AP Government Study Guide.doc

I. Constitutional Underpinnings of U.S. Government.5-15%The Constitution was the attempt to address problems of decentralization that were experienced under the Articles of Confederation.1. List three problems of decentralized power that existed under the Articles of Confederation. For each problem you list, identify one solution that the Constitution and provided to address the problem.2. Some have argued that the tensions between decentralized and centralized power continue to exist. Support this argument by explaining how one of the following illustrates the continuing tension. Environmental policy Gun control Disability accessIt is of great importance and a republic not only to guard society against the oppression of its rulers, but to guard one part of society against the injustice of the other part. Different interests necessarily exist in different classes of citizens. If a majority be united by common interests, the rights of the minority will be insecure.James Madison, The Federalist, Number 51Using the quotation about in your knowledge of United States politics, perform the following two tasks.1. Explain the central point that Madison is making about popular government and power.2. Explained to Constitutional provision was the framers devised to guard against the problems that Madison is addressing.The United States Constitution has endured more than two centuries as the framework of government. However, the meaning of the Constitution has been changed both by formal and informal methods.a. Identify two formal methods for adding amendments to the Constitutionb. Describe two informal methods that have been used to change the meaning of the Constitution. Provide one specific example for each informal method you described.c. Explain why informal methods are used more often than the formal amendment process.In The Federalist paper number 10, James Madison expressed concern over the possibility that both majority and minority factions would have too much power over government, and he presented ways of minimizing that danger. The United States Constitution established a democratic government but also contained several provisions that limited majority rule. Throughout the next two centuries, the role of majority rule in the United States government and politics continued to change. (2009)(a) Identify the part of the national government that was originally most closely tied to citizens and explain how it was tied to citizens.(b) Explain two ways the United States Constitution limited majority rule.(c) Choose two of the following twentieth-century developments and explain how each moved the United States from a less democratic system to a more democratic system. Primary elections The Seventeenth Amendment Expansion of suffrage*Linkage institutions Promote democracy by linking the citizens to the government Political parties The media Interest groups ElectionsCompare the following theories of politics of the United States. Elite theories Pluralist theories Hyperpluralist theoriesIdentify the importance of Shays Rebellion Showed weaknesses of the articles of confederation Showed need for a strong national governmentFederalist Number 10 & 51 James Madison A Republican government can limit factionalism Factions are undesirable but inevitable in a free nationWeaknesses of the Articles of Confederation Instability of government Need to promote and regulate interstate trade No power to tax by central government No national defense No national currencyExplain the result of the Great CompromiseThe framers of the Constitution believed one of the primary functions of government is protecting individual property rightsCompare the following types of powers Enumerated powers Reserved powers Found in the Tenth Amendment Not specifically granted to the national government nor denied to the statesIdentify examples of checks and balances and separation of powers as established by the ConstitutionThe elastic clause/necessary and proper clause Used to define federalism Allows the Congress to expand its powers beyond those listed in the Constitution (enumerated powers)Interstate commerce Under the control of the federal government Most challenged case in the Supreme CourtExplain the arguments both sides had in regards to ratification of the US Constitution Federalists Anti-FederalistsAmending the Constitution Two ways to proposeo 2/3 vote of each house*o propose by a national constitutional convention requested by at least 2/3 of the state legislatures Two ways to ratifyo ratified by of the state legislatures*o ratified by specially called convention in at least of the states*all but 21st followed #1 path, 21 ratified by conventionDefine: Expost facto laws Bills of attainder Writ of habeas corpusMarbury v. Madison (1803) Judicial review Allows the courts to declare a law unconstitutionalAnalyze whether federalism, over the last twenty-five years, has changed due to increase in federal mandates on state and local governments. In your essay, identify one federal mandate and discuss each of the following with respect to the mandate you have identified.a. The objectives of the federal government is enacting a mandateb. The impact of the state and local government budget priorities as a result of the mandatec. The potential consequence of the removal of the mandateGeneralizing from your discussion in (a), (b), and (c), assess the impact of federal mandates on federalism.The Supreme Court ruled in Barron v. Baltimore (1833) that the Bill of Rights did not apply to the states. Explain how the Court has interpreted the Fourteenth Amendment to apply the Bill of Rights to the states. In your answer, briefly discuss the Courts decision in one of the following cases to support your explanation.Gitlow v. New York (1925)Wolf v. Colorado (1949)Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)Graph: Number of Federal and State and Local Government Employees, 1945-2000 (2003)Using the data in the graph above and your knowledge of United States politics, perform the following tasks.