AP US Government and Politics
Semester Review
Topic 1 - Constitutional Underpinnings
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Constitution
What is the purpose of government? What is the theory behind why government exists? Be sure to know
about state of nature and social contract theory (John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, etc.)
Define democracy, representative democracy, totalitarianism, monarchy, and oligarchy. What are the
differences between these?
Define the following concepts: democratic theory, republicanism, pluralist theory, majoritarianism, and the
elitist theory.
What was the founders’ view of the purpose of government and the role of the citizen in the American
Republic?
Describe the issues facing the Founding Fathers leading up to the Philadelphia Convention. How do these
events account for the Constitution? .
What were the advantages and disadvantages of the Articles of Confederation?
How does the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution differ in terms of themes and values?
What were the major questions or issues that the Founding Fathers had to overcome in writing the
Constitution? Be sure to know the names of the compromises and plans.
What was the central dilemma faced by the Founding Fathers concerning their beliefs about human nature
and the type of government they were trying to create?
What were the motivations of the Founding Fathers at the Philadelphia Convention?
How is the Constitution organized?
The concept of “checks and balances” was a novel idea in the 18th century. Why?
What is separation of powers as well as checks and balances? What are some examples from the
Constitution?
How does Madison’s concept of checks and balances challenge popular understanding of Montesquieu’s
theory of separation of powers?
Describe the central conflicts between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Who led each side?
Describe how the Constitution can be changed both formally and informally. How does the amendment
process illustrate federalism?
Federalism
What is the difference between the following systems: federalism, unitary, and confederacy?
What are the different types of powers that the Constitution provides for?
Why did the Anti-Federalists fear this new (federalist) system?
Does this new system strengthen or weaken the concept of separation of powers? Why or why not?
How do the states interact with one another?
What clauses of the Constitution have given rise to the power of the central government?
Describe the history of federalism in America. Consider the time periods marked by dual federalism,
cooperative federalism, creative federalism, new federalism, and devolution. What are the powers of state and
local governments in an era of “new federalism” and devolution?
What are unfunded mandates?
How can the national government take power away from the states? How does the national government
impose costs on the state and local governments? Be able to give examples.
What is fiscal federalism?
Describe the following cases: Gibbons v. Ogden (1824); McCulloch v. Maryland (1819); Dred Scott v.
Sandford (1857); United States v. Lopez (1995); Printz v. United States (1997); United States v. Morrison
(2000)
What influence does the federal government have over state and local issues such as education, affirmative
action, abortion, and the environment?
Topic 2 – Political Beliefs and Behaviors
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Political Culture
What is “political culture,” and is there a unique American political culture?
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Political Socialization
How do we come by our political beliefs? Which factors are more important than others?
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Ideology
What is the “political spectrum”?
What issue stances fall under the respective political ideologies? What do liberals believe? What do
conservatives believe?
What are the various demographic groups? How are these sorted into respective ideologies? What accounts
for these groups believing what they do? Why is it difficult to simply place one group under one ideology?
Public Opinion
What is public opinion and how is it measured? What are the factors that affect the accuracy of public
opinion measurement?
What are the sources of public opinion?
What is the role of public opinion in politics?
What are the questions one must ask when analyzing a public opinion poll?
What are some general beliefs Americans have about government? What are some predominant American
values that shape our political beliefs?
Are politicians shaped by public opinion or do they shape public opinion?
Participation and Voting
What is political efficacy?
Why do activists or the political elite tend to be more ideologically consistent than those who aren’t active?
What effect does this ideological consistency have on the difference ideologically between politicians and
voters?
What is the relationship between individual rights and the needs of the larger community?
Which citizens vote and why?
What are the federal election laws?
Topic 3 – Political Parties, Interest Groups and Mass Media
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Special Interest Groups
What are the different types of interest groups? Be able to provide examples.
What are the arguments for interest groups? Arguments against?
In what ways does the government and political parties rely on interest groups?
How do interest groups impact or contribute to the policy-making process? What strategies do the different
types engage in?
Political Parties
What are the purposes of political parties?
What are the differences between interest groups and political parties?
How have the political parties changed throughout American history? Where have the critical realignments
occurred?
What is the structure of political parties? Be sure to understand the role of national committees, congressional
committees, and the national chairmen.
