Monday Post

Class. Most of you came by and picked up the AP Exam for tonight's homework. It should be completed in time for tomorrow's class. We will quickly go over the answers in class. Additionally, we will cover the enclosed questions found in the blog for Units 2 and 3. Please remember to bring your notes. See you tomorrow!

Unit 3: Study Guide for Lecture Notes

1.Why did one Founding Father call factions “inevitable?”

2.When political parties can’t get things done what steps in to fill the vacuum?

3.What is an amicus curiae brief? Give an example of an interest group filing one on behalf of someone or something else?

4.What type of interest group lobbying is most effective?

5.List some primary functions of lobbyists. Why are they called the “third house” of Congress?

6.What are PACs? What do they do?

7.How many times more can a PAC contribute to a candidate than an individual? Are there any limits to the amount of money a PAC can contribute in one year?

8.What percentage of PAC money went to incumbents? To challengers?

9.Who gets more money from PACs, presidential candidates or congressional candidates and why?

10. One PAC group has given more money than any other since the 1970’s. Which group?

11.What does it mean to say that PACs have overrepresented the wealthy and underrepresented the poor?

12. What is the legal basis for PACs? In the First Amendment, PAC’s have the Right to _________________?


13.How has the nomination of the presidency changed over time? What came before primaries?

14.What is considered the “linking mechanism” between the people and their government?

15.Which Founding Father wrote that factions were harmful?

16.Who was part of FDR’s “grand coalition?”

17.What was Nixon’s “Southern Strategy?”

18.Define ‘divided government.’ What has been the pattern of the last few decades related to Republicans and Democrats?

19.The single-member, winner-take-all system is most closely associated with what type of political system?

20.Why did Ross Perot, a third party candidate in 1992, while winning a substantial amount of the popular vote, not receive one electoral vote?

21. Strong grass-roots organizations have contributed to the percentage of what kind of candidate?

22.What were two reforms of the Progressive Era related to elections?

23.Describe the “quota system” established by the Democratic Party with the aim of greater inclusion?

24.Besides the media, what are other important sources of “political socialization” for Americans?

25.Critics say that the media devotes the largest amount of presidential campaign coverage to what activities?

26.What is “horse race” coverage?

27.Why is the media referred to as a “gatekeeper?”

Unit Two Review

Class, below you have Unit 2 review of the lecture notes. The questions chosen specifically address the bolded sections of the lecture notes whose points most frequently came up on past tests.

For those students who want a head start, stop by my class tomorrow (schedule 2,4,6) and pick up the first practice test (60 questions) to be completed at home and quickly graded in class the next day. I will be giving you 4 tests (1 each night) leading up to the Exam on May 3rd.



