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AP Government Comprehensive Review

May 3, 2025

Lecture on AP Government Review

Unit One: Constitutional Underpinnings

Fundamental Principles of Democracy

  • Direct Democracy: Citizens directly vote on decisions.
  • Representative Democracy (Republic): Citizens elect officials to make decisions.

Historical Foundations

  • Magna Carta (1215): First attempt to limit British King's power, granting rights.
  • Enlightenment Philosophers: Locke and Rousseau.
    • Social Contract Theory: People agree to be governed.
    • Consent of the Governed: Rulers need people's approval.
    • Natural Rights: Inherent rights including life, liberty, and property (Jefferson: pursuit of happiness).
  • Declaration of Independence: Justified the American Revolution; emphasized life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

Articles of Confederation: First Government

  • Weak state association; strong state independence.
  • No central executive or direct federal taxation.
  • Federal roles: raise army, print money, declare war, run post office.
  • Shays' Rebellion: Highlighted weaknesses of the central government.

Constitutional Debate

  • Constitutional Convention (1787): Formation of new constitution, supporting a republic and three branches of government.
  • Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists: Debated central government strength.
  • Compromises:
    • North-South Compromises: 3/5 Compromise for counting slaves.
    • Connecticut Compromise: Bicameral legislature.

Constitution Fixes Articles of Confederation

  • Taxation and interstate trade regulated federally.
  • Creation of executive (President) and national judiciary (Supreme Court).

The Constitution

  • Article I: Legislative Branch.
  • Article II: Executive Branch.
  • Article III: Judicial Branch.

Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances

  • Each branch has distinct powers and checks on the others (e.g., veto power, judicial review).

Federalism

  • Dual Federalism: Clear division of federal and state powers.
  • Cooperative Federalism: Shared powers between different levels of government.
  • Fiscal Federalism: Financial relations among levels of government.

Unit Two: Political Culture, Beliefs, and Behaviors

Political Culture

  • Describes Americans' support for free enterprise, individual responsibility, and equality of opportunity.
  • Religion significantly influences political views.

Political Socialization

  • Shaped by family, friends, media, education, and current government.

Political Ideologies

  • Liberal: Favors large government for welfare.
  • Socialist: Strong government to protect people.
  • Conservative: Limited government for economic growth.
  • Libertarianism: Minimal government, high individual focus.

Demographics and Voting Behavior

  • Voting patterns vary by race, gender, and education.
  • Census every 10 years affects redistricting.
  • Gerrymandering: Manipulating district boundaries for political gain.

Unit Three: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media

Political Parties

  • Functions include organizing elections, formulating policies, managing candidates.
  • Realignment and Dealignment: Shifts in party bases and independence rise.

Elections

  • Electoral College: Influences presidential elections and strategy.
  • Historical changes in voting rights include race and gender inclusivity.

Influencing Elections

  • Interest Groups: Seek to influence through lobbying and funding.
  • Media: Significant impact on public opinion and politics.

Unit Four: Institutions: Presidency and Congress

Congress

  • Bicameral legislature (House and Senate).
  • Committees play a crucial role in legislative process.
  • House: Initiates spending bills, impeaches officials.
  • Senate: Confirms appointments, tries impeachments.

President

  • Roles include Commander in Chief, Chief Executive, and legislative influencer.
  • Executive Orders: Directives with the force of law.

Unit Five: The Bureaucracy

  • Divides work into departments, remains politically neutral.
  • Iron Triangle: Relationship between bureaucracy, Congress, and interest groups.
  • Growth of discretionary authority and challenges of regulation.

The Judicial Branch and Civil Liberties

Judicial Branch

  • Judicial Review: Supreme Court's power to declare laws unconstitutional.
  • Court structure: District Courts, Courts of Appeals, Supreme Court.

Civil Liberties

  • Due Process and Equal Protection: Fundamental rights and protections.
  • Notable Cases: Marbury v. Madison, Brown v. Board of Education, Roe v. Wade.

Economic Policy

Monetary and Fiscal Policy

  • Monetary Policy: Federal Reserve's control over money supply.
  • Fiscal Policy: Government's taxation and spending.

Economic Theories

  • Keynesianism, Monetarism, Supply-Side Economics: Differing views on government intervention.

Social Welfare

  • Welfare Programs: Address societal inequities.
  • Shifts in welfare policy from federal to state responsibility.

Foreign and Defense Policy

Foreign Policy Dynamics

  • Considerations include national security, economic strength, and public opinion.
  • Presidential and Congressional roles in foreign policy decisions.

War Powers Act

  • Limits presidential power to deploy troops without Congressional approval.

Worldviews

  • Isolationism, Containment, Disengagement, Human Rights: Varied approaches to international engagement.