AP US Government and Politics Released Exam

Go to the following link https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/apc/us-gov-released-exam-1999.pdf to the AP Government released exam. Select a question that no one has done yet, in your post copy the question, correct answer, and rationale for why it is the right answer. There is an answer key at the end of the MC section. You will have to come up with the reasoning for why it is correct. Once all 60 MC questions have been taken, the remaining students must select a section from one of the free response questions and do the same for it.

Civil Rights

The Civil Rights movement in the United States has sought to protect numerous groups from discriminaiton and lack of Due Process throughout U.S. History. Listed below are some of the groups that have sought relief from discrimination through the Supreme Court. Next to each listed group is the number of students that may select that group. Once you have selected a group research a law that has either imposed discrimination upon that group or freed them from it. You may not choose the same piece of legislation as a classmate. Give a 50-100 word synopsis of the law, the year it was passed, and the effect of that legislation.
African American (10)
Asian (10)
Native American (10)
Women (10)
Elderly (10)
Disabled (10)

Landmark Supreme Court Cases

Go to the following website https://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/educate/educator-resources/landmark-cases/
Select one of the landmark supreme court cases (cannot duplicate anyone else's case)  and answer the following.
1. Name and date of Case
2. 3 facts to give background of case
3. Describe the question being decided by the Supreme Court
4. How did the Supreme Court decide?
5. What was the significance of the decision?

Federal Bureaucracy

There are four types of organizations in the Federal bureaucracy:

• Departments are the largest part of the executive branch. There are 15 executive departments, each with a specialized jurisdiction over the management of a different policy area. Each is headed by a Secretary (Justice = Attorney General) who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Each department is organized somewhat differently, but generally is further subdivided into bureaus or offices. The heads of each executive department are part of the President's cabinet.
• Independent regulatory commissions have the responsibility for making and enforcing rules to protect the public interest in a particular sector of society. They exercise all three types of power - legislative (rule making), executive (enforcement of rules) and judicial (adjudication of those who violate the rules). They are independent of the departments, but not independent of oversight.
• Government corporations provide services to the public that could be delivered by the private sector, but usually at rates lower than what the private sector would charge. Government corporations are generally overseen by a commission appointed by Congress. Some of the largest of these government corporations are the U.S. Postal Service, TVA and Amtrak.
• Independent executive agencies encompass everything else in the executive branch of the government. Administrators of these agencies are appointed by the President and usually serve at his "pleasure." Some examples of these independent agencies would include the General Services Administration which oversees buildings and supplies used by the U.S. government, and NASA, which supports space exploration and travel.
• Your task is to go to the following website and browse through the tabs. Select one agency not already selected by a classsmate and post the following:
• Agency name
• Type of organization
• Description including responsibilities
• Number of employees
• Current Head
• One current or recent piece of legislation that affects this agency

Ranking the Presidents

Check out CSPANs ranking of all 44 previous Presidents. Pick a president and look at how they ranked overall. Look at the leadership characteristics and which was ranked highest and which was ranked lowest. For your post record the following:
President's Name
Rank
Highest characteristic
 Reasoning (you will have to do some research on this)
Lowest Characteristic
 Reasoning
Once we have covered all 44 Presidents we will begin again with the second highest characteristic and the second lowest characteristic.

Ranking the Presidents

The Redistricting Game

Now that we are studying Congress, time to learn about re-districting and gerrymandering. You will complete the basic level of simulations 1,2, and 3 of the redistricting game. Take a screen shot of the three checkmarks when your plan passes. Submit the 3 approvals in your post. Shrink them down before posting. Include in your post 3 difficulties you had when re-drawing the districts.
http://www.redistrictinggame.org/game.php

Pro-Con Controversial Issues

Go to the following website: https://www.procon.org/
Click on Issues We Cover.
Select an issue, don't copy any of your classmates. Summarize the key pros and cons of the issue. Write a short summary of which side you agree with and why.

Contributions from Interest Groups to Members of Congress

You will have to do a bit of research for this one. Go to https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/mems.php where campaign contributions to different members of Congress are listed by Industry. Pick a category of Interest group and spotlight the donations made to a specific member of Congress. List the Congressman's 1) name, party and state. 2) how much was donated to their campaign, 3)  list the Committee the Congressman is on that might affect the industry 4) **Extra Credit** list a bill that committee was hearing that might affect the industry
You may not copy another students answer.

Interest Groups

Interest Groups

Click on the link above and go to Vote Smart's listing of national political interest groups. Select a group and go to its home page. Create and post an overview of the group's mission, budget, history and who they endorsed in the last presidential election. Included any other pertinent information about your interest group in the summary. Do not select a group that has already been used by one of
your classmates.

Political Campaign Ads and Persuasion Techniques

Click on the link and read the article about the 6 persuasion techniques used in Political campaign ads. Find a political campaign ad for any race and explain the technique used in the ad. Include a link to the ad. Do not copy any of your classmates.

Political Polling

Go to one of the following independent polling sites:

Gallup

Reuters

Zogby

Roper Center

Pew Research

Quinnipiac University

Harris

Rasmussen Reports

Marquette University

Find a political public opinion poll that was taken over the past year. Describe the question asked, number of respondents, date of the poll, results of the poll, website used, and sampling error.

Do not use a poll that was already used by one of your classmates.

Federalism

The federal government uses the incentive of money to get the states to comply with its wishes. There are five different types of federal grants given to the states. They are:
1. Block Grants
2. Categorical Grants
3. Formula Grants
4. Project Grants
5. Unfunded Mandates

On the internet, locate information about one of the above specific types of grants to the states.  Identify one specific grant by title, determine the purpose of the grant, the cost of the grant, the recipients, and evaluate the success.  Has it accomplished what it was intended for it to do?  Yes? No? Explain your answer. You may not copy a grant used by a fellow classmate.

Individual Declaration of Independence

This week you will write your own individual Declaration of Independence in the language of the original. Minimum of 5 sentences
1. Preamble (1 sentence "When in the course of human events .  .  .)
2. Statement of Grievances (3 sentences)
3. Statement of Independence
Be creative and original.

Welcome Class of 2018

Post a comment containing one thing that you think we will be studying in AP US Government this semester. Do not copy any of your classmates posts. Leave your name and period at the bottom of each post.