Pre-Course Assignment for AP US Government & Politics - 9/25/15

Post date: Sep 25, 2015 2:54:14 PM

2015 AP US Government & Politics – Fall Expectations, Readings & Assignments

1. Pick up a copy of your text book from me (Mr. Rinaldi) in A208. The text is called “American Government” and is authored by James Q. Wilson and John DiIulio. We use the 9^th edition of the text. If for whatever reason you decide you want your own book, there’s not a whole lot of difference between the 9^th edition and the current edition, which is the 13^th.

Read, outline and take notes on the first four chapters of the text. The material in these chapters provides an introduction to the ideas of political power and democracy; an overview of the US Constitution, the motives of the framers, and some insight into modern constitutional issues; and the idea of Federalism and its impact on our system of government and finally, the idea of political culture.

You will have a test on these chapters during the first week. It will include multiple choice questions in the AP US Government & Politics format (prompt plus 5 choices) as well as at least one AP US Government and Politics-style essay. That essay will be based on the book, Hardball. See below.

2. Purchase or borrow a copy of “Hardball” by Chris Matthews. Read it, and familiarize yourself with its core concepts. This book focuses on political culture which, not coincidentally, is the focus of Chapter 4 in your Wilson text. You can expect that the essay question on your initial test will focus on Hardball. There may also be some Hardball multiple choice questions.

3. Start reading a “national” newspaper (NY Times, Wall Street Journal) or a news magazine (Time Magazine.) Rolling Stone has had some excellent in-depth political writing too. AP Gov teachers used to have students read the NY Times “Week in Review” section, but the new section which replaced that (Sunday Review) is less useful. Start watching Meet the Press or one of the other Sunday news shows. Focus your reading on Government, Politics, the Economy, etc.

The AP US Government & Politics course at Darien High School is taught as a second semester course, so there is limited class time prior to the AP exam in early May. If I have to spend time in class bringing you up to speed on the contemporary political events influencing government policy-making, you’ll have less preparation time for the exam.

Early in the course, likely as early as the first day, you WILL be asked to identify key figures in US Government and Politics. You should be able to identify the President, Vice President, key members of the President’s cabinet, Supreme Court Justices, Congressional leaders, as well as state-wide office holders at the state level. Also know your 2 senators and your US Representative. I have extensive resources linked on my web page to help you out. Use them please.

4. Purchase a study guide to the AP US Government & Politics exam. I recommend the Barron’s Guide, though there are others which are useful. Read the book. Take some practice tests.

5. In addition to reading the first four chapters of your text, read Federalist 10 and Federalist 51. You can find them here: http://www.foundingfathers.info/federalistpapers/

ADue on DAY ONE:

A 3-5 page MLA formatted response to the following prompt:

Reconcile your text’s response to the question of “Who governs, and to what ends?” with the positions outlined in the two Federalist papers. Is our government a reflection of the will of the people or of special interests, and political or economic elites?

N.B. - this is not a "research" paper. However, support your response with examples/quotes from your text and/or the Federalist papers. Use parenthetical, in-text citations. No works cited is required.

I am looking forward to working with you next semester. Please prepare for the course and I will do my very best to prepare you for the AP exam in the limited time we’ll have together before May.