Ap Classroom Study Guide
Roe v. Wade
(1973) legalized abortion on the basis of a woman's right to privacy
24th Amendment
Abolishes poll taxes
5th article of the constitution
Amendment Process
17th Amendment
Direct election of senators
21st Amendment
Repeal of Prohibition
6th Amendment
Right to a speedy trial
2nd Amendment
Right to bear arms
7th Amendment
Right to jury in civil trials.
5th Amendment
The Right to Remain Silent/Double Jeopardy, right to due process
13th Amendment (1865)
abolished slavery
6th article of the constitution
national supremacy the constitution and court findings are the supreme laws of the land
Exit polls
polls based on interviews conducted on election day with randomly selected voters
party-line voting
process in which voters select candidates by their party affiliation
7th article of the constitution
ratifying the document
4th article of the constitution
relationships among states they should interact with one another
12th Amendment
separation of votes for President and Vice President
Declaration of Independence
the document recording the proclamation of the second Continental Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain
bureaucracy
A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials
Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a member of Congress supporting pork-barrel legislation? A senator from a coal-producing state voting against a job-training program for coal miners A member of the House voting for urban renewal in exchange for increased funding for roads A senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state A member of the House Armed Services Committee marking up a bill that will increase funding for military bases
C Pork-barrel legislation is characterized as the appropriation of government funds for local projects that serve a representative's constituents. Therefore, a senator from an agricultural state amending legislation to establish a potato research institute in his or her state is an illustration of this concept.
9th Amendment
Citizens entitled to rights not listed in the Constitution
What are concurrent powers?
Concurrent powers are powers shared by the federal and state governments.
27th Amendment
Congressional pay
1st Amendment
Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition
19th Amendment
Gave women the right to vote
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Guaranteed a student's right to protest (wearing armbands).
Near v. Minnesota (1931)
Held that the 1st Amendment protects newspapers from prior restraint.
Twenty-Fourth Amendment
It outlawed taxing voters, i.e. poll taxes, at presidential or congressional elections, as an effort to remove barriers to Black voters.
3rd Article of the Constitution
Judicial Branch
8th Amendment
No cruel or unusual punishment
18th Amendment
Prohibited the manufacture, sale, and distribution of alcoholic beverages
15th Amendment (1870)
U.S. cannot prevent a person from voting because of race, color, or creed
Rational choice voting
Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen's individual interest
prospective voting
voting for a candidate because you favor his or her ideas for handling issues
retrospective voting
voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office
An opinion poll
when people are asked questions to discover what they think about a subject
NY Times v. US
First Amendment/Freedom of the Press - New York Times and Washington Post could print the Pentagon Papers without risk of government censorship or punishment
26th Amendment
Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18
25th Amendment
Presidential succession
16th Amendment
income tax
Lopez v. United States
the Supreme Court ruled that Congress had exceeded its constitutional authority under the Commerce Clause when it passed a law prohibiting gun possession in local school zones.
Which of the following is an example of how separation of powers creates friction between the executive and legislative branches in the policy-making process? A The electoral college vote ends with no candidate receiving a majority of the votes, and the House of Representatives is delegated the task of selecting the next president. B The Senate votes to impeach a sitting president for high crimes and misdemeanors. C The secretary of state is dispatched along with a delegation of senators to negotiate a treaty with a foreign government. D The president threatens to issue an executive order for stricter gun control if Congress continues to refuse to take action.
Answer D The president's threat to legislate by executive order creates friction with the legislative branch, since passing laws is within the legislature's purview.
4th Amendment
Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures
10th Amendment
Powers Reserved to the States
Gideon v. Wainwright
A person who cannot afford an attorney may have one appointed by the government
Brutus No. 1
An Anti-Federalist essay which argued against a strong central government based on the belief that it would not be able to meet the needs of all US citizens. Would be too powerful He felt this powerful new government would supplement the states
20th Amendment
Congress begins on January 30th; President starts on January 20th "Lame-duck" Amendment
Pork-barrel legislation
Pork-barrel legislation is characterized as the appropriation of government funds for local projects that serve a representative's constituents.
Brown v. Board of Education
1954 - The Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that racially segregated facilities are inherently unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated.
Articles of Confederation
1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)
2nd Article of the Constitution
Executive Branch
McDonald v. Chicago
Incorporated the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms to the states
1st Article of the Constitution
Legislative Branch
22nd Amendment
Limits the president to two terms.
McCulloch v. Maryland
Maryland was trying to tax the national bank and Supreme Court ruled that federal law was stronger than the state law
A tracking poll
a poll taken for the candidate on a nearly daily basis as election day approaches
Schneck v. US
established the 'clear and present danger' test
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
A 1978 Supreme Court decision holding that a state university could not admit less qualified individuals solely because of their race.
Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a formal check on the power of the bureaucracy? A A lobbyist representing the National Rifle Association refusing to meet with employees from the Department of Homeland Security B The secretary of defense being called to testify before a congressional committee C The White House chief of staff being formally censured by the president for publicly speaking out against the president's policy goals D A federal judge being impeached for making legal decisions based on bribes
Answer B The Department of Defense is part of the bureaucracy, and calling on the secretary of defense to testify before Congress represents a formal check on the power of the bureaucracy.
Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the concept of concurrent powers? The president negotiates a treaty regarding climate change with foreign governments, but for the treaty to take effect, it requires approval by the Senate. As commander-in-chief of the military, the president orders troops to a foreign nation to address a potential threat to national security. A Senate committee holds a hearing to discuss potential misuse of funds by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The federal government provides about 25% of the total funding for highways and transit in the United States, while the other 75% of the funding comes from states. Both states and the federal government provide funding for transportation in the United States, which illustrates concurrent powers. Concurrent powers are those powers shared by both the federal and state governments.
