AP Class Information

Course Description, Expectations, and Exam Description Below

This course is designed to give you a college level, non-partisan, look into “the key political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States.” (College Board) To be successful in AP Government, you will need a strong work ethic and a commitment to hone your research and study skills. The goal is to provide you with not only the tools to earn college credit on the AP Exam in May, but also the knowledge and skills to be more informed and engaged civic leaders in our nation. 

Five principles at the core of the course:

1. Command of the Constitution lies at the center of this course, the touchstone for informed citizenship and scholarship. 

2. Students are not spectators but analysts; they must analyze the documents and debates that formed our republic and animate public life today. 

3. Knowledge matters 

4. We cannot avoid difficult topics, but we can insist on a principled attention to the best arguments on both sides. 

5. Civic knowledge is every student’s right and responsibility. 

 Themes for the Course:

1. Foundations of Democracy – constitution and political ideologies behind it. 

2. Interactions among branches – Congress, the presidency, the courts. 

3. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights – Bill of Rights and how the government protects groups from discrimination. 

4. American Political Ideologies and Beliefs – Democrats, Republicans, Liberals, Conservatives… 

5. Political Participation - Voting, lobbying, etc

Section 1: Multiple Choice

55 questions 1hr 20mins 50% of Score

The multiple-choice section includes individual, single questions as well as sets of questions. You’ll be asked to:

• Describe, explain, and compare political concepts and processes

• Apply Supreme Court decisions in real-life scenarios

• Analyze data in graphs, charts, tables, maps, or infographics

• Read and analyze foundational documents and other text-based and visual sources

Section 2: Free Response

4 questions 1hr 40mins 50% of Score

In the free-response section, you’ll respond to four questions with written answers. The section includes:

• 1 concept application question: You’ll describe and explain the effects of a political institution, behavior, or process, and apply concepts in a new situation.

• 1 quantitative analysis question: You’ll analyze data in the form of a table, graph, map, or infographic to find patterns and trends and reach a conclusion.

• 1 SCOTUS comparison question: You’ll compare a nonrequired Supreme Court case with a required one, explaining how information from the required case is relevant to the nonrequired one.

• 1 argument essay: You’ll write an evidence-based essay supporting a claim or thesis.

AP Practice Question Examples