AP GOV Vocab List Part 1

Political Science30 CardsCreated 4 months ago

This deck covers key vocabulary terms and concepts from AP Government, focusing on political processes, theories, and structures.

Executive Agreement

An agreement with a foreign nation that does NOT require congressional approval
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Key Terms

Term
Definition
Executive Agreement
An agreement with a foreign nation that does NOT require congressional approval
Delegate Model
The idea that members of Congress should make the policies favored by their constituents
Party Coalition
Groups of voters (EX: labor unions, ethnic minorities) who support one political party over time
Limited Government
A government with constrained powers, usually by a constitution
Franchise/ suffrage
The right to vote
Elite Democracy
A theory that the wealthy have more influence

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TermDefinition
Executive Agreement
An agreement with a foreign nation that does NOT require congressional approval
Delegate Model
The idea that members of Congress should make the policies favored by their constituents
Party Coalition
Groups of voters (EX: labor unions, ethnic minorities) who support one political party over time
Limited Government
A government with constrained powers, usually by a constitution
Franchise/ suffrage
The right to vote
Elite Democracy
A theory that the wealthy have more influence
Retrospective Voting
Voting for a candidate based on what he or she has done in the recent past
Equality of Opportunity
The idea that the government should provide citizens with the same chance to succeed
Oversight
When a congressional committee holds a hearing to determine how well an agency is performing
Equal Protection Clause
Constitutional basis for civil rights and equality under the law
Categorical grants
Money given by the national government to the states to be used for specific, narrowly defined purposes
Civil Rights
Rights provided by the government to protect groups from discrimination
Pluralist Democracy
A theory emphasizing group-based activism
Discharge Petition
A procedure for getting a bill out of committee and onto the floor for a vote
Incumbency Advantage
Those who already hold office are more likely to win than their challengers
Monetary Policy
The governments' use of the money supply to influence economic growth
Rational-choice Voting
Voting for a candidate because they will act in the voters' best interest
Party-line Voting
Voting for candidates from one political party
Gerrymandering
Drawing congressional district boundaries to benefit a group, usually a political party
Stare Decisis
When a court follows precedent by allowing a previous court decision to stand
Individualism
The belief that people should be self-reliant, free from state control, and responsible for their own success or failure
Mid-term Elections
An election for members of Congress two years after a presidential election
Divided Government
When the president is from one party and one or both houses of Congress are controlled by a different party
Block Grants
Money given by the national government to the states to carry out a specific policy, with few restrictions about how it should be spent
Symbolic Speech
Non-verbal expression protected by the First Amendment, such as wearing an armband
Closed Primary
A vote to determine a party's candidate for office where only members registered to a political party are allowed to vote
Pocket Veto
When the president doesn't sign a bill for 10 days, after Congress has adjourned
Filibuster
An informal procedure used in the Senate to talk a bill to death
Independent Expenditure
Money spent on ads not sponsored by a candidate or party
Popular Sovereignty
The idea that the right to rule comes from the people