What have been some significant third parties in American history? How do they form or why do they form?
Why have political parties weakened?
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Elections, Campaigns and the Media
What is the function of elections in the American government system?
Describe the primaries and caucus phase.
What is the Electoral College? What are the pros and cons of this system? How does it impact third parties?
What happens in no candidate receives a majority of the Electoral vote?
What are the reform options for changing the Electoral College? Pros and cons?
What are the major laws and Supreme Court cases regarding campaign finance?
What have been the arguments leading these reforms as well as those against the reforms for campaign
finance?
What is the difference between plurality and proportional representation?
What is the incumbency factor? How does money play a part?
What methods and strategies do politicians adopt in campaigning?
How do the media impact elections? Describe the types of reporting that takes place.
What issues define an election? Consider wartime, economics, and the culture divide.
Topic 4 – Institutions
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Legislative Branch
What is the size and membership of the House and Senate? How has the membership changed over time?
What are the expressed and implied powers of Congress? What powers check the powers of the other
branches? What powers do both houses have? Which powers are exclusively for the House and which are
for the Senate? Which powers have become most controversial over the years?
How are House and Senate members elected? Describe gerrymandering . What are the restrictions against
gerrymandering and what Supreme Court cases set these up?
Who are the leaders in Congress? What are their roles and how do they get their positions? How powerful
and influential are they? What have been the trends of power for each of these groups?
What is the role /job of each of the types of committees? What about subcommittees? What is the role of
committees in the legislative process? How is the role of committees different between the House and Senate?
What is the role of the House Rules committee? What are closed and open rules?
Why do Congressional members seek service on particular committees?
How do Congressional members relate to their constituents? Do they represent their constituents through
their votes? What is “pork barrel” legislation?
What is the legislative process? What are the rules of debate in each of the houses?
What is the relationship of Congressional members with interest groups and PACs?
What is the relationship of Congress to the Executive Branch (Presidency and the Bureaucracy)? In what
ways has Congress limited the power of the President over time? How has it expanded the powers of the
President?
How does Congress oversee the bureaucracy? What power do they have over the agencies? What is
Congressional/legislative oversight?
Executive Branch (Presidency and Bureaucracy)
What are the president’s powers? Which powers are expressed and which ones are implied?
What have been the changes in presidential power in the last century? Why the changes?
What is the present line of succession if the president should die in office?
Define veto message, pocket veto, line-item veto, executive privilege, and impoundment funds.
What makes American bureaucracy distinctive? How and why has the role of bureaucratic agencies changed
since the Civil War?
What are purposes of the bodies that make up the bureaucracy? What are the differences?
How is each of these types of bureaucratic organizations led and staffed? How are each of these
organizations related to the president?
Explain what iron triangles are and why they are less common today.
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What concerns does the president have in determining who to appoint? Explain how much influence the
president has over his cabinet officials and agency heads.
To what extent is the bureaucracy free from governmental control?
Judicial Branch
What is judicial review? What case and Chief Justice established this principle? What Federalist Paper
describes this power?
Why do judges have life tenure?
What are the Constitutional powers and structure of the Judicial Branch?
What are the differing interpretations of applying judicial review? How do they differ from one another?
How has the Court evolved philosophically since the 1960s? Who has led these changes?
Describe the nomination and appointment process. How has increased partisanship impacted this process?
How does the Supreme Court decide a case? What is taken into account?
How does the Supreme Court decide to accept a case? How has caseload evolved?
How does a case work its way through the court system?
How do special interest groups involve themselves in the Court process-directly and indirectly?
Topic 5 – Public Policy
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Economic Policy
What is fiscal policy? What is the budget process and the role of the executive and legislative branches?
What are some examples of discretionary and mandatory spending?
What groups are involved in economic policy making and what is their role?
Describe Keynesian and Classical economic theory
Topic 6 – Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
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What major laws and Court decisions have shaped the civil rights movements for the following groups:
women; African-Americans; and disabled?
What is the history of incorporation? Be able to identify significant cases explaining this history.
Identify the basic rights of criminals in the investigation process, court trial, and those facing the death
penalty.
Understand the history and legal dilemmas behind the major social issues of affirmative action, abortion, and
gay marriage
How does the Court judge first amendment cases? What are the significant tests and theories?
