ap gov unit 3 vocab

Lemon

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03-02-2025

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Unit 3 of AP Government and Politics often focuses on Congress and the legislative process. This vocabulary guide will help you master the key terms, ensuring you're well-prepared for the exam. We'll break down the definitions, provide context, and offer examples to solidify your understanding.

Key Terms and Concepts:

1. Bicameral Legislature: A legislature with two houses, like the US Congress (Senate and House of Representatives). This structure ensures checks and balances, forcing compromise between the two chambers. Example: The Senate's power to confirm presidential appointments contrasts with the House's power to initiate revenue bills.

2. House of Representatives: The lower house of Congress, with representation based on state population. This ensures that larger states have a proportionally larger voice in the legislative process. Example: California has significantly more representatives than Wyoming due to its larger population.

3. Senate: The upper house of Congress, with equal representation for each state (two senators per state). This structure safeguards the interests of smaller states and provides a counterbalance to the House. Example: A small state like Vermont holds equal Senate power to a large state like Texas.

4. Reapportionment: The process of redistributing House seats among the states based on population changes following the decennial census. This ensures fair representation based on population shifts. Example: After the 2020 census, some states gained House seats while others lost seats.

5. Redistricting: The process of redrawing congressional district boundaries within each state. This often happens after reapportionment. Gerrymandering, a controversial aspect of redistricting, involves manipulating district boundaries to favor a particular party or group. Example: A gerrymandered district might be oddly shaped to include or exclude specific demographic groups.

6. Gerrymandering: The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one party or group over another. This tactic can create "safe" seats for incumbents and make it harder for the opposing party to win. Example: Creating a district with a convoluted shape to concentrate the opposing party's voters in a single district.

7. Incumbent: The current holder of an office or position. Incumbents often have significant advantages in reelection campaigns, due to name recognition, fundraising abilities, and access to resources. Example: A sitting member of Congress running for reelection.

8. Standing Committee: A permanent committee in Congress that specializes in a particular area of policy. These committees are crucial for drafting legislation and conducting oversight. Example: The House Ways and Means Committee deals with tax policy.

9. Select Committee: A temporary committee created to address a specific issue or problem. These committees are often dissolved once their task is completed. Example: A select committee might be formed to investigate a particular scandal.

10. Conference Committee: A temporary committee formed to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill. This is necessary to create a single version that can be sent to the President for approval. Example: A conference committee would work to resolve discrepancies between the House and Senate versions of a defense spending bill.

11. Filibuster: A tactic used in the Senate to delay or block a vote on a bill by extending debate indefinitely. It requires a cloture vote (60 votes) to end a filibuster. Example: Senators have used filibusters to prevent the passage of controversial legislation.

12. Cloture: A parliamentary procedure used in the Senate to end a filibuster. Requires a three-fifths vote (60 votes) of the Senate. Example: Invoking cloture brings a bill to an immediate vote.

13. Veto: The power of the President to reject a bill passed by Congress. Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds vote in both houses. Example: The President can veto a bill they believe is harmful to the country.

14. Pocket Veto: A special type of veto that occurs when the President does not sign a bill within 10 days of Congress adjourning. This effectively kills the bill without a veto message. Example: If Congress adjourns and the President doesn't sign a bill within the 10-day period, it's automatically vetoed.

15. Oversight: The power of Congress to monitor the activities of the executive branch, ensuring that laws are implemented effectively and government agencies are operating efficiently. Example: Congressional hearings investigating a government agency’s actions.

This vocabulary guide provides a strong foundation for understanding Unit 3 of AP Government. Remember to consult your textbook and class materials for further details and to apply these terms within the broader context of the legislative process. Good luck with your studies!