Foundations of American Democracy
James Wright
8 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This AP US Government study guide covers foundational documents (Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Constitution, Federalist 10 & 51, Brutus 1), theories of democracy (participatory, pluralist, elite), Constitutional compromises, separation of powers and checks and balances, and federalism (including key Supreme Court cases). It also provides practice questions and exam tips covering multiple-choice, short answer, and free-response questions (including argumentative essays and SCOTUS case analysis).
#AP US Government: Ultimate Study Guide 🚀
Hey there, future AP Gov rockstar! This guide is designed to be your go-to resource for acing the exam. Let's dive in and make sure you're feeling confident and ready to go! 💪
#🏛️ Foundations of American Government
#📜 Core Ideas & Influences
- John Locke's Influence: Natural rights (life, liberty, property), social contract, limited government. These ideas heavily influenced the Founders. 💡
- Declaration of Independence: (FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENT) Based on Locke's ideas, emphasizing popular sovereignty and the right to alter or abolish a government that fails to protect natural rights.
- Limited Government: The Founders' reaction to monarchy; explicit limits on government power.
- Popular Sovereignty: Government gets its power from the people.
#⚖️ Theories of Democracy
- Participatory Democracy: Emphasizes broad citizen involvement (e.g., town halls, contacting representatives, initiatives, referendums).
- Pluralist Democracy: Power lies with organized groups (interest groups) that compete for influence (e.g., ACLU, NRA, Sierra Club). 🤝
- Elite Democracy: Power is concentrated in the hands of the wealthy and educated elite.
#💔 The Articles of Confederation
- First Government: (FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENT) Weak national government, no power to tax or raise troops.
- Shay's Rebellion: Highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles, leading to the Constitutional Convention. 😬
Practice Question
json
{
"multiple_choice": [
{
"question": "Which of the following best describes the principle of popular sovereignty?",
"options": [
"A) The division of power between the national and state governments.",
"B) The idea that government power is derived from the people.",
"C) The system of checks and balances between the branches of government.",
"D) The protection of individual rights and liberties."
],
"answer": "B"
},
{
"question": "The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation were MOST apparent in which of the following events?",
"options": [
"A) The passage of the Northwest Ordinance",
"B) The Whiskey Rebellion",
"C) Shays’ Rebellion",
"D) The XYZ Affair"
],
"answer": "C"
}
],
"free_response": {
"question": "Explain how the ideas of John Locke influenced the Declaration of Independence and the structure of American government. In your response, be sure to discuss the concept of natural rights and the social contract.",
"scoring_guidelines": [
"1 point for identifying John Locke as an influence on the Declaration of Independence.",
"1 point for explaining the concept of natural rights as life, liberty, and property (or the pursuit of happiness).",
"1 point for ...
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