AP Test
Answering difficult questions and
FRQs
About the Questions
• The questions are about the same material
the multiple choice questions cover, but they
ask for quite a bit of specific information to be
pulled together, organized, and presented
coherently. They are often long and detailed
themselves, doing their best to spell out
exactly what is expected from your answer.
FRQ #1
• Presidents are generally thought to have advantages over
Congress in conducting foreign policy because of the formal
and informal powers of the presidency.
(a) Identify two formal constitutional powers of the
President in making foreign policy.
(b) Identify two formal constitutional powers of Congress in
making foreign policy.
(c) Identify two informal powers of the President that
contribute to the President’s advantage over Congress in
conducting foreign policy.
(d) Explain how each of the informal powers identified in
(c) contributes to the President’s advantage over
Congress in conducting foreign policy.
How to answer this:
• Step 1: the question is asking to identify the formal and informal powers
of the president and the congress, and give an explanation of how the
president can take advantage of congress via informal powers.
Step 2: Identify what the formal and informal powers of congress are
acceptable answers include:
Formal powers of the president: Commander-in-chief; power to
commit troops; Appointment of ambassadors and foreign policy official;
Negotiate/make treaties; Recognition of nations; Receive ambassadors
and other public ministers
Formal powers of Congress: Confirm ambassadors; Power of purse in
military/foreign policy matters; Declare war; Pass laws/resolutions re:
foreign policy issues; Regulate foreign commerce (including trade
agreements); Ratify treaties
FRQ #2
• The concept of ‘divided government’ in the
United States means that one political party can
control the executive branch while another
controls the legislative branch. This poses
problems for the President in making
appointments to federal offices.
(a) Describe two problems that divided
government poses for the President in making
federal appointments.
(b) Identify and explain two ways Presidents try
to overcome the problems described in (a).
•
How to Answer
•
•
Part A:
(problems posed for Presidents):
Simple, declarative statements describing several of the following:greater policy conflict
likely/ideological conflict
narrows the field of potential candidates
offices go unfilled
harder to get congressional/Senate/legislature approval/confirmation/ratification of
appointments (House not acceptable)
more frequent character attacks on nominees
Senatorial courtesy does not apply
•
•
•
•
Part B:
Explanation must answer how Presidents’ efforts work to overcome problems. Reference to
approval/ratification/confirmation must include reference to Senate/Congress/legislature; House
is NOT acceptable)generate public support (including use of media)
compromise on choices (ideological compromise)
building coalitions in Congress
deal making (e.g. veto as threat)
making interim recess appointments.
•
•
•
Answering difficult multiple choice
questions
Key Tips to Answering Questions:
• Read the question thoroughly. It’s very easy to answer part of the
question but not the whole question, as it is easy to slightly
misunderstand the question and answer in a way that misses the
point.
• Outline your response thoroughly before you begin. Check for
completeness, logical order, and coherency. Think hard about all
the possible examples and reasons you can come up with. Cross
out what you choose not to include.
• As you begin writing, get right to the point. Flowery, stylistic
introductions don’t hold any sway here.
• Sentences should be clear, concise, and purposeful. Try your best
to say things in a powerful way, so that your statements drive home
the answer you are giving.
• Double check that you have completely answered everything the
question asks
Which of the following best describes
the primary formal role of the
attorney general?
• A. Providing legal advice for the president and cabinet
secretaries
B. Serving as a liaison between the president and the
Supreme Court
C. Serving as the chief executive officer of the
Department of Justice
D. Directing the Government Accountability Office
(GAO)
E. Persuading the Senate to confirm the president's
judicial nominees
Correct answer: (C) Serving as chief executive officer of
the Department of Justice
Which of the following is an example
of presidential use of inherent
powers?
• A. George H. W. Bush's appointment of Clarence
Thomas
B. Bill Clinton's line-item veto of some
congressionally authorized funds to the states
C. Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase
D. Woodrow Wilson's signing of the Treaty of
Versailles
E. Dwight Eisenhower's deployment of troops to
Arkansas
Correct Answer: (C) Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana
Purchase
A fundamental source of power for
the federal bureaucracy lies in its...
• A. role in moving legislation out of the sub-committees
B. role in mediating interstate conflicts
C. Ability to convince Congress to fund most projects it
supports
D. Ability to mobilize public opinion in support of
legislative initiatives
E. Ability to set specific guidelines after receiving a
general mandate from Congress
Correct Answer: (E) Ability to set specific guidelines
after receiving a general mandate from Congress