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Lesson Plan: AP Government: Argumentative Essay Practice

The Federalist Papers

Boston College professor Mary Sarah Bilder gives a brief overview backgrounding the Federalist Papers

Description

This is intended as an end-of-course review activity for practice with the argumentative essay format included on the AP United States Government and Politics exam since the 2018 redesign. Eleven practice prompts are provided, reflecting content from Units 1-3.

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY PROMPT ANALYSIS

• Review the provided Argumentative Essay Prompts in either an individual or jigsaw format.
• Write a thesis statement for your selected prompt(s) and identify the selection you would make from the provided list and the second piece of evidence you would choose.
• If there are prompts for which you struggle to develop a thesis, or items on the bulleted lists with which you are not conversant, use the hyperlinked C-SPAN Classroom resources to extend your understanding of the required founding documents and SCOTUS cases that you found challenging.

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

• Chose one or more of the provided Argumentative Essay Prompts , as assigned, and use the planning and exploration you did above to write a full essay in response to your designated prompt(s) in 25 or fewer minutes , since that's the time limit you'll face on the AP Exam!
• Exchange essays with a classmate and evaluate each others' work.
• 1st Amendment
• Branches Of Government
• Constitution
• House Of Representatives
• Separation Of Powers
• Supreme Court

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Ultimate Guide to the AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam

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The AP U.S. Government and Politics exam, more commonly referred to as simply the AP U.S. Government exam (or AP Gov Exam), is one of the harder exams to pass and earn a 5 on. Whether you’ve taken the AP U.S. Government course or decided to self-study for the exam, we’ve put together our expert advice and compiled some of the best resources to help you study.

When is the AP AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam?

The AP U.S. Government exam is the first AP exam offered in 2020, taking place Monday, May 4, at 8 am. For more information on AP test times, along with advice on registering, study tips, and more, check out our blog post 2020 AP Exam Schedule: Everything You Need to Know .

About the AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam

The AP U.S. Government exam measures your understanding of American political culture—in particular, your knowledge of key political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States. You’ll explore these topics through five disciplinary practices: 

• Concept Application: The application of political concepts to scenarios in context. 
• SCOTUS Comparison: Understand how Supreme Court cases relate to one another.
• Data Analysis: Analyze and interpret data represented in charts, graphs, etc. 
• Source Analysis: Read, analyze, and interpret documents.
• Argumentation: Develop a strong argument and present it clearly in an essay.

In addition to the disciplinary practices, students will explore five big ideas that serve as the foundation of the AP U.S. Government course, using them to make connections between concepts throughout the course. The five big ideas are: 

1. Constitutionalism: The system of checks and balances—based on law and majority rule and minority rights—between the branches of government and allocation of power between federal and state governments.

2. Liberty and Order: The effects different interpretations of the U.S. constitution have on the laws and policies balancing order and liberty.

3. Civic Participation in Representative Democracy: Considerations such as popular sovereignty, individualism, and republicanism and their effect on U.S. laws and policy. 

4. Competition Policy-Making Decisions: Interaction between multiple actors and institutions to produce and implement potential policies. 

5. Methods of Political Analysis: The methods political scientists use to measure U.S. political behavior, attitudes, ideologies, and institutions over time. 

You can check out the College Board website for more information about the exam. 

AP U.S. Government and Politics Course Content

The AP U.S Government course is organized into five units. Below is the sequence of the units suggested by the College Board, along with the percentage each unit accounts for on the multiple-choice section of the AP U.S. Government exam.  

AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam Content

The AP U.S. Government exam lasts three hours and is divided into two sections, multiple choice and free response. 

Section 1: Multiple Choice 

1 hour 20 minutes | 55 questions | 50% of score

There are two types of questions in the multiple-choice section—there are about 30 individual questions (with no stimulus) and about 25 questions grouped in sets of two to four questions that respond to the same stimulus. You’ll encounter three different types of questions within the sets:

Section 2: Free Response 

1 hour 40 minutes | 4 questions | 50% of score

The second section of the AP U.S. Government exam contains four free response questions. Students receive 20 minutes to answer the first three free response questions and get 40 minutes to answer the final question. Each question is worth 12.5% of your total score. The four free response questions each test a unique skill. 

Concept Application: You’re provided with a political scenario and are tasked with explaining the effects of a political institution, behavior, or process.

Quantitative Analysis: You’re given quantitative data represented in a table, graph, map, or infographic. You’ll need to identify a trend, pattern, or draw a conclusion and explain its relation to a political principle, institution, process, policy, or behavior. 