Unit 2 Political Culture: Study Guide
1.Read out all 10 characteristics of American political culture (A-J).
2.Name the first two features related to equality.
3.What historical event especially brought out Americans distrust for government?
4.Why do you think “political tolerance” as a characteristic is more “abstract than concrete?” What is political tolerance?
5.Next page under “Liberalism,” Roman numeral number II, according to the viewpoint of classic 18th Century thinkers including our Founding Fathers, what is the role of government?
6.Name four characteristics of modern 20th Century liberalism (read out 1 to 4)
7.Who are the “neoliberals” and what are their beliefs?
8.Under “Conservatives” read numbers 6 & 7 out loud.
9.Next page, Roman numeral four, read aloud the definition of socialism. Why do you think Obama is being called a socialist?
10.Roman numeral five, what is libertarianism (Read letters A and B aloud)?
11. Next page. What are the 3 characteristics of “elites?”
12. What are three ways in which public opinion are measured?
13. Next page, what is the “horse race mentality?”
14. How did the Election of 2000 demonstrate problems related to exit polls?
15. How well aware are Americans with its political process?
16. What is “political socialization?”
17. What is the strongest agent of political socialization?
18. How are schools agents of political socialization?
19.How is religion an agent of political socialization?
20. Evangelicals traditionally support the ___________party?
21. Why have Catholics supported both Republicans and Democrats?
22. Jews typically vote for the _______ party?
23. Which group is the strongest supporter of the Democratic party?
24. Persons with higher incomes support which party? With lower incomes?
25. What was significant about 1992 and the “Year of the Woman” in terms of Congressional representation?
26. What are some “conflicting elements” related to one’s political socialization?
27. Next page, read aloud the seven historical qualifications of suffrage (letters A to G)
28. How was the income qualification turned back-which amendment and what was banned?
29. How was the literacy qualification turned back?
30. Read aloud how the US voter turnout compares with foreign nations (Letters B and C)
31. Read aloud the six “institutional barriers” related to low US voter turnout.
32.Which “types” of elections have the highest voter turnout in the US?
33. What age group of Americans have the lowest turnout?
34. What was the 26th Amendment? Did it help increase voter turnout?
35. Next page, read aloud the four political reasons Americans don’t tend to vote.
36. Read aloud the five characteristics of those US citizens most likely to vote.
37. Next page, read through the five predictors of voting
38. Among the five, what is the greatest predictor of voting?
39. Read the six (A through F) other forms of political participation.
40. Next page. What is the “Solid South?”
41. What are “realigning” elections? What are some years of these and what events influenced them?
42. What is the strongest predictor of voting behavior?
43. Who are the “Independents?” How strong are they in politics?
44. Congressional Elections (two pages ahead). What are “closed elections”
45. Reelection consideration. What is the greatest factor to influence the outcome of congressional elections?
46. What is the re-election average of incumbents for HOR, for the Senate?
47. Read aloud 8 advantages of incumbents (A-H)
48. Skip notes a couple of pages to “Path to the Presidency.” What has been the trend of presidential primaries over the past 30 years?
49. What is “balancing the ticket?”
50. What are the characteristics of voters who are likely to participate in presidential primaries?
51. What are the characteristics of those who participate in caucuses and conventions?
52. Next page on The Electoral College: What is a “winner take all system?”
53.Where do presidential candidates tend to concentrate their campaigns?
54. How many electoral votes are needed in order for a candidate to win the presidential election?
55. What might influence a presidential candidate to win the election by plurality rather than majority?
56. During a presidential election, how are small states overrepresented?
57. How does a “winner take all system” discourage the chances of third party candidates?


POLITICAL BELIEFS/POLITICAL BEHAVIORS

1. Attentive public: those who follow politics and public affairs carefully.
2. Australian ballot: secret ballot printed at the expense of the state.
3. Balancing the ticket: occurs when a presidential nominee chooses a vice presidential running mate who has different qualities in order to attract more votes for the ticket.
4. Blanket primary: election to choose candidates that is open to independents, and that allows voters to choose candidates from all the parties.
5. Caucus: local party meeting
6. Closed primary: party election to choose candidates that is closed to independents. Voters may not cross party lines.
7. Coattail effect: the influence of a popular presidential candidate on the election of congressional candidates of the same party.
8. Demographics: characteristics of populations (e.g., race, sex, income).
9. Direct election: election of an official directly by the people rather than by an intermediary group such as the Electoral College.
10. Direct primary: election in which the people choose candidates for office.
11. Fixed terms: terms of office that have a definite length of time (e.g., two years for a member of the House).
12. Front loading: scheduling presidential primary elections early (e.g., February or March) in an election year.
13. Gender gap: difference in voting patterns for men and women, particularly in the greater tendency of the latter to vote for Democratic presidential candidates.
14. General election: election in which the officeholders are chosen. Contrast with a primary election, in which only the candidates are chosen.
15. Hard money: campaign contributions donated directly to candidates.
16. Ideology: set of beliefs about political values and the role of government.
17. Incumbent: an officeholder who is seeking reelection.
18. Independent: one is not registered with a political party.
Independent leaners - tend to vote for candidates of one particular party.
Pure independents - have no consistent pattern of party voting.
19. Issue advocacy ads: ads that focus on issues and do not explicitly encourage citizens to vote for a certain candidate.
20. Open primary: election to choose candidates that is open to independents, and in which voters may choose candidates from anyone party.
21. Party identification: a sense of affiliation that a person has with a particular political party.
22. Party platform: a list of positions and programs that the party adopts at the national convention. Each position is called a plank.
23. Political culture: the widely shared beliefs, values, and norms that citizens share about their government.
24. Plurality: more votes than anyone else, but less than half (e.g., Clinton won a plurality - 43% - of popular votes in 1992, but not a majority). Plurality elections (such as those for Congress) are won by the person with the most votes, regardless if he/she has a majority.
25. Political efficacy: capacity to understand and influence political events
26. Political socialization: process in which one acquires his/her political beliefs.
27. Realigning (“critical”) election: an election in which there is a long term change in party alignment (e.g.: 1932).
28. Safe seat: an office that is extremely likely to be won by a particular candidate or political party.
29. Single member district system: system in which the people elect one representative per district. With a winner-take-all rule, this system strengthens the two major parties and weakens minor parties.
30. Soft money: campaign contributions that are not donated directly to candidates, but are instead donated to parties.
31. Solid South: historically, the South voted solidly Democratic. However, the South is now strongly Republican: Bush carried every Southern state in 2000.
32. Split ticket voting: casting votes for candidates of one's own party and for candidates of opposing parties (e.g., voting for a Republican presidential candidate and a Democratic congressional candidate).
33. Straight ticket voting: casting votes only for candidates of one's party.
34. Suffrage: the right to vote.
35. Superdelegate: a delegate to the Democratic national convention who is there by virtue. of holding an office.
36. Super Tuesday: a Tuesday in early March in which many presidential primaries, particularly in the South, are held.
37. Swing state: a state that does not consistently vote either Democratic or Republican in presidential elections.

