AP US Gov Foundational Documents

Declaration of Independence (Thomas Jefferson)

• Declared Independence from Britain

• Identified Natural Rights (Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness)

• Influenced by John Locke

  • Consent of the foverned; Popular Sovereignty

  • Limited Government

Articles of Confederation (John Dickinson)

• Confederal Government

• Weak - Congress not given many powers to prevent tyranny

• Unicameral Legislature

  • Each State = 1 vote; 9/13 votes needed to pass laws

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

No executive or judicial branches, inability to levy taxes, no power to raise an army and lack of power to regulate interstate commerce.

U.S. Constitution

The foundational document that established the current framework of the United States government, outlining the structure, powers, and limits of government, as well as the rights of citizens.

First 10 Amendments (Bill of Rights)

1. Freedom of Religion

2. Right to Bear Arms

3. No quartering of troops in peacetime

4. Protection from unreasonable searches.

5. No double jeopardy, due process, protects against self-incrimination, meaning you can't be forced to testify against yourself in a criminal case

6. Speedy Trial by Jury, right to counsel

7. Ensures the right to a jury trial in certain civil cases within federal courts

8. Protection from cruel punishment.

9. People's rights are not limited to just those listed in the Constitution

10. Any powers not specifically given to the federal government, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved to the states or to the people

Federalist #10 (James Madison Federalist Papers)

• Factions are inevitable and can be controlled through a large republic, where various interests compete, preventing any single faction from dominating.

• Pluralism: many factions competing for influences leads to only the best ideas bein enacted

Brutus #1 (Robert Yates Anti-Federalist)

• Constitution gives too much power to central government

  • Necessary and Proper Clause

  • Supremacy Clause

  • Too large of a country for congress to represent local concerns

Federalist #51 (Madision Federalist Papers)

• Separation of Powers

  • Three branches of government, each w/ little control over the other

• Checks and Balances: government must be powerful enough to control the poeple but also control itself, separat but equal powers

• Keep power from becoming too centralized

Federalist #70 (Alexander Hamilton)

• Argues for a single, “energetic” executive (president)

  • President must be single persom

  • Debate adn disagreement are good for congress, poison for the president

• Having a single president makes the executive easily accountable

Federalist #78 (Alexander Hamilton)

• Judicial Branch is the “least dangerous branch” - cannot enforce its decisions (no influence over “sword or purse”)

• Judiciary must be independent; life tenures ensures justices

• Judicial Review: job is to interpret the Constitution

Letter from a Birmingham Jail (MLK, Jr.)

Nonviolent direct action seeks to create an urgency for legilative action