AP Government Summer Assignment 2015
Use the following vocabulary list and make a flash card for every word (one word per
card). These flash cards will be part of a vocabulary test you will take at the beginning of
the school year. You must have the cards on the first day of class and 30% of your test
grade will be for having the cards. You will be allowed to use the flash cards for the test.
Good Luck.
1. affirmative action Programs intended to give a boost or preference to minority
applicants in contracting, employment, housing, and college/professional school
admissions over white applicants.
2. agenda setting Identification of the problems and/or issues that require the attention
of the government to resolve.
3. amicus curiae brief Amicus curiae literally means “friend of the court”; it is a brief
submitted to the court by an interested third party that outlines issues it thinks are
important in the case.
4. appellate jurisdiction The power that a court has to review the decision of a lower
court; the Supreme Court exercises appellate jurisdiction in the overwhelming majority of
the cases it hears.
5. bill A proposed law.
6. bill of attainder A law that makes a person guilty of a crime without a trial; neither
Congress nor the states can enact such a law under the Constitution.
7. blanket primary A primary election in which candidates from all parties are on the
ballot, and a registered voter can vote for the Democratic candidate for one office and the
Republican for another.
8. block grants Federal funds to the states for programs in broad policy areas such as
law
enforcement with few, if any, restrictions on how the money is used.
9. brief A written document submitted to a court that presents the facts and legal
reasoning of a party to the lawsuit.
10. capital-gains tax A tax on the sale of stock or real property.
11. casework Services performed by an elected official for constituents. A member of
Congress gets tickets to tour the White House for a family or contacts the Department of
Veterans Affairs for a person in his/her district.
12. categorical grant Federal funds to states and local governments for specific
programs that usually require the recipient to match the money provided and have other
strings attached.
13. caucus Made up of members of Congress that may or may not be from the same
party but share common policy concerns; the Congressional Black Caucus is an example.
The term also refers to a meeting of all the members of a party in Congress.
14. clear and present danger test Limitations on freedom of speech established in
Schenck v. U.S. (1919). The famous example is that a person cannot yell fire in a crowded
theater.
15. closed convention A party national convention at which the nominee has already
been determined through the primaries; one candidate won a majority of the delegates
before the convention.
16. closed primary A primary election that is limited to registered voters of a particular
political party.
17. closed rule Issued by the House Rules Committee; strict time limit for debate in the
House and no amendments can be offered.
18. cloture Method to cut off a filibuster in the Senate. The Senate needs 16 votes to call
for cloture and 60 votes to end a filibuster.
19. coattail effect The ability of a strong or popular candidate to get other candidates on
the ticket elected; most often used in connection with a presidential candidate helping
other members of the party win an election.
20. committee report Issued by the standing committee that examined the bill, it
includes the text of the bill as reported by the committee, a summary of its provisions,
and reasons for committee approval.
21. concurrent powers Powers that are shared by both the federal government and the
states; taxation and the creation of courts are examples.
22. concurring opinion An opinion written by one or more judges in an appellate case
that agrees with the decision but presents a different legal argument.
23. conference committee A committee made up of members of the House and the
Senate that is responsible for reconciling the differences when two versions of the same
bill pass both houses of Congress.
24. congressional-executive agreement Trade agreement that only requires approval of
a majority of both houses of Congress and not a two thirds vote of the Senate.
25. constitutional courts Courts created by Congress under Article III where the judges
serve for life; the U.S. Courts of Appeals are an example.
26. creative federalism Identified with President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society; the
federal government determines the needs of the states.
27. cross-ownership In the mass media, a corporation owns a broadcast outlet, for
example, a television or radio station, and a newspaper in the same market.
28. de facto segregation Segregation that results from living patterns rather than law.
29. de jure segregation Segregation that results from law, for example, the Jim Crow
laws in the South required racial segregation in public schools, public accommodations,
public transportation, and many other areas.
30. deregulation Reducing or completely eliminating federal government oversight of
an industry so as to allow it to operate more freely; deregulation is supposed to encourage
competition and reduce costs to consumers.
