INTRODUCTION

AP U.S. Government and Politics (aka AP Gov) provides a college-level, nonpartisan introduction to key political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States. Students will study U.S. foundational documents, Supreme Court decisions, and other texts and visuals to gain an understanding of the relationships and interactions among political institutions, processes, and behaviors. Underpinning the required content of the course are several big ideas that allow students to create meaningful connections among concepts throughout the course. 

Students will also engage in skill development that requires them to read and interpret data, make comparisons and applications, and develop evidence-based arguments. In addition, they will complete a political science research or applied civics project.

Most past AP Government students agree that this is one of the most USEFUL AP classes a student can take.

COURSE PATHWAY

There are technically no pre-requisites for taking this course, but most students finish World History before taking this course. This class counts as a substitute for the Civic Literacy credit, meaning you do not have to take normal Civic Literacy if you pass this course. This course is available to Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors, and is the MOST POPULAR AP class at Palisades, making it the most diverse AP class offered at PHS.

SECTION I - MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS [50% of Exam]

There are 55 multiple choice questions in the first section of the exam.

The questions will test your skills in analyzing primary sources, secondary sources, and general civics and political knowledge. You will have 80 minutes to complete this section of the exam.

SECTION II - SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS [50% of Exam]

In this section, you will be given four FRQ (free-response question) prompts in which you will have to write a response to answer. Each FRQ is worth 12.5% of your exam.

• FRQ 1: Concept Application (20 minutes recommended)

• FRQ 2: Quantitative Analysis (20 minutes recommended)

• FRQ 3: SCOTUS Comparison (20 minutes recommended)

• FRQ 4: Argument Essay (40 minutes recommended)

You will have a total of 100 minutes to complete the FRQ section. There are certain time limits recommended for each FRQ, but students are free to distribute their 100 minutes how they please.

Below, you can access review videos from the legendary Mr. Heimler for AP Government and Politics!