AP GOV STUDY

1. Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Established judicial review, allowing the Supreme Court to declare laws unconstitutional.

2. McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Confirmed the supremacy of national over state law and upheld the implied powers of Congress through the Necessary and Proper Clause.

3. U.S. v. Lopez (1995)

Limited Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause, ruling that gun possession in school zones is not an economic activity.

4. Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Ruled that school-sponsored prayer in public schools violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

5. Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Held that forcing Amish children to attend school past 8th grade violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.

6. Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Protected student speech in schools as long as it is not disruptive, affirming First Amendment rights.

7. New York Times Co. v. U.S. (1971)

Limited government power of prior restraint, ruling that the press could publish the Pentagon Papers.

8. Schenck v. U.S. (1919)

Allowed limits on speech if it presents a “clear and present danger”, such as during wartime.

9. Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Guaranteed the right to an attorney for defendants in state criminal trials via the Sixth Amendment and selective incorporation.

10. Roe v. Wade (1973)

Legalized abortion under the right to privacy implied by the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment.

11. McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Applied the Second Amendment right to bear arms to the states through the 14th Amendment’s Due Process Clause.

12. Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson using the Equal Protection Clause.

13. Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Ruled that political spending by corporations and unions is protected speech under the First Amendment, leading to Super PACs.

14. Baker v. Carr (1962)

Established that federal courts can hear redistricting cases, introducing the idea of “one person, one vote.”

15. Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Banned racial gerrymandering, ruling that districts cannot be drawn solely based on race under the Equal Protection Clause.

1. Declaration of Independence (1776)

Declared U.S. independence from Britain, emphasizing natural rights, social contract, and the right to revolt against unjust governments.

2. Articles of Confederation (1781)

First U.S. government framework; created a weak central government with no power to tax or regulate commerce, leading to instability.

3. U.S. Constitution (1787)

Established a stronger federal government with separation of powers, checks and balances, and a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties.

4. Federalist No. 10 (Madison)

Argues that a large republic can best control factions and protect minority rights through pluralism.

5. Brutus No. 1

Anti-Federalist paper warning that a large republic will lead to loss of state power and individual liberties due to a too-powerful central government.

6. Federalist No. 51 (Madison)

Explains how checks and balances and separation of powers prevent tyranny and protect liberty.

7. Federalist No. 70 (Hamilton)

Argues for a single, energetic executive (President) who can act decisively and be held accountable.

8. Federalist No. 78 (Hamilton)

Defends the independent judiciary and judicial review, saying courts are the least dangerous branch because they have no power of the purse or sword.

9. Letter from Birmingham Jail (Martin Luther King Jr.)

Defends civil disobedience against unjust laws and calls for fulfillment of the nation’s promise of equal rights under the Constitution.