apgov cases and docs

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Established judicial review; "midnight judges;" John Marshall; power of the Supreme Court.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

the Supreme Court upheld the power of the national government and denied the right of a state to tax the federal bank using the Constitution's supremacy clause. The Court's broad interpretation of the necessary and proper clause paved the way for later rulings upholding expansive federal powers

Baker v. Carr (1961)

Court-enforced redistricting based on the principle of "one-person-one-vote" ensured that urban constituencies were represented proportionally equal to rural area constituents

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Legislative redistricting must be conscious of race and ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Commerce clause of Constitution does not give Congress the power to regulate guns near state-operated schools

The Declaration of Independence

the document recording the proclamation of the second Continental Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain

The Articles of Confederation

1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)

Federalist No. 10

An essay written by James Madison that warned against factions due to their tyrannical structure and said a larger United States is better for the diversity of politics.

Brutus No. 1

This work by a prominent Anti-Federalist argued that that the new federal government would be too powerful. In particular, he pointed to the necessary-and-proper clause and the supremacy clause. In addition, he objected to Congress's power to tax and raise a standing army and to the vast size of the proposed republic. He felt this powerful new government would supplant the states.

Federalist No. 51

Argues that separation of powers within the national government is the best way to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of one person or a single group.

The U.S. Constitution

The document written in 1787 and ratified in 1788 that sets forth the institutional structure of the U.S. government and the tasks these institutions perform. It replaced the Articles of Confederation.

Federalist No. 70

Hamilton argues for the necessity of a single president (rather than an executive committee). Hamilton states that Americans should not fear the president becoming a tyrant because a single person would be easier to control. Additionally, a single president could act with more energy, efficiency, and secrecy than a committee.

Federalist No. 78

written by Alexander Hamilton; talks about the federal judiciary; judiciary must depend on other two branches to uphold its decisions