AP Test Review

AP Test Review

• 2 part test– PART I - 60 MC – 45 MINUTES– Part II = 4 Free Response – 100 MINUTES

– Each part is worth 50 percent of your grade

Let’s Break it Down

• Constitution• Political Beliefs and Behaviors• Pol Parties, Int Grps, Mass Media• Cong, Pres, Bureaucracy, Fed Crts• Public Policy• Civil Rights and Liberties

Grades

• 1 to a 5Mult Choice

• 5 – 49-60 13%• 4 – 40-48 17%• 3 – 28-39 25%• 2 – 19-27 24%• 1 – 0-18 20%

Last Minute Study Guide

• 1. Review the Big Ideas

• 2. Review the Test Taking Tips

• 3. Take a practice Test

• 4. Be Prepared

Study Sites

• http://www.citizenu.org/

• Cram for the Exam 2013

Big Ideas

• Federalism– Dual vs. Cooperative/fiscal

– McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819• Nat Gov’t reg interstate commerce

Big Ideas

• Separation of Powers

– Legislative/Executive/Judicial

– No one branch intended to dominate American Government

Big Ideas

• Checks an Balances

– Prevent tyranny– Know at least two way a branch can counteract

another branch

– War powers Act - Uncon

Big Ideas

• Constitution and Limited Government– “Constitutionalism”

– Replaced Articles of Confed

– “Bundle of Compromises” – CT Comp, Electoral College, Commerce and Slave trade

– LESSAS 9/13

Big Ideas

• Bill of Rights and Civil Liberties– Part of Con in 1791– 1-10

– 14TH “Amend Due Process Clause” – SC used this clause to incorporate the rights in the B of R to the States, Gitlow vs. NY, 1925 1st case

Big Ideas

• Freedom of Expression– 1st Amend

– Speech – verbal and symbolic

– Not absolute – can be denied if – endangers National security/obscene/false(libel & slander)

Big Ideas

• Freedom of Religion– Establishment Clause – Engel v. Vitale– Free Exercise Clause – Wisconsin v. Yoder

– Lemon Test

Big Ideas

• Equal Rights– 14th Amend – “equal protection clause”

– 13/14/15 Amends – Civil War Amends

– Plessy/Brown v. Board– Civil Rights Act of 1964– Voting Rights Act 1965– 19/24/26 Amend

Big Ideas

• The Legislative Process– Bill– Committees• Standing• Conference

– Filibuster/cloture - Senate

Big Ideas

• Presidential Leadership– Bully pulpit– Activist president

Big Ideas

• Federal Bureaucracy– Bureaus/Depts/administrations/commissions/

agencies

– Civil service system– Cabinet– Independent regulatory agencies

Big Ideas

• Independent Judiciary– Jurisdiction– Rule of 4 – writ of certiorari– Stare decisis– Judicial restraint ( decide case based on precedent

and defer to elected leaders to make policy) v. Judicial activism ( courts should take action when elected leaders have failed)

– Warren Court (1953-1969) activist court

Big Ideas

• Majority Rule– Representative democracy – “republic”

– Government should be the “will of the people”

– Minority rights have to be respected• Rule of 4• filibuster

Big Ideas• Elections– Presidential elections – every 4 years• Midterms – lower voter turnout

– State make election laws• Registration• Ballot access

– Primary Elections• Open/Closed/Blanket

– $$$$ - Media Events– Swing State/Swing voters

Big Ideas

• Two Party System– Dem – Repub since Civil War– Left v. Right coalitions– Third Parties• Hurt by winner take all and single member districts

– Parties in decline – more independents

Big Ideas

• Electoral College and Presidential Selection– Caucuses/Primaries – convention – national

election – Electoral college – inauguration

– 538 electors – 270 to win– Winner take all – Swing states– 2000 election

Big Ideas

• Interest Groups - pluralism– “pressure groups” – “special interest”• AARP/NAACP/PETA/AFL-CIO/NRA

– Lobbying - negative connotation – but can provide info testify, campaign $

– Influence public

Basic Test Taking Strategies

• If you don’t know answer start by eliminating choices

• Answer every question• Be careful on the answer sheet• Mark up the test booklet• Pace yourself

Basic Test Taking Strategies

• Free Response– Think first and then write– Read the entire question – Decide the number of responses needed– Outline your response before writing– Answer all parts to the question– Guess even when you don’t know– Write legibly and coherently

Grades

• 1 to a 5Mult Choice

• 5 – 49-60 13%• 4 – 40-48 17%• 3 – 28-39 25%• 2 – 19-27 24%• 1 – 0-18 20%

Mastering Multiple Choice

• Straight forward question – find the best choice (1) (41)

