AP Government Test Prep
Topics
Everything you wanted to
know about AP Government
but were afraid to ask
Issues and Theories involved in the
framing and ratification of the
Constitution
Articles of Confederation (especially
weaknesses)
Shay’s Rebellion (rationale for
convention)
Characteristics of delegates
Ordered, limited, balanced
government (how was this
achieved?)
Compromises (what did they settle?)
Issues and Theories involved in the
framing and ratification of the
Constitution
Federalists v. Anti Federalists
(leaders and positions of each)
Arguments offered in Federalist
Papers (especially #s 10, 51, 78)
Bill of Rights
The nature and political impact of
federalism
Definition
Alternatives
Advantages and Disadvantages
Powers (How are they divided?)
Role of the courts
Use of money by federal government
(especially grants)
Federal mandates
Democratic theory
Definition of democracy (distinguish
between types)
Characteristics of representative
democracy
Elite versus Pluralist theories
Constitutional development of the
national government
Mostly the workings of the
Constitution or how the federal
government is structured
Concept of constitutionalism
Checks and balances (examples)
Judicial Review
Formal and informal process of
amending Constitution
Issues relating to the separation of
powers
Powers inherent to each branch
Relative power of each branch to the
others
Growth of presidential power
Diminishing power of Congress?
Court’s power?
American political culture
Define political culture
Identify characteristics peculiar to
U.S.
Distinguish between political
ideologies (conservative v. liberal;
socialist v. libertarian, etc.)
Political socialization
Agents of socialization
Reinforcing v. cross-cutting cleavages
in society
Demographic characteristics and
impact on political participation
The political impact of the media
Sources of mass media
Importance of TV
Ways media uses politicians
Ways politicians use media
Media bias
Campaign and election coverage
The nature, sources, and
consequences of public opinion
Ways to measure public opinion
Polling (How to conduct, types?)
Effects of public opinion on
politicians, public policy
Voting behavior
Constitutional requirements
History of voting rights
Registration of voters
Voter turnout (what affects it?)
Sociological v. Psychological voting
behavior
Party identification
Political participation other than
voting
Joining interest groups, political
parties
Running for office
Variations by socioeconomic group
Variations by other demographics
Factors that lead to group
differences in political beliefs and
behavior
Issue politics; Cross cutting
cleavages
Candidate’s appeal
Other demographic factors
Political beliefs and behavior of
minority groups
Group orientation
Voting tendencies
Political participation
strength/weakness
Women’s political participation
Voting rate
Candidate support
Representation in government
Gender gap in voting?
Women’s issues
Income inequality
Political parties
Dominance of two-party system
(why?)
Purpose of major parties
Organization of parties
Role of minor parties
Weakening of party system (factors)
Campaigns and elections
Distinguish between congressional
and presidential campaigns
Role of interest groups and party
affiliation
Incumbency
Differences between House and
Senate
Factors for presidential nomination
Campaigns and elections
Primary season (types of primaries)
Presidential debates (characteristics)
Convention stage (what happens?)
Electoral College (how does it work?)
Campaign financing (including soft
money, McCain-Feingold-Cochran,
Buckley v. Valeo)
Reform proposals
Interest group politics
Federalist #10
Purpose of interest groups
Types of interest groups
Techniques
Lobbying
Iron-triangles
Political action committees
Definition
Role in the political process
Tactics
Regulation of PACs
The Congress
Congressional elections
(gerrymandering, incumbency)
Structure (bicameral, party
leadership – differences by house)
Representation (demographic
background)
Roles of Congressmen/Senators
Powers (especially elastic clause)
The Congress
Committee System (differences in
each house)
Bill-making process
Regulations and criticisms of
Congress
The Presidency
Formal and informal qualifications
Roles of the office
Powers of the presidency
Vice president
Presidential succession
Cabinet and White House Office
Accountability
Presidential legacy
The federal courts
Structure (district courts, courts of
appeal, Supreme, etc.)