SCOTUS Comparison: You’re given a non-required Supreme Court case and must compare it with a required Supreme Court Case—explaining how the required case is relevant to the non-required one. 

Argumentation: Develop an argument in essay form using evidence from required foundational documents and course concepts. 

AP U.S. Government Score Distribution, Average Score, and Passing Rate

According to the College Board , 12.9% of students who took the exam in 2019 earned a 5, and 12.4% of students earned a 4. Overall, 55.1% of students who took the AP U.S. Government exam received a “passing” score of 3 or higher. The AP Gov exam is known as one of the harder exams to pass and get a 5 in.

For more information about what the AP U.S. Government course is like, check out the course description from the College board website .

Best Ways to Study for the AP U.S. Government Exam

Step 1: assess your skills.

You should start studying for the AP U.S. Government exam by taking a practice test to assess your current knowledge. The practice test from the College Board offers an excellent starting point. Score your own multiple-choice section and free response, and then ask a teacher or friend to score your free response as well—then, average the two scores since this area is subjective. After you’ve taken your practice test, you can better identify the areas in which you need to improve.

Step 2: Study the Theory

Ask the Experts: There are many helpful study guides in this area, including the Princeton Review’s Cracking the AP U.S. Government & Politics Exam 2020, Premium Edition —this offers a very good guide to the exam, although some people criticize it for having too much information. You should think of this study guide as a textbook, rather than a resource to help you cram the night before the test. Barron’s AP U.S. Government and Politics: With 2 Practice Tests has a fantastic reputation as the go-to resource for long-term studying. 

Find Online Assistance: There are also many online study resources. Some AP teachers post complete study guides or hand out review sheets and test questions as preparation for the exam. You can check out these study guides from mrfarshtey.net and quizlet for more review.

Study on-the-go with an app: Apps are also a convenient way to study for AP exams. Just be sure to read the reviews before you purchase one, as you don’t want to end up spending money on an application that isn’t actually effective! Two highly regarded AP U.S. Government and Politics study apps are AP U.S. Government & Politics Exam Prep by Brainscape and AP U.S. Government: Practice Tests and Flashcards by Varsity Tutors.

Step 3: Practice Multiple-Choice Questions

After you’ve determined what your strengths and weaknesses are and have reviewed the theory, you should practice the multiple-choice questions. There are many practice multiple-choice questions available in study guides and online. You’ll also find numerous multiple-choice questions to practice answering in the College Board’s practice tests— 2018 , 2013 , 2012 , 2009 , and 2005 .

Be sure to focus on understanding what each question is asking, and keep a running list of any concepts that are still unfamiliar to you.

Step 4: Practice Free Response Questions

Next, practice the free response questions. Be sure to pay attention to task verbs in questions (words like “describe,” “define,” “discuss,” “explain,” “compare/contrast,” “evaluate/assess,” and “analyze”). Make sure that you understand what each question is asking you to do, and allow this to guide you when answering the free response questions.

You should also be extra careful when answering questions that have multiple parts. Underline each section of the question and check them off as you write—students often lose points by forgetting to include a given part of a multipart question.

When you’re working through the free response questions, use task verbs in your answer. If you are asked to “give a specific example,” start that part of your answer with “One specific example of this is…”

It’s helpful to review free response questions along with scoring and commentary to better understand where students often go wrong or how they might lose points on this section of the exam. The College Board’s website provides the free response questions used on the AP U.S. Government exam dating back to 1999, along with commentary and scoring distributions. 

Step 5: Take Another Practice Exam

After you’ve taken a formative assessment, studied the theory, practiced the multiple-choice section, and worked on your free response writing skills, take another practice exam. Score it the same way as before, and repeat the studying process, making sure to target the areas that are still weak.

Step 6: Exam Day

If you’re taking the AP course associated with this exam, your teacher will walk you through how to register. If you’re self-studying, check out our blog post How to Self-Register for AP Exams .

For information about what to bring to the exam, see our post What Should I Bring to My AP Exam (And What Should I Definitely Leave at Home)?

CollegeVine can’t solve the mystery of how well you’ll score on the AP U.S. Government exam, but we can take the guesswork out of college admissions. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account to start using our chancing engine today to discover your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges and universities.

