AP Gov Documents to Know

The Declaration of Independence (1776)
A document declaring independence from Britain and asserting natural rights like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, laying the philosophical groundwork for rights later protected under the Bill of Rights.

The Articles of Confederation (1781)
America’s first national government creating a weak central authority and strong state sovereignty, later replaced because it lacked powers like taxation and regulation, which the U.S. Constitution’s Article I, Section 8 later addressed.

The U.S. Constitution (1787)
The supreme law establishes the federal government’s structure, powers, and limits through the separation of powers, checks and balances, and protection of rights via amendments like the Bill of Rights.

Federalist No. 10 (James Madison)
An essay explaining how the U.S. Constitution’s republican system (Article I, Sections 2–4) and federalism help control factions and protect minority rights in a large, diverse nation.

Federalist No. 51 (James Madison)
An essay justifying the Constitution’s separation of powers and checks and balances as essential to prevent tyranny and protect liberty.

Federalist No. 70 (Alexander Hamilton)
An essay defending the need for a strong, singular executive under Article II of the Constitution, arguing that one energetic president ensures accountability and effective governance.

Federalist No. 78 (Alexander Hamilton)
An essay supporting the independence of the judiciary and introducing judicial review, later established in Marbury v. Madison (1803), based on interpreting the Supremacy Clause and constitutional limits on laws.

Brutus No. 1 (Anti-Federalist)
An Anti-Federalist essay warning that the Necessary and Proper Clause and Supremacy Clause would give the federal government excessive power over states and threaten individual liberties.

Letter from Birmingham Jail (Martin Luther King Jr., 1963)
A letter invoking moral law and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, defending civil disobedience against unjust segregation laws, and advocating for racial equality.