Unit 1: Documents and Cases
Required Documents
Declaration of Independence: A foundational document establishing the principles of natural rights, popular sovereignty, and government by consent of the governed, detailing grievances against the British Crown to justify American independence.
Gettysburg Address: Abraham Lincoln's landmark address emphasizing national unity, human equality, the dedication to preserving the Union, and the preservation of a government of the people, by the people, for the people.
Articles of Confederation: The first governing document of the United States, establishing a loose confederation of sovereign states with a weak central government incapable of levying taxes or enforcing national laws.
US Constitution: The supreme law of the United States, establishing the institutional framework of federal government across three branches, codifying federalism, and building a system of checks and balances.
Federalist 51: An essay by James Madison arguing that liberty is defended through a government structured with a distinct separation of powers and a robust system of checks and balances.
Brutus 1: An Anti-Federalist paper expressing opposition to the ratification of the Constitution, arguing that a large central government would compromise state sovereignty, abuse powers like the Necessary and Proper Clause and Supremacy Clause, and diminish individual liberties.
Federalist 10: An essay by James Madison addressing the threat posed by political factions and arguing that an expansive, representative republic provides the best protection against factional tyranny.
Federalist 39: An essay by James Madison defining the nature of a republican government and examining whether the proposed Constitution creates a purely national structure or a federal compromise between the national and state governments.
Required Cases
McCulloch v. Maryland: A foundational Supreme Court case affirming congressional implied powers via the Necessary and Proper Clause and establishing federal supremacy over state laws under the Supremacy Clause.
US v. Lopez: A pivotal Supreme Court ruling placing constitutional limits on congressional authority under the Commerce Clause, determining that possessing a firearm in a school zone does not substantially affect interstate commerce.
Other Readings
Virginia Declaration of Rights: A foundational document drafted to proclaim the inherent rights of citizens, serving as a primary precursor and model for the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.
Constitutional Plans:
Virginia Plan: A constitutional proposal advocating for a strong central government featuring a bicameral legislature with representation based on population size.
New Jersey Plan: A constitutional proposal favoring state equality, advocating for a unicameral legislature where every state receives an equal vote regardless of population.
Hamilton Plan: An executive-focused constitutional proposal presented by Alexander Hamilton recommending an executive governor and senators serving life terms during good behavior to ensure stability.
Current relevant news article(s): Assigned contemporary news readings that demonstrate how historic constitutional principles, structural doctrines, and precedent cases apply to modern political developments.