Required Documents AP Gov

Format: Author(s)/Side; Core purpose; Must-know ideas you can cite; Common AP Gov Connections

Declaration of Independence (1776)

Thomas Jefferson/adopted by Continental Congress; Justifies independence from Britain; Natural rights (life, Liberty, pursuit of happiness), consent of the governed, right to alter.abolish govt, list of grievances; Social contract, legitimacy, limited government, philosophical basis for rights claims

Articles of Confederation (1781)

States/Continental Congress; First US Gov framework; Weak national govt, no power to tax, no executive/judiciary, unicameral Congress, state sovereignty, hard to amend; why constitution was created, problems of decentralization, collective action problems

US Constitution (1787/88)

Framers/compromise document; Creates stronger national structure; Separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, enumerated powers, amendment process, republicanism; Structure questions, federal vs. state power, branches, institutional design

Bill of Rights (1791)

Federalists promised amendments/Madison drafted many; Protects individual liberties; 1st (speech/religion/press/assembly/petition), 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th (unenumerated rights), 10th (reserved powers); civil liberties, limits on govt, later incorporation via 14th amendment (conceptual link)

Federalist 10

James Madison (federalist); Defend constitution, manage factions; factions are inevitable, causes include unequal property, large republic controls effects, representation refines public views; pluralism, interest groups, majority tyranny, elections/representation

Federalist 51

James Madison (federalist); defend structure, prevent tyranny; need govt to control governed + oblige itself to control itself, separation of powers, checks and balances, “ambition counteracts ambition”; institutions, gridlock as a feature, checks, separation of powers

Federalist 70

Alexander Hamilton (Federalist); Argue from strong executive branch; energy in the executive, unit (single president) aids accountability, decisiveness, vigor, steady administration; presidency, commander-in-chief, executive orders/administration, accountability

Federalist 78

Alexander Hamilton (Federalist); Defend independent judiciary; Judiciary is “least dangerous”, needs life tenure for independence, courts interpret law/Constitution, implies judicial review logic; Judicial independence, judicial review (later in Marbury), countermajoritarian role

Brutus 1

Anti-Federalist (often attributed to Robert Yates); Warn against constitution; National govt will grow, necessary and proper + supremacy expand power, large republic won’t represent people well, fear of distant elites, courts may dominate; Anti-federalism; states rights, skepticism of national power, civil liberties need explicit protection