AP EURO SEMESTER EXAM STUDY GUIDE
capitalism - Answers- An economic system characterized by the private ownership of
wealth-creating assets, free markets, and freedom of contract.
consent of the people - Answers- The idea that governments and laws derive their
legitimacy from the consent of the governed.
conservatism - Answers- A set of beliefs that includes a limited role for the national
government in helping individuals, support for traditional values and lifestyles, and a
cautious response to change.
democracy - Answers- A system of government in which political authority is vested in
the people. Derived from the Greek words demos ("the people") and kratos ("authority").
democratic republic - Answers- A republic in which representatives elected by the
people make and enforce laws and policies.
direct democracy - Answers- A system of government in which political decisions are
made by the people directly, rather than by their elected representatives; probably
attained most easily in small political communities.
elite theory - Answers- A perspective holding that society is ruled by a small number of
people who exercise power to further their self-interest.
initiative - Answers- A procedure by which voters can propose a law or a constitutional
amendment.
institution - Answers- An ongoing organization that performs certain functions for
society.
legislature - Answers- A governmental body primarily responsible for the making of
laws.
legitimacy - Answers- Popular acceptance of the right and power of a government or
other entity to exercise authority.
liberalism - Answers- A set of beliefs that includes the advocacy of positive government
action to improve the welfare of individuals, support for civil rights, and tolerance for
political and social change.
libertarianism - Answers- A political ideology based on skepticism or opposition toward
almost all government activities.
liberty - Answers- The greatest freedom of individuals that is consistent with the
freedom of other individuals in the society.
,limited government - Answers- The principle that the powers of government should be
limited, usually by institutional checks.
majority - Answers- More than 50 percent.
majority rule - Answers- A basic principle of democracy asserting that the greatest
number of citizens in any political unit should select officials and determine policies.
order - Answers- A state of peace and security. Maintaining this by protecting members
of society from violence and criminal activity is the oldest purpose of government.
pluralism - Answers- A theory that views politics as a conflict among interest groups.
Political decision making is characterized by bargaining and compromise.
political culture - Answers- The collection of beliefs and attitudes toward government
and the political process held by a community or nation.
political socialization - Answers- The process through which individuals learn a set of
political attitudes and form opinions about social issues. The family and the educational
system are two of the most important forces in the political socialization process.
eminent domain - Answers- A power set forth in the Fifth Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution that allows government to take private property for public use under the
condition that just compensation is offered to the landowner.
equality - Answers- As a political value, the idea that all people are of equal worth.
government - Answers- The institution in which decisions are made that resolve
conflicts or allocate benefits and privileges. It is unique because it has the ultimate
authority within society.
ideology - Answers- A comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of people and
about the role of an institution or government.
politics - Answers- The struggle over power or influence within organizations or informal
groups that can grant or withhold benefits or privileges.
popular sovereignty - Answers- The concept that ultimate political authority is based on
the will of the people.
property - Answers- Anything that is or may be subject to ownership. As conceived by
the political philosopher John Locke, the right to property is a natural right superior to
human law (laws made by government).
, recall - Answers- A procedure allowing the people to vote to dismiss an elected official
from state office before his or her term has expired.
referendum - Answers- An electoral device whereby legislative or constitutional
measures are referred by the legislature to the voters for approval or disapproval.
representative democracy - Answers- A form of government in which representatives
elected by the people make and enforce laws and policies; may retain the monarchy in
a ceremonial role.
republic - Answers- A form of government in which sovereignty rests with the people, as
opposed to a king or monarch.
universal suffrage - Answers- The right of all adults to vote for their representatives.
anti-federalist - Answers- An individual who opposed the ratification of the new
Constitution in 1787. The Anti-Federalists were opposed to a strong central government.
checks and balances - Answers- A major principle of the American system of
government whereby each branch of the government can check the actions of the
others.
confederation - Answers- A political system in which states or regional governments
retain ultimate authority except for those powers they expressly delegate to a central
government. A voluntary association of independent states, in which the member states
agree to limited restraints on their freedom of action.
electoral college - Answers- A group of persons called electors selected by the voters in
each state and the District of Columbia (D.C.); this group officially elects the president
and vice president of the United States. The number of electors in each state is equal to
the number of each state's representatives in both chambers of Congress. The Twenty-
third Amendment to the Constitution grants D.C. as many electors as the state with the
smallest population.
executive agreement - Answers- An international agreement between chiefs of state
that does not require legislative approval.
federal system - Answers- A system of government in which power is divided between a
central government and regional, or subdivisional, governments. Each level must have
some domain in which its policies are dominant and some genuine political or
constitutional guarantee of its authority.
federalist - Answers- The name given to one who was in favor of the adoption of the
U.S. Constitution and the creation of a federal union with a strong central government.