31. discount rate The interest rate that the Federal Reserve charges to member banks for
loans. The discount rate is set by the Federal Reserve Board.
32. discretionary spending Federal spending that is authorized through the
appropriations process, for example, the amount included in the defense budget for
personnel.
33. divided government Occurs when the president is from one party and Congress is
controlled by the other party. This also occurs if the House is controlled by one party and
the Senate by the other party.
34. dual federalism A model of the relationship between the federal government and the
states where each is supreme in their own sphere and tension exists between them; also
known as layer-cake federalism. States’ rights are emphasized, and the federal
government is limited to the enumerated powers.
35. due process Protection against the arbitrary loss of life, liberty, and property
provided for under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.
36. entitlements Government benefits provided to Americans who qualify because of
their age, income, and/or status, for example, children living below the poverty line, the
disabled, and veterans.
37. enumerated powers Powers that the Constitution specifically grants to the federal
government (Congress); also known as delegated powers.
38. establishment clause First Amendment freedom of religion protection that focuses
on the separation of church and state.
39. ex post facto law A law that makes an action a crime that was legal when it was
committed or increases the penalty for a crime after it has been committed. Under the
Constitution, neither the states nor Congress can pass such a law.
40. exclusionary rule Evidence that is obtained illegally is not admissible in court.
41. executive agreement An agreement between the United States and another country
that does not require approval of the Senate; different from treaty.
42. executive order Action by the president that does not require the approval of
Congress.
43. exit poll A poll conducted on election day to determine how people voted.
44. fast track authority The president is granted the power to negotiate trade
agreements that Congress must vote up or down without any amendments.
45. federal budget deficit Difference in any year between government spending and
government revenue; the national debt is the cumulative unpaid total of the annual deficit.
46. filibuster Talking a bill to death on the Senate floor so that no other business can be
conducted; only a cloture vote can end a filibuster.
47. fiscal policy Using taxes and spending to impact the economy; associated with
Keynesian economics.
48. flat tax A single low tax rate on all taxpayers coupled with the elimination of all or
most exemptions.
49. franking privilege The right of members of Congress to free use of the mail for
official business.
50. free exercise clause First Amendment freedom of religion protection against
interference with the practice of religion.
51. front-loading Refers to the practice of bunching presidential primaries early in the
year so that a majority of the delegates are selected by March.
52. fruit of the poisonous tree Additional evidence that is discovered from evidence
obtained through an illegal search, which is also not admissible in court.
53. full faith and credit clause Laws, court decisions, and records of one state are
recognized and valid in every other state.
54. gender gap Men and women hold different positions on a wide range of political
issues; women tend to vote for the Democratic party more than men.
55. gerrymandering The redrawing of legislative district lines in such a way to favor
one political party over the other; racial gerrymandering refers to creating districts that
guarantee the election of minority candidate.
56. good-faith exception If the authorities act “in good faith,” evidence that otherwise
may have been excluded may be admissible.
57. grassroots lobbying Organizing a letter-writing campaign or taking out
advertisements to influence public opinion and persuade elected officials to support a
particular policy..
58. gross domestic product The total output of goods and services produced in the
United
States, which is a measure of the health of the economy.
59. Group of Eight (G8) World’s major industrial nations—Canada, France, Great
Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States—plus Russia who meet regularly to
discuss global economic issues.
60. hard money Money used directly by a candidate running for office and is subject to
campaign finance laws and Federal Election Commission regulations.
61. hate speech Offensive speech against racial/ethnic minorities, women, and
homosexuals that creates a hostile environment.
62. implied powers Power of the federal government not specifically mentioned in the
Constitution but derived from the necessary and proper clause.
63. incorporation doctrine The Bill of Rights, with certain exceptions, applies to states
and municipalities as well as the federal government through the Fourteenth Amendment.
64. independent executive agency Part of the Executive Branch but not included in any
Executive department; the head of the agency is appointed by the president and serves at
the pleasure of the president. NASA and the CIA are examples.
65. independent regulatory agency Part of the Executive Branch and responsible for
regulating and oversight of a segment of the economy; managed by board or
commissions appointed by the president for a fixed term. The Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) is an example.
