AP Government Chapter 2 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is the Constitution?

A document declaring independence

A governing document for Pennsylvania

A set of principles that makes up the fundamental law of the state (correct)

A plan for federal government

What are Natural Rights?

Rights of all human beings ordained by God and essential to human progress.

What does the Declaration of Independence signify?

A document declaring the colonists' intention to throw off British rule.

What were the Articles of Confederation?

The government charter of the states from 1776 until the Constitution of 1787. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Constitutional Convention of 1787?

A convention aimed at drafting a new Constitution Signup and view all the answers

What does the Pennsylvania Constitution represent?

A governing document considered highly democratic yet with a tendency toward tyranny. Signup and view all the answers

What was Shay's Rebellion?

An armed attempt by Revolutionary War veterans to prevent courts from meeting. Signup and view all the answers

Who was John Locke?

A British philosopher whose ideas influenced the Founders. Signup and view all the answers

What are the Federalist Papers?

A series of political tracts explaining the Founders' ideas. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Virginia Plan propose?

A strong national government Signup and view all the answers

What was the New Jersey Plan?

A constitutional proposal that gave each state one vote in Congress. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Great Compromise?

A proposal that created a bicameral legislature with proportional and equal representation. Signup and view all the answers

Define the separation of powers.

A constitutional principle separating the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Signup and view all the answers

What is federalism?

A constitutional principle reserving separate powers to national and state levels of government. Signup and view all the answers

Who is James Madison?

A principal architect of the Constitution. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Charles A. Beard?

A historian who argued that the Founders were motivated by their economic interests. Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of the Constitutional Convention in 1878?

To revise the Articles of Confederation. Signup and view all the answers

Explain checks and balances.

The power of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to block acts by each other. Signup and view all the answers

What is a republic?

A form of democracy in which leaders are selected through competitive elections. Signup and view all the answers

Define coalition.

An alliance between different interest groups or parties to achieve a political goal. Signup and view all the answers

What are unalienable rights?

Rights thought to be based on nature rather than people's preferences. Signup and view all the answers

What is an amendment?

A change in or addition to a constitution. Signup and view all the answers

What is a faction?

A group sharing a common interest trying to influence public policy. Signup and view all the answers

What is judicial review?

The power of the courts to declare acts unconstitutional. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Bill of Rights?

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Signup and view all the answers

What are the Federalist Papers 2?

A series of essays published to convince New Yorkers to adopt the Constitution. Signup and view all the answers

Who are the Federalists?

Supporters of a stronger central government who advocated for Constitution ratification. Signup and view all the answers

What is a line-item veto?

The power of an executive to veto certain provisions in a bill. Signup and view all the answers

Who are the Antifederalists?

Those who opposed a strong national government. Signup and view all the answers

What is a bill of attainder?

A law declaring a person guilty without trial. Signup and view all the answers

What is an ex post facto law?

A law that makes an act criminal after it has been committed. Signup and view all the answers

What is Madison's view of government?

A philosophy of accommodating individual self-interest for practical governance. Signup and view all the answers

What is a confederation?

An agreement among sovereign states delegating certain powers to a national government. Signup and view all the answers

What is a writ of habeas corpus?

A court order requiring the production of an individual held in custody. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Terms in AP Government

Constitution: Fundamental law of a state, consisting of written or unwritten principles that establish governance.
Natural Rights: Inherent rights believed to be granted by God, essential for human progress and discoverable in nature and history.
Declaration of Independence: Document from 1776 asserting the colonies' decision to separate from British rule.
Articles of Confederation: The original charter for the United States government, in effect from 1776 to 1787 before the Constitution was adopted.
Constitutional Convention 1787: Assembly of delegates in Philadelphia tasked with revising the Articles of Confederation.
Pennsylvania Constitution: A highly democratic constitution noted for consolidating power and leading to potential tyranny.
Massachusetts Constitution: Established clear separation of powers but created a government deemed too weak for effective governance.
Shay's Rebellion: Armed uprising by Revolutionary War veterans in 1786 aimed at stopping property loss through court actions in Massachusetts.
John Locke: Influential British philosopher advocating for civil government ideas that shaped Founding Father beliefs.
Federalist Papers: Series of essays explaining Founders' ideas and advocating for the ratification of the Constitution, primarily published in New York newspapers.
Virginia Plan: Proposed a government structure that favored larger states by allocating legislative representation based on population.
New Jersey Plan: Suggested equal representation in Congress, offering each state one vote, irrespective of size.
Great Compromise: Agreement for a bicameral legislature, blending population-based representation in one house with equal representation in the other.
Separation of Powers: Constitutional principle dividing government roles among legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
Federalism: Division of power between national and state governments, ensuring both levels have authority over certain areas.
James Madison: Key architect of the Constitution who cautioned against a government that is overly powerful despite its need to promote civic virtue.
Charles A. Beard: Historian claiming the Founders' economic interests heavily influenced the Constitution's creation.
Constitutional Convention 1787 Revision: A later assembly that sought to tweak the Articles of Confederation that had initially united the states.
Checks and Balances: Mechanism ensuring that no branch of government can dominate the others, each can block the actions of the others.
Republic: A system of government based on popular elections to choose representatives and leaders.
Coalition: Temporary alliances formed by different groups or parties to achieve specific political objectives.
Unalienable Rights: Rights considered inherent to all individuals, not granted by governments but rooted in nature and providence.
Amendment: Process by which changes or additions can be made to the Constitution.
Faction: A group with a common interest seeking to influence policy for mutual benefit.
Judicial Review: The power of courts to invalidate legislative and executive actions as unconstitutional.
Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing individual freedoms.
Federalists: Supporters of a strong central government who promoted the Constitution's ratification and constituted a political party.
Line-item Veto: Executive authority allowing the rejection of specific parts of appropriations bills while accepting others.
Antifederalists: Critics of the Constitution who favored stronger state governments over a powerful national government.
Bill of Attainder: An unconstitutional law that would declare an individual guilty without a trial.
Ex Post Facto Law: Legislation making an act illegal after it has already been committed.
Madison’s View: Belief that accommodating self-interest is a practical approach to governance, as opposed to fostering civic virtue.
Confederation: A union of sovereign states that delegate limited powers to a central authority.
Writ of Habeas Corpus: Legal order requiring officials to bring a detained individual before a court, justifying their detention.

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Test your understanding of key concepts in AP Government with these flashcards for Chapter 2. This chapter covers essential terms like the Constitution, Natural Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. Enhance your grasp of foundational principles that shape governance and human rights.