Curt Lader - Barrons AP United States government & politics

About the Author

Curt Lader taught Social Studies for 36 years and AP U.S. Government and Politics for 13 of those years at Northport High School on Long Island before retiring. He holds a Masters degree in Education from Queens College and Professional Diploma in Educational Administration from St. Johns University. Lader is currently teaching Inside Politics Today at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University.

Copyright 2012, 2010, 2008, 2006, 2002, 1998, 1995

by Barrons Educational Series, Inc.

All rights reserved.

No part of this work may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner.

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www.barronseduc.com

First e-Book publication: February, 2012.

eISBN: 978-1-4380-8346-9

ISSN: 2150-6329

Contents

The Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics course and test, unlike the other Social Studies AP courses and tests, is contemporary in nature. Students taking the course and the test are among the best and brightest and most politically aware.

Updating this book, prepared in early 2011, reflects a 14-year cycle of test changes that were first incorporated in the May 1998 exam. It also includes significant political events such as the 2010 midterm elections, the progress made in the War on Terror, and President Barack Obamas first 2 years in office. One of the important changes made to the 2011 exam was a change in the scoring. Students are no longer penalized for guessing in the multiple-choice section. Additionally, I have included a sample free-response question following each chapter along with scoring rubrics that give students sample answers to the questions. I have also made revisions to the multiple-choice questions and model answers after each chapter and in the model exams. These questions are similar in format to those on the actual AP exam.

In preparing the text for this book, I had to juxtapose the events that created the foundation of modern political theory to the daily happenings inside the beltway. I was fortunate that, with the growth of the Internet, many new and exciting avenues were opened. They provided important statistics, documents, and different perspectives on the political news of the day. Particularly helpful were the many government websites. Another resource that students may use is Barrons AP U.S. Government and Politics Flash Cards.

If you purchased the edition that contains the CD-ROM, the exams have been updated to reflect the latest examples of multiple-choice and free-response questions. The automatic scoring on the CD-ROM has also been updated. Points will not be deducted for incorrect answers. Therefore, you are encouraged to answer all questions in order to give you an accurate simulation of the exam.

Lastly I particularly want to recognize a few individuals. Thanks to my colleagues at Northport High School. I would also like to recognize my editor, Kristen Girardi, who provided guidance and support, especially during the update of this book. Finally, I thank my wife, Phyllis, who without a doubt is the best editor I have ever known; my children, Craig and Glenn, who throughout the process kept reminding me to get a life when it came to getting political information for this project; and my parents, who have always encouraged me. I could not have completed this book without their support.

Curt Lader

The Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics Examination is offered once a year, in May. More than 211,000 students nationwide took the test in May 2010. This book offers a comprehensive review of the key concepts taught in the AP U.S. Government and Politics course, with many historical examples cited for illustration. In addition, each chapter contains:

an overview of the topic

key terms

both historical and contemporary examples

multiple-choice questions and answers

free-response and data-based essay questions and sample essays

The last section of the book offers students the opportunity to take two model exams, including free-response and data-based questions with suggested answers. A complete glossary of terms and an index related to government and politics follows the model exams.

This eBook contains hundreds of hyperlinks that will help you navigate through the books content, bring you to helpful resources, and allow you to click between questions and answers.

*Please note: This e-Book will appear differently depending on what e-reader device or software you are using to view it. Please adjust accordingly.

Suggested Uses

If you are taking the course for a full year, read each chapter as you complete the same unit of work in your class. Answer the multiple-choice questions and the free-response question at the end of each chapter. Highlight significant areas such as key terms and create index cards for each unit. Because you are taking AP U.S. Government and Politics over the course of an entire year, you have the advantage of using this book as a supplement to your text. When you start reviewing for the test in the spring, go over the key terms and index cards that you made and take the model exams as part of your review.

If you are taking the course in the fall, begin using this book in the spring semester. Starting in January, review a chapter a week. Answer the multiple-choice questions and the free-response question at the end of each chapter. Highlight significant areas such as key terms and create index cards for each unit. In late April, take the model exams and after scoring the exams, review the material that you had difficulty with. If you are taking the course in the fall you must establish a timeline for a review of the material that was learned months before the actual exam.

If you are taking the course in the spring, you should follow the timeline for each unit that is set by your teacher and use the book as a supplement to your class instruction. Answer the multiple-choice questions and the free-response question at the end of each chapter. Highlight significant areas such as key terms and create index cards for each unit. When you start reviewing for the test, go over the key terms and index cards that you made and take the model exams as part of your review.

Answer the questions following each chapter. Keep track of the types of questions you answer incorrectly so that you can analyze why you got them wrong.

Take the model exams under test conditions.

A Note to Students

Because of the manner in which each chapter is organized, you have the opportunity to pretest your skills in each area related to U.S. government and politics. You can also apply the chapter overview and key terms to current issues and use the glossary as you study current events in government and politics.

How you use this book depends to a certain extent on how your school offers the course (see Purpose section). Nevertheless, by answering the sample questions at the end of each chapter and by taking the model examinations, you will have an indication of how well you will do on the actual exam.