Looking for more information on AP exams and courses? If so, check out these other excellent posts: 

2020 AP Exam Schedule

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AP®︎/College US Government and Politics

Unit 1: foundations of american democracy, unit 2: interactions among branches of government, unit 3: civil liberties and civil rights, unit 4: american political ideologies and beliefs, unit 5: political participation, unit 6: about this ap us government and politics course, unit 7: resources and exam preparation.

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The Complete Guide to AP US Government FRQs

Advanced Placement (AP)

Free-response questions, or FRQs, on the AP US Government exam are more straightforward than those on some other AP tests, but they can still be tough if you're not ready for them. In this guide, we will lay out a simple step-by-step method for answering AP Government FRQs , go through a real example, and tell you where you can find additional practice resources.

AP Government Free-Response Section Format

The free-response section lasts one hour and 40 minutes and consists of four questions , each of which is worth 12.5% of your total score. So as a whole, the free-response section accounts for half your total AP Gov score (the other 50% comes from the multiple-choice section). Each FRQ is worth 3-6 raw points.

Here are the four types of FRQs you'll get on the AP Government exam:

• Concept Application (3 raw points)
• Quantitative Analysis (4 raw points)
• SCOTUS Comparison (4 raw points)
• Argument Essay (6 raw points)

The free-response questions will ask you to integrate your knowledge of the various content areas covered by the course. This includes analyzing political events in the US, discussing examples, and demonstrating your understanding of general principles of US government and politics. You'll also be asked to examine data from charts, define key terms, and explain the roles that different parts of our government play in the political system.

The following chart shows specifically what you must do for each FRQ on the AP Government test. All info below comes from the 2020 AP US Government and Politics Course and Exam Description .

AP Government FRQs: 5-Step Solution Process

This section provides a step-by-step process for answering any question on the AP US Government exam. Here's a sample question from the 2020 AP Gov Course and Exam Description that I'll reference throughout so you can see how these steps might work in practice:

Step 1: Read the Introductory and Concluding Sentences

Free-response questions #1 and #3 will include passages, while question #2 will have an image or a chart with data. Skim the first and final sentences of the passage (or title of the graphic for #2) before you get to the tasks (labeled A-C or A-D). This will help you get a rough sense of what to expect in the rest of the question.

It's a good idea to read the intros and conclusions to all the FRQs before choosing which one to begin with. Doing this might help build up your confidence and improve your efficiency to start with a question that's easier for you.

In the sample question above, you would read the title of the graphic ("Public Education Spending: Amount Spent per Pupil by State in 2014") and then skim the image itself to get a sense of what it's asking you to analyze.

Step 2: Identify (and Underline, If You Want) the Command Verb

For each task in each FRQ, you're given specific instructions on the type of answer that is expected; these instructions include command verbs that tell you what to do. It's important to be aware of exactly what the question is asking so you can earn full points.

These command verbs are the first words you should zero in on as you approach a question. If you think it'll help keep you focused, you can underline these verbs .

Here are the most commonly used task verbs, as described in the AP Gov Exam Description :

Compare: Provide a description or explanation of similarities and/or differences.

Define: Provide a specific meaning for a word or concept.

Describe: Provide the relevant characteristics of a specified topic.

Develop an argument: Articulate a claim and support it with evidence.

Draw a conclusion: Use available information to formulate an accurate statement that demonstrates understanding based on evidence.

Explain: Provide information about how or why a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome occurs, using evidence and/or reasoning. Explain "how" typically requires analyzing the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome, whereas explain "why" typically requires analysis of motivations or reasons for the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome.

Identify: Indicate or provide information about a specified topic, without elaboration or explanation.

In part A of the sample question, the command verb is "identify," indicating that you need to correctly interpret the data in the image. In part B, the command verb changes to "describe," which means you'll need to go one step further and interpret and analyze data in the graphic that you have found.

Part C starts with "draw a conclusion," meaning that you will need to tie together the evidence you found in part B to come up with a final (accurate) statement on what this means. Finally, part D begins with the task verb "explain," showing that you must make a clear connection between the data in this graphic as a whole and the principle of federalism.

Step 3: Know Where You'll Earn Your Raw Points

In general, each part in a question (A, B, C, and D) will correspond to 1 raw point , but not all questions are like this.

After finding the task verb in the part of the question you're answering, take note of how many examples or descriptions you need to provide , as each will likely correspond to a point in your raw score for the question. There might also be more than one task verb in a question, in which case you'll likely get at least 2 raw points for it.

