GOV - Foundational Documents Overview Lesson

Foundational Documents Overview

Foundational documents are necessary for students to understand the philosophical underpinnings and political values of the U.S. political system and may serve as the focus of AP Exam questions. Source analysis of these documents helps students gain an understanding of how philosophical discussions and debates shaped the architecture of the government. Reading of classic and contemporary scholarly writings in political science are encouraged to promote the comparison of political ideas and their application to recent events.

Required Foundational Documents

Foundational Docs iconThe following is a list of required Foundational Documents:

  • THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
  • BRUTUS NO.1: To the Citizens of the State of New-York
  • THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES (INCLUDING THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS)
  • THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
  • FEDERALIST NO. 10: The Same Subject Continued: The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection
  • FEDERALIST NO. 51: The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments
  • FEDERALIST NO. 70: The Executive Department Further Considered
  • FEDERALIST NO. 78: The Judiciary Department
  • “LETTER FROM A BIRMINGHAM JAIL” (BY MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.)

 Foundational documents are named in specific topics within the Course Framework; however, the concepts within these documents are also present in other topics and units. The Foundational Document Chart indicates both where the foundational document is named in the Course Framework (bold Learning Objectives), and where the documents are also relevant to other Learning Objectives. Links to an external site.

Please note: While the Constitution is a required foundational document, it is not listed explicitly in the Foundational Document Chart because it is applicable to nearly all course learning objectives.

 

Text-Based Qualitative Sources (Primary and Secondary Sources)

Political science writing differs from writing in other fields. It focuses on what influences political behavior and attitudes (e.g., voting, party identification, candidate support) and how political ideas and policies are developed and implemented.

Students in this AP course are required to analyze primary and secondary source material, including arguments written by political scientists and others, in order to deepen their understanding of the key concepts addressed by the textbook and to engage in the required course skills.

The AP U.S. Government and Politics course features nine required foundational documents, listed above,  to help students understand the philosophies of the founders and their critics, and how discussions about ways to implement those philosophies have shaped the government. Most of these documents were written in the late 18th century and contain some high-level language. It is important for students to be able to read and accurately interpret these documents.

 

Skill Category 4: Read, analyze, and interpret foundational documents and other text-based and visual sources

Text-Based Sources                                                    

The AP U.S. Government and Politics course requires students to analyze texts in terms of perspective, conclusions, and supporting evidence, and understand how they illustrate principles and processes of the U.S. government. The primary function of using sources in this course is to help students understand the principles and processes of the U.S. government. In these texts, the founders, political scientists, and other scholars develop their ideas and arguments.                                                

To understand the argument, reasoning, and implications of these texts, students should:

  • Identify the argument, perspective, evidence, and reasoning presented in the source.
  • Put the argument, perspective, evidence, or reasoning in their own words.
  • Identify the reasoning used to justify the argument, perspective, evidence, or reasoning.
  • Explain the evidence used to support the argument and the reasoning.
  • Identify evidence that supports alternative perspectives.
  • Explain how the alternative perspectives refute or rebut the author’s argument.
  • Critique the author’s argument, pointing out its strengths and weaknesses.
  • Explain the implications of the author’s argument.
  • Explain how the author’s argument relates to political principles, institutions, processes, policies, or behaviors.  

 

Skill Category 4: Source Analysis—Text-Based Sources

Expand each of the skills below to see the questions/tasks associated with that skill. The information provides examples of questions and instructional strategies for implementing qualitative text-based resources in the course

     4A. Describe the argument, perspective, evidence, and reasoning presented in the source.     
        
  • Who is the author?
  • What is the author’s perspective?
  • Why did the author write this?
  • What do I know about the author and what the author thinks about government and political principles?
  • What is the author’s argument?
  • What evidence does the author use to support the argument?
     4.B. Explain how the argument or perspective in the source relates to political principles, institutions, processes, policies, and behaviors.     
       
  • What political principle, institution, process, policy, or behavior have you studied that is related to the author’s claim and argument?
  • How is the author’s claim or argument related to that political principle or concept? 
    
     4.C. Explain how the implications of the argument or perspective in the source may affect political principles, institutions, processes, policies, and behaviors.     
        
  • What would happen if you followed the author’s advice?
  • How does the author’s position affect an American political principle, institution, process, policy, or behavior?     

 

IMAGES CREATED BY GAVS 

INFORMATION COURTESY OF AP U.S. GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS COURSE AND EXAM DESCRIPTION COURSE FRAMEWORK V.1 PAGE 25-26 2023 COLLEGE BOARD