AP US Government and Politics Notes

AP Government is built around required foundational documents and required Supreme Court cases. These notes summarize each unit, every required document's central argument, and the SCOTUS cases most likely to appear on your FRQ.

Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy

Competing theories of democracy (participatory, pluralist, elite). Federalism: division of powers (enumerated, implied, reserved, concurrent), evolution from dual to cooperative to new federalism. Required documents: Constitution (Articles I–III + Bill of Rights), Federalist 10 (Madison on factions and representative government), Federalist 51 (Madison on checks and balances), Brutus 1 (anti-Federalist concern about centralized power), Declaration of Independence (natural rights, social contract).

Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government

Congress: bicameralism, lawmaking process, enumerated vs. implied powers, oversight. President: formal powers (commander-in-chief, veto, treaty, appointment) vs. informal powers (bully pulpit, executive orders). Federal courts: judicial review (Marbury v. Madison), federal court structure, judicial independence. Required docs: Federalist 70 (Hamilton on executive energy), Federalist 78 (Hamilton on judicial independence).

Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Civil liberties (1st Amendment: speech, religion, press, assembly; 4th–8th: due process) vs. civil rights (equal protection, 14th Amendment, incorporation doctrine). Key SCOTUS cases: Schenck v. US, Engel v. Vitale, Wisconsin v. Yoder, Tinker v. Des Moines, NY Times v. US, McDonald v. Chicago, Gideon v. Wainwright. Required doc: Letter from Birmingham Jail.

Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs

Political socialization, public opinion polling, political ideology spectrum (liberal/conservative), demographic correlations with party identification, how ideology affects policy preferences.

Unit 5: Political Participation

Voting behavior and turnout, electoral systems, campaign finance (Citizens United), interest groups and lobbying, media's role in politics, linkage institutions. Required docs: 15th, 19th, and 26th Amendments (voting rights expansion).

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