APUSH Documents

• Declaration of Independence (1776) – Written by Thomas Jefferson

announced American independence and listed grievances against King George III.

• U.S. Constitution (1787) – Established the framework for the federal government

includes the separation of powers, checks and balances.

• Bill of Rights (1791) – First ten amendments to the Constitution

guarantees individual liberties and rights.

• Federalist No. 10 – James Madison's

argument for a large republic to guard against factions.

• Federalist No. 51 –

Madison discusses the need for checks and balances and separation of powers.

• Brutus No. 1 –

Anti-Federalist paper arguing against the ratification of the Constitution and a strong central government.

• George Washington’s Farewell Address (1796) –

Warned against political parties and foreign alliances.

• Thomas Jefferson’s First Inaugural Address (1801) –

Called for unity and limited government.

• Monroe Doctrine (1823) –

Declared opposition to European colonization in the Americas.

• Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments (1848) –

Early document of the women’s rights movement modeled on the Declaration of Independence.

• Gettysburg Address (1863) –

Lincoln redefined the Civil War as a struggle for a new birth of freedom.

• Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address (1865) –

Focused on reconciliation and healing after the Civil War.

• Emancipation Proclamation (1863) –

Freed slaves in Confederate territories; shifted the war goals of the Union.

• Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) –

Established 'separate but equal' doctrine, upholding segregation.

• Fourteen Points (1918) –

Wilson’s post-WWI vision for peace and the League of Nations.

• FDR’s First Inaugural Address (1933) –

Called for bold action to combat the Great Depression.

• Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963) –

MLK’s defense of nonviolent protest against segregation.

• Great Society Speech (1964) –

LBJ’s vision for ending poverty and racial injustice.

• A Time for Choosing Speech (1964) –

Reagan’s speech supporting conservative values and limited government.

• Mayflower Compact (1620) –

First governing document of Plymouth Colony; early form of self-government.

• Articles of Confederation (1781) –

First U.S. constitution; weak central government.

• Marbury v. Madison (1803) –

Established judicial review.

• Missouri Compromise (1820) –

Maintained balance between slave and free states.

• Compromise of 1850 –

Attempted to address slavery and territorial expansion.

• Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) –

Declared African Americans were not citizens; Congress couldn't ban slavery in territories.

• Homestead Act (1862) –

Provided free land in the West to settlers.

• Roosevelt Corollary (1904) –

U.S. claimed the right to intervene in Latin America.

• Atlantic Charter (1941) –

Set goals for post-WWII world between the U.S. and Britain.

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954) –

Overturned 'separate but equal'; ended school segregation.

• Civil Rights Act (1964) –

Banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

• Voting Rights Act (1965) –

Outlawed discriminatory voting practices.

• War Powers Act (1973) –

Limited the President’s ability to send troops without Congressional approval.