(a) Identify two trends shown in the graph.(b) Explain how each of the following contributes to the difference between the federal and the state and local lines in the graph. Block Grants Federal MandatesThe power of the federal government relative to the states has increased since the ratification of the Constitution. (2005)(a) Describe two of the following provisions of the constitution and explain how each has been used over time to expand federal power. The power to tax and spend The necessary and proper or elastic clause The commerce clause(b) Explain how one of the following has increased the power of the federal government relative to the power of state governments. Americans with Disabilities Act Civil Rights Act of 1964 Clean Air ActInitially the United States Constitution did little to protect citizens from actions of the states. In the twentieth century, the Supreme Court interpreted the Constitution to protect citizens from state governments in a process referred to as incorporation. (2005)(a) Define selective incorporation.(b) For two of the following, explain how each has been incorporated. Each of your explanations must be based on a specific and relevant Supreme Court decision. Rights of criminal defendants First Amendment Privacy RightsThe framers of the United States Constitution created a federal system. (2007)(a) Define federalism.(b) Select two of the following and explain how each has been used to increase the power of the federal government relative to the states. Categorical grants Federal mandates Selective incorporation(c) Select two of the following and explain how each has been used to increase the power of the states relative to the federal government. Welfare Reform Act of 1996 Block Grants Tenth AmendmentThe framers of the Constitution created a political system based on limited government. The original Constitution and the Bill of Rights were intended to restrict the powers of the national government. Later constitutional developments also limited the powers of state governments. (2010)(a) Explain how each of the following limits the powers of the national executive. Federalism Checks and balances(b) Explain how each of the following two provisions in the Bill of Rights limits the powers of the national government. Establishment clause Guarantee of a public trial(c) Choose one of the following and explain how it limits the power of state governments. Citizenship clause of the Fourteenth Amendment Selective incorporation*Compare the following types of government Unitary Confederal FederalCompare Majority PluralityFederal system Separation of powers between a central and subnational governments Demonstrated by the representation system for electing senatorsConsequences of the federal system Inequality of government services across state lines Allows for experimentation government programs Creates multiple access points for interest groups Decentralizes political conflictCompare the following type of powers Concurrent Restricted InherentDefine Devolution-Compare the following types of grants Revenue sharing Grants-in-aids Categorical Grants Grants given to states with a specific criteria and objective attached Block Grants Grants given to a state for a general purpose States decide on specifics on how to use them Responsibilities for channeling the funds to local government Federal Mandates (funded or unfunded) Motor Voter Registration ActDefine Fiscal Federalism Cooperative FederalismMcCulloch v. Maryland (1819) States cannot interfere with or tax legitimate activities of the federal government Reinforces supremacy of the ConstitutionGibbons v. Ogden (1824) Established the basis of Congressional regulation of interstate commerce Reinforced supremacy of national lawII. Political Beliefs and Behaviors.10-20%Discuss the changes in the participation of women in United States politics since 1970. Using specific examples, analyze the impact of womens participation on both of the following. Electoral politics Economic and social policyThe figure below displays voting patterns by state in the 1992 and 1996 Presidential elections. Using the information in the figure and your knowledge of United States voting behavior, perform the following tasks. Using the map below, identify one of the numbered regions with strong support for the Democratic Presidential candidate and identify and explain two factors that contribute to that support. Using the map below identify one of the numbered regions with strong support for the Republican Presidential candidate and identify and explain two factors that contribute to that support.Discuss the impact of public opinion on policy-making. How is this impact affected by Presidential leadership and them as media? Apply your end of this to the issues of tax policy and the Persian Gulf War.Using information the table above and your knowledge of United States politics perform the following two tasks.List three groups that are significant President Clintons electoral coalition that explain why each was important.Describe the problems that President Clinton has in sustaining his winning coalition.Citizens often choose to participate in the political process in ways other than voting. (2003)(a) Identify two forms of participation in the political process other than voting.