AP Government Unit 1 Review

• Enlightenment


  An 18th century European intellectual movement that influenced the framers of the US Constitution
• Enlightenment ideas


  • Natural rights - people are born with certain rights given by their creator
  • State of nature - a theoretical state before government where humans are free
  • Popular sovereignty - power to govern is in the hands of the people
  • Social contract - people willingly give some power to government to protect their rights
  • Republicanism - people elect leaders to represent them and create laws in the public interest, with power separated into three branches
• Enlightenment ideas


  Influenced the framers of the US Constitution
• The Declaration of Independence provides the foundation for popular sovereignty, the social contract, and natural rights
• The US Constitution provides a blueprint for republicanism and the separation of powers
• Three main kinds of democracy


  • Participatory democracy - emphasizes broad participation
  • Pluralist democracy - groups compete to influence policy
  • Elite democracy - limited participation, most educated people run government
• The US exhibits elements of all three models of democracy depending on the context
• Federalist 10


  Argued that a large republic with many competing factions would prevent any one faction from tyrannizing the others
• Brutus 1


  Argued that a large centralized government could not adequately represent the views of the people
• The Articles of Confederation gave more power to the states than the federal government
• Problems with the Articles of Confederation included the federal government's inability to raise revenue, raise an army, or enforce its laws
• Shays' Rebellion highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the need for a stronger federal government
• The Constitutional Convention was called to modify the Articles of Confederation, but ended up drafting an entirely new Constitution
• Key compromises in drafting the Constitution


  • Great Compromise - bicameral Congress with House representing population and Senate representing states equally
  • Electoral College - states get electors based on Congressional representation to elect the President
  • Three-Fifths Compromise - 3/5 of enslaved population counted for representation
  • Compromise on importation of slaves
• The Constitution was the subject of intense debate, particularly around how enslaved people would be counted for representation in Congress
• The Three-Fifths Compromise meant that three-fifths of the enslaved population would count towards representation
• The Constitution included a process to amend the document, requiring proposal by Congress or a special convention and ratification by three-quarters of state legislatures or conventions
• The Constitution was ratified in June 1788 and became the governing document of the United States
• The Constitution


  • It separated power and provided checks and balances to prevent any branch from becoming too powerful
• Amending the Constitution


  1. Proposal

  2. Ratification
• Federalism


  The sharing of power between national governments and state governments
• Types of powers in federalism


  • Exclusive powers of federal government
  • Reserved powers of states
  • Concurrent powers shared by federal and state governments
• Fiscal federalism


  The sharing of power through money, where the federal government establishes national standards and directs funds to compliant states
• Fiscal federalism mechanisms


  • Grants (categorical and block)
  • Mandates
• After 9/11, the federal government increased surveillance powers

  This led to an outcry over violation of 4th Amendment rights
• Constitutional provisions affecting federalism

  • 10th Amendment
  • 14th Amendment
  • Commerce Clause
  • Necessary and Proper Clause
• Supreme Court cases on federalism

  • McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) - Favored federal power
  • United States v. Lopez (1995) - Favored state power
• Federalism in environmental regulations


  • Paris Agreement carbon emission standards
  • California maintaining emissions standards despite federal withdrawal
• Federalism in marijuana legalization


  • Federal illegality, state legalization
  • Federal non-enforcement in legal states
• Necessary and Proper Clause


  Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, which gives Congress the power to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof
• McCulloch v. Maryland


  • It demonstrated the balance of power between the federal government and the states, tipping the balance in favor of the federal government
• McCulloch v. Maryland has been a precedent to which later courts would return when deciding on the balance of power between states and the federal government