Which of the following is a true statement about the role of the media in providing citizens with information? A Investigative reporting dominates the news because it is less expensive than political commentary. B Demand for instantaneous news reporting has led to the growth of 24-hour news operations and a shift to online media consumption. C The media is increasingly controlled by the major political parties, who determine which stories are covered by the press. D There has been an increase in social media and Internet news consumption by the public, causing the top five media conglomerates to have greater control over public opinion.
Answer B Citizens used to rely on the evening news broadcast and newspapers for their news. As cable access increased, 24-hour news networks emerged from the demand for instantaneous news. Online news emerged once broadband internet access increased for the same reasons.
Which of the following is most likely responsible for the increase in the number of southern African American state legislators between 1960 and 1992 as shown in the graph? A The Civil Rights Act of 1964 B Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) C The Voting Rights Act of 1965 D The Nineteenth Amendment
C The Voting Rights Act of 1965 made it illegal to discriminate against African Americans in polling places in the South, which is a likely explanation for the increase in African American legislators.
Lemon v. Kurtzman
The 1971 Supreme Court decision that established that aid to church-related schools must (1) have a secular legislative purpose; (2) have a primary effect that neither advances nor inhibits religion; and (3) not foster excessive government entanglement with religion.
Benchmark Poll
initial poll on a candidate and issues on which campaign strategy is based and against which later polls are compared
Civil Right Act of 1964
this act banned segregation in all places of public accommodation, prohibited federal money from being used to support segregated programs and created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to guard against employment discrimination
Winconsin v. Yoder (1972)
to limit the free exercise of religion, it must prove that it is pursing a compelling government interest
Libertarian
One who believes in limited government interference in personal and economic liberties
14th Amendment
Declares that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens and are guaranteed equal protection of the laws
In which of the following situations would the Supreme Court be most likely to utilize the doctrine of selective incorporation? A When an individual claims that a right protected by the Bill of Rights is infringed upon by a state B When there is a conflict among the branches of the national government C When a federal policy shifting oversight authority from a national agency to a state agency is challenged D When a former employee files a wrongful termination claim against a company headquartered in another state
A Selective incorporation ensures that states and localities cannot pass laws that infringe upon the rights guaranteed in the United States Constitution. The Supreme Court is most likely to utilize the doctrine of selective incorporation in a scenario in which an individual claims that the state is infringing upon constitutional rights. The Supreme Court is most likely to utilize the doctrine of selective incorporation in a situation in which an individual claims that the state is infringing upon constitutional rights.
On February 9, 2016, President Barack Obama released his budget proposal for the 2017 fiscal year. Facing a Republican Congress, many declared the plan "dead on arrival." Among the cited issues was Obama's request for $582.7 billion in discretionary spending for defense, which many Republicans believed was not enough. Which of the following most accurately explains the interaction between the president and the Congress regarding the defense budget? A The Congress has the enumerated power to raise revenue, but it is forced to work with the president because the president has the power to determine spending for each department in the upcoming fiscal year. B The president can create a budget for defense spending, but Congress has the power to execute laws and operate the government, which can affect how much money is actually spent. C Congress passes a budget for the entire federal government, including defense, but it must consider the president's proposal because the president may veto the bill. D The president introduces a specific budget bill for defense spending, but Congress uses its power of legislative oversight to set up a negotiation process with the president.
Answer C In the scenario, President Obama released a budget proposal, an annual report that outlines the president's advice to Congress on how to fund the federal government. However, all appropriations bills must be introduced by a member of Congress; they are then sent to committee and eventually voted on in both chambers. This gives Congress considerable power in the budget process. Some consideration, however, usually needs to be given to the president's proposal, since budget bills can be vetoed.
An important Senate race takes place in the state of Georgia. Rather than focus on the issue positions taken by the candidates, a 24-hour cable news station instead focuses primarily on poll results and campaign strategies using a "big board" to show the counties where each candidate has the most support. Which of the following is an effect of this type of new coverage? A The electorate will be increasingly divided along partisan lines. B The electorate will be more likely to turn out to vote on Election Day. C The electorate will be more likely to have expanded knowledge of the electoral process. D The electorate will be less able to accurately compare the policy platforms of candidates running in the election.
Answer D Media coverage that focuses primarily on poll results devotes less time and fewer resources to educating the electorate on matters of policy.
A 2017 study in The American Economic Review found that watching Fox News during an election cycle increased a Democrat's chances of voting Republican by 28 percent. Conversely, by watching MSNBC Republicans were more inclined to vote Democrat by 8 percent. This scenario best illustrates which of the following about the media? A Increased media choices tend to reinforce existing beliefs when citizens are offered ideological choices in programming. B Cable news programming is oftentimes ideologically driven and effective in persuading citizens to adopt their point of view. C The consumption of news tends to increase voter participation for Republicans but is less effective in increasing participation for Democrats. D Modern political parties have launched air campaigns to persuade voters by purchasing advertisements on 24-hour news networks.
B Some cable news stations have adopted ideological perspectives and incorporated partisan bias in their news coverage and commentary on politics. The study in the scenario shows that this has led to many viewers being persuaded to vote for a different party in the upcoming election.
3nd amendment
No quartering of soldiers
11th Amendment
One State cannot be sued by another state
23rd Amendment
gave residents of Washington DC the right to vote