1 / 42

AP Government & Politics Exam Essentials: Constitutional Convention, Federalism, Political Theories, and More

Prepare for the AP Government & Politics Exam with this essential guide. Learn about the Constitutional Convention, federalism, political theories, and more. Includes practice questions and key concepts.

hoskins
Télécharger la présentation

AP Government & Politics Exam Essentials: Constitutional Convention, Federalism, Political Theories, and More

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Essentials AP Government & Politics

  2. AP Exam • 60 multiple choice questions – 45 minutes • Free-Response • 100 minutes to answer four questions

  3. Constitutional Convention • Reasons for the convention • Major argument • Representation – Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan Solution = Connecticut Compromise or Great Compromise

  4. Question • All of the following were concerns about the Articles of Confederation that led to the calling of the Constitutional Convention • A. dissatisfaction over safeguards of individual rights and liberties • B. fear for the stability of the central government • C. desire to promote trade among the states • D. the need to give the central government the power to levy taxes

  5. Figure 3.1: Lines of Power in Three Systems of Government (cont’d)

  6. Federalism • Conditions of aid – Federal gov’t tells states what activities and policies must be in order to receive grant money • Mandates – federal gov’t imposes its will outside the context of the grant. Ex. – civil rights & environmental protection

  7. Question • The American with Disabilities Act, which provides protections for the disabled, is an example of • A. state supremacy • B. horizontal federalism • C. affirmative action • D. dual federalism • E. a federal mandate

  8. Political Theories: Who Governs? • Four basic theories • 1. Elite theory- • 2. Bureaucratic theory- • 3. Interest group theory- • 4. Pluralist theory

  9. American political assumptions • Liberty • Equality • Democracy • Civic duty • Individual responsibility

  10. Question • Which of the following is NOT a core value of United States political culture? • A. Legal equality • B. Political equality • C. Economic equality • D. Freedom of religion • E. Freedom of speech

  11. Figure 4.5: Changes in Levels of Political Tolerance, 1930-1999 • Source: Gallup poll data, various years, as compiled by Professor John Zaller, Department of Political Science, UCLA; The Gallup Organization, Poll Releases (March 29, 1999), 2-6.

  12. Checks & Balances • Congress check on Executive & Judicial • President check on Legislative & Judicial • The courts check on Legislature & Executive • Federal Gov’t check on states

  13. Sources of Political Attitudes • The importance of family as an agent of political socialization

  14. Question • Political socialization is the process by which • A. the use of private property is regulated by the government • B. governments communicate with each other • C. public attitudes toward government are measured and reported • D. political values are passed to the next generation • E. children are trained for successful occupations

  15. Voting • Profiles that suggest likelihood of voting and likelihood of not voting

  16. Figure 6.4: Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections, by Age, Schooling, and Race, 1964-1996 • Source: Updated from Gary R. Orren, "The Linkage of Policy to Participation," in Presidential Selection, ed. Alexander Heard and Michael Nelson (Durham, N.C.: Duck University Press, 1987). Data for 1996 are from Statistical Abstract of the United States 1998, 296, as supplied by Christopher Blunt.

  17. Elections • Comparing Presidential and Congressional Campaigns • Types of elections • Primary • General

  18. Question • Considering all elections at all levels of government, which of the following best describes electoral behavior in t he United States? • A. primary elections tend to elicit a higher voter turnout than do general elections • B. the majority of the electorate does not vote in most elections • C. Voter turnout plays an insignificant role in election outcomes • D. Adult citizens under the age of 30 tend to have the highest rate of voter turnout • E. Voters with strong party identification vote less regularly than do independents

  19. Question • The primary system of selecting presidential candidates has had which of the following effects? • A. It has increased the importance of state organizations • B. it has loosened the hold of party leaders over the nomination process • C. It has reduced the role of citizens in the candidate selection process • D. it has lowered the cost of running for office • E. it has led to a decline in the importance of party voter-registration drives

  20. What is the difference between presidential and congressional campaigns? • Presidential more competitive • Fewer people vote in midterm elections (off-year elections) • Congressional incumbents can serve their constituents • Congressional candidates can campaign against Wash. DC • Power of presidential coattails has declined

  21. Political Parties • Ticket splitting & divided government

  22. Question • Which of the following is the most likely consequences of divided government? • A. Reorganization of the federal bureaucracy • B. Conflicts between states • C. Delays in confirmation of federal court nominees • D. Conflicts between national government and states • E. Elimination of the sonority rule in Congress

  23. Figure 7.1: Decline in Party Identification, 1952-2000: • Source: National Election Studies, The NES Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior, 1952-2000, table 20.1.

  24. Interest Groups • Activities of interest groups • Supplying information • Raising public support • Creating PACs – Super PACs • Litigation • Protest & disruption

  25. Question • An interest group is most likely to have influence in Congress when the issue at stake • A. is narrow in scope and low in public visibility • B. is part of t he president’s legislative package • C. has been dramatized by the media • D. engages legislators deeply held convictions • E. divided legislatures along party lines

  26. Question • Which of the following is argued by James Madison in The Federalist paper number 10? • A. a system of republican representation helps to limit the excesses of factionalism • B. small republics are better able to ensure individual liberty than are large republics • C. The presence of a few large factions helps to protect the rights of minorities • D. Participatory democracy is the surest way to prevent tyranny • E. the elimination of the causes of factionalism is the best protection against tyranny

  27. Mass Media • Gatekeeper • Scorekeeper • Watchdog

  28. Congress • Advantages of being an incumbent in understanding the dynamics of Congress • Powers • Importance of leadership positions

  29. Figure 11.2: Percentage of Incumbents Reelected to Congress • Source: Harold W. Stanley and Richard G. Niemi, Vital Statistics on American Politics, 1999-2000 (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press, 2000), table 1-18.

  30. Standing Committees • House – Ways & Means – taxes

  31. Question • The voting patterns of members of Congress correlate most strongly with • A. the population density of their districts • B. their economic background • C. their educational level • D. their political party affiliation • E. the location of their districts

  32. The Presidency • Leadership style • Powers • Organization of the Presidency

  33. Question • Which of the following is true of a presidential veto of a piece of legislation? • A. it is rarely overridden by Congress • B. it is not binding unless supported by the cabinet • C. it can only be sustained on revenue bills • D. it is automatically reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court • E. it is subject to approval by a congressional committee

  34. The Bureaucracy • Organization of the Bureaucracy • Power & influences on Bureaucratic policymaking

  35. Federal Courts • Judicial activism v. judicial restraint • Power & limitations of the courts • Landmark court decisions

  36. Political Agenda • Involves government officials and groups outside of the government competing to determine which problems government will address

  37. Economic Policy • How government influences the economy • Fiscal policy • Monetary policy • Supply-side

  38. Social Welfare Programs • Social Security • Medicare • Problems with funding

  39. Military Powers • Shared powers • War Powers Act

  40. Civil Rights • Laws – Civil Rights Law 1964 • Court case - Brown v. Board of Education • Amendments – 13,14,15,19,24 & 26

  41. Civil Liberties • Bill of Rights – 1st 10 Amendments • Incorporation doctrine – 14th Amendment

More Related