AP U.S. Government & Politics Study Guide for Chapter 2
Pacing Guide
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Assignments
1. Read the excerpts from John Locke http://www.constitution.org/jl/2ndtreat.htm
2. Answer the questions on Locke‟s reading
1. Answer Reading Questions 1 – 3
1. Answer Reading Questions for 4 – 9
1. Read the excerpts from Federalist 10 and 51 (see website or back of the textbook)
2. Summarize Fed 10 and Fed 51 with one paragraph for each
3. Answer questions 10 - 12
1. Questions 13 - 18
Questions on John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government
Use your own words to type answers to the following questions. Make sure you understand what you’re writing.
1. Summarize the first paragraph in your own words. Chapter II
2. Explain why, a free man in the state of nature would be willing to give up some of his freedom. Chapter II
3. Summarize the three reasons Locke gives for why property is not protected in the state of nature. Chapter II
4. What are the two powers that Locke says man has in the state of nature? Chapter II
5. Summarize paragraph 131 in your own words. Chapter IX
6. Define democracy, oligarchy, monarchy, and mixed government according to Locke. Research it.
7. Locke is famous for his „social contract‟ theory of government. Based on what you just read, what do
you think the social contract is?
Reading Questions for Chapter Two: The Constitution
Use your own words to answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. This should be typed. 
1. Make a list of the points that the text makes on what the “Colonial Mind” was thinking at the time of the Revolution.
2. Make a detailed list of the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation.
3. What was Shay‟s Rebellion and what role did that play in the push for changing the Articles of Confederation?
4. Make a chart comparing and contrasting the Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, and the Great Compromise
5. What were the other compromises involving the president and the Supreme Court decided at the Convention?
6. What is the difference between a democracy and a republic and how did the Constitution strike a balance
between these two forms of government?
7. What is judicial review?
8. List and define the two major principles of American representative democracy?
9. What was the founders‟ solution to the problem that people will pursue their own self-interest? How is that
different from what ancient philosophers believed? What did Madison argue and propose in this context?
10. Make a chart showing the Federalist and Anti-Federalist arguments about the Constitution. Leave room
to add to it.
11. The book lists liberties that are guaranteed in the body of the Constitution. Learn that list. Define writ
of habeas corpus, bill of attainder, and an ex post facto law.
12. What arguments did the Federalists use against having a bill of rights?
13. Summarize the three provisions in the Constitution regarding slavery. Why didn‟t the Founders abolish slavery?
14. In the ratifying conventions, what were the economic divisions of who favored the Constitution?
15. What are the three sections of the Constitution?
Define and/or explain the following terms:
1.
John Locke
16.
Federalist Papers
2.
3.
4.
social contract
Natural Rights
State of Nature
17.
18.
19.
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
The Great (or Connecticut Compromise
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
unalienable rights
Thomas Hobbes
Democracy
Oligarchy
Monarchy
Mixed Government
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
Republic
judicial review
separation of powers
federalism
Popular sovereignty
Federalists & Anti-Federalists
11. Articles of Confederation
12. Constitutional Convention
26.
27.
James Madison
Alexander Hamilton
13. Shay‟s Rebellion
28.
Federalist Nos. 10 and 51
14. Northwest Ordinance
15. Factions
29.
30.
Coalition
Bill of Attainder
In addition to knowing the meaning of each vocabulary word above, please make sure that
you know how to spell the vocabulary words.