This inquiry set introduces essential documents and organizing principles of the United States government. This set brings the student to the center of these abstract texts and principles by posing the question “how much power should the government have over citizens?” This question has been the subject of much rhetoric, debate, and protest over the country’s history. Students will read and evaluate how important founding documents sought to address this question. They will read dense, though essential documents including the Declaration of Independence (Source 1), the Constitution (Source 2), Federalist Paper #51 (Source 3), the Bill of Rights (Source 4), a Chinese-American Citizenship Document from 1894 (Source 5), and a document written by an American Communist who was tried for violating the Smith Act (Source 6). While there is certainly no single right answer for this question, students may be surprised to learn that important founding documents differed on this question. And the differences reflect the tensions and factions of the Revolutionary and Early Republic Eras. Students may also be eager to make connections between struggles of their own time – presumably to safeguard their own individual rights. Students may also be eager to make connections between struggles of their own time – presumably to balance individual rights with the promotion of the common good.