AP Government & Politics with Honors Civics and Economics
Unit 7 (Executive Branch and Bureaucracy)
Review Guide
Part I – Objectives
Directions: Answer fifteen of the following unit objectives. Responses must be in a well-developed
paragraph that provides evidence, analysis and completely answers the questions. You should write in
complete sentences. While you can discuss these objectives with other people (if you study/work with
others), the final product needs to be your original work.
1. Describe how the presidency has evolved from 1789 to the present
2. Discuss the approach of the Founders toward executive power
3. Explain the seven roles and various powers of the President and how they relate to the greater
operation of the Executive Branch and U.S. government
4. Describe the challenges the President faces in forming and implementing a program
5. Define of reorganization and past attempts of reorganization
6. The importance of presidential techniques of persuasion in pushing an agenda
7. Explain why the power to persuade is so pertinent to the presidency
8. Describe how the president conveys his message to various audiences
9. Compare the impact of a divided government versus a unified government on legislation
10. Explain how the president can use vetoes to control legislation
11. Identify the policies that govern presidential transition & succession w/in the Executive Branch
12. Describe the importance of the president’s cabinet and white house staff in the functioning of the
Executive Branch
13. Explain how Presidential appointments are made and the impact of such appointments on the
Executive Branch
14. Identify the roles federal agencies play within the Executive Branch, and how they balance interests
approach the policy challenges the country faces in respect to particular issues
15. Discuss the history of the federal bureaucracy and its magnitude in terms of size and scope
16. Map the organization of the federal bureaucracy, as well as the various roles played by independent
agencies, regulatory commissions, and the civil service system
17. Discuss the state of the federal bureaucracy today in respect to recruitment and retention, and current
constraints on the bureaucracy.
18. Describe how Congress oversees the bureaucracy and legislative powers exist in regards to oversight
19. List the “pathologies” that may affect bureaucracies, and discuss whether they are relevant to the
federal government bureaucracy today.
20. Explain the relationship between the legislative branch and the federal bureaucracy and the
responsibilities each have to one and other in respect to oversight and accountability
[Continued on Reverse Side]
Part II – Terms/Concepts
Directions: Explain the significance of each of these concepts. Your reply should speak NOT to the basic
definitions but the impact each concept has on either the executive branch or the bureaucracy.
20th Amendment
22nd Amendment
25th Amendment
Accountability
Agency capture
Ambassador
Amnesty
Bully pulpit
Bureaucracy
Bureaucratese
Bureaucratic culture
Bureaucratic discretion
Cabinet (departments)
Chief Administrator (Executive)
Chief Diplomat (Foreign Policy Maker)
Chief of Staff
Citizen Advisory Councils
Civil Service
Clientele groups
Commander in Chief
Congressional oversight
Council of Economic Advisers
Cycle effect
Discretionary authority
Divided government
Economic Leader
Electoral College
Executive Agreement
Executive Office of the President
Executive Order
Executive privilege
Federal Register
Freedom of Information Act
Going public
Government Corporation
Hatch Act
Head of Government
Head of State
Honeymoon period
Impeachment
Impoundment of Funds
Independent agency
Independent regulatory boards & commissions
Inherent powers
Iron triangles
Issue network
Lame duck
Legislative Leader
Legislative liaison
Line-item veto
National Security Council
Neural competence
Office of Management and Budget
Pardoning power
Party Leader
Patronage
Pendleton Act
Pocket veto
Power to persuade
Presidential style
Presidential veto
Press Secretary
Privacy Act of 1974
Red Tape
Regulations
Reprieve
Senatorial courtesy
Signing Statements
Solicitor General
Spoils system
State of the Union Address
Succession
Sunshine laws
Treaty
Unified government
War Powers Resolution of 1973
Whistle blowers
White House Office