AP Gov: Foundational Documents

Articles of Confederation (AoC)

• Test dummy for the Constitution

• Shay’s Rebellion made states realize AoC was an issue

• No army, no taxes, no commerce, no central power

Constitution

• Supreme Law of the Land

• Better version of AoC

• Contains Bill of Rights added AFTER RATIFICATION

Federalist 51

• Separation of Powers

• Checks and Balances

Federalist 10

• “Factions are bad, but inevitable”

Brutus 1

• Anti-federalist

• “Central govt = tyranny”