As a reminder, here is the maximum number of raw points you can earn for each question (don't forget that each question is still worth the same percentage of your score: 12.5%):

Take care to answer the question thoroughly but directly , addressing all points in a way that will make it easy for graders to assess your response. Remember that you don't need to write an essay for the first three FRQs, so just go straight for the answer to avoid any ambiguity.

In the sample question, we know there will be 4 raw points you can earn. And since the tasks are divided into four parts (labeled A-D), we can assume that each part will be worth 1 raw point .

You can see more sample FRQs and how they're graded with the official scoring guidelines here .

Step 4: Reread Your Answer

Once you've come up with an answer, reread what you wrote to ensure it makes sense and addresses the question completely . Did you give the correct number of descriptions or examples asked of you? Does your answer directly respond to what the question is asking?

If you're satisfied, move on to the next part of the question and return to step 2!

Step 5: Pace Yourself

The final step is to keep track of time so you can be sure you're pacing yourself effectively and are not spending too much time on any one question. As a reminder, you'll have one hour and 40 minutes for the entire free-response section of the AP Government exam.

It's suggested that you spend the following amounts of time on each FRQ:

As you can see, you should spend about an equal amount of time on the first three FRQs and save most of your time for your essay , which will likely require the most effort of the four.

A Real AP Government FRQ Example + Analysis

Now, let's go through the answers to a real AP Government free-response question from the 2019 released questions to show you what your responses should look like. This question is an example of a Concept Application question on the exam, meaning it's worth 3 raw points (1 point each for parts A, B, and C).

This question is all about the Johnson Amendment, which does not allow religious organizations to engage in political activities and contribute money to political campaigns. As this passage explains, the Alliance Defending Freedom, a religious group, encourages pastors to challenge this law by participating in an annual event called Pulpit Freedom Sunday.

Below, we go through how to answer each of the three parts correctly using the scoring guidelines .

Part A—1 Point

Part A asks you to come up with an example of a specific action Congress could take to address the concerns of the Alliance Defending Freedom. In other words, what could Congress do to allow groups such as the Alliance Defending Freedom to speak freely about political campaigns?

Note that the command verb used here is "describe," meaning you must "provide the relevant characteristics of a specified topic," or elaborate on what you're proposing and why it would work.

There are two possible answers you could put down here, according to the scoring guidelines:

• Congress could pass a law that would reverse the Johnson Amendment.
• Congress could pass a law to allow religious organizations to participate more directly in politics.

Part B—1 Point

Part B asks you to go into more detail about what you proposed in part A . You must talk about how partisan divisions (i.e., differences in political parties among politicians) could stop whatever you proposed in part A from going into effect (whether that's a new law altogether or a reversal of the original Johnson Amendment).

The task verb used here is "explain," so you must use evidence to show how the action you wrote down in part A could be blocked or reversed.

Here are two possible answers , according to the scoring guidelines:

• Partisan divisions make it more difficult to pass a law because parties adhere to different ideological points of view.
• If Congress and the president are from different political parties, the president might threaten to veto the legislation.

Part C—1 Point

The final part of this free-response question asks you to examine the scenario again, this time from the perspective of the Alliance Defending Freedom , or the religious group in question.

How might the Alliance argue that the Johnson Amendment, which prevents them from speaking on political issues and contributing money to political campaigns, is taking away their rights?

The key here is to first think about what rights these could be . Perhaps freedom of speech or freedom of religion? As you probably noticed, the task verb is "explain," so once again you must use plenty of evidence to show why this contentious relationship exists between the Alliance and the Johnson Amendment/the US government as a whole.

Here are examples of answers you could write, according to the official scoring guidelines:

• The Alliance Defending Freedom and other religious groups might argue that their First Amendment rights are being violated.
• The Alliance Defending Freedom and other religious groups might argue that their freedom of speech/religion is being violated.

Essential Resources for Practicing AP US Government FRQs

There are several resources you can use to hone your skills for answering AP Government FRQs.

Official College Board Resources

The College Board website hosts free-response questions from previous tests that you can use for practice. I recommend starting with the 2019 FRQs (unfortunately, they don't come with sample student responses), as these will look the most like the questions you'll get on test day.

Once you've used those, you can look at FRQs from the 2018 test and earlier; most of these come with sample student responses so you can see what a good response looks like.

If you're hoping to practice FRQs in the context of a full-length test, here are some links to past AP Government exams you can download (as always, prioritize the most recent tests):

• 2018 Practice Test
• 2013 Practice Test
• 2012 Practice Test
• 2009 Practice Test
• 2005 Practice Test
• 1999 Practice Test

These are by far the best sample AP US Government free-response questions you can get because they most accurately represent what you'll see on the real test.