Identify significant cases critical to the understanding of free speech (verbal and expressive) and freedom of
the press.
Distinguish between the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause. Be able to identify significant cases
explaining these clauses.
What is the difference between procedural and substantive due process? What is the difference between civil
liberties and civil rights?
Establish the connection between the 9th Amendment and the concept of penumbras.
Test Blueprint
Course Name:
Grade Level:
Advanced Placement U.S. Government & Politics
Florida DOE Number:
xxxxxxx
9-12
Date:
June 14, 2012
Developed by: Brian Ayres
* Textbook Correlations:
Schmidt, S. W., Shelley, M. C., Bardes, B. A., & Ford, L. E. (2012). American Government & Politics Today: 2011-2012 AP Edition. Boston: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Course Goals and Outline (from The College Board)
TOPIC 1: Constitutional Underpinnings of the United States Government (15%)
* Textbook Correlation: Chapters 1, 2, & 3
Low
Complexity
Moderate
Complexity
High
Complexity
TOTAL EXAM
QUESTIONS
1
5
3
9
1
3
2
6
The study of modern politics in the United States requires students to examine the kind of government established by the
Constitution, paying particular attention to federalism, the separation of powers, and checks and balances. Understanding
these developments involves both knowledge of the historical situation at the time of the Constitutional Convention and an
awareness of the ideological and philosophical traditions on which the framers drew. Such understanding addresses specific
concerns of the framers: for example, why did Madison fear factions? What were the reasons for the swift adoption of the
Bill of Rights? Familiarity with the United States Supreme Court’s interpretation of key provisions of the Constitution will aid
student understanding of theoretical and practical features of federalism, separation of powers, and checks and balances.
Students should be familiar with a variety of theoretical perspectives relating to the Constitution, such as democratic theory,
theories of republican government, pluralism, and elitism.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Considerations that influenced the formulation and adoption of the Constitution
Separation of powers
Checks and balances
Federalism
Theories of democratic government
TOPIC 2: Political Beliefs and Behaviors (10%)
* Textbook Correlation: Chapters 6 & 9
Individual citizens hold a variety of beliefs about their government, its leaders, and the U.S. political system in general; taken
together, these beliefs form the foundation of U.S. political culture. It is important for students to understand how these
beliefs are formed, how they evolve, and the processes by which they are transmitted. Students should know why U.S.
citizens hold certain beliefs about politics, and how families, schools, and the media act to perpetuate or change these
beliefs. Understanding the ways in which political culture affects and informs political participation is also critical. For
example, students should know that individuals often engage in multiple forms of political participation, including voting,
protest, and mass movements. Students should understand why individuals engage in various forms of political participation
and how that participation may affect the political system. Finally, it is essential that students understand what leads citizens
to differ from one another in their political beliefs and behaviors and the political consequences of these differences. To
understand these differences, students should focus on the demographic features of the American population and the
different views that people hold of the political process. They should be aware of group differences in political beliefs and
behavior. Students should also understand how changes in political participation affect the political system.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Beliefs that citizens hold about their government and its leaders
Processes by which citizens learn about politics
The nature, sources, and consequences of public opinion
The ways in which citizens vote and otherwise participate in political life
Factors that influence citizens to differ from one another in terms of political beliefs and
behaviors.
TOPIC 3: Political Parties, Interest Groups and Mass Media (10%)
* Textbook Correlation: Chapters 7, 8, 10 & 11
1
3
2
6
4
16
4
24
Students should understand the mechanisms that allow citizens to organize and communicate their interests and concerns.
Among these are political parties, elections, political action committees (PACs), interest groups, and the mass media.
