AP Gov All Required Content - MASTER LIST

Marbury v Madison

Established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Supreme Court to nullify acts of legislative or executive branches that violate the Constitution.

McCulloch v Maryland

Established the supremacy of the US Constitution and federal laws over state laws through the Elastic Clause and Supremacy Clause.

Schenck v US

Determined that speech creating a "clear and present danger" is not protected under the First Amendment.

Brown v Board of Education

Ruled that race-based segregation in public schools is illegal under the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.

Baker v Carr

Established the principle of "one man, one vote" and allowed courts to review redistricting challenges under the 14th Amendment.

Engle v Vitale

Ruled that schools cannot sponsor religious activities, including state-sponsored prayer, under the First Amendment's Establishment Clause.

Gideon v Wainwright

Guaranteed the right to an attorney for the poor or indigent under the Sixth Amendment right to counsel.

Tinker v Des Moines

Affirmed that public school students had the right to wear armbands in protest under the First Amendment's freedom of speech.

New York Times v US

Established a "heavy presumption against prior restraint" of the press, even in national security cases under the First Amendment.

Wisconsin v Yoder

Ruled that Amish students cannot be compelled to attend school past the eighth grade under the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause.

Roe v Wade

Protected a woman's right to have an abortion under the Due Process Clause and the implied right of privacy from the 9th Amendment.

Shaw v Reno

Required that legislative redistricting be conscious of race under the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause; gerrymandering with regards to race illegal.

United States v Lopez

Ruled that Congress cannot use the Commerce Clause to make possession of a gun in a school zone a federal crime.

McDonald v Chicago

Affirmed that the right to keep and bear arms for self-defense applies to the states under the 14th Amendment's Due Process Clause.

Citizens United v FEC

Determined that political spending by corporations and unions is protected as free speech under the First Amendment.

Declaration of Independence

Asserts natural rights, popular sovereignty, and the social contract as foundational principles of government.

Articles of Confederation

Established a weak federal government with sovereign states, lacking the power to tax or regulate commerce. No executive or judicial branches.

Constitution

Created a framework for a limited government with separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, and a Bill of Rights.

Federalist #10

Argues that factions are a threat to the republic and that a large republic can control their negative effects.

Brutus #1

Advocates for a small republic and warns against the dangers of a powerful federal government.

Federalist #51

Emphasizes the need for separation of powers and checks and balances to prevent government corruption.

Federalist #70

Argues for a strong, unitary executive to ensure efficient governance.

Federalist #78

Discusses the judiciary as the least dangerous branch and the importance of judicial review. Life terms for judges.

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Advocates for civil disobedience and the application of constitutional ideals to all citizens. List of grievances similar to the DoI.

Article 1

Creates the two parts of Congress responsible for making laws.

Article 2

Creates the executive position, responsible for enforcing the laws.

Article 3

Creates the judiciary, responsible for interpreting the Constitution and determining if laws are allowable.

Article 4

Discusses the states’ rights.

Article 5

Discusses how to change or amend the Constitution.

Article 6

Establishes the Supremacy clause. Requires sworn allegiance to the Constitution.

Article 7

Explains how the Constitution was agreed to.

1st Amendment

Protects the people's right to practice religion, to speak freely, to assemble (meet), to address the government and of the press to publish.

2nd Amendment

Protects right to bear arms.

3rd Amendment

Guarantees that the army cannot force homeowners to give them room and board.

4th Amendment

Protects the people from the government improperly taking property, papers, or people, without a valid warrant based on probable cause.

5th Amendment

Protects people from being held for committing a crime unless they are properly indicted, that they may not be tried twice for the same crime, and that you need not be forced to testify against yourself. It also contains due process guarantees.

6th Amendment

Guarantees a speedy trial, an impartial jury, and that the accused can confront witnesses against them, and that the accused must be allowed to have a lawyer.

7th Amendment

Guarantees a jury trial in federal civil court cases.

8th Amendment

Guarantees that punishments will be fair, and not cruel, and that extraordinarily large fines will not be set.

9th Amendment

Establishes that other rights aside from those listed may exist, and just because they are not listed doesn't mean they can be violated.

10th Amendment

Says that any power not granted to the federal government belongs to the states.

11th Amendment

Explains how someone from one state can sue another state.

12th Amendment

Redefines how the President and Vice-President are chosen by the Electoral College.

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery in the entire United States.

14th Amendment

Explains that people had rights on the federal level and on the state level, too.  Dealt with citizenship, due process, equal protection under the law.

15th Amendment

Ensured that a person’s race could not be used as criteria for voting.

16th Amendment

Authorizes the United States to collect income taxes.

17th Amendment

Shifted the choosing of Senators from the state legislatures to the people of the states.

18th Amendment

Abolished the sale or manufacture of alcohol in the United States.

19th Amendment

Established women’s suffrage.

20th Amendment

Set new start dates for the terms of the Congress and the President.

21st Amendment

Repealed the 18th Amendment, ended prohibition.

22nd Amendment

Set a limit on the number of times a President could be elected - two four-year terms.

23rd Amendment

Grants Washington D.C. the right to three electors in Presidential elections.

24th Amendment

Ensures that no tax could be charged to vote for any federal office.

25th Amendment

Establishes rules for a President who becomes unable to perform his duties while in office.

26th Amendment

Ensures that any person 18 or over may vote.

27th Amendment

Establishes that laws to increase the pay of legislators may not take effect until after an election.

Establishment Clause

Clause that ensures that no state religion is allowed in the US.

Free Exercise Clause

Clause that protects US citizens’ right to practice any religion.

Necessary and Proper Clause (AKA Elastic Clause)

Clause that allows Congress to make laws necessary to carry out their expressed powers.

Commerce Clause

Clause that says Congress has the power to regulate trade between states.

Supremacy Clause

Clause that states when Federal and State laws conflict, the Federal law is superior.

Due Process Clause

Clause that prohibits the government from depriving its citizens of the right to liberty and property without a fair legal process or laws.

Equal Protection Clause

 Clause requiring that states guarantee the same rights, privileges, and protections to all citizens.

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Clause that ensures that states recognize the laws, documents, and court proceedings of the other states.