AP Government Review Books

AP Government review books are also solid resources for free-response practice, though they vary a lot in quality.

The Princeton Review's prep book for AP Gov includes five full-length practice tests , so there should be tons of free-response questions you can use to hone your skills. Barron's AP US Gov review book also has some useful practice tests and free-response questions.

If you use these unofficial free-response questions for practice, just be sure to intersperse them with official questions from the College Board so that you maintain an accurate sense of what to expect on the real test.

Recap: Everything to Know About AP US Government FRQs

The four free-response questions on the AP US Government and Politics exam can be approached methodically to earn the maximum number of points.

Read the intro and conclusion to the question first so you can get your bearings. Then, for each of the separate parts, identify the task verb, figure out where you'll earn your raw points, and double-check your answer for any missing pieces or careless errors.

You should also pace yourself so that you're spending no more than 20 minutes each on the first three questions and 40 minutes on the essay.

I suggest practicing at least a few free-response questions before heading into the AP exam. The best resource to use is the College Board website, which contains an archive of past questions accompanied by scoring guidelines and sample student responses. These questions are pretty simple compared to the free-response questions on other AP tests once you get the hang of them!

What's Next?

Not sure where to begin in your AP prep? Our five-step plan will prepare you to take on any AP test .

If you're missing some of your notes that you need to study for AP Gov, check out this article with links to all the content you need to know for the test . You can also learn about the test as a whole with our comprehensive AP Government and Politics review guide .

Do you have a target score in mind for this exam? Learn more about what it takes to earn a 5 on an AP test and whether you should aim for one yourself.

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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AP U.S. Government and Politics: Concept Application Example

Concept application strategy.

• When analyzing the stimulus, carefully note relevant details. Paraphrase the political scenario in your own words before looking at the questions.
• Concept Application questions often build on each other, asking you to use your response for one part to answer another part. Therefore, carefully plan your response before you start writing in order to make sure you choose answers that you can apply to later parts of the prompt if needed.

Sample Concept Application Question

A new political party, the Health & Wealth Party, forms to focus on those policies which members believe will address the most significant threats to the health and prosperity of the general population. Their key platform favors requiring manufacturers of high-sugar snack foods to produce an equal ratio of low-sugar snack alternatives offered at the same price to consumers. In addition, they advocate using tax money to subsidize low-income families with funds to buy the low-sugar snacks. To increase “wealth,” the party supports significantly lowering taxes on corporations, with the intent of attracting new businesses to the United States. Finally, they also propose drastically reducing income taxes for all Americans, making up the difference in the budget by slashing military spending for foreign affairs. After reading the scenario, respond to Parts A, B, and C. (A) The Health & Wealth Party’s platform contains elements that reflect conservative, liberal, and libertarian viewpoints. For each of the three viewpoints, identify one element of the Health & Wealth Party platform that reflects that viewpoint’s typical ideology. (B) Describe a way in which the Health & Wealth Party’s nominee, if elected to the presidency, could attempt to implement the policy regulating snack manufacturers. (C) Explain one reason why it is difficult for third-party candidates, like the Health & Wealth Party nominee, to win presidential elections.

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

Step 2: plan your response.

• Conserv.: traditional values + pro-market policies –> lower taxes on business
• Liberal: more gov’t involvement for equality –> regulate manuf. & subsidies for poor
• Libert.: ind. liberty + low gov’t involvement –> lower income taxes & military spending

Part B: Need to think of how a pres. could impact a policy about reg. snack manufacturers, including details to describe my answer.

• Commerce clause is relevant
• Pres. could meet w/ Congress, persuade to make committee & draft bill
• Pres. could endorse candidates who agree on issue

Part C: Need to think about difficulties faced by third-party candidates during elections (not while in office). Need to fully describe the issue, including the why/how, to count as explaining.

• Hard to win votes in electoral college due to winner-take-all system and entrenchment of major parties
• But an election based only on popular vote would likely not create a clear majority winner

Step 3: Action! Write Your Response

Step 4: proofread, sample high-scoring response, sample response explanation.

• Organization: The response addresses one part in each paragraph. Although this is not required, it makes it much easier for the reader to follow and score your response.
• Sentences: Although Part A requires only identification, the writer still uses a paragraph for the response, adding just a little explanation to justify his or her classifications of the party planks. Use paragraphs and complete sentences for all parts of your responses; never use just phrases or lists.
• Addressing each action word: Note that the responses for Parts B and C are longer than the response for Part A. Part A only required identification, while B required description and C required explanation. The response for Part B provides a full description of a presidential action. The response for Part C effectively explains by discussing multiple reasons why the Electoral College is the way it is, including both how the system puts third-party candidates at a disadvantage and why the system is still practical.

