AP United States Government Politics Mr Elliott Rountree

AP United States Government & Politics Mr. Elliott Rountree 3/4/2010 Freshman Parent Meeting

College Board Course Description The AP U. S. Government & Politics course provides an analytical perspective on government and politics in the U. S. This course involves both the study of general concepts used to interpret U. S. politics and the analysis of specific case studies. It also requires familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute U. S. political reality.

AP Course General Outline l The multiple-choice portion of the exam is devoted to each content area in the approximate percentages indicated. The free-response portion of the exam will test students in some combination of the six major categories below: I. III. IV. Constitutional Underpinnings of U. S. Government (5 -15%) Political Beliefs & Behaviors (10 -20%) Political Parties, Interest Groups, & Mass Media (10 -20%) Institutions of National Government: Congress, Presidency, Bureaucracy, & Federal Courts (35 -45%) Public Policy (5 -15%) Civil Rights & Civil Liberties (5 -15%) V. VI.

The AP Test Section I: Multiple-Choice • There are 60 questions. You’ll have 45 minutes to complete this section of the test. • This section makes up 50% of your score. Section II: Free-Response Question • You'll have 100 minutes to answer the 4 free-response questions. Each question is weighted equally toward your final score. • For the most part, the questions require you to integrate knowledge from different content areas. You may have to discuss examples, elucidate or evaluate general principles of U. S. government and politics, and/or analyze U. S. political relationships or events. • This section makes up the other 50% of your score.