v. Maryland) New Jersey Plan Plan at Philadelphia Convention for equal representation in new Congress ( state 1 vote). Also known as "small state plan." Opposite of the Virginia "big state" Plan. Becomes basis of representation in the Senate. North American Free Trade Agreement Free trade agreement among USA, Canada & Mexico. Goal = promote economic prosperity & cooperation. Easier perhaps to achieve at regional level than global level (World Trade Organization). Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act 1883 reform law that replaced the patronage/spoils system in the federal bureaucracy with a merit-based professional system. "Important" leadership positions in bureaucracy (Secretaries, Commissioners, Directors) & federal judges still appointed by president. Pocket Veto If a bill is proposed within 10 days of congress adjourning and the president does not sign it , it will die (un-overrideable veto). Political Ideology A more or less consistent set of beliefs about what policies government should pursue. Political Socialization The process by which individuals acquire (absorb) a sense of political identity (beliefs & behaviors). Key agents of socialization include family, media, peers. Process can be informal (family) or formal (APGOPO) Poll Tax
Tax on voting. Used to discourage African Americans from voting during the Jim Crow era. Also used to exclude poor whites. Declared unconstitutional by 24th Amendment. Earmarking Practice of congressmen of securing ("appropriating") federal money ("pork") for projects that will benefit their constituents. Major incumbent advantage & source of budget increases Primary Election One way for a state party to select delegates to send to the National Convention. Can be closed, open or blanket. Now used by most states instead of caucus (cheaper, quicker, more democratic). Push Poll A type of poll that attempts to influence opinions secretly using a poll (would you vote for McCain if you knew that he had a black, illegitimate child?) Random Digit Dialing A common method of randomizing poll sample to maximize accuracy. Realism Major foreign policy ideology. Act in the world only to protect and benefit yourself. (Contrast with idealism) Redistricting Process When a state legislature or independent commission draws new House district lines (if gain/loss of seats after reapportionment process based on census every ten years) Referendum A state level method of direct democracy that gives voters a chance to approve or disapprove proposed legislative action or a proposed amendment. Occurs when a state wants the voter's opinion on a controversial issue. Republic Representative democracy. Sovereignty rests with the people, as opposed to a king or monarch.
A state ruled by one central government. This is the system used by most countries. Compare with federal state. United Nations Replaced the League of Nations after WWII. Global organization to maintain peace and facilitate diplomacy. US Constitution "The supreme law of the land." Written in 1787 at Philadelphia Convention to replace Articles of Confederation and create stronger central government. Outlines structure & power of 3 branches of national government. Oldest written constitution still in use (but amended 27 times plus myriad informal amendments). US v. Morrison (2000) Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) unconstitutional because it exceeded Congress' commerce clause power. With Lopez v. United States, two recent cases checking commerce clause growth of federal power (unchecked since New Deal). Next up: Obamacare. See 255
