AP US Govt. and Politics

 There are four MANDATORY free-response questions on the exam  At least one question will require interpretation of a chart, graph, or cartoon  Essays for free-response question can be written in any order  In addition, questions are sometimes broken into parts (such as A and B). When this is the case, label each part of your response

 These are not traditional essay questions  Most do not require an introduction or conclusion  Most do not even require a thesis  Many may be written in a bulleted or short- answer format  READERS WANT SPECIFICS  They are looking for accurate information presented in clear, concise manner

 You have 100 minutes for this section  Allow 25 minutes for each questions Spend 5 minutes reading and jotting down a few words on each point you want to cover Then, spend 15 minutes writing your response Save the last 5 minutes to review your response

VOCABULARY  Be sure to do exactly what the questions asks  It is important to note the word choices used in questions  For example:  DEFINE- state the meaning of a word or phrase or to give a specific example  IDENTIFY- select a factor, person, or idea and give it a name  EXPLAIN WHY/EXPLAIN HOW Explanations usually include the word BECAUSE

 What if you really don’t understand or remember something? The first rule is don’t panic and start making things up. Instead, try to write confidently about the parts of the question you do understand, and include all parts of the question in at least a general way, if possible. Remember, it’s better to get some points than no points at all. At the very least, brainstorm. Perhaps you will stumble across something.  Here is an example of this last point: If you’re asked about the War Powers Act and the Budget and Impoundment Act but can’t fully explain both of them, you can make a global statement at the beginning of your essay that shows that you know something about both of them, such as: "The War Powers Act and the Budget and Impoundment Act were passed to set limits on presidential power." That way you wouldn’t have said anything incorrect, and you’d only lose points for not fully answering the question.

Do’s 1. Write as neatly as possible (without wasting time). You’ll get a better score if the reader can understand what you’re writing. If you make a mistake, simply draw a line through it and write the correct information above it. And, don’t use arrows or asterisk because they can be confusing to the readers. 2. Read the question. And then read it again. Think about what you’re going to write. Outline your answer. Make sure you’re only answering what has been asked. 3. Reread your work and make sure you’ve answered each question fully and correctly. Have you appropriately LINKED your answer to the question? 4. Leave yourself a few minutes at the end to revise or proofread your answers. 5. There is NO PENALTY for wrong information, therefore, write as much as you can. If a question asks for two examples, brainstorm and write as many as you can think. 6. At the very least, use the EXACT VOCABULARY from the question in each component of your answer. Most rubrics ask for linkage back to the question. This is the sure fire way to move in that direction.

Don’ts 1.Don’t give personal opinions (like your political affiliation or whether you like the president’s policies). The Exam is testing your knowledge and understanding of the political process. Don’t waste time stating an opinion, unless you’re asked to do so. 2. Don’t give long, unnecessary introductions. Get to the point. 3. Don’t give information you weren’t asked for. You won’t get any extra points if you do. So don’t waste your time writing it. 4. Don’t spend more than 25 minutes on any one free-response question. 5. Fight the fatigue. Time generally is not a factor. Wasted time is. Spend the time that is provided. This is a high stakes exam, do not look back and think about how you wasted it because you were tired, bored, or indifferent.

 Read the sample FRQ and use your notes/reading guide/textbook to record some possible answers to this question. *Do not actually write an entire answer to this question, just include key information that you would include in your answer on an actual test.*

The Constitution has had seventeen formal amendments since the adoption of the Bill of Rights, yet there are basic elements that have changed because of informal processes as well. a. Identify the most common means of formally amending the Constitution. b. Identify and explain how one informal process has changed the meaning of the Constitution even without formal amendment. c. Identify and explain how another informal process has changed the meaning of the Constitution even without formal amendment.

1. The Constitution is the cornerstone of American Democracy. It was written by the founding fathers to guarantee that American democracy would survive for all times. The constitution can be amended either formally or informally. a. The process for formal amendments begins with the proposal of an amendment. This comes either by a 2/3 vote of each house of Congress or by the vote of 2/3 of the states in a national convention. The proposed amendment must be ratified by ¾ of the states in either votes of the state legislatures or a ratifying convention in each state. b. The Constitution can be amended informally in many ways. That means that the Constitution might have changed meaning without having a formal amendment added. Like the military has an Air Force even though the Constitution only says that there will be “an army and a navy.” This has changed the meaning of many provisions of the Constitution that relate to the military. c. Mostly, informal amendments involve custom and usage. For example, a president can issue an executive order or negotiate an executive agreement with other nations. These are not part of the Constitution, but presidents have learned to use them anyway, and as a result have gained powers that the founders originally gave to Congress. As a result, they are, in a way, the same as formal amendments to the Constitution. As one can see, the Constitution can be amended formally and informally.