AP Super Saturday Review

AP U.S. Government

Mrs. Poole

AP US Gov Exam

· 2 Hours and 25 Minutes· 45 Minutes: 60 MC questions· 100 Minutes: 4 FRQs

· One FRQ is stimulus-based (table, chart, graph, or other information provided in the question).

Scoring the MC

· Number Right – (Number Wrong x .25) = Raw Score Rounded up or down to the nearest whole number

· Trick: · Skim through the test and answer easy questions. · Answer questions you can eliminate two to three

answers for. · If you can only eliminate one answer or no answers,

you should think twice before you answer it.

· Thus EDUCATED guessing is encouraged

How is the Composite Score Calculated?

· Adding the score from the MC section to the score from the essay section and rounding to the nearest whole number.· mid-80s – 120 points = 5· 70s – mid-80s = 4· high 40s – 70s points = 3· high 20s – high 40s = 2· 0 – high 20s = 1

· The range changes from year to year, so this is not an exact guideline.

At the Test...

· Test Date: May 5th· This may sound silly, but...· Bring with you:

· Several pencils with GOOD erasers· Black pens (black is easier to read)· A watch (no alarms-- timing is key!)

Night Before· All the usuals: Get some sleep, eat a good

breakfast...· But... I might also suggest, watching a

government movie or talking to a friend meanwhile you can be flipping through notes and the textbook.

· By this time you should also have a list of topics you are really weak on and should be studying those.

I. Constitutional Underpinnings: 5-15% of the test

· Democratic Theory· Government depends on the consent of the

governed

· Pluralist Theory· Groups compete and conflicts arise which

require compromise

· Elitist Theory· Small, elite upper-class rule in own self-interest

· Bureaucratic Theory· Bureaucrats carry out the day to day workings of

government

Influences on American Government

· Enlightenment Philosophers· Social Contract, Locke

(Declaration)· Magna Carta

· Limited Government· Petition of Right· English Bill of Rights

· Rights like trial, judge, jury, protection from unreasonable bail

History of the Constitution· Formulation of the Constitution

· House of Burgesses (VA)· Mayflower Compact· French and Indian War (taxes)· Continental Congress· Revolutionary War· Articles of Confederation (Jefferson)· Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan (bicameral)· Arguments for and against the Constitution

· Federalists (Jay, Hamilton, Madison)· Anti-Federalists (Henry)

The Constitution· Arguments For

Ratification:· Articles of Confed.

were too weak· Checks and

Balances would protect from abuse

· Constitution allows for reserved state rights

· Arguments Against Ratification:· Strong national

government would be similar to a monarchy

· Needed a Bill of Rights

Principles of the Constitution

· Limited Government· Popular Sovereignty· Separation of Powers· Checks and Balances· Federalism

Formal Amendment Process· Congress and State Legislatures Ratify· State Legislatures call for a National

Convention and then State Legislatures Ratification

Informal Amendment Process

· Legislative and Executive Actions· Judicial Review· Custom (Custom and Tradition-- often

good answers)

Federalism

· Delegated Powers· Implied Powers

· Necessary and Proper Clause or Elastic Clause

· McCulloch v. Maryland and Gibbons v. Ogden

· Inherent Powers· Concurrent Powers· Reserved Powers· Denied Powers

Federalism Today

· Dual Federalism· Layer Cake 1789-1932

· Cooperative Federalism· Marble Cake 1930s

· New Federalism· 1970s to today· Devolution: more Responsibility to the States

· Fiscal Federalism· Grants and mandates· Fiscal Policy-- Budgeting

II. Political Beliefs and Behaviors: 10-20% of the test

· American Political Culture· Majority Rule, Minority Rights· Equality/Equity· Private Property· Individual Freedoms· Economic Competition· Limited government

Political Culture

· Public Opinion· Polls: sampling, valid

questions, controlling how the poll is taken

· Political Socialization· Family, school,

group/friends, media, etc

Political Ideology

· Radical· Liberal· Moderate· Conservative· Reactionary· Associate to types of people and regions of

the US

III. Linkage Institutions:Political Parties, Interest Groups,

and Mass Media: 10-20% · Party System

· One Party System, Two Party System (US), Multi-Party System (Europe)

· Party ID and Membership:· Ideology, education, income, occupation,

race/ethnicity, gender, religion, family tradition, region, marital status

· Responsibilities:· Candidate recruitment, nominating and supporting

candidates, voters education, campaign fundraising

Two Party Tradition

· Historical Roots (Britain, Federalists)· Electoral System (single member districts)· Election Laws

Political Party History

· Party Development (1789-1800)· Democratic Domination (1800-1860)· Republican Domination (1860-1932)· Return of the Democrats (1932-1968)· Divided Government (1968-today)

· Dealignment (voters split from party)· Realignment (new coalitions of parties form)

Third Parties

· Ideological (Communist, Socialist, Libertarian)

· Splinter/personality/factional (“Bull Moose” Progressives)

· Single Issue (Free Soil, Prohibition)· Protest (Populist)

Party Organization

· National Convention· National Committee· National Chairperson· Congressional Campaign Committee· State and Local Organizations

· Soft money v. Hard money

Challenges to the Party

· Split Ticket v. Straight Ticket Voting· Lack of Perceived Differences· Campaign Reforms

Voting and Elections

· First Tuesday after the First Monday in Nov.· Voting

· Closed/Open/blanket/runoff primary, general elections, recall, referendum, initiative

· Suffrage (Amendments)· Forms of participation:

· Voting, discussing, attending meetings, Interest Group/PAC membership, writing letters, campaigning, donating to campaigns, running for office, protesting, etc

Why Low Voter Turnout?

