AP Gov

• Framers lived at a time when there were new ideas about government organization/function
• Framers challenged systems already in place
• Enlightenment


  An 18th century philosophical movement that began in Western Europe with roots in the Scientific Revolution, using reason over tradition to solve social problems
• Thomas Hobbes (Leviathan - 1660)


  Believed that people could not govern themselves and that a monarch with absolute power would protect life best. Advocated for rule of law and a social contract with government where some freedoms are sacrificed in exchange for government protection.
• John Locke (Second Treatise on Civil Government - 1690)


  Natural rights must be protected. Believed people are born with a blank slate and everything is shaped by experience. Natural rights (life, liberty, property) are granted by God and government must protect them. Advocated for the right to revolution if natural rights are taken away.
• Charles de Montesquieu (De l'Esprit des Lois/The Spirit of the Laws - 1748)


  Separation of power into three branches of government with checks and balances to limit the power of each branch.
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau (The Social Contract - 1762)


  Believed people are born good but corrupted by society, and should act for the greater good rather than out of self-interest.
• Voltaire (Candide)


  Wrote a satirical novel reflecting his dislike of Christian power and nobles. Advocated for rationality, freedom of thought, speech, religion, and politics.
• Denis Diderot


  Producer/editor of the first encyclopedia, wanted to change the way people thought by adding his own and others' philosophies. Advocated for freedom of expression and universal education access. Criticized divine right, traditional values, and religion.
• Philosophers favored democracy over absolute monarchy
• Forms of representative democracy


  • Participatory democracy: broad participation in politics/society by people at various statuses
  • Pluralist democracy: group-based activism by citizens with common interests who seek the same goals
  • Elite democracy: power to the educated/wealthy, discourages participation by the majority of people
• Republicanism


  Supports individualism and natural rights, popular sovereignty (people give the government power), encourages civic participation
• American Republicanism characterized by representative democracy
• Elected officials


  Representing a group of people
• Popular sovereignty


  Government power derives from the consent of the governed (e.g. elections, protests)
• The Declaration of Independence was a formal declaration of war between America and Great Britain, written by Thomas Jefferson
• The Declaration of Independence listed grievances ("crimes" King George III committed against the colonies) to explain why the colonies are declaring independence, and was used as a template by other nations declaring independence
• The Declaration of Independence outlined the first government of the United States of America, which was the predecessor to the Constitution
• The Articles of Confederation


  • Created federalism: the way in which federal and state/regional governments interact and share power
  • Ended the Revolutionary War on favorable terms for the United States (Treaty of Paris - 1783)
  • Established the Northwest Ordinance, which created methods through which states would enter the US
• Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

  • Trade between states declined, monetary value dropped, foreign countries posed threats, social disorder throughout the country
  • Shays' Rebellion (1786-1787): 6-month rebellion formed by over 1,000 farmers in which a federal arsenal was attacked in protest of the foreclosure of farms in western Massachusetts
  • Could not impose taxes (result of taxation without representation); only state governments could levy taxes
  • National government was in debt from the Revolutionary War had no way to pay for expenses
  • Could only acquire money by requesting it from states, borrowing from other governments, or selling lands in the West
  • No national military; could not draft soldiers
  • No national currency
  • No Supreme Court to interpret law
  • No executive branch to enforce laws
  • No control over taxes imposed between states and could not control interstate trade
  • Needed unanimous votes to amend the Articles
  • 9/13 states had to approve legislation before it was passed
  • No enforcement mechanisms/requests from within federal government
• The Constitutional Convention created the Constitution, resulting in a complete rewrite of the Articles of Confederation
• The Constitutional Convention was a meeting of the framers in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• There was division over powers, structure, and responsibilities of government at the Constitutional Convention, with some believing the government under the Articles was too weak and others believing it shouldn't be changed

  
• The framers at the Constitutional Convention were generally accepted as pragmatists who tried to protect their and everyone else's property and rights, and believed a stronger central government was necessary but had the potential to be corrupted
• Main issues in the federal legislature

  • Unicameral (single house) vs bicameral (two house) legislative branch
  • Madison's Virginia Plan: bicameral legislature based on population size, supported by larger states for better representation
  • New Jersey Plan: unicameral legislature, one vote per state, similar to Articles of Confederation, supported by smaller states worried about being dominated by larger states
• V - Virginia Plan


  Proposed by the larger states and wanted representation based on population. The "V" in Virginia reminds us of "victory," just like the larger states wanted to have more power in the government.
• N - New Jersey Plan

  Proposed by the smaller states and wanted equal representation for each state. The "N" in New Jersey reminds us of "neutral," just like the smaller states wanted a fair and balanced approach to representation.
• The Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise) was a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives (population) and Senate (equal representation)
• The issue of representation of enslaved people was debated, with northerners wanting enslaved people to not be counted for electoral votes and southerners wanting them to be counted
• The Three-Fifths Compromise was that enslaved people would be counted as 3/5 of a person when deciding seats in the House of Representatives
• The Constitution created a chief executive (president)


  The president is the enforcer of the law and can keep the legislative branch in check. Presidential approval is required before bills become law, and the president can veto acts of the legislature, which Congress can override with a 2/3 vote of both houses.
• The Supreme Court


  Can mediate disputes between the legislative and executive branches, between states, and between state and federal government.
• Groups supporting and opposing the Constitution


  • Federalists: supporters of the Constitution, advocated for a strong central government
  • Anti-Federalists: opponents of the Constitution, preferred smaller state governments (Articles of Confederation)
• The Federalist Papers, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, were a collection of articles supporting the Constitution that best reflects the original intent of the framers and persuaded states of the superiority of a strong central government plus power kept by the states
• The Anti-Federalists believed the Constitution would threaten personal liberties and make the president a king, feared tyranny and abuse of power, and wanted a Bill of Rights to protect the rights of citizens from the government
• The Electoral College was created because the framers didn't trust American citizens to be educated enough to choose a good president, and thought it would protect the election against the influence of small groups and ensure that states with larger populations didn't completely overpower smaller states
• The anonymous author (pseudonym Brutus) asked questions about and critiqued the draft of the Constitution, arguing that the national government had too much power, an army could prevent liberty, and representatives may not truly be representative of the people
• The Federalist Papers, written by James Madison, addressed the dangers of factions and how to protect minority interest groups in a nation ruled by the majority, arguing that a large republic keeps any single faction from taking control
• The Anti-Federalists thought Madison's claims in Federalist No. 10 were unrealistic and that a country with multiple factions could never create a good union, believing that no large nation could survive and that states' separate interests would fracture the republic
• Federalist No. 51, written by James Madison, argued that separation of powers would make the government efficient by dividing responsibilities and tasks