AP US GOVERNMENT & POLITICS UNIT 1 REVIEW SHEET
Politics is “who gets what, when, and how.”
Pluralist Theory = groups with shared interests influence public
policy by pressing their concerns through organized efforts
Elite (Marxist) Theory = society is divided along class lines; an
upper-class of elites pulls the strings of government
Bureaucratic Theory = the appointed officials who operate
government on a day-to-day basis make the real decisions
Hyperpluralist Theory = contending groups are so strong that
government is weakened (the influence of too many groups
cripples government’s ability to make policy)
Thomas Hobbes – state of nature; human nature is corrupt
John Locke – Natural rights = life, liberty, and property;
consent of governed; limited government
Baron de Montesquieu – separation of powers
 Shay’s Rebellion (farmers take over Mass. statehouse
 The Articles of Confederation weak central gov (unicameral
leg, no exec, no court, no federal tax or regulation of
commerce, amendments required all 13 states)
Democratic Values – Freedom of Expression, Individualism,
Equality of Opportunity (political equality, NOT economic),
Majority rule (minority rights), Respect for Law
Constitutional Principles – popular sovereignty, limited
government, separation of powers, checks & balances, judicial
review, federalism
Governmental Systems – unitary, confederation, federal; direct
vs. representative democracy; presidential vs. parliamentary
The Federalist Papers - Madison, Jay, Hamilton (Publius)
Concern with factions = special interests; Purpose of govt = to
protect property rights; Republic = best form of government;
Large republics = less chance of factions gaining power;
Human nature = self-interested; Sep. powers = checks human
nature; “Double Security” = sep. powers & federalism; Selfinterest guarantees liberty under double security system b/c
each branch & level looks out for itself.
Anti-Feds fought against ratification but for Bill of Rights
Constitutional Compromises:
Representation – Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, Great
Compromise (Connecticut Plan)
Slavery – 3/5 counted for representation in House; slave trade
cannot be outlawed until 1808; escaped slaves returned
Presidency – Electoral College, 4-year term
Constitution (study amendments, esp. Bill of Rights & 14th)
Article I – Legislative; House=25 & 7 yrs citizen; Senate=30 &
9 yrs citizen; elastic (necessary & proper) clause; powers (tax,
coin, army, declare war), powers denied (suspending habeas
corpus, bills of attainder, ex post facto laws)
Article II – Executive Branch – president natural-born citizen,
35 years old, 14 years resident, commander-in-chief
Article III – Judicial Branch – establishes Supreme Court
(Congress creates lower courts)
Article IV – States – full faith & credit clause, privileges
& immunities clause, admitting new states
Article V – Amending the Constitution Formally –
Proposal = National Level (2/3 Congress or Nat’l Convention);
Ratification = State Level (3/4 State Leg or State Convention)
Article VI – Supremacy Clause
Article VII – 9 states approval to ratify
Informal Amendments: Laws, Executive Actions, Court
Decisions, Party Practices, Custom & Tradition
Marbury v. Madison and Judicial Review - Federalists (strong
national gov) vs. Democratic-Republicans (states rights);
Judiciary “packing” before office ended; 17 judges without
commissions; Madison refused to deliver, Marbury sued;
Judiciary Act of 1789 ruled unconstitutional because it gave SC
original jurisdiction it shouldn’t have had; decision brilliant b/c
Dem-Repubs got their judges but Federalists got stronger
national government through judicial review.
 Federal Powers – expressed, implied, inherent powers
 State Powers – reserved (10th Amendment)
 Some exclusive, some concurrent (shared), some denied
Dual Federalism (layer cake model) - both the states and the
national government remain supreme within their own spheres
Cooperative Federalism (marble cake) - powers and policy
assignments shared between states and the national
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
1. Can Congress set up a national bank? YES
2. Do States have the right to tax a federal bank? NO
McCulloch refuses to pay Maryland tax on Bank of the US;
State argues that US didn’t have a right to create bank; SC
rules implied power through elastic clause (via power to tax,
issue currency, borrow funds); states can NOT tax (supremacy
clause); “power to tax involves the power to destroy.”
Fiscal Federalism - The pattern of spending, taxing, and
providing grants in the federal system; the cornerstone of
federal-state-local relations - more than $350B per year
Categorical Grants: Main source of federal aid to
states/localities; Used for specific purposes (like anti-smoking
education); Usually require matching funds; Strings attached
(conditions-of-aid). Two types: project & formula grants.
Block Grants: Groups of categorical put together, Broad
programs (like health in general); Don’t necessarily require
matching funds; States have discretion in spending. On this
rise since 1995 (Republicans & states prefer Block)
Revenue Sharing (GRS): Robin Hood idea – poor states get
more; No matching funds; Distribution based on statistical
formula taking in population, local tax, wealth; 1972-1986
Mandates - Requirements that direct state/local governments
to comply with federal rules under threat of penalty – penalty
applies whether or not federal funding is received. Can be
laws, court decisions, executive actions, or agency rules.
Example = Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990)
Unfunded vs. Funded Mandates: Funded = Recent priority.
1995 law = separate vote, CBO estimates required
Full Faith & Credit Clause - to the public acts, records, and civil
judicial proceedings of every other state
Extradition - States must return a person charged with a crime
in another state to that state for trial or imprisonment
Privileges & Immunities - goal is to prohibit states from
discriminating against citizens of other states
Strengths of Federalism: Provides strength of union; allows
flexibility to community differences; facilitates political access &
participation
Criticisms of Federalism: allows inequality, lets states block
national plans; too much government, allows local corruption