(b) Explain two advantage of each form of participation you identified in (a).Viewers Ages and Frequency of Viewing of Network NightlyNews: 1974 and 2002 Combined1974 Frequently (%) Rarely (%)1829 45 133044 50 124564 68 865 and older 71 52002 Frequently (%) Rarely (%)1829 19 223044 22 174564 40 1165 and older 53 8One of the most important ways the news media influence politics is through agenda setting. (2009)(a) Define policy agenda.(b) Explain how the national news media engage in agenda setting.(c) Explain the primary reason the president tends to have an advantage over Congress in gaining media attention.(d) Consider the table above. Describe the difference in the viewing patterns of older and younger age-groups. Describe the change from 1974 to 2002 in viewing habits that exists for all age categories.(e) Given the information in the table, describe one implication for presidents in their use of the media to promote their political and policy objectives to the American public.*Compare characteristics of liberals versus conservatives Groups most likely to vote liberal (Democrats)o African Americanso Jewish Americanso Hispanic Americanso Labor unionso Northeasto Urban areaso Women Groups most likely to vote conservative (Republicans)o White maleso Suburbano Midwesto Protestanto College educatedo Ruralo Very high-income levelsIssues that affect voting Age Education level ReligionReasons for low voter turnout U.S. voter turnout rate is lower than most other western democracies More elections in U.S. than in other countries More difficult to register to voteElections in the United States are characterized by low voter turnout. Discuss to demographic characteristics associated with nonvoting and three institutional obstacles associated with nonvoting.The most common form of political activity by U.S. citizens is voting in presidential elections Only presidential elections average a turnout rate over 50%In the last half of the twentieth century, voter turnout in federal elections has declined. During the same period, voter turnout has been higher in presidential elections than in midterm elections. (2002)(a) Identify two factors that have contributed to the overall decline in turnout in federal elections and explain how each factor has been higher in presidential elections than in midterm elections.(b) Identify and explain two reasons why voter turnout has been higher in presidential elections that in midterm elections.In the United States political system, there are several linkage institutions that can connect citizens to government. Elections constitute one such institution. Because of low voter turnout, elections represent an imperfect method of linking citizens to their government. Even when there is low voter turnout, however, other linkage institutions can connect citizens to government. (2009)(a) Describe how each of the following is related to the likelihood of voting. Age Education(b) Identify one current government electoral requirement that decreases voter turnout. Explain how it decreases voter turnout.(c) Identify one linkage institution other than elections and explain two ways it connects citizens to government.Understand the changes of political culture In general people are less trusting of the government A result of Watergate Core American valueso Legal and political equalityo Constitutional rightsPolitical socialization is the passage of political values from one generation to the next Family is the most important indicatorMedia coverage Focuses on day-to-day campaign activities Sound bites Colorful eventsEffect of media on campaigns They affect which issues the people think are important Larger focus on image, less on substanceDefine Libel Prior restraint Shield law horse race journalismIII. Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media 10-20%Graph: partisan identification of adults in the United States, 1952-1992 Democrats Republicans IndependentsUsing the data and the graph about in their knowledge of party politics in the United States is in 1950s perform the following tasks.1. Identify two significant trends as shown in the graph.2. For each time you identifying provide the following An explanation for the trend Any fact that the trend has of political campaigns Graph: Presidential popular and electoral college vote, 1968-1992Using the information in the table above and your knowledge of United States politics, perform the following tasks.a. Identify a third-party candidate who received significant popular votes but no electoral votes, and provide an explanation for this discrepancy.b. Identify a third-party candidate who received significant popular votes as well as significant electoral votes, and provide an explanation for this outcome.c. In seeking to win Presidential elections, third parties face challenges not faced by the major parties. Describe one of these challenges.Electoral College Number of electoral votes for state = number of reps + number of senators Winner take all, whoever wins the states popular vote, wins the electoral vote Candidates often focus on large states Winner does not need a majority of popular vote to winCompare the following types of primary elections Open primary Closed primary Blanket primary Run-off primaryChanges in the primary elections Increased cost Increased attention on early primaries, New Hampshire, super Tuesday Increased the role of citizens Decreased the role of state party organizations Running for president becomes a full-time job Decreased party control over nominations Voters are usually affluent and highly educated in primary electionsChanges in the national conventi