capitalism - Answers- An economic system characterized by the private ownership of
wealth-creating assets, free markets, and freedom of contract.
consent of the people - Answers- The idea that governments and laws derive their
legitimacy from the consent of the governed.
conservatism - Answers- A set of beliefs that includes a limited role for the national
government in helping individuals, support for traditional values and lifestyles, and a
cautious response to change.
democracy - Answers- A system of government in which political authority is vested in
the people. Derived from the Greek words demos ("the people") and kratos ("authority").
democratic republic - Answers- A republic in which representatives elected by the
people make and enforce laws and policies.
direct democracy - Answers- A system of government in which political decisions are
made by the people directly, rather than by their elected representatives; probably
attained most easily in small political communities.
elite theory - Answers- A perspective holding that society is ruled by a small number of
people who exercise power to further their self-interest.
initiative - Answers- A procedure by which voters can propose a law or a constitutional
amendment.
institution - Answers- An ongoing organization that performs certain functions for
society.
legislature - Answers- A governmental body primarily responsible for the making of
laws.
legitimacy - Answers- Popular acceptance of the right and power of a government or
other entity to exercise authority.
liberalism - Answers- A set of beliefs that includes the advocacy of positive government
action to improve the welfare of individuals, support for civil rights, and tolerance for
political and social change.
libertarianism - Answers- A political ideology based on skepticism or opposition toward
almost all government activities.
liberty - Answers- The greatest freedom of individuals that is consistent with the
freedom of other individuals in the society.
,limited government - Answers- The principle that the powers of government should be
limited, usually by institutional checks.
majority - Answers- More than 50 percent.
majority rule - Answers- A basic principle of democracy asserting that the greatest
number of citizens in any political unit should select officials and determine policies.
order - Answers- A state of peace and security. Maintaining this by protecting members
of society from violence and criminal activity is the oldest purpose of government.
pluralism - Answers- A theory that views politics as a conflict among interest groups.
Political decision making is characterized by bargaining and compromise.
political culture - Answers- The collection of beliefs and attitudes toward government
and the political process held by a community or nation.
political socialization - Answers- The process through which individuals learn a set of
political attitudes and form opinions about social issues. The family and the educational
system are two of the most important forces in the political socialization process.
eminent domain - Answers- A power set forth in the Fifth Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution that allows government to take private property for public use under the
condition that just compensation is offered to the landowner.
equality - Answers- As a political value, the idea that all people are of equal worth.
government - Answers- The institution in which decisions are made that resolve
conflicts or allocate benefits and privileges. It is unique because it has the ultimate
authority within society.
ideology - Answers- A comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of people and
about the role of an institution or government.
politics - Answers- The struggle over power or influence within organizations or informal
groups that can grant or withhold benefits or privileges.
popular sovereignty - Answers- The concept that ultimate political authority is based on
the will of the people.
property - Answers- Anything that is or may be subject to ownership. As conceived by
the political philosopher John Locke, the right to property is a natural right superior to
human law (laws made by government).
, recall - Answers- A procedure allowing the people to vote to dismiss an elected official
from state office before his or her term has expired.
referendum - Answers- An electoral device whereby legislative or constitutional
measures are referred by the legislature to the voters for approval or disapproval.
representative democracy - Answers- A form of government in which representatives
elected by the people make and enforce laws and policies; may retain the monarchy in
a ceremonial role.
republic - Answers- A form of government in which sovereignty rests with the people, as
opposed to a king or monarch.
universal suffrage - Answers- The right of all adults to vote for their representatives.
anti-federalist - Answers- An individual who opposed the ratification of the new
Constitution in 1787. The Anti-Federalists were opposed to a strong central government.
checks and balances - Answers- A major principle of the American system of
government whereby each branch of the government can check the actions of the
others.
confederation - Answers- A political system in which states or regional governments
retain ultimate authority except for those powers they expressly delegate to a central
government. A voluntary association of independent states, in which the member states
agree to limited restraints on their freedom of action.
electoral college - Answers- A group of persons called electors selected by the voters in
each state and the District of Columbia (D.C.); this group officially elects the president
and vice president of the United States. The number of electors in each state is equal to
the number of each state's representatives in both chambers of Congress. The Twenty-
third Amendment to the Constitution grants D.C. as many electors as the state with the
smallest population.
executive agreement - Answers- An international agreement between chiefs of state
that does not require legislative approval.
federal system - Answers- A system of government in which power is divided between a
central government and regional, or subdivisional, governments. Each level must have
some domain in which its policies are dominant and some genuine political or
constitutional guarantee of its authority.
federalist - Answers- The name given to one who was in favor of the adoption of the
U.S. Constitution and the creation of a federal union with a strong central government.
