Foundational Documents Required for APGOV

All foundational Documents for APGOV (excluding the constitution, bill of rights, and amendments)

Federalist 10

Big Idea: Large Republic is needed to protect our rights

• Factions (dangerous (negative connotation) groups can only be controlled by a powerful government)

• Homogeneity (sameness) is created by a large republic

Brutus 1

Big Idea: Many small republics better represent the needs of the people (U.S. today combines both federalist 10 and Brutus 1)

• Coalitions (positive connotation) are necessary because they create competition and limits potential corruption

• Heterogeneity (diversity) different regions need small local governments

Declaration of Independence

Big Idea: colonies declared Independence from Britain the oppressed the 13 colonies

• Natural Rights (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness)

• Popular Sovereignty (Consent of the govern)

• Limited Government (fear of Absolute Government)

• Social Contract (Government protects, we comply to laws)

Articles of Confederation

Big Idea: 1st from of government that established strong state government & weak federal government

• No way to levy taxes, raise an army, no executive branch, coin a single currency, regulate interstate commerce (trade)

• Shay’s Rebellion revealed the AoC was weak

• Constitutional Convention

Federalist 51

Big Idea: 4 auxiliary precautions (“4 Controls”) created to limit federal power

• Separation of Powers (3 branches of government)

• Checks and Balances (each branch has a way to limit each other)

• Federalism (power is broken into state + federal + local levels)

• Bicameralism (2 houses in Congress)

Federalist 70

A single executive can help protect individual rights

• A single individual (president) can respond quickly to crisis when a group would take too much time

• “Energetic” executives are fast acting

Federalist 78

Big Idea: a strong, independent is also essential to the protection of people’s liberties

• Justices have a lifetime tenure and don’t have fear of making unpopular opinions because they do not seek public approval

• Justices should be unbiased “impartial”

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Big Idea: Non violent protests are the best way to break unjust laws

• led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965

• Shows the issues of equality and justice in the U.S.