Past AP FRQ Questions by Topic
Unit 1: Foundations of US Government: The Constitution and Federalism
2009, #1- Constitution and “Democracy”- Limits on Majority Rule and Eventual Expansion
2007, #4- Federalism: Centralization v. Devolution
2005, #2- Expansion of national power
2003, #3- Fiscal federalism
2001, #1- Formal v. Informal Amendment of the Constitution
2000, #1- Articles of Confederation/ Centralization
Unit 2: Politics at the Personal Level: Political Behavior and Beliefs
2009, #2- Voting Behavior and Non-voting Linkage Institutions
2008, #4- Jim Crow Voting Barriers and Pre-1965 African-Americans Political Participation
2004, #4- Declining trust in government
2003, #2- Political participation other than voting
2002, #4- Voter turnout
2000, #3- Voting patterns (Demographic tendencies)
Unit 3: Basic Building Blocks: Parties, Campaigning and Elections
2008, #1- Congressional Districting- Reapportionment, Redistricting, and Gerrymandering
2007, #1- Electoral College
2006, #1- Political Parties v. Interest Groups: Goals and Techniques
2005, #4- Campaign Finance Reform (McCain-Feingold)
2004, #3- Third/Minor Parties
2002, #3- Effects of Parties/Elections on Minority Rights (also includes Federalism)
2000, #4- Campaign Finance Reform
Unit 4: Influencing Government: Interest Groups and the Media
2009, #4- Media as Gatekeeper
2004, #2- Interest Groups- techniques
1999, #1- Media’s effect on Presidential elections
1999, #2- Interest Groups
Unit 5: Congress
2009, #3- Majority Power in House v. Senate
2006, #4- Bicameralism
2003, #4- Committee and Leadership power
2001, #2- Incumbency Advantage (also fits nicely into Unit 3)
1999, #3- Oversight power
Unit 6: President and Bureaucracy
2006, #3- Legislative delegation of powers/ Bureaucratic Policy-Making
2003, #1- Approval ratings
2002, #1- Effects of divided government
Unit 7: Institutional Linkages: Creating Economic, Domestic and Foreign Public Policy
2008, #2- Domestic Policy Making- Presidential Powers and Congressional Checks
2008, #3- National Economic Policy- Fiscal and Monetary Policy
2007, #3- War Powers Act
2006, #2- Entitlement Spending: Social Security
2004, #1- Presidential and Congressional power over foreign policy
Created by: Patrick Kelly, AP U.S. Government Teacher, Blythewood High School, SC
E-mail: pkelly@richland2.org
2002, #2- Government Benefits
2001, #4- Effect of Divided Government, weak parties, and interest groups
1999, #4- Mandatory funding/entitlements
Unit 8: Supreme Court
2005, #1- Influence of public opinion
2000, #2- Nomination of judges
Unit 9: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
2007, #2- Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses
2005, #3- Selective Incorporation
2001, #3- Landmark 14th Amendment cases/ Equal Protection v. Due Process Clauses
Created by: Patrick Kelly, AP U.S. Government Teacher, Blythewood High School, SC
E-mail: pkelly@richland2.org