AP US GOV TEST Ahmed Bou-Rabee

Identifications
Direct Democracy This is a form of democracy in which the people directly vote and affect government issues. Instead of having representatives that decide what happens to legislature, everything is decided by the people. This can lead to an unstable government where drastic changes are commonplace. Devolution Devolution is a way that the federal government gives power back to states. An example of this is a block grant. Instead of federal governments dealing with specific issues that concern states, the government gives states money to spend on issues that the states think are important. This is significant because it can allow for more efficiency in in-state issues. Impeachment This is a check the congress has on certain offices including the president of the United States. An impeachment of the president is putting a president on trial and can only originate in the house of representatives. A president is tried by the senate. This is important because it is one of the main ways the legislative branch has a check on the executive branch. This also guarantees the the President is not fully protected from the law. Full Faith and Credit This is a clause in the constitution which guarantees that certain documents and privileges guaranteed by one particular state must be honored by all other states in the union. This was put into the constitution to prevent individuals from having difficulty from going to one state and the next. This is also significant because it solidifies the union as one entity as opposed the separate states with completely different laws. This contrasts with the nation under the articles of the confederation because the nation during that time period was virtually a conglomeration of states with their own separate governments.

Short Answers
2. (a) The bicameral legislation was in essence a compromise for both the populous and small states of the union. Big states get the representation that they deserve while ones with less people still get enough say in determining nationwide legislature. Also, having a bicameral legislation allows the congress to simultaneously reflect the opinion of the entire nation while having a stable group of experienced politicians to work on long-term issues. (b) One particular power the House of Representatives has is the power to initiate a tax. The writers of

the constitution wrote this in direct opposition of what Britain did to America. Their main criticism of British rule was taxation without representation. Having the House of Representatives, the most accurate body of politicians that represent the people, be the ones that initiates taxes is truly taxation with representation. The Senate has the ability to try a President that has been impeached. The Senate was written to be a group of educated politicians with a lot of experience. While the house of representatives votes to have the president put on trial, the Senate actually carries out the trial. The Senate was given this power for two main reasons, it is more experienced than the House so it can provided a more educated decision and it is separated from biases towards or against the President. While the judicial branch is appointed by the president, the legislative branch is voted in by the people. (1) (a) The legislative branch is the only branch of the government that citizens actually directly vote on. The President is appointed by an elector college while Supreme court judges are appointed by the President. Both branches of the legislative government are tied to the citizens of the states themselves. Citizens of states vote on both their senators and representatives. While representatives are more indicative of the changing opinion of the people, both senators and representatives are supposed to speak for the people in their states. (b) The constitution limited majority rule in two significant ways: the election of the president and the Judicial branch. Contrary to public opinion, the election of the president is not a popular vote. The electoral college which consists of educated and unbiased citizens from states votes on the president and vice president. And, the judicial branch is not appointed by the people but it has the power to directly affect how laws apply to the people ( interpretation of laws). James Madison was fearful of what a large majority of people would do so he placed his hope in the power of a few, educated people the electoral college and the Supreme court