AP Gov Required Documents/Cases/Amendments

AP Government & Politics

Federalist 51 (Madison)

Gov must be broken up into 3 branches. Separation of powers, checks and balances. Ambition must counteract ambition. Legislative Branch split up into two parts because it's the most powerful branch.

Federalist 78

written by Alexander Hamilton; talks about the federal judiciary; judiciary must depend on other two branches to uphold its decisions. Judges should have lifetime appointments.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Letters written by MLK encouraging non-violent protest against segregation. He says segregation is used to raise one group (whites) while debasing another (blacks), making it immoral under God.

Federalist 10 (Madison)

Topic = factions (interest groups); strong united republic would be better at controlling factions than individual states

Brutus 1

It is impossible to have a large republic and have a stable government. Congress has too much power. Powerful government = few liberties

Declaration of Independence

the document recording the proclamation of the second Continental Congress asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain. All men created equal.

Articles of Confederation

A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War. Small government, no president or judiciary. No taxation, no army.

American Constitution

A document that embodies the fundamental laws and principles by which the United States is governed. Outline of government structure, powers, and limits.

1st amendment

Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition

2nd Amendment

Right to bear arms

3rd amendment

No quartering of soldiers

4th Amendment

Protection against Unreasonable Search and Seizure

5th Amendment

The Right to Remain Silent, Double Jeopardy, right to due process

6th Amendment

The right to a Speedy Trial by jury , representation by an attorney for an accused person

7th Amendment

Right to jury in civil trials over $20

8th Amendment

No cruel or unusual punishment

9th Amendment

Citizens entitled to rights not listed in the Constitution

10th Amendment

Powers Reserved to the States

13th Amendment

abolished slavery

14th Amendment

Declares that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens and are guaranteed equal protection of the laws

15th Amendment

States cannot deny any person the right to vote because of race.

17th Amendment

Direct election of senators

19th Amendment

Gave women the right to vote

22nd Amendment

Limits the president to two terms.

24th Amendment

Abolishes poll taxes

26th Amendment

Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18

Federalist 70

US requires a strong, energetic executive; plural executive is dangerous. Balances out slow Congress.

Engel v. Vitale

People sued NY Board of Regents for creating an optional prayer at the beginning of the school day. 1st Amendment establishment clause.

Wisconsin v. Yoder

The Yoders wanted to remove their children from school after 8th grade due to religion, but were charged under Wisconsin law that children must go to school until the age of 16. 1st Amendment free exercise clause was broken and upheld.

Tinker v. Des Moines

Students wore black arm bands to school and were forced to leave, but sued the school for limiting their freedom of speech. 1st amendment freedom of speech (Symbolic Speech)

New York Times v. US

Nixon administration tried using prior restraint on the publication of the pentagon papers. The barring of the publication of these papers is in violation of freedom of Press. 1st Amendment freedom of press.

Schneck v. United States

Schneck handed out papers that encouraged people from disobeying the draft, but was charged by the espionage act. First amendment Freedom of speech, but allows gov to place restrictions through time, place, and manner restrictions.

Gideon v. Wainwright

Gideon was charged with a felony in Florida, but could not afford an attorney. Florida refused to give him one and he sued them and was successful. Selectively incorporated 6th amendment right to attorney to the states.

McDonald v. Chicago

Chicago passed a handgun ban law, but was sued multiple times due to a previous case limiting the federal government from banning guns. Court ruled that right to self-defense is fundamental, and cannot be restricted from the citizens. 2nd amendment right to bear arms selectively incorporated to the states.

Brown v. Board of Education

Many African Americans were being restricted from joining public schools due to segregation laws (Separate but equal), but the laws were found unconstitutional, therefore segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. 14th amendment equal protection clause.

Citizens United v. FEC

Citizens United tried to show a movie that was bashing Hillary Clinton, but the Federal Elections Commission said that they couldn't due to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act which banned corporations from spending money that directly influencing candidates. Decided that corporations were to be treated as people and therefore couldn't have their spending limited. 1st Amendment free speech.

Baker v. Carr

Tennessee hadn't reapportioned their legislative lines in many years, and took the state to court because the current apportionment did not match the current state's population. The issue was weird, the issue was if the Supreme Court could hear cases on state legislate reapportionment. It was decided that the court did have the authority to hear this case. 14th Amendment equal protection.

Shaw v. Reno

North Carolina's residents challenged a peculiarly drawn district. They concluded that the reason was to make sure that the district only elected African American representatives. Court decided that the district was drawn in such a way that made it apparent that racial gerrymandering was present, and made them change it. NO racial gerrymandering. 14th amendment Equal Protection.

Marbury v. Madison

Jefferson became president, but refused to give the previous president's judicial appointments their commissions. Marbury demanded that he got his commission and took them to court. The court decided that Marbury should have gotten his commission, but the important part was that the law that allows Marbury to bring this case to court was unconstitutional, therefore establishing judicial review because the Supreme Court declared a Congressional law unconstitutional.