AP Government
UNIT I: CONSTITUTIONAL UNDERPINNINGS OF THE UNITED STATES
The Study of American Government (Wilson, Chapter 1, pages 2-14)
Answer these questions
1.
What is meant by power, and by political power in particular?
2.
Relate the latter to authority, legitimacy, and democracy.
3.
Distinguish among the two concepts of democracy mentioned in the chapter.
4.
Explain the two senses in which the textbook refers to the United States government as democratic.
5.
Differentiate between majoritarian politics and elitist politics. Explain the four major theories. (see
additional worksheet)
6.
Why are political scientists cautious in stating how politics works or what values dominate it when
confronted by political change?
Know these terms from Chapter 1
Aristotle
authority
bureaucracy
bureaucratic theory
citizen participation
city-state
community control
democracy
direct or participatory democracy
elite (political)
elitist theory
Hamilton
legitimacy
majoritarian
politics
Marxist theory
Mills
New England town meeting
pluralist theory
polis
political power
power
representative democracy
Schumpeter
Weber
What is political power?
Power is the ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with first person’s intentions.
Sometimes an exercise of power is obvious, as when the president orders soldiers into combat. Other times it may
be more subtle, such as the use of persuasion to influence the actions of someone the president may not be able
to command. Either way, power is found in all human relationships.
People who exercise political power may or may not have the authority to so. By authority we mean the right to
use power. The exercise of rightful power—that is of authority—is ordinarily easier than the exercise of power
that is not supported by a rightful claim. We accept decisions, often without question, if they made by people we
believe have the right to use them.
When political authority is conferred by law or constitution, by legal recognition (or at times tradition), it is said to
be legitimate. For example, The United States Constitution is (usually) accepted as the source of legitimate
authority of government actions.
Now consider the following situations and the answer the questions.
Imagine a king who rules over a large kingdom.
1.
Give an example of the king’s use of power.
2.
What gives the king the authority to take this action?
3.
When would a king’s actions not be legitimate?
Now imagine the mayor of a small town in the United States.
1.
Give an example of the mayor’s use of power.
2.
What gives the mayor the authority to take this action?
3.
What makes the mayor’s actions legitimate?
AP Government
How is Political Power Distributed?
“How is power distributed in our representative democracy? Scholars differ in their interpretations of the
American political experience. Where some see the steady march of democracy, others see no such thing: i.e.
where some voting rights expanded, others emphasize how long they were denied, and so.” From Wilson
Views on how political power is distributed
Majoritarian politics—two characteristics
1.
2.
Elitism—two characteristics
1.
2.
Four theories of elite decision-making
Theory
Intellectual
founder
Marxism
Power elite theory
Bureaucratic view
Pluralistic view
primary assumption
Explanation of who governs
and to what end
The Constitution. (Wilson, Chapter 2, pages 17-46, The Federalist Nos. 10 & 51, A21-A29)
1.
Explain the notion of “higher law” by which the colonists felt they were entitled to certain “natural
rights.”
2.
Compare the basis on which the colonists felt a government could be legitimate. List and discuss the
shortcomings of government under the Articles of Confederation.
3.
Compare and contrast the Virginia and New Jersey plans.
4.
How did they lead to the “Great Compromise?”
5.
Why did the separation of powers and federalism become key parts of the Constitution?
6.
Why was a bill of rights not initially included in the Constitution? Why was it added? Explain.
7.
List the two major types of constitutional reform advocated today.
Know these terms from Chapter 2
Bill of Rights
Shays’s Rebellion
Charles A. Beard
unalienable
coalition
Virginia Plan
concurrent powers
Amendment (constitutional)
Constitution
Antifederalists
Constitutional Convention
bill of attainder
Declaration of Independence
Bill of Rights
enumerated powers
checks and balances
faction
coalition
federalism
confederation
Federalist papers
Constitutional Convention
Great Compromise
ex post facto law
Patrick Henry
faction k.
Thomas Jefferson
Federalist papers l.
John Locke
Federalists
James Madison
judicial review
Massachusetts Constitution
line-item veto o.
natural rights
Madisonian view of human nature
New Jersey Plan
republic
Pennsylvania Constitution
inalienable rights
reserved powers
writ of habeas corpus
separation of powers
Federalism. (Wilson, Chapter 3, pages 49-72)
1.
Explain the difference between federal and centralized systems of government.
2.
Show how competing political interests at the Constitutional Convention led to the adoption of a federal
system that was not clearly defined.
3.
Outline the ways in which the courts have interpreted national and state powers. Why have federal
grants-in-aid been popular? Cite their pitfalls.
4.
Distinguish between categorical grants and block grants.
5.
Distinguish between mandates and conditions of aid with respect to federal grant programs to states and
localities.
6.
Discuss the extent to which federal grants to states have created uniform national policies as compared
with those of centralized governments.
Also, know these terms from Chapter 3
AFDC
McCulloch v. Maryland
block grants
mandates
categorical grants
Medicaid
conditions of aid
national interests
confederation or confederal system
ecessary-and-proper clause
devolution
nullification
dual federalism
police powers
Daniel J. Elazar
recall
federal system
referendum
federal republic
revenue sharing
grants-in-aid
William H. Riker
initiative
second-order devolution
intergovernmental lobby
sovereignty
interstate commerce
states’ rights
intrastate commerce
Tenth Amendment
land grant colleges
third-order devolution
James Madison
unitary system
John Marshall
waiver