Preparing For The AP United States Government & Politics Examination

by Benson, David G.; Waples, Karen K.

• ISBN13: 9780618573196
• ISBN10: 0618573194
• Edition: 9th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-02-22
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Table of Contents

About the Authors	vii
Preface	ix
Part I: Strategies for the AP Examination	1	(44)
Preparing for the AP Exam	3	(3)
What's in This Book	3	(1)
Setting Up a Review Schedule	4	(1)
Before the Examination	4	(2)
Taking the AP U.S. Government & Politics Exam	6	(9)
Strategies for the Multiple-Choice Section	6	(1)
Types of Multiple-Choice Questions	7	(3)
Free-Response Questions	10	(2)
Scoring for Free-Response Questions	12	(3)
A Diagnostic Test	15	(30)
United States Government and Politics Examination	15	(18)
Answer Key	33	(10)
Calculating Your Score on the AP Exam	43	(2)
Part II: A Review of AP U.S. Government & Politics	45	(226)
The Constitution	47	(11)
The Path to Independence	48	(1)
The Articles of Confederation	49	(1)
The Constitutional Convention	50	(1)
James Madison as Architect	51	(1)
Ratification of the Constitution	52	(1)
Changing the Constitution	53	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	54	(4)
Federalism	58	(11)
Sharing Power	59	(1)
Federalism's Historical Trail	59	(3)
Federalism and State Monies	62	(1)
Mandates	62	(2)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	64	(5)
Theories of Democratic Government	69	(10)
Power and Authority	70	(1)
The Meaning of Democracy	70	(1)
Distribution of Political Power	71	(2)
Political Change	73	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	74	(5)
American Political Culture	79	(10)
Politics, Economics, and Religion	80	(1)
Sources of Political Culture	81	(2)
Mistrust of Government	83	(1)
Political Efficacy	83	(1)
Political Tolerance	84	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	84	(5)
Public Opinion and Political Beliefs	89	(11)
The Problem of Defining Public Opinion	90	(1)
Sources of Public Attitudes	90	(1)
Cleavages in Public Opinion	91	(1)
Political Ideology	92	(1)
Political Elites and Public Opinion	93	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	94	(6)
Political Participation	100	(11)
The American Electorate	101	(1)
Voter Turnout	102	(1)
Participation	103	(2)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	105	(6)
Elections and Campaigns	111	(11)
Comparing Presidential and Congressional Campaigns	112	(1)
How Campaigns Are Conducted	113	(1)
Money and Campaigning	114	(2)
Elections and Party Alignments	116	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	116	(6)
Political Parties	122	(11)
The Rise and Decline of Political Parties	123	(1)
Parties at the National, State, and Local Levels	124	(2)
The Two-Party System and Minor Parties	126	(1)
Delegates and Voters	127	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	127	(6)
Interest Groups	133	(11)
The Growth of Interest Groups	133	(1)
Kinds of Interest Groups	134	(2)
Interest Groups in Action	136	(2)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	138	(6)
Mass Media	144	(11)
The Background and Structure of the Media	145	(2)
Government Influence on the Media	147	(1)
Effects of the Media on Politics	147	(1)
Interpreting Political News	148	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	149	(6)
Congress	155	(14)
The Evolution and Composition of Congress	156	(2)
Types of Representation	158	(1)
The Organization of Congress	158	(2)
How a Bill Becomes a Law	160	(2)
Power and Ethics in Congress	162	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	163	(6)
The Presidency	169	(13)
Divided Government and the Powers of the Presidency	170	(1)
The Executive Branch	171	(1)
Presidential Power in Action	172	(1)
The President's Program	173	(1)
Vice Presidents and Presidential Succession	174	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	175	(7)
The Bureaucracy	182	(10)
Growth of the Bureaucracy	183	(1)
Activities of Agencies	183	(1)
Bureaucrats	184	(1)
Congressional Oversight	185	(1)
Reforming the Bureaucracy	186	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	187	(5)
The Federal Courts	192	(10)
The Development of the Federal Courts	193	(1)
The Selection of Judges	194	(1)
The Jurisdiction of the Federal Courts	194	(1)
The Powers of the Supreme Court	195	(1)
Checks on Judicial Power	196	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	197	(5)
Policy-Making in the Federal System	202	(10)
Setting the Political Agenda	203	(1)
Costs, Benefits, and Policy	204	(1)
Business Regulation: A Case Study	205	(1)
Perceptions, Beliefs, Interests, and Values	206	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	207	(5)
Economic Policy and the Budget	212	(11)
Economic Health	213	(1)
The Politics of Taxing and Spending	214	(1)
The Machinery of Economic Policy-Making	215	(1)
The Budget	216	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	217	(6)
Domestic Policy: Social Welfare and the Environment	223	(12)
Social Welfare Politics and Policy	224	(2)
The Politics of Environmental Protection	226	(3)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	229	(6)
Foreign and Military Policy	235	(12)
The Constitutional and Legal Context	236	(1)
Foreign Policy-Making Since World War II	237	(1)
The Foreign Policy Elite	238	(1)
The Defense Budget	239	(1)
The Structure of Military Decision-Making	240	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	241	(6)
Civil Rights	247	(12)
The Background of the Civil Rights Movement	248	(1)
The Civil Rights Movement in the Courts	248	(2)
The Civil Rights Movement in Congress	250	(1)
Women and Equal Rights	251	(1)
Affirmative Action	252	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	253	(6)
Civil Liberties	259	(12)
Background of Civil Liberties Issues	260	(1)
First Amendment Rights	260	(2)
Rights of the Accused	262	(1)
Terrorism and Civil Liberties	263	(1)
Multiple-Choice and Free-Response Questions	264	(7)
Part III: Practice Tests	271
Practice Test 1
United States Government and Politics Examination	273	(13)
Answer Key	286	(9)
Calculating Your Score	295	(1)
Practice Test 2
United States Government and Politics Examination	296	(14)
Answer Key	310	(8)
Calculating Your Score	318