Students should examine the significance of the historical evolution of the U.S. party system, the functions and structures of
political parties, and the effects they have on the political process. Examination of issues of party reform and of campaign
strategies and financing in the electronic age provides students with important perspectives. A study of elections, election
laws, and election systems on the national and state levels will help students understand the nature of both party and
individual voting behavior. Treatment of the development and the role of PACs in elections and the ideological and
demographic differences between the two major parties, as well as third parties, forms an important segment of this
material. Students must also consider the political roles played by a variety of lobbying and interest groups. Important
features of this section of the course include an explanation for why some interests are represented by organized groups
while others are not, and the consequences of this difference in representation. Students study what interest groups do, how
they do it, and how this affects both the political process and public policy. Why are certain segments of the population able
to exert pressure on political institutions and actors in order to obtain favorable policies? The media are a major force in U.S.
politics. Students are expected to understand the role of the media in the political system. In addition, the impact of the
media on public opinion, voter perceptions, campaign strategies, electoral outcomes, agenda development, and the images
of officials and candidates should be explored and understood by students. Understanding the often symbiotic and
frequently conflictual relationship among candidates, elected officials, and the media is also important. Students should be
aware of the goals and incentives of the media as an industry and how those goals influence the nature of news coverage.
They should also understand the consequences of the increasing concentration of major media outlets in fewer
hands, as well as the growing role of the Internet.
A.
B.
C.
Political parties and elections
1.
Functions
2.
Organization
3.
Development
4.
Effects on the political process
5.
Electoral laws and systems
Interest groups, including political action committees (PACs)
1.
The range of interests represented
2.
The activities of interest groups
3.
The effects of interest groups on the political process
4.
The unique characteristics and roles of PACs in the political process
The mass media
1.
The functions and structures of the news media
2.
The impacts of the news media on politics
3.
The news media industry and its consequence
TOPIC 4: Institutions of National Government (40%)
* Textbook Correlation: Chapters 12, 13, 14 & 15
Students must become familiar with the organization and powers, both formal and informal, of the major political institutions
in the United States: the Congress, the presidency, the bureaucracy, and the federal courts. Students should understand that
these are separate institutions sharing powers and the implications of that arrangement. The functions these institutions
perform and do not perform, as well as the powers that they do and do not possess, are important. It is necessary for
students to understand that power balances and relationships between these institutions may evolve gradually or change
dramatically as a result of crises. Students are also expected to understand ties between the various branches of national
government and political parties, interest groups, the media, and state and local governments. For example, a study of the
conflicting interests and powers of the president and Congress may help explain repeated struggles to adopt a national
budget.
A.
B.
C.
D.
The major formal and informal institutional arrangements of power
Relationships among these four institutions and varying balances of power
Linkages between institutions and the following:
a. Public opinion and voters
b. Interest groups
c. Political parties
d. The media
State and local governments
TOPIC 5: Public Policy (15%)
* Textbook Correlation: Chapters 16, 17, 18 & 19
2
5
2
9
1
3
2
6
10
35
15
60
Public policy is the result of interactions and dynamics among actors, interests, institutions, and processes. The formation of
policy agendas, the enactment of public policies by Congress and the president, and the implementation and interpretation
of policies by the bureaucracy and the courts are all stages in the policy process with which students should be familiar.
Students should also investigate policy networks and issue networks in the domestic and foreign policy areas. The study of
these will give students a clear understanding of the impact of federalism, interest groups, parties, and elections on policy
processes and policymaking in the federal context. Students should be familiar with major public policies.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Policymaking in a federal system
The formation of policy agendas
The role of institutions in the enactment of policy
The role of the bureaucracy and the courts in policy implementation and interpretation
Linkages between policy processes and the following:
1.
Political institutions and federalism
2.
Political parties
3.
Interest groups
4.
Public opinion
5.
Elections
Policy networks
TOPIC 6: Civil rights and civil liberties (10%)
* Textbook Correlation: Chapters 4 & 5
An understanding of United States politics includes the study of the development of individual rights and liberties and their
impact on citizens. Basic to this study is an analysis of the workings of the United States Supreme Court and familiarity with
its most significant decisions. Students should examine judicial interpretations of various civil rights and liberties such as
freedom of speech, assembly, and expression; the rights of the accused; and the rights of minority groups and women. For
example, students should understand the legal, social, and political evolution following the Supreme Court’s decisions
regarding racial segregation. Students should also be aware of how the Fourteenth Amendment and the doctrine of selective
incorporation have been used to extend protection of rights and liberties. Finally, it is important that students be able to
assess the strengths and weaknesses of Supreme Court decisions as tools of social change.
A.
B.
C.
The development of civil liberties and civil rights by judicial interpretation
Knowledge of substantive rights and liberties
The impact of the Fourteenth Amendment on the constitutional development of rights and
liberties
TOTALS: