Advanced Placement
United States & Comparative
Government & Politics
Dear Student,
Below you will find instructions for two assignments to be completed over the summer. The
purpose of these assignments is to get a head start on the next school year to ensure that we will be able
to cover all of the course requirements. As you will see these assignments are not designed to consume
your whole summer with homework. The requirement is that you have the assignments completed for
the first day of school on September 3.
In addition to the required assignments, you should try your absolute best to stay informed on
current events. Many of the concepts that you will learn in class are applied and more easily understood
in the context of what is going on in the world. Besides the United States, pay special attention to
anything going on in China, United Kingdom, Nigeria, Iran, Russia, and Mexico since these are the six
countries we will be studying in depth. I will frequently notify you through Twitter or Facebook of
articles on important events in the news.
Remember that this class is actually two courses in one. The material covered will prepare you
for two AP exams at the end of the school year. The class will be demanding and challenging as it is a
college-level course, but I guarantee that I will not only help you prepare to take two AP exams, I will
make sure that it is interesting and worthwhile. My goal, in addition to seeing you succeed as a student,
is for you to understand how government works in the United States and the rest of the world, and more
importantly how you can participate effectively and be an active member of your generation.
If you have any questions this summer about the assignments or about the class in
general, please email me at jhicks@mtpleasant.edzone.net. Also, to stay informed join the class
Facebook group (MPHS AP GOVERNMENT) and follow me on Twitter (simply type “follow
MrHicksMPHS” as a text message and send it to 40404).
Have a safe and relaxing summer.
Mr. Hicks
“Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings.”
-John F. Kennedy
AP Government
Assignment #1
The Federalist Papers
Directions: These documents are second only to the Constitution in reflecting the thinking of our
founding fathers. A total of 85 essays were written and published in New York newspapers beginning
on October 27, 1787. Your task is to read and analyze two of those essays: #10 & #51. These two are
the most well-known and most referenced of all the essays. Keep in mind that these are written in 18th
century English so vocabulary and sentence structure will be different from what you are accustomed to.
You may need to re-read some or all of the documents. I’ve included two websites below to assist you
in interpreting and understanding them. Your assignment is to answer the following questions based on
what you have read and analyzed.
www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/titles/Federalist
www.sparknotes.com/history/american/federalist/
Federalist #10
http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm
1. Who is the author?
2. How does the author define faction?
3. Why are the causes of factions, according to the author, impossible to remove?
4. What does the author say is the cure for factions?
5. What two reasons does the author give for why extensive republics are more favorable than
small republics?
6. How does the author support his claim that large and extensive republics offer the best
control over factions?
7. For what reasons does the author believe that large republics have an
advantage over small ones and that the Union (national government) has over
small republics (the states)?
8. In your own words, summarize the author’s purpose for writing this.
9.
Federalist #10 is considered one of the most important documents in U.S. History? Why do
think this is so?
Federalist #51
http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa51.htm
1. In Federalist #51, James Madison explains the “expedient” relied on by the founders “for
maintaining in practice the necessary partition of power among the several departments as laid
down in the Constitution.” What is that expedient?
2. How does Madison think the departments should be organized “in order to lay a due foundation
for that separate and distinct exercise of the different powers of government”?
3. What does Madison mean by the phrase “ambition must be made to counteract ambition”?
4. Paragraph 4 contains a very popular and often quoted line. It is one of the reasons why this
particular essay is one of the most famous of the Federalist papers. What is the line and why do
you think it is so popular?
5. What are the two difficulties in framing a government that “is to be administered by men over
men?
6. Madison states that in a republican government the legislative branch dominates. To prevent this
branch from becoming too powerful what does he propose as the “remedy”?
7. In the last portion of this essay two considerations are put forth by Madison in justifying a
federal government. In the first Madison justifies the separation of powers by saying that a
“double security arises as to the rights of the people.” What is that double security?
8. In the second consideration Madison highlights two “methods” to ensure that rights of the
minority be secured. What does he say about each method?
9. What two things about a society does Madison say will make it “more duly capable” of selfgovernment?
10. Why do you think that this particular essay is considered one of the most important in U.S.
History?
AP Government
Assignment #2
Name:
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1232/1232-h/1232-h.htm
Niccolo Machiavelli wrote this essay in 1513. He sought to “describe the way government actually
worked and argued that a ruler should be concerned only with power and political success.” This book
still remains controversial because of its supposed lack of ethics and morality. In fact,
politicians/leaders today that engage in questionable or ruthless tactics are often described as
Machiavellian. Webster’s Dictionary defines Machiavellian as “the doctrine that any means however
lawless or unscrupulous may be justifiably employed by a ruler in order to establish and maintain a
strong central government.”
Your assignment is to read portions of The Prince specified by the questions below. I’ve included two
websites below to assist you in understanding and interpreting the work.
www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/The-Prince.id-148.html
www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/prince/
1. In Chapter III, Machiavelli gives advice to a Prince on how to govern States that he has acquired
and added to his own realm. His advice depends on the type of people living in the acquired
State. Explain.
2. Chapter III ends with a proverb: He who is the cause of another’s greatness is himself undone.
What does this mean? Who does Machiavelli use as an example?
3. In Chapter IV Machiavelli explains that Princedoms have been governed either by a sole Prince
or by a Prince with his Barons. What example does Machiavelli give of each? What does he say
about conquering and then ruling them?
4. According to Chapter V what are the three ways to keep newly acquired states? Why will such
states be hard to acquire but easy to maintain? What is shocking about Machiavelli’s advice?
5. What does Machiavelli say about rulers that acquire Princedoms by virtuous paths? What
explanation does he give? (Chapter VI)
6. At the end of Chapter VII, Machiavelli describes the ideal example of a Prince entering a new
Princedom. What are the characteristics of such a Prince?
7. In Chapter VIII, Machiavelli differentiates between cruelty well used and cruelty badly used.
Explain.
8. Do you think Machiavelli’s advice in Chapter XIV is relevant to leaders today? Explain.
9. According to Machiavelli, how should a prince concern himself with living? What
characteristics will bring praise to a prince? Condemnation? When should a prince not care
about either quality? (Chapter XV)
10. Why is it better for the prince to be feared than loved (Chapter XVII)? Are you persuaded by this
advice?
11. In Chapter XVIII Machiavelli states that a prince must “imitate the fox and the lion.” What
characteristics do the fox and lion have that will benefit a prince? What kind of person does this
image imply? Think of examples – from real life, fiction, film, or television – of people or
characters that are foxes, lions, or combinations.
12. What does Machiavelli say about being neutral in Chapter XXI?
13. Can the advice given by Machiavelli in Chapter XXIII be applied today to the President of the
United States and other world leaders? Why or why not?
General Questions about The Prince:
1. Many label Machiavelli’s book as “evil.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
2. Abraham Lincoln has been cited as an example of a Machiavellian leader? From
what you know about Lincoln is this true? Explain.
3. Machiavelli argues that a Prince must always appear to be a good person for most
will only ever see the appearance and not the reality. How important is it for a
modern day leader to manipulate appearances? (Refer to Chapter XVIII)
4. What modern political examples do we have of leaders who use fear to motivate
others, who eliminate their opposition? Is this effective? Is this beneficial?
5. What was your overall impression of The Prince. Explain.