66. interest group An organization whose members share the same concerns, and try to
influence public policy that impact those concerns.
67. issue network A looser relationship than the iron triangle; refers to the numerous
people who are involved in the formulation of policy, including the president, members
of Congress, the cabinet, lobbyists, interest groups, government agencies, and scholars
and academics..
68. joint committee A committee of Congress made up of members of both houses that
focuses on issues of general concern but does not propose legislation; the Joint Economic
Committee is an example.
69. judicial activism Courts have a more expansive role to play in shaping public
policy.
70. judicial restraint The function of the courts is to say when the law is not to make
new law.
71. judicial review The power of the Supreme Court to declare law passed by Congress
or the state legislatures or an Executive action unconstitutional; established in Marbury v.
Madison (1803).
72. Keynesian economics Associated with the ideas of British economist John Maynard
Keynes; economic slumps are the result of too little demand; government can stimulate
demand by increasing spending and cutting taxes even if this results in growing deficits.
73. laissez-faire economics Government should keep its hand off the economy, and not
interfere with business; popular concept in the nineteenth century when the federal
government actually helped business through land grants to the railroads and high
protective tariffs.
74. leak An unauthorized release of information to the press from someone in the
government.
75. legislative veto Congress rejects an action of the president by a majority vote of both
houses; declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
76. Lemon Test Criteria established in Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) concerning a law or
government action dealing with religion. Such laws or actions are constitutional if they
serve a secular purpose, does not inhibit or advance religion, and does not entangle the
government with religion.
77. line-item veto Allows the president to selectively veto parts of a bill without vetoing
the entire bill; declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
78. lobbying The way an interest group tries to influence public policy.
79. logrolling An agreement between two or more members of Congress to vote for each
other’s bills.
80. mandate Law, regulation, or court decision that compels a state or local government
to do something under the threat of legal action or the cut off of federal funds.
81. mandatory spending Federal spending that is required by law, for example, for
entitlement programs such as Social Security and veterans’ benefits.
82. means test Income must be at a certain level to qualify for benefits from federal or
state programs. There are means tests for such programs as foods stamps and Medicaid.
83. media event A staged public event that gives the press the opportunity to see an
elected official in action, and that presents the politician in a good light.
84. midterm elections Congressional elections held between presidential elections; the
president’s party usually loses seats in Congress.
85. monetary policy Control of the growth of the monetary supply by the Federal
Reserve System.
86. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Treaty that established a free
trade zone between the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
87. off the record A reporter cannot directly use information provided in an interview.
88. on background A reporter can quote information provided in the interview, but
cannot attribute the quote specifically to the interviewee.
89. on deep background A reporter can use information provided in the interview, but
cannot make even an indirect reference to the source.
90. on the record A reporter can quote and use the name of the source of information
provided in the interview.
91. open convention A party national convention at which no candidate has won a
majority of the delegates in the primaries; the candidate is chosen by the convention.
92. original jurisdiction the first court to hear a case; the Supreme Court has original
jurisdiction in cases involving two or more states, the United States and a state, a state
and the citizens of another state, and foreign diplomats.
93. party dealignment Weakening of ties between the voters and the two major parties;
voters increasingly identify themselves as independents.
94. party realignment Shift in voter loyalty in response to critical events; this occurred
in 1932 with the election of Democrat Franklin Roosevelt.
95. platform A statement of a political party on the issues facing the country that is
adopted at the national convention; each issue position is known as a plank.
96. plurality opinion Supported by three or four justices because the decision, but not
the legal reasoning, is supported by a majority.
97. pocket veto The president does not sign a bill within 10 days of Congress
adjourning.
98. political action committee Established by a corporation, labor union, or other
interest group to raise and contribute money to the campaigns of candidates for office or
to a national party.
99. political agenda The issues the American people believe are important for the
government to handle.
100. political ideology A coherent set of beliefs about politics and the role of the
government.
101. political socialization The process by which Americans learn about the political
system and develop their political views.
102. progressive tax Tax those who make more money at a higher rate; the income tax
is a progressive tax.
103. proportional representation The delegates in a presidential primary are divided
among the candidates based on the percentage of the votes received, providing a
minimum threshold (usually 15%) is achieved.
