Foundational Documents

Declaration of Independence

Independence from Britain

Articles of Confederation

First constitution of the United States(couldnt tax,army)

1st Amendment

Speech, religion, press, assembly, petition

2nd Amendment

Right to bear arms

3rd Amendment

No quartering soldiers

4th Amendment

Protection against Unreasonable Search and Seizure

5th Amendment

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

6th Amendment

Right to a fair and speedy trail

7th Amendment

Right to a trial by jury in civil cases

8th Amendment

No Cruel and Unusual Punishment

9th Amendment

Peoples rights

10th Amendment

States rights

Fed No. 10

Factions(best way to deal with factions is with alargue republic)

Brutus No. 1

Anti- Fed essay which argued against a strong central government

Fed No. 51

Separation of powers, checks and balances (Montesquieu)

Fed No. 70

We need one executive branch

Fed No. 78

Judical branch (No power of purse or sword)

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Letters written by MLK encouraging non-violent protest against segregation.

Marbury v. Madison

Established judicial review

McCulloch v. Maryland

supremacy, necessary and proper(elastic)

Schenck v. United States

Established clear and present danger

Brown v. Board of Education

Overruled Plessy v Ferguson(overturned with 14th amendment with the equal protection clause)

Baker v. Carr

One person one vote

Engel v. Vitale

Establishment clause School sponsored prayer is unconstitutional

Gideon v. Wainwright

Selective incorporation of the 6th amendment using the 14th due process clause

Tinker v. Des Moines

Symbolic speech clause(Students have free speech at school)

New York Times v. United States

Prior restraint

Wisconsin v. Yoder

Free exercise

Shaw v. Reno

No racial gerrymandering

United States v. Lopez

Limits Congress Commerce power

McDonald v. Chicago

Selective incoporation of the 2nd Amendment using due process

Citizens United v. FEC

Corporations can spend money on political speech(because it counts as free speech)

Article 1

Legislative Branch

Article 2

Executive Branch

Article 3

Judical Branch