· Expansion of the electorate, Failure to mobilize voters, Candidates are the same, Apathy, Satisfaction, Mistrust, Lack of political efficacy

· Who votes?· Education, occupation, age, race, religion

(*Americans are generally more religious than Europeans), marital status, geography, party id, community membership

Presidential Elections· Exploration· Announcement· Primaries/Caucuses· Nominating

Conventions· General Election· Electoral College

· Coattail Effect for lesser-known candidates

Campaign Finance Regulations and Reforms

· 1974- Federal Election Campaign Act: Federal Election Commission and limited individual contributions

· 1976- Buckley v. Valeo: FECA spending limits were unconstitutional because they violated citizen's freedom of expression

· 1996- Parties can raise unlimited amounts of soft money to be used for voter registration

· 2002- Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act: banning the use of soft money in federal campaigns and increasing the 1974 limits in contributions

Interest Groups

· Functions· Represent members, provide info...

· Types · Economic interests (Labor, NEA), specific

goals (NAACP, NRA), public interest (MADD)

· Strategies· PACs, lobbying (grassroots, direct, and

coalition), litigation, going public to the media

Mass Media

· Development of Modern Media· Newspapers, radio, television, Internet

· Roles· Informing, shaping, watchdog, agenda

setting, gate keepers· Government Regulations

· FCC (technical, structural, content)· President and Congress

· Releases, briefings, leaks· On/Off the record

IV: Institutions of the National Government: 30-45%

· Legislative/Congress (Article I)· Structure (bicameral)· Qualifications/Requirements· Powers of Each House (legislative v. nonlegislative)· Leaders of Each House· Incumbency Effect (name recognition, credit claim,

more visible, voting record, fundraising abilities)· House Districting

· apportionment, reapportionment, redistricting, gerrymandering

Legislative/Congress· Roles of Members

· Policymaker, representative, delegate, trustee, servant, party member

· Caucuses (informal meetings)· Committees

· Leadership, Membership, Types (standing, select, joint, conference)

· Lawmaking Process· Legislative Tactics

· filibuster, cloture, pork barrel, logrolling, riders, amendments, lobbying, conference committees, legislative veto

Influences on Congress

· Constituents· Other lawmakers· Party influences· President· Lobbyists and interest groups

Executive/President· Qualifications/Requirements· Powers (Article II)

· Diplomatic, military, judicial, legislative, party powers

· Limits: War Powers Act and Legislative Veto· Term/Tenure (Amend 22)· Succession/Disability (Amend 25)· Impeachment and Removal· Electoral College System· The Vice President

Bureaucracy

· Cabinet· Independent executive agencies (NASA)· Independent regulatory agencies (the Fed)· Government corporations (Amtrack, USPS)

· Hierarchical authority· Job specialization· Formal rules

· History and Growth over the years

Influences on the Federal Bureaucracy

· Iron Triangles· Issue Networks

· White House Office· National Security Council· Office of Management and Budget

Executive Office of the President

Judiciary/Supreme Court

· Jurisdiction (Original, Appellate, Concurrent)

· District Courts, Courts of Appeals, Supreme Court

· Judicial Selection (senatorial courtesy, litmus test)

· Background of Judges (party affiliation, philosophy, race, gender, religion, experience, etc)

The Court at Work· Rule of Four· Writ of Certiorari· Brief· Amicus Curiae· The Hearing· Research and

Conferences· Opinions

· Majority, concurring, dissenting

Courts as Policy Makers· New Deal· Warren Court (1953-1969)· Burger Court (1969-1986)· Rehnquist Court (1986-present)

Judicial Philosophy· Judicial Activism· Judicial Restraint

V: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights: 5-15%

· Civil Liberties· Writ of Habeas Corpus, Bills of Attainder, Ex Post

Facto· Fourteenth Amendment (incorporation, selective

incorporation, due process clause)· Bill of Rights

· 1: Establishment clause, free exercise clause, pure speech, symbolic speech, prior restraint

· 4: search and seizure, privacy· 5: Due process clause, self-incrimination· 6: attorney, jury, fair/public/speedy trial· 8: cruel and unusual punishment

Civil Rights· Discrimination· Civil Rights

Movement· Jim Crow, Plessy v.

Ferguson, Brown v. Board, Affirmative Action

· Native American, Mexican American, Women, etc.

VI. Public Policy: 5-15%· Policy Making Process

· Agenda-setting, political agenda, policy formulation, policy adoption, policy implementation, policy evaluation

· Issues· Crime prevention, education, energy,

environment, healthcare, welfare, raising revenue, government spending (discretionary v. nondiscretionary spending)

· Budget and Fiscal Year· Proposals, executive branch, Congress,

appropriations

Foreign and Defense Policy

· State Department· Defense Department· National Security Council· Central Intelligence Agency· International Organizations

· NAFTA, NATO, UN, IMF/World Bank, etc