AP GOVERNMENT FINAL EXAM
(EVERYTHING)
traditional democratic theory - Answer policy is made up using direct or representative
democracy and the people consent to being governed
pluralist theory - Answer interest groups compete and policy is made through
compromise
elite and class theory - Answer a small number of powerful elites influence policy and
call the shots
hyperpluralism - Answer there's interest groups on every side of policy causing gridlock
direct democracy - Answer people come together to vote directly on everything
representative democracy - Answer vote for representatives to make public policy on
our behalf
limited government - Answer the government only has the powers given to it and
nothing else
Popular Sovereignty - Answer people are the source of government power
separation of powers - Answer each branch has its own powers
Congress _____ laws
President ______ laws
Court ____________laws - Answer writes
enforces
interprets
federalism - Answer government power is divided between the state and the national
government
Judicial Review - Answer judicial branch decides what is and isn't constitutional
Unitary - Answer There's on central government. The policy making is efficient and
consistent; however, local interests aren't included and the federal government has
TONS of power.
,Confederal - Answer The state governments have all of the power like the Articles of
Confederation. Local interests are thought about and state rights/power is protected.
However, policy isn't consistent, the state governments fight, and it's hard to make
policy involving multiple states.
Federal - Answer Some government power is given to the federal government and
some is given to the states. The national government is limited and people are more
involved in government. However, the state and the national government fight which
can impeded policy. Also, sometimes they both don't take responsibility like with
Hurricane Katrina.
Dual Federalism - Answer basically saying the federal government can do this and only
this and the states can do that and only that
Cooperative Federalism - Answer there's an intermingling of the powers and who does
what which can cause conflict like Arizona vs United States
Devolution - Answer power shifted back to the states
When did devolution occur? - Answer 1980s when states could get block grants and the
United States vs Lopez decision
US vs Lopez - Answer Congress passed the Gun Free Zone act saying you can't bring
guns to school so... obviously... a kid brings a gun to school. So, he gets in trouble but
the court actually rules that this legislation isn't constitutional because the states have to
power to oversee education, not the federal government. It limited the commerce clause
and said that congress can't use it to justify everything because not everything has to do
with commerce.
What are 6 advantages of federalism? - Answer 1. encourages diversity of policy
2. avoids concentration of power
3. accommodates the needs of states and local interests
4. serves as a training ground for national leaders
5. keeps government closer to the people
6. laboratories of democracy to try public policy out
What are 3 disadvantages of federalism? - Answer 1. complex (too many governments)
2. duplicated offices/functions
3. conflicts in authority
What are 7 weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? - Answer 1. congress can't tax
or regulate interstate/foreign trade
2. no judges to handle state disputes
3. no enforcement power (executive branch)
4. state and national government could coin money
5. each state had one vote regardless of population
,6. 9/13 states have to agree to pass legislation
7. amend the articles with unanimous consent
New Jersey Plan - Answer The small states wanted a unicameral legislature where
each state gets one vote and is equally represented
Virginia Plan - Answer The large states wanted a bicameral legislature where the states
were represented based on populaiton.
The Great Compromise - Answer There's an upper house (senate) that let's each state
have equal representation and there's a lower house (house of representatives) where
each state gets represented based on population.
What were the main disagreements between the federalists and the antifederalists? -
Answer The federalists liked the constitution and the antifederalists did not. The
federalists wanted a stronger national government while the antifederalists wanted
stronger state governments. Federalists felt like checks and balances would protect us
from tyranny but the antifederalists felt like congress's power to tax with the necessary
and proper clause could lead to tyranny. Antifederalists also worried that the SCOTUS
would replace state judiciaries. Federalists felt like we didn't need a bill of rights but
Antifederalists felt like we did need a bill of rights.