Concept of jurisdiction (original,
appellate, concurrent)
Judicial review
Federalism as it applies to caseloads
Composition of the Supreme Court
Terminology (Writ of certiorari, Rule of 4)
Opinions (majority, dissenting and
concurring)
The bureaucracy
Historical evolution (patronage to
Pendleton, Civil Service, Hatch Act,
etc.)
Purpose and responsibilities (Iron
triangles, enforcement, information)
Parts of bureaucracy (name game)
Special distinction w/ independent
regulatory commissions
Criticisms and accountability
Relationships between the
institutions of federal government
Constitutional relationship (How a Bill
Becomes a Law, Budgetary process,
other checks and balances)
Political relationship (Party politics,
ideology, institutional turf)
Current examples?
Links between the institutions of the
federal government and public opinion,
interest groups, political parties, the
media, and sub-national governments
Impact of each non-institutional
group on each institution (consider
susceptibility and likelihood of
influence from each)
Current examples?
Policy processes and outputs
Overall understanding of
implementation of public policy
Consider theoretical law and actual
interpretation of law by bureaucratic
agency
Economic policy
Fiscal policy
Taxation (regressive, progressive,
both economic and political impact of
tax cuts/raises)
Spending (mandatory versus
discretionary spending)
Monetary policy (remember the role
of the Fed)
Budget process (Constitutional
mechanics and the politics involved)
Social and social welfare policy
History of the safety net (especially
New Deal and Great Society)
Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid,
other entitlements
Role of federalism in social welfare
policy (experimentation, funding
issues)
Recent changes/challenges to
welfare
Making foreign policy
President’s role
Advising the president
Congressional role
Historical approaches (isolationism,
internationalism)
Foreign Policy issues (trade,
terrorism, national security interests,
humanitarian interests)
Foreign aid (politics involved)
Making environmental policy
Responsibilities of federal
government
Environment v. Industry (whales v.
jobs)
Legislation (Clean Air and Water
Acts) & enforcement (EPA)
International agreements (Kyoto)
The development of civil rights for
African Americans
Reconstruction amendments
Relevant court cases (Plessy, Brown,
etc.)
Tools of discrimination (poll taxes,
literacy tests, grandfather clauses)
Strategies/Leadership
Legislation (Civil Rights Act 64,
Voting Rights Act 65)
Unresolved issues (de facto
segregation, busing, etc.)
The development of civil rights for other
minority groups: Hispanic Americans,
Asian Americans, Native Americans,
gender, etc.
Impact of Civil Rights Act 64
Political participation
Immigration status
Gender and equal rights
Women’s suffrage (19th)
ERA amendment
Gender politics
Gay and lesbian political movement
(especially through the courts and
through federal and state legislation)
Affirmative action
Definition
Court cases (Bakke, Adarand,
Richmond)
Pro affirmative action position
Con affirmative action position
First Amendment issues
Be familiar with all parts of the
amendment
Religion - establishment clause,
exercise clause & relevant cases
(Lemon test)
Speech & Press (Miller test, Schenck,
fighting words, clear & present
danger, libel v. slander, prior
restraint)
Assembly/Petition (limitations)
Rights of the accused; due process
Distinguish between substantive and
procedural due process (14th
Amendment key so understand it)
Searches & seizures (Mapp,
exclusionary rule, Miranda rule)
Trial (Gideon, double jeopardy, cruel
& unusual punishment)
Privacy rights; abortion rights
Parts of Constitution that contribute
to privacy rights
Griswold (right to privacy)
Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood v.
Casey, partial-birth abortion bans
Application of privacy rights to gays
& lesbians
Political economy
Politicization of the economy
Media fixation on the numbers (GDP,
consumer spending, unemployment)
Politicians use of numbers for
support & attack (especially during
campaigns)
Impact of political issues on economy
(war, terrorism, immigration, taxes,
outsourcing, etc.)