Scoring for Question 1: 3 points (1 + 1 + 1)

• Example conservative components: lowering taxes on businesses, lowering income taxes, seeking more balanced budget
• Example liberal components: regulating snack manufacturers, providing subsidies for lower- income families, lowering military spending
• Example libertarian components: lowering taxes on businesses, lowering income taxes, lowering foreign military spending, seeking more balanced budget

Part B (1 point) One point for describing a way the president could impact policy.

• Example ways include: calling a special committee/commission to research and influence the issue, persuading Congress members to create legislation that addresses the policy, appointing positions to the Food and Drug Administration that support the policy, issuing an executive order to the FDA, endorsing candidates who support the policy, using the “bully pulpit” to rally public support and put pressure on Congress, highlighting the issue in the State of the Union address, proposing a budget that includes provisions for the policy, threatening to veto a bill unless Congress makes provisions for the policy

Part C (1 point) One point for explaining a difficulty faced by third-party candidates.

• Example difficulties include: less financing, difficulty of getting onto ballots, heavy political entrenchment of the two-party system, winner-take-all nature of Electoral College makes it difficult to score electoral votes, voter discouragement (wanting to make sure their vote “counts”), major parties’ tendency to adopt platform planks that try to appeal to potential third-party voters

Learn more about the other free response questions on the AP U.S. Government and Politics exam. Quantitative Analysis   •   SCOTUS Comparison   •   Argument Essay

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How To Answer the AP® United States Government And Politics Free Response Questions (FRQs)

The AP® U.S. Government and Politics exam consists of two sections: Section I: multiple-choice questions (MCQs), and Section II: free-response questions (FRQs). In this guide, we will look at the FRQ section of the exam.

We will start by examining the format of the writing section of the AP U.S. Gov exam, giving you tips to score well on the FRQs. In the following sections, we have also included a few examples of AP U.S. Gov FRQ writing prompts that have been used on past exams. By the end of this article, you’ll know how to confidently prepare for the FRQ portion of the AP U.S. Gov exam.

Format of the AP U.S. Government FRQ section

Section II consists of four FRQs you need to answer in 100 minutes (1 hour and 40 minutes) and is worth 50% of your overall exam score (1 FRQ is worth 12.5%). Each FRQ in this section tests you on specific practices and skills you’re expected to master by the end of AP U.S. Gov.

Remember to plan your time wisely when practicing for the FRQ section. You’ll need time to read and understand what the question is asking, analyze the information given, then provide your answer with evidence, as-needed. It's important to create a plan for each FRQ that allows for enough time to read the question, plan your response, write it down, and then review it.

The table below describes each type of FRQ and what is required in each response. To make time management easier for you, we’ve also included the approximate time you should allot for planning, writing, and reviewing each FRQ.

How to Answer AP U.S. Government and Politics Free-Response Questions

Here are some general tips for how to answer AP Gov FRQs:

Start with the prompt that seems easiest

Starting with the easiest question can boost your confidence on the exam. Quantitative Analysis is the easiest for some students because it does not require them to read documents to answer the question. The Concept Application is easier for other students because it is less complex. Many students choose to answer the Argument FRQ last because it is the only one that requires an essay format.

Use evidence from the stimulus to support your interpretation

To score well on the FRQs, ensure you include paraphrased references to evidence from the stimulus materials. Focus on specific words and details that support what you have to say. For the Concept Application and SCOTUS comparison FRQs, refer to details from the provided scenario and Supreme Court case, respectively. For the Quantitative Analysis, identify specific data points and/or trends. Lastly, incorporate specific evidence from a foundational document and your course knowledge for the argument essay. For each FRQ, explain how the evidence supports your response

You do not need to earn every point to score well

Each FRQ is worth multiple points. Simpler tasks, like identifying, earn points, just as more complex tasks, like refuting opposing claims, earn points. Even if you have difficulty completing a FRQ, you can score well by completing as many parts as possible.

Don’t worry too much about making spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes

The scorers understand that you are writing under a time limit and that your FRQ is more like a rough draft. If you make a mistake or change your mind, simply draw a line through the mistake and keep going.

