AP Gov Argumentative Essay Documents

What does Federalist #70 discuss?

- president needs to be strong, a weak one will imply a weak government

- unitary is more effective since there is one person making the decisions

- it would also be easier to assign blame and hold accountable when there is only one person making the decisions

What were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay?

The Federalist Papers

What does Federalist #51 discuss?

- 3 branches of governments checks on each other

- separate powers = protection of rights

- state and federal governments

- 3 branched of government

- Congress divided in 2 houses

What document discusses that government has a lot of powers that may lead to tyranny?

Brutus #1

What are Natural Rights

rights that were considers endowed by the creator

- life liberty and the pursuit of happiness

What are groups of individual within a political party that share a common political purpose?

Factions

What does the Declaration of Independence discuss?

explains why the colonies should break away from Britain

What was the first and weaker form of government?

Articles of Confederation

What plan for the Constitution favored smaller states, equal representation for each state in houses of legislation?

The New Jersey Plan

What were the Federalist Papers primary objective?

Convince the delegates in the Articles of Confederation government to vote for The Constitution

What were the arguments made in the Declaration of Independence?

- people have rights that cannot be taken away

- list complains against the king

- argues that the colonies have to be free to protect colonists' rights

What is the Great Compromise?

a dual congressional representation system where the House of representatives would be proportionate to states' population and the Senate would have equal representation from all states.

What does Federalist #10 discuss?

- advantages of having Union controlling the violence of factions

- having a large republic is the only solution, the larger it is the more factions that exist making it difficult for a majority to form

What plan for the Constitution favored bigger states, a 2 house legislation with representatives proportioned to state's population?

The Virginia Plan

What document discusses judicial review / federal courts, and the protection of the judicial branch?

Federalist #78

What does Brutus #1 discuss?

- anti-federalist viewpoint

- once you give government power, you won't get it back without force

- the country would be too big to remain a republic

- states are too diverse for a republic, they should be similar people/interests

What was the stronger form of United States government?

The Constitution

What does the Letter from Birmingham Jail dicuss?

- freedom is never given by the oppressor but rather taken

- goal of America is freedom, everyone from here deserves to live under the same standards as every American

- demands inclusion of "We the People" and "all men are created equal"

What document discusses checks and balances, separation of government and aid into preserving freedom?

Federalist #51

What does Federalist #78 discuss?

- design of the Judicial Branch protects the Supreme Courts independence as a branch of government

- lacks budget and war powers, has power of judgment

- judges are appointed for life in order to save them from being fired or influenced

What does the Articles of Confederation discuss?

- one house of delegates, each state had one vote

- no executive branch or national court system

- states had to agree with each other (9 out of 13 votes) to get anything passed

- government couldn't tax the colonies

What is a government that is styled republican with representatives?

The Constitution

What document discusses how factions are problematic towards citizens' rights and how a large republic limits the likeliness of a majority?

Federalist #10

What document discusses racial injustices, unjust treatments in the courts, and freedom/natural rights for ALL

Letter from Birmingham Jail

What document discusses the presidency, and how having a single president with sufficient powers and term length will execute good government?

Federalist #70