AP Government Summer Assignment Notes

AP Government Summer Assignment

This assignment prepares students for the workload and content of AP Government. It also provides a cushion for the first quarter grade. The assignment consists of four readings (1.1, 1.2, 1.4, and 1.5) with accompanying terms to define and questions to answer. It is recommended to complete the assignment in a spiral notebook, as there will be an open-note quiz on the material.

1.1 APUSG - Ideals of Democracy

Key Terms/Concepts:

  • Limited Government: A political system with restrictions on the government to protect individual rights and liberties.
  • Natural Rights: Rights that all people are born with that cannot be taken away. John Locke defined these as "life, liberty, and property," while Thomas Jefferson described them as "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
  • Social Contract: An agreement where society gives up some freedoms to be protected by the federal government. This is the foundation of government, according to Thomas Hobbes.
  • Popular Sovereignty: The idea that the government's power comes from the will of the people.
  • Republicanism: A system where elected leaders represent the interests of the people.
  • Declaration of Independence: A document stating grievances against the British monarchy and declaring the colonies' intent to form a separate government.
  • The Constitution: The supreme law of the United States, establishing the framework for the federal government.

Reading Questions:

  1. Which democratic ideals are reflected in the Declaration of Independence?
    • Popular sovereignty - the government's power comes from the consent of the governed.
    • Natural rights - all men are created equal and have unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
  2. Produce three examples of how the U.S. Constitution limits the power of the federal government.
    • First Amendment: Guarantees freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.
    • Fourth Amendment: Protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.
    • Fifth Amendment: Protects against self-incrimination and ensures due process of law.
  3. Produce two examples of how the government protects a person's natural rights.
    • The government cannot force you to choose a particular career, protecting your liberty.
    • Laws protecting private property ensure the right to own and use your property.
  4. Produce an example to describe why popular sovereignty exists today.
    • Elections demonstrate popular sovereignty when the government shifts from one political party to another, reflecting the changing will of the people.
  5. Produce a scenario that describes the social contract that is different from the one that is in the reading.
    • Paying taxes is part of the social contract; citizens give up a portion of their income to fund public services like infrastructure and national defense, which protect their well-being.
  6. Why is it important to understand the significance of the Declaration of Independence for this course?
    • It provides the ideological foundations for the democratic government of the United States, particularly the concept of popular sovereignty.

1.2 APUSG - Types of Democracy

Key Terms/Concepts:

  • Democracy: A system of government where power is vested in the people, who rule directly or through elected representatives.
  • Participatory Democracy: A model emphasizing broad participation in politics and civil society, where citizens directly decide on policy.
  • Pluralist Democracy: A model where organized groups compete to influence policy, with no single group dominating.
  • Elite Democracy: A model where a small number of wealthy, well-educated people influence political decision-making.
  • Policy: A course or principle of action adopted or proposed by a government, party, business, or individual.
  • Democratic Republic: A system where the power to govern comes from the people, but elected officials represent their interests.
  • Direct Democracy: A form of democracy in which citizens are directly responsible for making every policy decision.
  • Town Hall Meeting: A way for local and national politicians to meet with constituents to hear their opinions.
  • Initiative: A process that allows citizens to bypass their state legislature by placing proposed laws on the ballot.
  • Referendum: A vote on a specific issue.
  • Interest Groups: Groups of people who attempt to influence policymakers to support their position on a particular common interest or concern.
  • Electoral College: A body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.

Reading Questions:

  1. Describe three examples of participatory democracy today.
    • Town hall meetings: Politicians meet with constituents to hear their opinions.
    • Initiatives: Citizens place proposed laws on the ballot (24 states have this).
    • Referendums: Voters approve or repeal an act of the state legislature.
  2. Of the three examples you describe in question #1, explain which one you think has the least amount of citizen participation.
    • Initiatives often have the least amount of citizen participation because they require more involvement initially to get the item on the ballot.
  3. In July of 2012 the issue of gambling expansion was discussed in the Maryland General Assembly. The casino legislation that was passed by the assembly required Marylanders to approve the new legislation in the November elections held that year. What method of participatory model of democracy did the Maryland lawmakers use in an effort to expand gambling?
    • Referendum.
  4. Describe how the pluralist model of democracy occurs in American politics today.
    • Interest groups like the NRA and NOW influence policymakers through donations, lobbying, and testifying in Congressional hearings.
  5. Who has the political power within the elite model of democracy?
    • A small number of wealthy or well-educated people.
  6. Explain any mechanism within the constitution that illustrates the elite model of democracy.
    • The Electoral College, where a small group makes major political decisions.
  7. What was the purpose of the electoral college?
    • To serve as a check on the potential tyranny of the majority.

1.4 APUSG - Challenges of the Articles of Confederation

Key Terms/Concepts:

  • Articles of Confederation: The first constitution of the United States, lasting from 1776 to 1789. It established a weak central government with most powers in the hands of the states.
  • Shays' Rebellion: An uprising of Revolutionary War veterans in Massachusetts due to economic hardship and failure of the government to compensate them for their service.
  • Confederacy: A form of government where states consider themselves independent entities linked together for limited purposes.
  • Legislating: The process of making or enacting laws.
  • Tyrannical: Exercising power in a cruel or oppressive way.