Unit One Study Guide

Class, below are the questions asked today in the Unit One Review. You should be able to answer the questions below by referring to your notes. The questions below were emphasized today because they were the most frequently featured themes on past AP exams (points in bold). If you have any problems finding these answers within your notes, I have included Key Vocab below the questions that should provide further help in getting those questions answered. Remember to bring your notes for Tuesday. Units Two and Three will be covered.

1. Name two types of democracy
2. Define "direct democracy"
3. Define "indirect democracy"
4. What is the "majority politics" point of view?
5. What is the "elite politics" point of view?
6. What is the "pluralist" point of view?
7. Name 4 fundamental democratic values
8. Name 4 fundamental democratic processes
9. Describe the Constitutional Convention of 1787
   
10. What was one major problem of the Articles of Confederation?
11. What was "Shay's Rebellion" and what did it demonstrate necessity?
12. What was Charles Beard's thesis?
13. What were the 8 areas of agreement at the Convention?
14. What were the names of the three major compromises
15. What were the provisions of the "Great Compromise?"
16. Who were the Federalists?
17. Who were the Anti-Federalists?
18. Who wrote the Federalist Papers?
19. What was the purpose behind the Federalist Papers?
20. What are "Checks and Balances?"
21. Name at least 6 of them
22. The Constitution divides government but what brings people into government (letter "F", point "1")
23. What is "limited government?" Explain Constitutional government, the Bill of Rights and Free elections as examples of "limited government."
24. What is judicial review?
25. What Supreme Court case established the concept of judicial review: know the facts of the case.
26. What were the "effects of judicial review" listed in #4.
27. How is the Constitution changed "informally?"-Name four ways that it is done.
28. How can the Constitution be changed "formally."
29. Name two methods of ratifying the Constitution
30. What is the difference between a "simple" majority and a "supermajority?"
31. Define "federalism."
32. Read the four reasons (A-F) that a federal system was set up in the US.
33. What are "unfunded mandates"?
34. What is "cooperative federalism?" Why is it referred to as "marble cake" federalism?
35. Read Amendment 10
36. What does the Tenth Amendment give to the states?
37. What does "when in doubt as to which holds a power, matters should be resolved in favor of the states" mean?
38. Understand McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) case. Know the details. What was the SC's decision (read 1 and 2 in bold)
39. What is the elastic clause?
40. What are the provisions of the Commerce clause?
41. What was Nixon's "New Federalism?"--which political party more closely aligns with "NF?"

CONSTITUTIONAL UNDERPINNINGS

1. Bicameral legislature: two-house legislature.

2. Block grant: money granted by the federal government to the states for a broad purpose (e.g., transportation) rather than for a narrow purpose (e.g., school lunch program).

3. Categorical grant: money granted by the federal government to the states for a narrow purpose (e.g., school lunch program) rather than for a broad purpose (e.g., transportation).

4. Centralists: those who favor greater national authority rather than state authority.

5. Checks and balances: system in which each branch of government can limit the power of the other two branches (e.g., presidential veto of a congressional law).

6. Commerce clause: gives Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states, with foreign nations, and among Indian tribes. Granted through Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution.

7. Concurrent powers: those held by both Congress and the states, e.g., establishing law enforcement agencies.

8. Confederation: system in which sovereign states are only loosely tied to a central government (e.g., the US under the Articles of Confederation).

9. Decentralists: those who favor greater state authority rather than national authority.

10. Direct democracy: system in which the people rule themselves.

11. Elastic clause: states that Congress can exercise those powers that are "necessary and proper" for carrying out the enumerated powers (e.g., establishment of the first Bank of the United States).

