AP Government Foundational Documents

Declaration of Independence

Core Idea: Government exists to protect the people

Use It In FRQs: Legitimacy of government, individual rights vs. government power, justification for protest or revolution

Example FRQ Sentence: The Declaration of Independence argues that government derives its power from the consent of the governed, supporting the idea that citizens can challenge laws that violate their natural rights.

Articles of Confederation

Core Claim: A weak central government is ineffective

Use It In FRQs: Why the Constitution was needed, limits of government power, federal vs. state authority

Example FRQ Sentence: Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress lacked the power to tax, demonstrating how a weak national government can struggle to address collective problems.

The Constitution

Core Claim: Government power must be structured and limited to protect liberty.

Use It In FRQs: Separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism

Example FRQ Sentence: The United States Constitution establishes separation of powers among three branches, preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful.

Federalist 10

Core Claim: Factions are inevitable, but a large republic can control their effects.

Use It In FRQs: Interest groups / pluralism, majority vs. minority rights, size and diversity of the U.S.

Example FRQ Sentence: In Federalist No. 10, Madison argues that a large republic makes it more difficult for any single faction to dominate, helping protect minority rights.

Brutus 1

Core Claim: The Constitution creates a national government that is too powerful.

Use It In FRQs: Anti-Federalist concerns, debate over federal power, limits of representation

Example FRQ Sentence: Brutus No. 1 warns that a large republic will weaken representation, as elected officials will be too distant from the people.

Federalist 51

Core Claim: Government must be designed to control itself through checks and balances.

Use It In FRQs: Separation of powers, institutional design, preventing tyranny

Example FRQ Sentence: Federalist No. 51 explains that each branch should have the ability to check the others, ensuring no single branch dominates.

Federalist 70

Core Claim: A strong, unified executive is necessary for effective governance.

Use It In FRQs: Presidential power, executive leadership, bureaucratic efficiency

Example FRQ Sentence: In Federalist No. 70, Hamilton argues that a single executive promotes accountability and decisive action.

Federalist 78

Core Claim: The judiciary should interpret laws and has the power of judicial review.

Use It In FRQs: Supreme Court power, judicial review, checks on legislature/executive

Example FRQ Sentence: Federalist No. 78 supports judicial review by arguing that courts must ensure laws align with the Constitution.

Letter From Birmingham Jail

Core Claim: Unjust laws should be resisted through nonviolent civil disobedience.

Use It In FRQs: Civil rights, legitimacy of protest, individual vs. government authority

Example FRQ Sentence: In the Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. argues that individuals have a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.