Reading Questions:

  1. In terms of the national government's power under the Articles of Confederation, what was the main problem?
    • The national government was too weak to effectively govern the country.
  2. What powers did the national government have under the Articles of Confederation?
    • Coin money, direct the post office, and negotiate with foreign powers.
  3. How many branches of government were there under the Articles of Confederation?
    • One: the Confederation Congress.
  4. How many votes did each state have in Congress under the Articles of Confederation?
    • One.
  5. Referring to the previous question, why was this problematic?
    • Populous states like Virginia had no more political power than tiny states like Delaware.
  6. Why was it difficult to pass new laws under the Articles of Confederation?
    • Nine of the thirteen states had to approve a measure for it to pass.
  7. Why was it virtually impossible to amend the Articles of Confederation?
    • All thirteen states had to vote in favor of a change.
  8. What was the economic problem for the national government under the Articles of Confederation?
    • The national government had no power to impose taxes.
  9. What evidence is cited in the text to describe the economic problem from question 8?
    • The national government had to request money from the states, who were often negligent in this duty.
  10. Why did the writers of the Articles of Confederation decide to leave the responsibility of national defense to the states?
    • Fears of a standing national army in the employ of a possible tyrannical national government.
  11. You should already have an understanding of Shays' Rebellion. Explain why Shays' Rebellion illustrates two glaring weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
    • The US government failed to pay its veterans and failed to raise a militia to put down the rebellion.
  12. Why was the national government's inability to tax citizens directly a problem?
    • The states rarely contributed money, meaning the national government could not pay its debts or fund initiatives.
  13. Currently it is illegal for any state or company to conduct trade with North Korea due to a national law forbidding it. Explain why this would not have been possible under the Articles of Confederation.
    • The national government could not regulate international or interstate trade.
  14. Why was the policy of having each state have one vote in Congress considered unfair?
    • The citizens of small states had proportionally more political power than the citizens of large states.
  15. Under the Articles of Confederation there was no executive branch. Why was this a problem?
    • The national government had no way of implementing or enforcing its legislative decisions.
  16. Under the Articles of Confederation there was no judicial branch. Why was this a problem?
    • There was no effective way to resolve disputes between states.

1.5 APUSG - Ratification of the Constitution

Key Terms/Concepts:

  • Bicameral: A legislative body with two chambers or houses.
  • Virginia Plan: Proposed a bicameral national legislature with representation based on population.
  • New Jersey Plan: Expanded the authority of Congress but maintained one vote per state.
  • The Great Compromise: Also known as the Connecticut Compromise, created a two-house legislature: the House of Representatives (based on population) and the Senate (equal representation).
  • Three-Fifths Compromise: Counted five slaves as three free people for representation and taxation.
  • Importation of Slaves Compromise: Allowed the slave trade to continue for at least 20 years, until 1808.
  • Electoral College: An indirect process for electing the president, where states appoint electors to cast votes.
  • Federalists: Supporters of the Constitution.
  • Anti-Federalists: Opponents of the Constitution.
  • Writ of Habeas Corpus: Requires authorities to show cause why a person under detention should not be released.
  • Ex Post Facto Laws: Laws that make an action a crime after the fact.
  • Bills of Attainder: Laws that declare a person guilty of a crime without a trial.
  • Article V of the Constitution: Describes the process for amending the Constitution.
  • Amendment: A change or addition to the Constitution.
  • Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the Constitution, protecting individual rights and liberties.
  • Convention: in regards to the Constitution, is a meeting of delegates (representatives) for framing or revising a constitution.

Reading Questions:

  1. Why would states with small populations be against the Virginia Plan for the new congress?
    • Representation was based on population, so small states would be dominated.
  2. Why would states with large populations be against the New Jersey Plan for the new Congress?
    • Each state had one vote, so large states would not have proportional influence.
  3. Which aspect of the Great Compromise would have satisfied states with small populations?
    • Equal representation in the Senate.
  4. Which aspect of the Great Compromise would have satisfied states with large populations?
    • Representation in the House of Representatives based on population.
  5. Why would states that had slaves want slaves to be counted to determine a state's representation in the House of Representatives?
    • It would increase their representation in the House.
  6. In the text, the author states that the "framers of the Constitution were not democrats". Explain why?
    • They equated the "people" with a mob that was too easily swayed. They did not go with the popular vote as part of the election process.
  7. How many states were required to ratify the Constitution?
    • Nine.
  8. Briefly list the arguments that the antifederalists made against the constitution.
    • A strong central government contained the seeds of tyranny, too much authority was taken away from the states, and the absence of a Bill of Rights left individual liberties unprotected.
  9. Briefly list the counterarguments that the federalists made against the arguments posed by the antifederalists.
    • State constitutions amply protected the individual, the federal government can only do what is specifically permitted in the Constitution, anything not mentioned, cannot be done.
  10. What did the federalists agree to add to the Constitution as "the price for ratification"?
    • A Bill of Rights.
  11. Why do you think the constitution has an amendment process?
    • To update the Constitution to address new issues and challenges.
  12. Why do you think the framers intended the amendment process to be difficult?
    • To prevent frequent or frivolous changes to the Constitution.
  13. How many avenues (ways) are there for amending the constitution?
    • Two: the congressional proposal method and the convention method.
  14. In the congressional method, what percentage of both chambers (houses) of Congress is required to propose a new amendment?
    • Two-thirds.
  15. In step 2: ratification: what percentage of state legislatures have to pass the proposed amendment in order for the amendment to be assessed to the constitution?
    • Three-fourths.
  16. The text cites two reasons why adding amendments to the constitution is so difficult. Describe those two reasons.
    • Every amendment must receive support from three-fourths of state conventions or state legislatures, and two-thirds of Congress must propose the amendment.
  17. In the section titled "matters unresolved in the constitution today" what is an argument against the current representation of states in the Senate?
    • Differences in population growth have brought into question whether two senators per state is fair to states with large populations.
  18. What are the two complaints against the Electoral College?
    • A candidate might win the popular vote but lose the presidency, and states with smaller populations have a disproportionate say in who becomes president.
  19. Lastly, in the section titled "constitutional debates that exist today" what are the three questions that are still being asked today in regards to the meaning of the constitution today?
    • How strong should the federal government be? What powers do the states have? Which individual rights are protected?