12. Enumerated powers: those that are specifically granted to Congress in Article 1, section 8 of the Constitution (e. g., the power to tax). Also known as expressed powers.

13. Federalism: constitutional sharing of power between a central government and state governments. Different varieties:

Dual federalism: system in which the national government and state governments are coequal, with each being

dominant within its respective sphere.

Cooperative federalism: system in which both federal government and state governments cooperate in solving

problems.

New Federalism: system in which the national government restores greater authority back to the states.

14. Federalist Papers: group of 85 essays written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay for the purpose of persuading the people of New York to adopt the Constitution.

15. Formal amendment: a change in the actual wording of the Constitution. Proposed by Congress or national convention, and ratified by the states.

16. Implied powers: those that are "necessary and proper" to carry out Congress' enumerated powers, and are granted to Congress through the elastic clause.

17. Indirect democracy: system in which the people are rule by their representatives. Also known as representative democracy or republic.

18. Inherent powers: foreign policy powers (e.g., acquiring territory) held by the national government by virtue of its being a national government.

19. Informal amendment: a change in the meaning, but not the wording, of the Constitution (e.g., through a court decisions such as Brown v. Board).

20. Judicial review: power of the courts to rule on the constitutionality of laws and government actions. Established by Marbury v. Madison, 1803.

21. Mandates: requirements imposed by the national government upon the states. Some are unfunded mandates (they are imposed by the national government, but lack funding).

22. Marbury v. Madison, 1803: established the power of judicial review.

23. McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819: established principle of national supremacy and validity of implied powers.

24. Police powers: powers of the states to protect the public health, safety, morals, and welfare of the public.

25. Popular sovereignty: principle in which ultimate political authority rests with the people.

26. Reserved Powers: powers held by the states through the 10th Amendment. Any power not granted to the US government is "reserved" for the states.

27. Separation of powers: principle in which the powers of government are separated among three branches: legislative, executive, judicial.

28. Shays' Rebellion: 1786 revolt by Massachusetts farmers seeking relief from debt and foreclosure that was a factor in the calling of the Constitutional Convention.

29. Supermajority: a majority greater than a simple majority of ½ +1 (e.g., 3/5, 2/3).

30. Unicameral legislature: one-house legislature.

For Tuesday

Class, please read pages 182-187 in Sabato. There will be the usual quiz. To mix things us a bit tomorrow we will as a class, will read through sections of the Unit 6 (Chapters 15 & 16) APGOPO handout that I gave you last week as part of the mass of handouts. We will also work on the answers to the readings ("Chapter 15-First Amendment Freedoms" worksheet). See you tomorrow.

By the Way...

Tomorrow's Sabato quiz is posted in the Workspace of the website. Happy hunting...

For Monday

Class. Please make sure you cover pages 173-181 in Sabato for tomorrow's quiz. We will be covering the First Amendment. See you tomorrow.

For Tomorrow

Class, please read Sabato pages 164-173. There will be a quiz tomorrow covering those pages. The handouts today, I should have provided you with more explanation. You received the actual vocabulary test that will be given to you at the end of the unit. Study the vocabulary words and the test questions. You will all get 100% if you study ahead of time. Additionally, you need to begin the readings and fill out the APGOPO study guides (Chapters 15-17) passed out today. Early next week I will give you a day in class to work on these. Let me know if you have any questions on the handouts tomorrow...

Instant Feedback is Good

Hi Class,

If you want to see how you fare on a multiple choice test with immediate results, copy the link below:

http://ap.testfrenzy.com/usgov.html
Click on "Govt Quiz"

As mentioned in an earlier blog a month or so ago, I plan to take you to Mr. Rosen's ROP room soon, and you will take a similar test which will give you a diagnostic report on what to emphasize when you study for the test on May 3rd.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Unit

Class. If you have nothing better to do tomorrow, crack open Sabato and read the first fifteen or so pages of Chapter 5 on Civil Liberties. Sabato defines "Civil Liberties" as the personal guarantees and freedoms that the federal government cannot abridge (take away) by law, constitution, or judicial interpretation. Civil Liberties are intimately linked to the first ten amendments to the US Constitution also known as the Bill of Rights. For Monday, I will show you a video on one Civil Liberties' issue (Prayer in Schools) for your first day back from Spring Break.

I'll hold off on giving you a Sabato quiz on Chapter 5 until Tuesday. You can find that quiz on my website in the workspace (Civil Liberties Quiz #1). See you Tuesday.