Why did James Madison believe we needed a government with checks and balances? -
Answer people are inherently bad and will try to take power
Who does judicial review hold accountable? - Answer the federal government
Why is Marbury vs Madison important? - Answer it established judicial review
Why is McCulloch vs Maryland important? - Answer It established implied powers of
congress such as the supremacy clause
necessary and proper clause - Answer congress has extra powers to do what they have
to do
Supremacy Clause - Answer constitution, acts passed by congress, and US treaties are
the supreme law of the land
Commerce Clause - Answer congress can regulate anything that has to do with
congress
McCullough vs Maryland - Answer Maryland basically tried to tax the national bank that
the government put their because they wanted to destroy it. The court ruled that state
governments can't tax the federal government because of the supremacy clause.
, Gibbons vs Ogden - Answer Gibbons got a license from the federal government to
operate steamboats in New York waters while Ogden only had a state license. It was
ruled that the national government has the right to regulate interstate commerce so the
state license isn't valid.
What are 8 things states can't do? - Answer 1. make treaties
2. coin money
3. grant letters of marque and reprisal
4. pass bill of attainer, ex post facto law, law impairing the obligation of contracts
5. can't grant titles of nobility
6. can't tax imports
7. can't declare war
8. no standing army
Letters of Marque and Reprisal - Answer letters that allow people to go to foreign
countries to destroy and kill
Where are interstate relations found in the constitution? - Answer article IV
full faith and credit clause - Answer states have to recognize laws and legal documents
form other states (driver's licenses, divorce, marriages)
privileges and immunities - Answer states can't discriminate against people from other
states (college tuition)
extradition - Answer must return individuals accused of a crime back to that state
interstate compacts - Answer agreements between states to work on common issues
What are the 4 thing national governments guarantee to the states? - Answer 1.
republican form of government
2. protections against foreign invasions
3. protections against violence (riots)
4. respect for geographic integrity of the states
Enumerated powers and examples - Answer They are powers that are expressly written
in the constitution
EX) Article 8 of the constitution says that congress can declare war, regulate trade, and
regulate interstate commerce
Concurrent Powers - Answer powers shared by both the state and the federal
government
EX) levy taxes, borrow money, establish courts, enforce the law
Reserved Powers - Answer powers given to the states
(EVERYTHING)
traditional democratic theory - Answer policy is made up using direct or representative
democracy and the people consent to being governed
pluralist theory - Answer interest groups compete and policy is made through
compromise
elite and class theory - Answer a small number of powerful elites influence policy and
call the shots
hyperpluralism - Answer there's interest groups on every side of policy causing gridlock
direct democracy - Answer people come together to vote directly on everything
representative democracy - Answer vote for representatives to make public policy on
our behalf
limited government - Answer the government only has the powers given to it and
nothing else
Popular Sovereignty - Answer people are the source of government power
separation of powers - Answer each branch has its own powers
Congress _____ laws
President ______ laws
Court ____________laws - Answer writes
enforces
interprets
federalism - Answer government power is divided between the state and the national
government
Judicial Review - Answer judicial branch decides what is and isn't constitutional
Unitary - Answer There's on central government. The policy making is efficient and
consistent; however, local interests aren't included and the federal government has
TONS of power.
,Confederal - Answer The state governments have all of the power like the Articles of
Confederation. Local interests are thought about and state rights/power is protected.
However, policy isn't consistent, the state governments fight, and it's hard to make
policy involving multiple states.
Federal - Answer Some government power is given to the federal government and
some is given to the states. The national government is limited and people are more
involved in government. However, the state and the national government fight which
can impeded policy. Also, sometimes they both don't take responsibility like with
Hurricane Katrina.
Dual Federalism - Answer basically saying the federal government can do this and only
this and the states can do that and only that
Cooperative Federalism - Answer there's an intermingling of the powers and who does
what which can cause conflict like Arizona vs United States
Devolution - Answer power shifted back to the states
When did devolution occur? - Answer 1980s when states could get block grants and the
United States vs Lopez decision
US vs Lopez - Answer Congress passed the Gun Free Zone act saying you can't bring
guns to school so... obviously... a kid brings a gun to school. So, he gets in trouble but
the court actually rules that this legislation isn't constitutional because the states have to
power to oversee education, not the federal government. It limited the commerce clause
and said that congress can't use it to justify everything because not everything has to do
with commerce.
