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.