AP Gov required exam documents
Bill of Rights (1791) – First 10 Amendments
Q: What does the 1st Amendment protect?
A: Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.
Q: What right does the 2nd Amendment guarantee?
A: The right to own and carry firearms.
Q: What does the 3rd Amendment prohibit?
A: The forced quartering of soldiers in private homes.
Q: What protections does the 4th Amendment provide?
A: Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, requiring warrants or probable cause.
Q: What five protections are included in the 5th Amendment?
A: Due process, protection against self-incrimination, double jeopardy, eminent domain, and grand jury indictment for serious crimes.
Q: What legal rights are guaranteed by the 6th Amendment?
A: Speedy and public trial, impartial jury, legal counsel, and the right to confront witnesses.
Q: What right does the 7th Amendment protect?
A: The right to a jury trial in civil cases over $20.
Q: What does the 8th Amendment prohibit?
A: Excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel or unusual punishment.
Q: What does the 9th Amendment state about rights?
A: People have rights beyond those explicitly listed in the Constitution.
Q: What does the 10th Amendment establish?
A: Powers not delegated to the federal government belong to the states or the people.
Expanding Rights & Adjusting Government (11-27 Amendments)
Q: What does the 11th Amendment establish?
A: States cannot be sued in federal court by citizens of another state or country.
Q: What problem did the 12th Amendment fix?
A: It separated electoral votes for president and vice president.
Q: What does the 13th Amendment do?
A: Abolishes slavery.
Q: What three protections are included in the 14th Amendment?
A: Citizenship for all born in the U.S., equal protection under the law, and due process at the state level.
Q: What does the 15th Amendment guarantee?
A: Voting rights cannot be denied based on race.
Q: What tax does the 16th Amendment allow?
A: Federal income tax.
Q: What change did the 17th Amendment make?
A: It allowed direct election of U.S. senators by the people.
Q: What did the 18th Amendment ban?
A: Alcohol (Prohibition).
Q: What right did the 19th Amendment grant?
A: Women's suffrage (the right to vote).
Q: How did the 20th Amendment change presidential terms?
A: It moved Inauguration Day to January 20 to shorten the lame-duck period.
Q: What did the 21st Amendment do?
A: Repealed Prohibition (18th Amendment).
Q: What limit does the 22nd Amendment place on the presidency?
A: Two terms or a maximum of 10 years.
Q: What does the 23rd Amendment grant to Washington, D.C.?
A: Three electoral votes in presidential elections.
Q: What voting barrier does the 24th Amendment remove?
A: Poll taxes.
Q: What issue does the 25th Amendment address?
A: Presidential succession and disability.
Q: What does the 26th Amendment change about voting?
A: Lowers the voting age to 18.
Q: What does the 27th Amendment prevent Congress from doing?
A: Raising its own salary until after the next election.
Key Founding Documents & Political Papers
Q: What is the U.S. Constitution?
A: The supreme law of the United States, creating a federal government with three branches and a system of checks and balances.
Q: What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
A: No power to tax, no national military, no ability to regulate commerce, and weak federal authority.
Q: What is the main argument in Brutus 1?
A: A strong national government would threaten state sovereignty and individual freedoms by expanding federal power through the Necessary and Proper Clause and Supremacy Clause.
Q: What problem does Federalist No. 10 address?
A: Factions (interest groups) are inevitable but can be controlled in a large republic with representative government.
Q: What is the main idea of Federalist No. 51?
A: Separation of powers and checks and balances prevent tyranny by ensuring each branch of government can limit the others.
Q: What argument is made in Federalist No. 70?
A: A single, strong executive (president) ensures accountability, decisive leadership, and effective governance.
Q: What principle does Federalist No. 78 defend?
A: Judicial independence and life tenure for judges, ensuring the courts can protect the Constitution through judicial review.
Q: What is the main message of Letter from Birmingham Jail?
A: Nonviolent resistance is necessary to fight racial injustice, and people have a moral duty to break unjust laws.