AP U.S. GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
INTEREST GROUP ASSIGNMENT
Kaitlyn—National Education Association (NEA)
Kathleen—American Association of Retired People (AARP)
Brianne—National Organization for Women (NOW)
Trish—American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial
Organizations (AFL-CIO)
Paige—The Sierra Club
MC—Club for Growth
Jen—Common Cause
Malena—Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Amy—American Bar Association (ABA)
Kelly—National Rifle Association (NRA)
Brianna—American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Meghan—People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
Caitlin—National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP)
Melissa—U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Jenna—American Medical Association (AMA)
Caitlyn—Focus on the Family
Gabrielle—Human Rights Campaign
Lisa—Greenpeace
Adriana—American Farm Bureau
Autumn—Council on American-Islamic Relations
I assigned a wide variety of interest groups so that various
issues/ideologies will be covered. I would like you to write a fiveparagraph essay including the following:
1. Give a brief history of the group. Why did it form? What is its
purpose? What past legislation has it been blamed/credited for?
2. What is the group’s political ideology (liberal, conservative, populist,
libertarian)? Does it favor one political party? Does it have a
history of supporting certain political candidates?
3. What are some examples of legislation your group currently
supports or opposes? What actions does it take to try to influence
public policy?
4. Which parts of the government does your group target (which
executive branch departments and congressional committees)? Does
the group engage in outsider strategies?
5. Assess your group. What are its strengths and weaknesses? How
effective is it in achieving its agenda? Use specific examples.
Assessment
_____/20 Give a brief history of the group. Why did it form? What is its purpose?
What past legislation has it been blamed/credited for?
_____/20 What is the group’s political ideology (liberal, conservative, populist,
libertarian)? Does it favor one political party? Does it have a history of
supporting certain political candidates?
_____/20 What are some examples of legislation your group currently supports or
opposes? What actions does it take to try to influence public policy?
_____/20 Which parts of the government does your group target (which executive
branch departments and congressional committees)? Does the group
engage in outsider strategies?
_____/20 Assess your group. What are its strengths and weaknesses? How
effective is it in achieving its agenda? Use specific examples.
Assessment
_____/20 Give a brief history of the group. Why did it form? What is its purpose?
What past legislation has it been blamed/credited for?
_____/20 What is the group’s political ideology (liberal, conservative, populist,
libertarian)? Does it favor one political party? Does it have a history of
supporting certain political candidates?
_____/20 What are some examples of legislation your group currently supports or
opposes? What actions does it take to try to influence public policy?
_____/20 Which parts of the government does your group target (which executive
branch departments and congressional committees)? Does the group
engage in outsider strategies?
_____/20 Assess your group. What are its strengths and weaknesses? How
effective is it in achieving its agenda? Use specific examples.