AP US gov foundational documents
AP U.S. Government: Required Foundational Documents
Document | Author | Main Points |
Declaration of Independence | Thomas Jefferson (primary) - authorized by Second Continental Congress | Declared Independence from Britain - justification for “divorce” Identified Natural Rights - Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness and gov.’s job to protect them Influenced heavily by John Locke
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Articles of Confederation | John Dickerson - authorized by Second Continental Congress | Confederal Government; Weak- Congress not given many powers Unicameral Legislature Each State = 1 vote (2-7 delegates); 9/13 votes needed to pass laws No Executive / No Judicial No power to raise an army |
U.S. Constitution | Written by Constitutional Convention | Outlines the structure of the government
Relationships between states Amendment process 27 Amendments (including the Bill of Rights) |
Federalist No. 10 | James Madison Federalist Papers | Factions are inevitable - cannot destroy them, so must manage them
Pluralism --> many factions competing for influence leads to only the best ideas being enacted Prevents tyranny of the majority; Views of people will be “refined and enlarged” by their elected representatives |
Brutus 1 | Robert Yates Anti- Federalist | Constitution gives too much power to central government
Can do away with States governments, creating one powerful state. Standing Army in peacetime is a destruction of liberty Once you give up power the only way to get it back is by force -- “Many instances can be produced where the people have voluntarily increased the powers of their rulers; but few, if any, in which rulers have willingly abridged their authority.” |
Federalist No. 51 | Madison Federalist Papers | Power is divided between
Checks and Balances -- Gov. must be powerful enough to control the people, but also control itself -- separate but equal powers All keep power from becoming too centralized -- prevent one person/one group from taking over the government “If men were angels, no government would be necessary. ...” “you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” |
Federalist No. 70 | Alexander Hamilton Federalist Papers | Argues for a single, “energetic” executive (president) “energy in the executive is the leading character in the definition of good government.”
President needs to be able to act swiftly and decisively to respond to crises Having a single president makes the executive easily accountable; multiple presidents = finger-pointing and shifting blame Rejects a plural executive, instead a Cabinet of advisors to the President |
Federalist No. 78 | Alexander Hamilton Federalist Papers | “The least dangerous branch” -- Independent and inherently weaker than the other 2 branches -- cannot enforce its decisions “no influence over either the sword or the purse,…It may truly be said it have neither FORCE nor WILL, but merely judgement.” Judiciary must be independent; case for lifetime appointments The power of judicial review -- job is to interpret the Constitution
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Letter from a Birmingham Jail | Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | Justice delayed is justice denied; “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. ...” “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed” All people should be treated the same under the law (14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause) Nonviolent direct action seeks to create urgency for legislative action
Owns extremism in support of a noble cause, such as fulfilling the promise of America (so long as it fits the tenets of nonviolence) |