AP United States Government and Politics
Summer Assignment
2015-2016
Contract Information:
If you need help or have any questions over the summer, please contact Ms. Spangler
at [email protected]
Overview: This college-level course is a challenging course that is meant to be the equivalent of a freshman
college course and can earn students college credit. Solid reading and writing skills, along with a willingness to
devote time to homework and study, are necessary to succeed. Emphasis is placed on critical and evaluative
thinking skills and essay writing. I am asking that you complete the summer assignments to help prepare you for the
class. These assignments will enhance your knowledge of American Government and will enable us to begin the
course as soon as school begins. Remember, you chose to be in this class and your success will depend upon your
willingness’s to prepare for it.
Required Materials:
1. All students will need to purchase ONE of the many Exam Prep Books that have been made for this course.
I have given two options below. These are the ones that students have preferred over the years.
Lamb, Pamela K., and Stephen Armstrong. AP U.S. Government and Politics: 2014-2015. Print.
(ISBN Number- 0071803017)
Lader, Curt. Barron's AP United States Government & Politics. 8th ed. Hauppauge, New York:
Barron's Educational Series, 2014. Print. (ISBN Number- 1438002793)
Princeton Review Cracking the AP U.S. Government & Politics Exam, 2015 Edition. Random
House, 2014. Print. (ISNB Number- 0804125422)
2. All students will also have to obtain a pocket version of the Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution. The easiest way to do so is to contact your representative in the United Sates Congress and
they will give you one free of charge. The website below will help you determine who that person is.
http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
It is also possible to purchase the pocket version for a few dollars on Amazon or eBay.
3. All students will need to purchase a composition book for their Political Viewing Guided ONLY.
Assignments: (All assignments will be collected the 2nd day of school.)
Assignment 1: The Constitution
Read the US Constitution and complete the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. We will discuss this in
class and you will be responsible for this information on the first test. (Your pocket Constitution will come in handy
here.)
Part I: The Overall Structure of the Constitution
1. Read each article of the Constitution. Summarize the general purpose or subject of each article in one or two
sentences in the chart below.
Article I
Article II
Article III
Article IV
Article V
Article VI
Article VII
2. What eligibility requirements does the Constitution establish for members of the House?
3. What eligibility requirements does the Constitution establish for members of the Senate?
4. What eligibility requirements does the Constitution establish for the President?
5. What is the term of House member? What is the term of a Senator? What is the term of the President? How
many terms can someone serve as President?
6. Who fills a vacant seat in the House?
7. How many Senators does each state have? How many House members does each state have?
8. Who is the leader of the House? President of the Senate?
9. Who determines the pay of Congress? President?
10. Any bill raising revenue must begin in which house?
11. Who follows the President and Vice President in succession?
12. Who has the power to admit new states?
13. The powers of the Constitution that are specifically granted to the branches of government or to office holders
are called express powers.
a. Identify two express powers of the president.
b. What are the express powers of the vice president?
c. Identify two express powers of Congress.
14. According to the principle of checks and balances, each branch of the government must have control over the
other branches. Look at the first three articles of the Constitution and identify one of each type of checks and
balances. Indicate where each power is listed in the Constitution.
a. A power that the executive branch has over the legislative branch:
This can be found in what article/section of the Constitution
b. A power that the executive branch holds over the judicial branch.
This can be found in what article/section of the Constitution
c. A power that the legislative branch holds over the executive branch.
This can be found in what article/section of the Constitution
d. A power that the legislative branch holds over the judicial branch.
This can be found in what article/section of the Constitution
e. A power that the judicial branch holds over the executive branch.
This can be found in what article/section of the Constitution
f. A power that the judicial branch holds over the legislative branch.
This can be found in what article/section of the Constitution
15. According to Article I of the Constitution, who has the power to declare war?
16. What power does the Constitution give the President in the area of war?
Part II – Majority and Supermajority
The Constitution requires a simple majority for some actions and a supermajority for others. A simple majority
means more than half, while supermajority requirements can involve a 2/3 majority or a ¾ majority. Most elections
in the United States require a plurality, or the most votes, but not necessarily a majority.
1. a. What bodies have the power to override a presidential veto?
b. What margin is required to override a presidential veto?
c. Where in the Constitution is the veto power described?
2. a. What body has the power to ratify treaties?
b. What margin is required to ratify treaties?
c. Where in the Constitution is the ratification power described?
3. To impeach means “to bring charges against” or “to indict”.
a. What body has the power to impeach the president?
b. Where in the Constitution is the impeachment power described?
4. a. What body has the power to convict the president of charges brought against him in the impeachment
process and thereby remove him from the presidency?
b. What margin is required to convict and remove a president?
c. Where in the Constitution is the impeachment power described?
5. a. What body has the power to accept or reject a president’s nominations to the Supreme Court?
b. What margins is required to elevate a president’s nominee to a seat on the Court?
c. Where in the Constitution are judicial nominations described?
d. How long does a Supreme Court justice serve?
6. a. If no candidate for the presidency wins a simple majority of the total number of electoral votes, what body has
the power to choose the president?
b. What margin is required to choose the president?
c. Where in the Constitution is the Electoral College described? (Hint: there are two parts)
7. The Constitution specifies a three-fourths majority for just one process. What?
8. See Article VI. Explain the supremacy clause in your own words.
9. What are two ways that amendments to the Constitution can be proposed?
10. What are two ways that amendments to the Constitution can be ratified?
11. How many states had to ratify the Constitution for it to go into effect?
Part III – The Amendments to the Constitution
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights protect citizens from the will of the majority. In
other words, no majority could vote to take these rights away. Read each amendment to the Constitution and
answer the questions below.
