YOUR TEST IS MAY 4 at 8 am.
Some helpful reminders:
CONTENT AREA I: CONSTITUTIONAL UNDERPINNINGS OF UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT (5-15% questions on test)
This content area is more history based than any of the other areas because it examines the kind of government established by the Constitution, paying particular attention to federalism and the separation of powers. However, don't assume that you know this material already because you have studied it in history class. You do have to know something about the historical situation surrounding the Constitutional Convention, but you also have to understand the ideological and philosophical traditions that shaped the framers' work. For example, theoretical perspectives you will need to know are democratic theory, theories of republican government, pluralism, and elitism.
CONTENT AREA II: POLITICAL BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS (10-20% questions on test)
This section starts with a study of U.S. political culture the complex mix of beliefs, values, and expectations that shape our political system. Here you will examine how these political beliefs and values were formed over time, as well as the modern day results. Topics include political socialization, political ideologies, and factors that shape political opinions. You should comprehend and appreciate how political beliefs and behaviors differ, as well as the political consequences of these differences. A second focus of this content area is political participation, including voting behavior. You should understand why individuals engage in various forms of political participation and how that participation affects the political system.
CONTENT AREA III: POLITICAL PARTIES, INTEREST GROUPS, AND MASS MEDIA (10-20% questions on test)
This content area focuses on linkage institutions, or organizations that link citizens to the government, such as political parties, interest groups, and mass media. You should be able to answer these important questions once you study this section: How did our party system evolve historically? What are the functions and structures of political parties, and what effects do they have on the political system? What are the processes and consequences of political campaigns for office, and what reforms have been attempted in recent years? What election systems are used on the state and national levels, and what are their consequences? What roles do interest groups and PACs play in the political process and in shaping public policy? Which people are better represented to government by interest groups, and why? What role does the media play in the political system, and what impact does media have on public opinion, voter perceptions, campaign strategies, electoral outcomes, agenda development, and the images of officials and candidates?
CONTENT AREA IV: INSTITUTIONS OF NATIONAL GOVERNMENT (35-45% questions on test)
This section is by far the longest, and you should study it in proportion to the percentage that it will be represented on the exam. It includes the branches of government, including the legislature, the executive, the bureaucracy, and the judiciary. You should be familiar with the organization and powers, both formal and informal, of these major political institutions in the United States. However, it is not enough to understand the institutions individually, but you must know basically how they interact to make public policy. Powers are separated, but they also are shared, checked, and balanced. You should also have a general idea about how their powers and relationships have evolved over time. Additionally, you should understand how these institutions are tied to linkage institutions (Content Area III), such as interest groups, political parties, and the media.
CONTENT AREA V: PUBLIC POLICY (5-15% questions on test)
Politicians and institutions interact with one another to bring about public policy. How are agendas set for policy? In other words, why and how are some issues addressed and not others? The very nature of our political system determines that policies are made by numerous players and institutions. Congress interacts with the President who interacts with the bureaucracy that in turn communicate their wishes back to Congress. Political parties set agendas and run candidates that will give voice to their opinions. Interest groups pressure members of Congress and executive branch bureaucrats to pay attention to their needs. State governments interact with national and local levels to represent their citizens. You should investigate policy networks, iron triangles, and other forms of policy subgovernments in the domestic and foreign policy areas.
CONTENT AREA VI: CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES (5-15% questions on test)
You probably will find this content area particularly interesting to explore. It focuses on the development of individual rights and liberties and their impact on citizens. Since the courts have been prime shapers of policy in this area, you can put to work your knowledge of Supreme Court procedures (learned in Content Area IV) through examining significant decisions that have defined civil rights and liberties of American citizens. You will need to be able to analyze judicial interpretations of freedom of speech, assembly, and expression (civil liberties); the rights of the accused, and the rights of minority groups and women. At the end of this unit, you should be able to assess the strengths and weaknesses of Supreme Court decisions as tools for social change.
THE EXAMINATION
The AP United States Government and Politics Examination is 2 hours and 25 minutes long. It consists of a 45-minute multiple-choice section and a free-response section that consists of four questions. The time allotted for the free-response questions is 100 minutes, with the expectation that you will spend approximately 25 minutes on each one. You must answer ALL questions; you will have no choices. The multiple choice section is worth 50% of your grade on the exam, and the four free-response questions collectively count for the other 50%. In other words, each free-response question is equally weighted against the others and counts 12.5% of your total grade.
from: https://sites.google.com/site/wcapgovernment/
BELOW are ONLINE Links you can use
(remember, buying or borrowing a copy of a study guide is still a good bet. I have 2 different ones you can check out from me!)
FOR the VISUAL LEARNER, some not-so-random videos you can check out. Let me know if you find something else that is good!
Billed as a 14 minute total review--I'm thinking you may want more, but it's a place to start:
13 AP Go Po mini-sessions from Cram for the Exam (not a recommended policy-cramming, that is. A little every day, like candy! Or exercise.)
NEW!! Crash Course U.S. Government and Politics!! 10 videos. In which a nice man (not my boyfriend John Green*) uncomplicates some government concepts for us. Good stuff!
*IRL John Green is not my boyfriend. It's a joke.
BELOW ARE FILES that are CONTENT SPECIFIC and DESIGNED for REVIEW.