104. reapportionment The states’ loss or gain of seats in the House of Representatives
based on the population changes between the decennial census.
105. recess appointment Presidential appointment made when Congress is not in
session, and does not require immediate confirmation.
106. recession A downturn in the economy; two consecutive quarters of a negative gross
domestic product.
107. regressive tax Everyone is taxed at the same rate; a sales tax is regressive, and
impacts the poor harder than it does the wealthy.
108. reserved powers Under the Tenth Amendment, powers not granted to the federal
government nor denied to the states are reserved for the states or the people.
109. reverse discrimination Programs such as affirmative action that help racial
minorities and/or women actually discriminate against white males on the basis of race
and/or gender.
110. revolving door The practice of government officials becoming lobbyists for the
industry or companies they were responsible for regulating while they were public
servants.
111. rider An amendment that is completely unrelated to the subject of a bill.
112. rule making The process by which federal agencies adopt regulations; includes
public
notice, hearings, and written comments.
113. select committee A temporary committee of Congress set up for a specific purpose
that is outside the scope of the standing committees; also known as special committees.
114. senatorial courtesy The right of a senior senator from the president’s party to
approve a nominee to a federal district court in his/her state.
115. separation of powers A key concept in the Constitution; power in the federal
government is divided between the legislative (Congress), Executive (president), and
judicial (courts) branches. It is closely tied to concept of checks and balances.
116. shield laws State laws that provide journalists limited protection against revealing
their
sources.
117. soft money Money used by national, state, or local party organizations that is not
regulated by the Federal Election Commission.
118. sound bite A very brief excerpt from a political speech aired on television or radio;
the amount of time in a sound bite has decreased over the years.
119. southern strategy Adopted by the Republicans under Nixon; Republicans
challenge traditional Democratic control in the southern states based on the premise that
voters in the region are fundamentally conservative.
120. splinter parties Third political parties that break off from either the Democrats or
Republicans; historically, splinter parties are the strongest third parties in terms of the
popular and electoral vote.
121. split-ticket voting Voting for the candidate rather than by party affiliation; a person
might vote for a Democrat for president but a Republican for governor.
122. spoils system In the nineteenth century, granting federal jobs to political supporters.
123. stagflation A combination of high inflation and high unemployment that the United
States experienced in the 1970s.
124. standard operating procedures Rules and procedures that are intended to make a
bureaucracy run efficiently.
125. standing committee Permanent committee of Congress that deals with legislation
and oversight in a broad policy area, for example, the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
126. stare decisis ”Let the decision stand”; the emphasis that courts give to precedent or
previous decisions on the same issue.
127. straight-ticket voting Voting for candidates based on party affiliation only.
128. super delegate Democratic political leaders who are appointed delegations to the
national convention and are not bound by the primary results.
129. supply-side economics Associated with the Reagan Administration; cut taxes and
reduce government regulation to give business the incentive to expand production; the
emphasis is on business rather than the consumer.
130. supremacy clause The Constitution, federal laws, and treaties are the supreme law
of the land.
131. trial balloon A story presented to the media to gauge the public reaction to a policy
or program under consideration.
132. unemployment rate The percentage of the civilian labor force that is out of work.
133. voter turnout The total number of votes cast for the highest office on the ballot;
usually expressed in terms of a percentage of the voting age population that actually
voted..
134. warrantless searches A search that does not require a warrant, for example, the
person who is placed under arrest and the item is in plain sight at the time of the arrest.
135. wall of separation Court ruling that government cannot be involved with religion.
136. whip A party leader in Congress who makes sure the party members are present for
important votes.
137. white primary Only whites could vote in Democratic primaries in the South. This
was a technique used to disenfranchise African Americans.
138. winner-take-all primary A presidential primary in which the candidate who gets
the most votes wins all the delegates from that state; the Democratic party does not hold
winner-take-all primaries.
139. writ of certiorari Formal document issued by the Supreme Court to a lower court
indicating it will hear a case.
140. writ of habeas corpus Court order directing authorities to show cause why a
person under detention should not be released.