AP Gov 2025 Live Stream Notes

General Information

• Date: Sunday night
• Goal: Complete course in one night due to changed exam dates
• Duration: Approx. 2 hours
• Exam Date: May 6th

Preliminaries

• Super Chats reserved for shoutouts only, not content questions
• Shoutouts read mostly between units and at the end
• Submit shoutouts before 9:00 p.m. Eastern

Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy

Big Idea 1: Enlightenment Influence

• Key Concepts:
  • Natural Rights
  • Popular Sovereignty
  • Social Contract
  • Republicanism
• Documents:
  • Declaration of Independence: Natural rights, social contract, popular sovereignty
  • Constitution: Blueprint for republican government

Big Idea 2: Models of Democracy

• Types:
  • Participatory
  • Elite
  • Pluralist
• Documents:
  • Constitution: Contains elements of all three
  • Brutus 1 vs. Federalist 10: Debate over broad participatory model vs. protection against tyranny

Big Idea 3: Federalist vs. Anti-federalist Debate

• Federalists: Strong central government
• Anti-federalists: Weak central government
• Documents:
  • Federalist Papers: Federalist 10 on factions
  • Brutus 1 on limits of federal power

Big Idea 4: Articles of Confederation

• Issues: Weak federal power, strong state power, no executive/judicial branch, no federal taxation
• Event: Shay’s Rebellion highlighted weaknesses

Big Idea 5: Constitutional Compromises

• Key Compromises:
  • Great Compromise
  • Electoral College
  • Three-fifths Compromise
• Amendment Process: Article 5, proposal + ratification stages

Big Idea 6: Separation of Powers and Checks

• Federalist 51: Separation of powers and checks and balances
• Branches:
  • Legislative: Makes laws
  • Executive: Executes laws
  • Judicial: Evaluates constitutionality

Big Idea 7: Federalism

• Definition: Sharing power between national and state governments
• Power Types:
  • Exclusive
  • Reserved
  • Concurrent
• Fiscal Federalism: Grants, mandates

Big Idea 8: Balance of Power

• Constitutional Provisions:
  • 10th Amendment
  • 14th Amendment
  • Commerce Clause
  • Necessary and Proper Clause
• SCOTUS Cases:
  • McCullough v. Maryland: Federal power
  • United States v. Lopez: State power

Unit 2: The Three Branches of Government

Big Idea 1: Congressional Powers

• Sources: Article 1 Section 8
• Powers:
  • Enumerated
  • Implied
• Structure: Bicameral (House + Senate)

Big Idea 2: Leadership and Committees

• House Leadership: Speaker, Majority/Minority Leaders, Whip
• Senate Leadership: President of Senate, Majority Leader, Whip
• Committees: Standing, Joint, Select, Conference

Big Idea 3: Congressional Efficiency

• Challenges: Ideological divisions, redistricting, gerrymandering
• Court Cases:
  • Baker v. Carr
  • Shaw v. Reno

Big Idea 4: Presidential Powers

• Formal Powers: Article 2
• Informal Powers: Bargaining, executive orders

Big Idea 5: Checks on Presidential Power

• Appointments: Senate advice and consent
• Judicial Appointments: Contentious

Big Idea 6: Growth of Presidential Power

• Historical Expansion: Jackson, Lincoln, FDR

Big Idea 7: Presidential Communication

• Evolution: Radio, TV, Social Media

Big Idea 8: Judicial Review

• Federalist 78: Judicial independence
• Marbury v. Madison: Established judicial review
• Court Structure: District, Circuit, Supreme

Big Idea 9: Legitimacy of SCOTUS

• Precedents: Stare decisis
• Controversial Decisions: Roe v. Wade
• Judicial Philosophy: Activism vs. Restraint

Big Idea 10: Federal Bureaucracy

• Function: Enforce regulations
• Structure: Cabinet, Agencies, Commissions, Corporations

Big Idea 11: Delegated Discretionary Authority

• Agency Authority: Rulemaking
• Key Agencies: DHS, DOT, VA, DOE, EPA, FEC, SEC

Big Idea 12: Checks on Bureaucracy

• Congressional Oversight: Power of the purse

Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Big Idea 1: Bill of Rights

• Protection: Individual liberties from federal government

Big Idea 2: Freedom of Religion

• Clauses: Establishment, Free Exercise
• Cases:
  • Engel v. Vatal
  • Wisconsin v. Yodor

Big Idea 3: Freedom of Speech

• Symbolic Speech: Tinker v. Des Moines
• Restrictions: Time, place, manner; Defamatory/obscene; Clear and present danger

Big Idea 4: Freedom of the Press

• Case: New York Times v. United States

Big Idea 5: Second Amendment

• Case: District of Columbia v. Heler

Big Idea 6: Amendment Limitations

• 8th Amendment: Cruel and unusual punishment
• 4th Amendment: Searches and seizures

Big Idea 7: Selective Incorporation

• Process: 14th Amendment due process
• Case: McDonald v. Chicago

Big Idea 8: Substantive vs Procedural Due Process

• Miranda v. Arizona
• Gideon v. Wayight: Procedural due process

Big Idea 9: Social Movements

• Civil Rights Movement: MLK and Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Big Idea 10: Government Response

• Legislation: Voting Rights Act, Civil Rights Act, Title IX

Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs

Big Idea 1: Core Beliefs

• Key Concepts: Individualism, Equality of Opportunity, Free Enterprise, Rule of Law, Limited Government

Big Idea 2: Political Socialization

• Factors: Family, School, Media, Social Environments

Big Idea 3: Public Opinion

• Polling Types: Opinion, Benchmark, Tracking, Entrance/Exit

Big Idea 4: Polling Influence

• Issues: Reliability, Non-Scientific Polls

Big Idea 5: Political Ideology

• Spectrum: Liberal vs. Conservative

Big Idea 6: Public Policy

• Democrat vs. Republican: Government involvement

Unit 5: Political Participation

Big Idea 1: Voting

• Amendments: Expanded franchise
• Voting Models: Rational Choice, Retrospective, Prospective, Straight Ticket

Big Idea 2: Voter Turnout

• Factors: Structural barriers, Political efficacy, Type of election, Demographics

Big Idea 3: Linkage Institutions

• Types: Political parties, Interest groups, Elections, Media

Big Idea 4: Two-Party System

• Challenges for Third Parties: Winner-take-all, Major party adoption of agendas

Big Idea 5: Interest Groups

• Goals: Influence policy through lobbying
• Effectiveness: Funding, Free rider problem

Big Idea 6: Presidential Election Process

• Steps: Primaries, General Election, Electoral College

Big Idea 7: Congressional Elections

• Incumbency Advantage: Name recognition, Gerrymandering

Big Idea 8: Campaign Strategy

• Focus: Fundraising, Long election seasons

Big Idea 9: Campaign Finance

• Laws: FEC, Buckley v. Valo, Bickra, Citizens United

Big Idea 10: Media Influence

• Role: Watchdog, Gatekeeper
• Evolution: Television, Internet, Social Media
• Issues: Partisanship, Echo chambers