AP US Government

1. AP US Government Year in Review

2. Constitutional Underpinnings and Federalism • Influences on the Constitution • Articles of Confederation • Accomplishments • Weakness • John Locke and Federalist Essays

3. Constitutional Underpinnings and Federalism • Adoption of the Constitution • Components of the Major Articles • Amending Process • Key Amendments • Electoral College Process • Impeachment Process

4. Constitutional Underpinnings and Federalism • Separation of Powers • War • Raising Revenue • Confirmation • Impeachment

5. Constitutional Underpinnings and Federalism • Elite Theories of Democratic Government • Interest Group pluralism/hyperpluralism • Elitism • Belief in equality of opportunity NOT results

6. Constitutional Underpinnings and Federalism • Federalism • Define federal, unitary, and confederate forms of gvts • How has the relationship between the Federal and state governments changed? • McCulloch v Maryland • Unfunded mandates • Types of sanctions (cross over/ cross- cutting) • Block Grants

7. Political Beliefs and Behaviors • Beliefs that citizens hold about their government and their leaders • Mistrust • Trends in Presidential approval • Process by which citizens learn about politics • Political Socialization • Selective perception

8. Political Beliefs and Behaviors • Demographic beliefs and voter behavior • ID major demographic groups and identify their political behavior (voting patterns and turnout) • Educated/uneducated • White/minority • Rich/poor • Young/old

9. Political Beliefs and Behaviors • The nature sources and consequences of public opinion (dealignment) • Ways people participate in politics • Voting/statistics/obstacles to turnout • Other forms of political participation • Factors that make citizens differ from one another in beliefs and behaviors

10. Political Parties, Interest Groups and Media • Parties/elections • Functions • Organize competition • Get candidates elected • Provide loyal opposition • Organization • Nation v. grass roots party membership • Two party systems/ multi-party systems

11. Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Media • Development of Parties • Realignment • Obstacles for 3rd Parties • Describe the decline of the political party (changes in membership) • Effects on the political process

12. Political Parties • Electoral laws and systems • Plurality elections, winner-take-all, proportional representation • Primary, caucus, convention • How do Dems/GOP nominate Presidential Candidates • Electoral College • Describe contemporary political campaigns

13. Interest Groups • Range of interests represented? • Activities? • Techniques / resources • Examples of groups and resources • Effects on the Process • Fed 10 • Incumbency advantage

14. Interest Groups PAC’s • Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 • McCain-Feingold and Buckley v. Valeo

15. Media • Functions and structures of the Media • Impact of media on politics • Campaigns (watchdog) • Gatekeeper • Horse race journalism

16. IV. Institutions of Government(A) Congress • Describe the demographics of congress • Explain the incumbency advantages • Define gerrymandering / ID Supreme Court Limits on gerrymandering

17. Congress • Factors that influence congress • Divided government • Party discipline • Interest group pluralism • District concerns

18. Congress • Legislative Process • Advantages of the majority party • Importance of committees • Speaker of the House • Rules committee • Standing committees • Committee assignments • Leadership positions • Filibuster/cloture • Pork barrel politics (ear-marks)

19. Congress • Non-Legislative Roles • Oversight of the bureaucracy • Confirmation politics (Senate) • Impeachment / removal (House and Senate) • Investigations (Watergate/ Whitewater/ Monica Lewinski)

20. House Power of the purse (ways and means) Closest to the people More rules Fewer staff Less prestigious 2 year terms 25 years old Senate More prestigious Less formal, fewer rules Confirmations/Treaties Filibusters 6 year terms 30 years old What are the differences in the House and Senate?

21. The Presidency • What are the Constitutional Powers of the President? • What are the informal powers of the president? (Where are they found?)

22. President & Congress • How has the President gained power over Congress? • Executive orders • Executive Agreements • Impoundment • War Powers • Veto / veto threats

23. Courts • Who creates courts? • How are federal judges selected? • How is the court system organized? • Describe basic jurisdictional issues • What is habeas corpus? • How do most court cases end?

24. Courts • Describe Supreme Court procedure • What cases have original jurisdiction in the Supreme Court? • How do Justices decide to grant cert? • How can outside groups influence the court? • Who is the solicitor general? • What is concurring / dissenting opinion • What is Judicial Activism? What is judicial restraint? • Id/ describe major rulings of the Warren and Burger Courts

25. Bureaucracy • ID Cabinet, independent agencies, EOP, and Government Corporations. • Describe quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial functions • What are iron triangles? • ID rules of the bureacucracy • Hatch Act • Freedom of Information Act • Pendleton Act

26. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights • The development of CL’s by judicial interpretation • Know rights and liberties • Limits on Free speech • Interpretations on Separation between Church and State • Lemon v Kurtzman • New Jersey School Bus ruling

27. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights • Development to the Right of Privacy • Development of Due Process • The impact of the 14th amendment on the development of rights and liberties • Barron v Baltimore • Gitlow v NY • Gideon v. Waingright

28. Bakke v California Brown v Board Engel v Vitale Gideon v Wainright Gitlow v NY Griswold v Conn. Heart of Atlanta Hotel Lemon v Kurtzman Marbury v Madison Mapp v Ohio McCulloch v MD Miranda Miller v Cali New Jersey School Bus Roe v. Wade Schenck v US Westbury Baker Key SC Cases

29. Public Policy • Formation of policy agendas • Role of institutions in the enactment of policy • Role of the bureaucracy and courts in policy implementation • Identify a “policy network” • Know what “entitlements” are. • Identify the US tax policy as “progressive”