Foundational Documents
In Federalist 10, Madison says this is the greatest threat to democratic society
What are Factions?
Federalism describes the vertical division of government between these three levels.
What are Federal, State, and Local?
This word with latin roots refers to the federal governments divided legislature, split into the House of Representatives and the Senate.
What is Bicameralism?
This power of the president places them firmly in control of the nations military.
What is the Commander-in-Chief power?
There are this many FRQs on your AP Exam in May.
What is 4 FRQs? (3 Short Response and 1 Argumentative Essay)
In Federalist 51, Madison argues in favor of this structural principle, saying "ambition must be made to counteract ambition."
What is the separation of powers or checks and balances?
This Amendment grants all government power, not reserved for the federal government, to the States.
What is the 10th Amendment?
A presidential veto can be overturned with this percentage of the vote in both the House and Senate, also called a supermajority.
What is two-thirds vote or 67%?
This body of representatives is chosen fresh every four years to cast the 538 "real" votes for president.
What is the Electoral College?
The third author of the Federalist Papers, who had to stop writing early on due to illness. He only wrote 4, compared to Madison's 29 and Hamilton's 51.
Who is John Jay?
In Federalist 70, the four ingredients Hamilton identifies that provide for an energetic executive.
What are unity, duration in office, provision for support, and competent powers?
In McCulloch v Maryland, the Supreme Court decided that Congress could create a 2nd National Bank because of the power granted to them by this clause in Article I, Section 8.
What is the Necessary and Proper or Elastic Clause?
This debate rule, unique to the Senate, allows a senator to delay a vote as long as they continue speaking, or until they are stopped with a 60 person vote to move forward.
What is the Filibuster?
This clause gives the president their executive power, and was arguably left intentionally vague.
What is the Vesting Clause?
President Biden is this many years old.
What is 80 years old?
In Brutus #1, the Author argues this is the most effective and secure form of democracy.
What is a Confederacy of Small, Homogeneous States?
This type of grant is prefered by states, because it gives them the most discretion when choosing how to spend their money.
What is a Block Grant?
Congress is often criticized for bills containing this, where federal money is spent on local projects.
What is Pork Barrel Spending?
This clause in Article II requires that the President carries out the laws passed by Congress, faithfully of course.
What is the Take Care Clause?
The former Speaker of the House, ousted by angry members of his own Republican Party after he worked with Democrats to pass a budget.
Who is Kevin McCarthy?
Under the Articles of Confederation, a unanimous vote of all 13 states in Congress was needed to amend the Articles, but this many votes, out of 13, were needed to simply pass a regular law.
What is 9 votes?
In US v Lopez, the Supreme Court declared this law unconstitutional, saying that it was too far of a stretch to justify it under the Commerce Clause.
What is the Gun Free School Zone Act?
All bills involving money, revenue, or spending must go through this powerful committee, in both the House and the Senate.
What is the Appropriations Committee?
If a president feels like someone was treated unfairly, but is still guilty of a crime, they may grant this instead of a full pardon; shortening the prisoner's sentence, rather than release them completely.
What is a Reprieve?
The name of the landmark Supreme Court case that caused President Andrew Jackson to say "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it!" and led to the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears.
What is Worchester v Georgia?