How To Use This Book ix
Barron's Essential xi
Preface xiii
Introduction 1
A Guide to the Course and Exam 1
Skills Needed to Succeed 3
How the Test Is Scored 3
Study Strategies 4
Course Outline 6
Multiple-Choice Questions 8
Free-Response Questions 16
AP U.S. Government and Politics Free-Response Topics 25
A Word About Rubrics 28
Diagnostic Test 31
Answer Explanations 48
Test Analysis Worksheet 65
Foundations of American Democracy (Unit 1:15-22% Exam Distribution) 67
Big Ideas: Constitutionalism, Liberty and Order, Competing Policy-Making Interests 67
Questions Students Must Answer 67
Key Terms Students Must Know 68
Required Primary Documents Students Must Know 68
Required Supreme Court Cases Students Must Know 68
Big Ideas 68
Contemporary Connections 69
Key Concept 1.a: Evolution of Representative Democracy 69
Evolution of Representative Democracy Based on the Idea of Limited Government 69
Key Concept 1.b: Origins of the Constitution 73
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists 73
Key Concept 1.c: The Constitution 80
The Importance of Goals and Public Policy 81
The Role of Government Has Different Perspectives 81
Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances 83
The Vice-President 87
Presidential Succession 87
Executive Orders 88
Judicial Branch 91
Impeachment is the Ultimate Check of a President Who Abuses Power 94
Key Concept 1.d: Federalism 96
Contemporary Connection 96
State Governments 97
Dual Federalism 100
Fiscal Federalism (also known as Creative and Competitive Federalism) 101
National Policy Making and Federalism 105
Review Multiple-Choice Questions 106
Answer Explanations 109
Review Free-Response Question 111
Interactions Among the Branches of Government (Unit 2:25-36% Exam Distribution) 115
Big Ideas: Constitutionalism, Competing Policy-Making Interests 115
Questions Students Must Answer 116
Key Terms Students Must Know 116
Key Concept 2.a: The Legislative Branch 117
Contemporary Connection 117
Constitutional Review of Congress 117
Required Primary Documents Students Must Know 117
Required Supreme Court Cases Students Must Know 117
Key Concept 2.a: The Legislative Branch 117
Constitutional Review of Congress 117
Policy-Making Process of Congress 119
Illustrative Examples 121
Key Concept 2.b: The Executive Branch 128
Constitutional Review of the Presidency 128
The Cabinet and White House Staff 132
How the President Communicates 136
Key Concept 2.c: The Judicial Branch 137
Quick Constitutional Review of the Judiciary 137
Contemporary Connection 138
Key Concept 2.d: The Federal Bureaucracy 141
Constitutional Review of Bureaucracies 141
Contemporary Connection 141
Executive-Level Departments 144
Review Multiple-Choice Questions 149
Review Free-Response Question 153
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (Unit 3:13-18% Exam Distribution) 155
Questions Students Must Answer 156
Key Terms Students Must Know 156
Required Primary Documents Students Must Know 157
Other Documents Students Should Know 157
Required Supreme Court Cases Students Must Know 157
Optional Cases that Support Key Concepts 157
Contemporary Connection: Civil liberties 158
Key Concept 3.a: The Bill of Rights 158
The Nature of the Bill of Rights 158
First Amendment: Freedom of Religion 159
First Amendment: Freedom of Speech and the Press 161
First Amendment: Freedom of Assembly 163
Second Amendment: Right to Keep and Bear Arms 164
Fourth Amendment: Right to Privacy 165
Eighth Amendment: Cruel and Unusual Punishment 168
Ninth Amendment: Undefined Rights 169
Key Concept 3.b: The Fourteenth Amendment 169
Key Concept 3.c: Equal Protection Under the Law and Selective Incorporation 170
Right to Privacy as Applied in the Fourth and Ninth Amendments 171
Contemporary Connection 171
Key Concept 3.d: Civil Rights 172
Key Concept 3.e: The Supreme Court Interprets Civil Rights Issues 172
African Americans' Fight for Civil Rights 172
Social Movements and Civil Rights 177
Review Multiple-Choice Questions 183
Answer Explanations 186
Review Free-Response Question 188
American Political Ideologies and Beliefs (Unit 4:10-15% Exam Distribution) 191
Big Ideas: Methods of Political Analysis, Competing Policy-Making Interests 191
Questions Students Must Answer 192
Key Terms Students Must Know 192
Contemporary Connections 192
Key Concept 4.a: Demographics and Political Socialization 192
Optional Reading 194
Key Concept 4.b: Polling 198
Key Concept 4.c: Political Philosophies and Political Party Ideology 199
The Development of the Federal Budget Reflects Competing Policy Philosophies 204
The Federal Budget 207
Taxes 211
Searching For Solutions 211
Review Multiple-Choice Questions 214
Answer Explanations 216
Review Free-Response Question 218
Political Participation (Unit 5:20-27% of the Exam Distribution) 221
Big Ideas: Civic Participation in a Representative Democracy, Competing Policy-Making Interests, Methods of Political Analysis 221
Key Concept 5.a: Voting 223
Questions Students Must Answer 223
Key Terms Students Must Know 223
Required Supreme Court Case Students Must Know 223
Key Concept 5.a: Voting 223
Contemporary Connection 224
Political Participation 224
Quick Review of the Constitutional and Legal Basis of Suffrage 224
Key Concept 5.b: Linkage Institutions 230
Contemporary Connection 230
Political Parties 230
How Political Parties are Organized 231
Interest Groups 237
Contemporary Connection 237
Key Concept 5.c: Elections as Linkage 243
Federal Election Laws 254
Key Concept 5.d: The Media as Linkage 256
Contemporary Connection 257
Review Multiple-Choice Questions 262
Answer Explanations 265
Review Free-Response Question 267
Practice Test 1 271
Section 1: Multiple-Choice Questions 271
Section 1 is Worth 50 Percent of the Test 271
Section 2: Free-Response Questions 285
Answer Key 287
Answer Explanations 288
Test Analysis Worksheet 305
Practice Test 2 309
Section 1: Multiple-Choice Questions 309
Section 2: Free-Response Questions 322
Answer Key 325
Answer Explanations 326
Test Analysis Worksheet 345
Glossary 347
Appendix 365
Required Unit 1 Foundational Documents 365
Required Supreme Court Cases 367
Index 371