AP United States Government and Politics FRQ examples

Here are some examples of AP U.S. Gov FRQs from past exams to give you an idea of the kinds of questions you’ll see on the test. These questions come directly from the College Board Course site, an excellent source of course materials. Each tab explains one type of FRQ with an example and discusses the key points you need to consider while approaching them.

For FRQ 1, you will be given a brief account of a real-life scenario. You will demonstrate your understanding of the scenario by describing some aspects in the context of a course concept. You will then demonstrate a more expansive understanding of the course concept by explaining it further and applying it in a hypothetical situation.

FRQ Example 1

In April of 2018, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of the social media company Facebook, was called to testify before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation about, among other things, a data leak that led to 87 million Facebook users’ private information being sold without their consent.

Senators questioned Zuckerberg about whether Facebook could adequately regulate itself and protect personal information or whether Congress should intervene. Zuckerberg defended the company, emphasizing its mission to better connect the world. In response, Zuckerberg stated, “My position is not that there should be no regulation. I think the real question, as the Internet becomes more important in people’s lives, is what is the right regulation, not whether there should be or not.”

After reading the scenario, respond to A, B, and C below.

• A) Referencing the scenario, describe the enumerated power in Article I of the Constitution that gives Congress the authority to regulate a business like the one above.
• B) Explain how the two-chamber structure of the legislature affects the ability of Congress to exercise the power described in Part A.
• C) If Congress decides to regulate how social media companies gather and use the data of their users, explain how these companies could use the political process to ensure that the new regulation does not negatively affect them.

Source : College Board

For FRQ 2, you will be given relatively current data to interpret. You will be asked to draw conclusions based on patterns or trends you identify in the data and then apply your interpretation of the data in the context of a course concept.

FRQ Example 2

Use the bar graphs to answer the following questions.

• A) Identify the president who had the highest percentage of women and racial/ethnic minorities serving in the Cabinet
• B) Describe a pattern in the percentage of racial and ethnic minorities serving in Cabinet positions.
• C) Draw a conclusion about the political parties and the diversity of Cabinet appointments as shown in the bar graphs.
• D) Explain how interest groups can influence presidential Cabinet appointments as shown in the bar graphs.

For FRQ 3, you will be given a description of a non-required Supreme Court case. The description includes relevant case background information along with some details about the Court’s holding. First, you will identify and describe a course-relevant similarity or difference between the non-required case and a specified required SCOTUS case. Then you will explain the similarity or difference in terms of how it is applied in both cases—this is essentially an exercise in comparing/contrasting. Finally, you will apply a relevant aspect of the non-required case in the context of an essential course concept.

FRQ Example 3

This question requires you to compare a Supreme Court case you studied in class with one you have not studied in class. A summary of the Supreme Court case you did not study in class is presented below and provides all of the information you need to know about this case to answer the prompt.

McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission (2013)

Alabama businessman Shaun McCutcheon contributed $33,088 to sixteen different candidates running for federal office in 2012. His donations exceeded the aggregate (total) campaign finance limit established by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) of 2002. This law limited the total amount of political contributions that an individual could make in a given two-year election period to federal candidates, federal political action committees, and political parties.

In the subsequent case, McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission (2013), the Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that limits on the amount of political contributions established by the BCRA are unconstitutional. The Court held that contributing money to a candidate is an exercise of an individual’s right to participate in the electoral process…. A restriction on how many candidates and committees an individual may support is hardly a modest restraint on those rights. The government may no more restrict how many candidates or causes a donor may support than it may tell a newspaper how many candidates it may endorse.”

• A) Identify the civil liberty that is common in both Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) and McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission (2013).
• B) Explain how the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission relates to the reasoning in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission.
• C) Explain how the decision in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission can be used to support the participatory, pluralist, or elite model of democracy.

FRQ 4 is the only FRQ that you must write as an essay, with its successive parts flowing in a logically coherent order. For FRQ 4, you will be given a contextual statement that frames the main issue or topic of your argument, and then you will assert and defend a definitive stance on the topic. Defending your stance requires two pieces of evidence: one must come from a foundational document out of the three options you are given, and the other can come from a different foundational document (even if it’s not one of the listed options) or from a course concept. You must establish a line of reasoning by explaining how your evidence supports your stance, and then you must respond to an opposing or alternate stance you provide.

FRQ Example 4

Environmental regulation is a complex policy area that involves both the states and the federal government. Develop an argument that takes a position on whether the federal government should be primarily responsible for managing environmental policy or if it should be the responsibility of the states.