1. Outline the general purpose of the first 10 Amendments.
Amendment 1
Amendment 6
Amendment 2
Amendment 7
Amendment 3
Amendment 8
Amendment 4
Amendment 9
Amendment 5
Amendment 10
2. Which amendment(s) of the Constitution protect the rights of women?
3. Summarize what this amendment(s) of the Constitution says
4. Which amendments (s) of the Constitution protect the rights of African Americans?
5. How were US Senators chosen before the Seventeenth Amendment?
6. The Twenty-Fifth Amendment describes the sequence of events that would install the vice president as
acting president against the will of the president. Outline that sequence of events.
Assignment 2: Historical Documents
Part I: John Locke’s Second Treatise of Civil Government (Available at:
http://www.constitution.org/jl/2ndtreat.htm)
Directions: Read the following sections of John Locke’s Second Treatise of Civil Government and answer the
questions on a separate sheet of paper.
Chapter II – On the State of Nature
1. Summarize Locke’s description of the state of nature.
Chapter IX
1. Summarize the first question Locke poses in paragraph one of this section.
2. The great chief end, therefore, of men uniting into commonwealth, and putting themselves under government is
……..
3. List two of the three wants Locke list next
4. What “inconveniences” are discussed in the next paragraph?
5. What two powers does Locke say man has?
6. What does man give up as result?
Chapter XI
1. The great end of man’s entering into society is what?
2. What are some the “bounds of trust” that are discussed in Section 142?
Summary
1. What documents in American politics are influenced by John Locke?
2. What parts of government and ways of thinking can be traced to Locke?
Part 2: Federalist Papers Assignment: Directions: Read the entire content of this assignment carefully, before you
begin. Then answer the questions after each Federalist Paper on a separate sheet of paper. (Available at
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/histdox/fedpapers.html)
Federalist Paper 10 – James Madison
1. When Hamilton uses the word “factions,” who is he referring to? What groups?
2. Madison illustrates two methods for dealing with the violence of factions?
3. Why won’t the two methods listed in question 2 not work?
4. According to Madison what was the most common cause of faction?
5. What “happy combination” does the federal system provide according to Madison?
6. The smaller the society (state), more than likely common interest will occur but according to Madison what
happens if you extend the sphere of the government (large republic)?
Federalist Paper 23–Alexander Hamilton
1. According to Hamilton, what are the main purposes of forming a Union under the Constitution? Make a list in
your own words.
2. Do the majority of Hamilton’s purposes relate to domestic or to foreign affairs?
3. Which one of Hamilton’s purposes do you think is the most important for the United States today?
Explain your answer in about 100 words
Federalist Paper 47–James Madison
1. According to this excerpt, do you think Madison supported or opposed the principle of “separation of
powers”? (Research this term if you are not familiar with it.)
2. Why do you think Madison held this view of the “separation of powers”?
3. In about 100 words, describe a government in which all legislative, executive and judicial power is in the hands of
one person or a single small group.
Federalist Paper 51–James Madison
1. According to Madison what is the best way to ensure the independence of the branches of government?
2. To ensure the independence of the branches, who should select the members of each department (branch)
according to Madison?
3. Based on your answer in number 2, which branch would this not work for? Why?
4. Even though judges are appointed, what renders them independent of the other branches?
5. Which of the following statements would Madison agree with based on his views in the above excerpt?
a. Government is necessary.
b. The people should elect government leaders who act like angels.
c. Elected government officials should be controlled by a system of “checks and balances.”
6. What would you say was Madison’s general opinion of people in government: angels? devils? Something else?
7. Find and describe five examples of “checks and balances” in the Constitution (you should have this from the
previous assignment, reading the Constitution).
Federalist Paper 72–Alexander Hamilton
1. What argument does Hamilton give against limiting the number of times a person may be elected president?
2. What could have been one of the arguments used by those who proposed the 22nd Amendment?
3. President Reagan remarked that there should not be a limit on the number of times a person may serve as
president. Do you agree we should go back to the original intent of the Constitution and allow individuals to be
elected for any number of presidential terms? Explain your answer in about 100 words.
Federalist Paper 78–Alexander Hamilton
1. What does Hamilton mean by “the permanent tenure of judicial offices”? Does Hamilton support or oppose this
idea?
2. What does Hamilton mean when he says that an “independent spirit in the judges” is essential for them to do
their duty?
Assignment 3: Current Events (Place in a separate Composition Book)
Complete 10 political show viewing guides. Select different political shows to watch to complete your Political
Show Viewing Guide. Watch a different show each week. Place all of the political show viewing guides in a
notebook/composition book specifically for this class.
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Meet the Press
Face the Nation
This Week
The McLaughlin Group
Inside Washington
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The O’Reilly factor
Hannity
On the Record
Hardball
Anderson Cooper 360
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State of the Union
Politics Nation
Situation Room
Some of these broadcasts are available as full episodes on-line, so you don't have to watch them when the air. You
may view them at your convenience. A copy of the political show viewing guide is included below.
AP Government
Political Show Viewing Guide
Date:
Show:
Host/Moderator
Guests:
Issue(s) Discussed:
Identify the position of the participants:
Personal reaction/reflection:
Overall impression of participants and their arguments (who was articulate, provided persuasive supporting details, etc.)