• The negative question – Which of the following is NOT… (2) (42)– Looking for the “wrong” answer– Plug the answer back into the question

Mastering Multiple Choice

• The Chart or Graph question (10) (40)– About 6-9 questions on the test– Big question – trends– Specific questions - compare – Interpret the chart first– If you don’t understand skip and comeback later– Pay attention to labels

Mastering Multiple Choice

• The Multiple Choice within a Multiple Choice Question (18) (36)– Expect 3 to 5 questions on the test– Take the time to be careful with this confusing

question– Read all the Roman numeral choice and circle the

statements that are correct

Mastering Multiple Choice

• The Political Cartoon Question– Expect one question– Interpret the cartoon

Mastering the Free Response

• Describe• Define• Explain• Identify• Identify and Explain• Define and Explain• “Identify and explain two reasons voter turnout is

considerably lower in midterm elections than presidential elections”

Mastering Multiple Choice• Make sure to provide enough responses to a

question… you can give more.

• The Your Choice Questions• Choose two of the three Supreme Court

decisions below and describe how each of the decisions expanded a constitutional right of privacy– Griswold v. Connecticut– Roe v. Wade– Lawrence v. Texas

Mastering Multiple Choice

• The Essay question with a Table or Graph– Look at graph or table to get a general

understanding– Pay attention to labels

Key Terms• Amendment• Articles of Confederation• Checks and Balances• Constitution• Constitutional Convention• ‘Declaration of Independence• Democracy• Executive Branch• Federalist papers• Great Compromise• Judicial Branch• Legislative Branch• Limited Government

Key Terms

• Natural Rights• Popular sovereignty• Ratification (federalist v. Antifederalists)• Republic• Separation of Powers• Social Contract

Key Terms• Concurrent Powers• Cooperative Federalism• Devolution• Dual Federalism• Enumerated powers• Federalism• Fiscal federalism• Implied Powers• Interstate Commerce clause• Necessary and Proper Clause• Reserved powers• Supremacy Clause• mandates

Key Terms• Bicameral• Bill• Caucus• Cloture• Conferences committee• Congressional Committee System• Congressional district• Earmarks• Filibuster• Gerrymandering• Impeachment• Incumbent• Open seat• Pork barrel

• Reapportionment• Redistricting• Rider• Safe seat• Sonority system• 17th Amendment• Vacant seat• War Powers Act

Key Terms• Administrative law• Cabinet• Civil service system• Departments• Discretionary spending• Entitlements programs• Executive Office of the President• Executive order• Executive privilege• Federal budget• Federal bureaucracy• Fiscal power• Independent regulatory agency• Mandatory spending• Monetary policy• Presidential veto

Key Terms

• The presidents “bully pulpit”• 25th Amendment• 22nd Amendment• Vice president

Key Terms• Amicus Curiae briefs• Appellate jurisdiction• Brief• Civil law• Concurring opinion• Criminal law• Dissenting opinion• Judicial activism• Judicial restraint• Judicial Review• Jurisdiction• Majority opinion• Original jurisdiction

Key Terms

• Precedent• Supreme Court• Us Court of appeals• Writ of certiorari• Writ of habeas corpus

Key Terms• Bill of Rights• Cruel and unusual punishment• Due process clause• Due process of law• Eminent domain• Establishment clause• Exclusionary rule• Free exercise clause• Freedom of expression• Miranda rule• Prior restraint• Rights of the accused – 5th amendment• Right to bear arms – District of Columbia v. Heller, 2008• Right to privacy – Griswold v. Connecticut, 1965

Key Terms• Symbolic speech• Unreasonable search and seizure• Affirmative action• Civil Rights Act of 1964• Disenfranchisement• Equal Protection Clause – 14th

• 15th Amend• Literacy test• 19th Amend• Poll tax• Racial segregation (de facto, de jure)• 13th Amendment• Voting Rights Act 1965

Key Terms• Blanket primary• Closed primary• Electoral college• Electoral realignment• General election• Midterm elections• Minor parties/third parties• National convention• Open Primary• Caucuses• Political party• Primary election• Ticket splitting• Two party system• Grass roots lobbying• Interest group• Iron triangle

Key Terms• Lobbying• Lobbyist• Pluralism• Political Action committee (PAC)• Political gridlock• Capitalism• Ideology• Liberal/Conservative• Libertarianism• Political apathy• Political culture• Political efficacy• Political socialization• Socialism