What are 6 advantages of federalism? - Answer 1. encourages diversity of policy
2. avoids concentration of power
3. accommodates the needs of states and local interests
4. serves as a training ground for national leaders
5. keeps government closer to the people
6. laboratories of democracy to try public policy out
What are 3 disadvantages of federalism? - Answer 1. complex (too many governments)
2. duplicated offices/functions
3. conflicts in authority
What are 7 weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation? - Answer 1. congress can't tax
or regulate interstate/foreign trade
2. no judges to handle state disputes
3. no enforcement power (executive branch)
4. state and national government could coin money
5. each state had one vote regardless of population
,6. 9/13 states have to agree to pass legislation
7. amend the articles with unanimous consent
New Jersey Plan - Answer The small states wanted a unicameral legislature where
each state gets one vote and is equally represented
Virginia Plan - Answer The large states wanted a bicameral legislature where the states
were represented based on populaiton.
The Great Compromise - Answer There's an upper house (senate) that let's each state
have equal representation and there's a lower house (house of representatives) where
each state gets represented based on population.
What were the main disagreements between the federalists and the antifederalists? -
Answer The federalists liked the constitution and the antifederalists did not. The
federalists wanted a stronger national government while the antifederalists wanted
stronger state governments. Federalists felt like checks and balances would protect us
from tyranny but the antifederalists felt like congress's power to tax with the necessary
and proper clause could lead to tyranny. Antifederalists also worried that the SCOTUS
would replace state judiciaries. Federalists felt like we didn't need a bill of rights but
Antifederalists felt like we did need a bill of rights.
Why did James Madison believe we needed a government with checks and balances? -
Answer people are inherently bad and will try to take power
Who does judicial review hold accountable? - Answer the federal government
Why is Marbury vs Madison important? - Answer it established judicial review
Why is McCulloch vs Maryland important? - Answer It established implied powers of
congress such as the supremacy clause
necessary and proper clause - Answer congress has extra powers to do what they have
to do
Supremacy Clause - Answer constitution, acts passed by congress, and US treaties are
the supreme law of the land
Commerce Clause - Answer congress can regulate anything that has to do with
congress
McCullough vs Maryland - Answer Maryland basically tried to tax the national bank that
the government put their because they wanted to destroy it. The court ruled that state
governments can't tax the federal government because of the supremacy clause.
, Gibbons vs Ogden - Answer Gibbons got a license from the federal government to
operate steamboats in New York waters while Ogden only had a state license. It was
ruled that the national government has the right to regulate interstate commerce so the
state license isn't valid.
What are 8 things states can't do? - Answer 1. make treaties
2. coin money
3. grant letters of marque and reprisal
4. pass bill of attainer, ex post facto law, law impairing the obligation of contracts
5. can't grant titles of nobility
6. can't tax imports
7. can't declare war
8. no standing army
Letters of Marque and Reprisal - Answer letters that allow people to go to foreign
countries to destroy and kill
Where are interstate relations found in the constitution? - Answer article IV
full faith and credit clause - Answer states have to recognize laws and legal documents
form other states (driver's licenses, divorce, marriages)
privileges and immunities - Answer states can't discriminate against people from other
states (college tuition)
extradition - Answer must return individuals accused of a crime back to that state
interstate compacts - Answer agreements between states to work on common issues
What are the 4 thing national governments guarantee to the states? - Answer 1.
republican form of government
2. protections against foreign invasions
3. protections against violence (riots)
4. respect for geographic integrity of the states
Enumerated powers and examples - Answer They are powers that are expressly written
in the constitution
EX) Article 8 of the constitution says that congress can declare war, regulate trade, and
regulate interstate commerce
Concurrent Powers - Answer powers shared by both the state and the federal
government
EX) levy taxes, borrow money, establish courts, enforce the law
Reserved Powers - Answer powers given to the states
