Chapter 2 Reading Guide AP Gov

Define the term "constitutional republic".

A constitutional republic is a form of government in which the people select representatives to government them and make laws and the constitution is the guiding principle of government.

Complete the following table summarizing major differences between the federalists and the anti-federalists on the issues of civil liberties, power of the states, and the economy.

Anti-federalists support: rule by the common man, strong state government, weak national government, direct election of officials, shorter terms, and strengthened protection so people could have individual liberties. Federalists support: weaker state governments, stronger national governments, indirect election of officials, longer terms, government by the elite, less concern for individual liberties.

Briefly describe the general philosophical views of the founding fathers on the following issues: human nature, political conflict, objects of government, nature of government.

Human nature - man's desire for power made it difficult for them to accept a strong ruler, but a ruling was necessary to restrain them. People are self-interested. Political conflict - Problems about religion, money, political philosophy, and other things divided people into factions, also called parties or interest groups. Objects of government - The government's principal object is property. Nature of government - Power was to be set against power (division of powers, separation of powers, checks and balances, etc.)

What is an unwritten constitution?

It is a constitution that is not written, thus nothing can be unconstitutional.

The text examines four ways the Constitution changes informally. List them.

Judicial interpretation Changing political practice Technology Increasing demands on policymakers

Make a list of the reasons why the Articles of Confederation failed.

The Articles of Confederation failed because there was no national court system, there was no executive branch, the government was broke because Congress couldn't tax, Congress had too many limits, the states weren't truly united, state delegations were haphazard, and the states had too much power.

Describe the different ways in which a formal constitutional amendment might be adopted.

The different ways are it has to be proposed by 2/3 of the Congress of by 2/3 of state legislatures, and it has to be ratified by 3/4 of state legislatures or state conventions.

Why did the founding fathers believe it was not necessary to address individual rights issues specifically in the constitution?

The founding fathers believed it was not necessary because the government was limited. It did protect individual rights by the writ of habeas corpus, by preventing Congress from passing bills of attainder and ex post facto laws, and giving people the right to trial by jury.

What are the major components of John Locke's political philosophy and how did they influence Thomas Jefferson's writings?

The major components of John Locke's political philosophy are natural rights, the consent of the governed, and a limited government. His ideas of "life, liberty, and property" influenced Jefferson to write "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" in the Declaration of Independence.

What were the major economic problems addressed at the Constitutional Convention? How were they resolved?

The major economic problems were the states had erected tariffs against products from other states. Paper money was virtually worthless. Congress had trouble raising money.

Make a list of the major grievances of the colonists under British rule.

The major grievances include that the King incited "merciless Indian savages" to wage war on the colonies, the Parliament lacked authority over the colonies, the king was a tyrant, the king forced the quartering of soldiers, the king cut off trade, and the king imposed taxes without colonists' consent (there are several, this is not an exhaustive list).

What were the three major equality issues at the Constitutional Convention? How were they resolved?

The three major equality issues were equality and representation, slavery, and political equality. The issue of representation was solved by the Connecticut compromise, the issue of counting slaves was solved by the 3/5 compromise, and the issue of who can vote (political equality) was decided by giving the states the rights to decide who can vote.

Why did the anti-federalists believe the new Constitution was a class-based document.

They believed that the new Constitution was a class-based document because it seemed to protect the economic elite.