AP GOV Unit 1

The Declaration of Independence

When drafting the declaration of independence, Thomas Jefferson used popular ideas about Democracy and Enlightenment philosophy. These ideas were to be so powerfully explained that it would start a revolution.

• Democracy coming from:

  • Demos: People

  • Kratos: Power

Many of the ideas came from John Locke, who advocated for:

• undeniable Natural rights

• The social contract

From the Baron de Montesquieu, the separation of powers was adopted, while the idea of a carefully designed government came from the writings of David Hume. All of these formed the American Political Culture.

American Political Culture

American Political Culture is based on Popular Sovereignty and Republicanism.

Popular Sovereignty

•    The idea that the government’s right to rule comes from the people

Republicanism

• The people vote on representatives who then represent them in the government.

This created a new form of democracy, different from the direct democracy of Ancient Greece, called representative government.