AP USG&P Unit 1: The Required Documents

Match the following

• The Declaration of Indpendence

• emphasizes the idea that individuals possess inherent, unalienable rights (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) that governments cannot take away. 

• The Articles of Confederation

• argument for nonviolent civil disobedience and a defense of the Civil Rights Movement, emphasizing the moral imperative to challenge injustice and the importance of direct action. 

• Letter from a Birmingham Jail

• the first governing document of the United States, adopted in 1777 and ratified in 1781, establishing a "league of friendship" among the states. 

• The Constitution

• key principles like separation of powers and checks and balances, and its role as the supreme law, along with the process of amendment and the powers of each branch of government. 

Match the following

• Federalist 78

• defends judicial review and argues for an independent judiciary, emphasizing its role as the "least dangerous" branch, responsible for interpreting laws and ensuring they align with the Constitution. 

• Federalist 10

• argues for a large republic to control factions and protect minority rights, emphasizing that a diverse republic with a representative government is better than a pure democracy. 

  
  

• Brutus 1

• argues against a strong central government, emphasizing the dangers of a large republic and the potential for tyranny, while advocating for a decentralized system with more power in the hands of state and local governments. 

• Federalist 51

• argues for a strong, unitary executive (a single president) to ensure a decisive and effective government, emphasizing that a weak executive leads to a weak government. 

• Federalist 70

• addresses the separation of powers, the federal structure of government and the maintenance of checks and balances by "opposite and rival interests" within the national government.

Match the following

• Federalism

• establishes that the government's power ultimately comes from the people. 

• Popular Sovereignty

• Each branch of government has the power to limit the actions of the other branches, ensuring a balance of power. 

• Limited Government

• where power is divided between the federal and state governments. 

• Separation of Powers

• divides governmental power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. 

• Checks and Balances

• limits the power of the government to protect individual rights and liberties. 

Match the following

• Judicial Branch

• • Enforces laws, commands the military, and negotiates treaties. 

• Executive Branch

• • House of Representatives: Makes laws, originates revenue bills, and has the power to impeach the president. 

  • Senate: Makes laws, ratifies treaties, and confirms presidential appointments. 

• Judicial Review

• Interprets laws and determines their constitutionality

• Legislative Branch

• The Supreme Court has the power to interpret the Constitution and determine whether laws are constitutional, a power established in Marbury v. Madison. 

Match the following Articles of the Constitution

• Article V

• Establishes the judicial branch (Supreme Court and lower federal courts) with its powers and structure

• Article III

• Establishes the executive branch (President) with its powers and structure. 

• Article I

• Establishes the Constitution as the supreme law of the land - Supremacy Clause.

• Article II

• Establishes the legislative branch (Congress) with its powers and structure. 

• Article VI

• Outlines the process for amending the Constitution. 

Match the following

• Preamble (Constitution)

• can be done by three-fourths of the state legislatures or by state conventions in three-fourths of the states.

• Amendments

• can be done by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress or by a national convention called by Congress at the request of two-thirds of the states.

• Proposing an Amendment

• The introductory statement outlining the document's goals, such as forming a more perfect union, establishing justice, and promoting the general welfare. 

• Ratifying an Amendment

• The first ten are known as the (Bill of Rights) guarantee fundamental rights and liberties, while subsequent versions address issues like slavery, suffrage, and the election process.