Use at least one piece of evidence from one of the following foundational documents:

• The Federalist 10
• The Preamble of the United States Constitution

In your response, you should do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a defensible claim or thesis that establishes a line of reasoning.
• One piece of evidence must come from one of the foundational documents listed above.
• A second piece of evidence can come from any other foundational document not used as your first piece of evidence, or it may be from your knowledge of course concepts.
• Use reasoning to explain why your evidence supports your claim or thesis.
• Respond to an opposing or alternate perspective using refutation, concession, or rebuttal.

How can I practice AP United States Government and Politics free-response questions?

Practicing AP U.S. Gov FRQs is important before the exam, which is usually scheduled on the first day of every AP testing cycle. The more you practice, the more you understand the expectations required to perform well on the FRQs. The College Board site has past-released exams that you can use for AP U.S. Gov FRQ practice with scoring guidelines, student samples, and scoring distributions. Students who understand how to score according to the scoring guidelines tend to perform better on the FRQ portion of the AP exam. To understand how to use the scoring guidelines with your own work, try using them to score a pre-graded student sample, then see if your score matches the one it was actually given. If your score does not match, ask your teacher for support with understanding the scoring guidelines better.

Using an online prep that tests your content knowledge is also a great way to increase your understanding of content and perform better on both sections of the AP Gov exam. UWorld’s AP U.S. Gov question bank can help you learn and review materials effortlessly, so you retain more of what you learn! For each question, there is a mini-lesson that provides content you are expected to understand for the AP exam. Each question has explanations for the correct answer choice, rationales for the wrong answer choice, and a summary of the most important content you need to remember for the exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the ap u.s. gov frq graded.

Section II is graded by high school AP U.S. Gov teachers and college professors who teach intro-level government and politics courses. The College Board provides rubrics that tell scorers what a response must contain in order to earn a point. FRQs are graded on the quality of their ideas and not on the accuracy of grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Handwriting is not factored into the score, and there are specially designated readers available to help read and score essays with challenging handwriting.

How long is the FRQ section on the AP United States Government and Politics exam?

Where can i find released frqs from past ap u.s. gov exams.

You can find released past exam FRQs on the College Board AP website for AP U.S. Gov .

• (2023). AP United States Government and Politics . College Board. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-united-states-government-and-politics
• (2023, Fall). AP United States Government and Politics Course and Exam Description . College Board. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-us-government-and-politics-course-and-exam-description.pdf

Read More About the AP U.S. Government & Politics Exam

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AP United States Government and Politics

Learn all about the course and exam. Already enrolled? Join your class in My AP.

Not a Student?

Go to AP Central for resources for teachers, administrators, and coordinators.

About the Course

Study the key concepts and institutions of the political system and culture of the United States. You'll read, analyze, and discuss the U.S. Constitution and other documents as well as complete a research or applied civics project.

Update: Roe v. Wade

Although the Supreme Court recently overturned Roe v. Wade , it remains required course content and is part of Topic 3.9, “Amendments: Due Process and the Right to Privacy” along with two additional cases, Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) and Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022). Any of these cases can be the focus of AP Exam questions related to this topic, but none of them will be the focus of Free Response Question 3.

Skills You'll Learn

Connecting political concepts to real-life situations

Explaining the impact and implications of certain U.S. Supreme Court decisions

Analyzing data to find patterns and trends and draw conclusions

Reading and analyzing text and visual sources

Developing a claim or thesis and supporting it in an essay

Equivalency and Prerequisites

College course equivalent.

A one-semester introductory college course in U.S. government

Recommended Prerequisites

Tue, May 6, 2025

12 PM Local

AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam

This is the regularly scheduled date for the AP United States Government and Politics Exam.

About the Units

The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.

Course Content

Unit 1: foundations of american democracy.

You’ll learn how the men who created the U.S. Constitution set up a structure of government intended to stand the test of time, and how the compromises they made left some questions unresolved that continue to be debated today.

Topics may include:

• The ideals of democracy as shown in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
• Federalist and Anti-Federalist views on central government and democracy
• Separation of powers and “checks and balances”
• The relationship between the states and the national government (federalism)
• How federalism has been interpreted differently over time

On The Exam

15%–22% of multiple-choice score

Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government

You’ll continue to explore how the government sets and administers policy, and you’ll learn about the complexities of this process.

• The structures, powers, and functions of each house of Congress
• The roles and powers of the president
• The roles and powers of the Supreme Court and other federal courts
• The roles of the federal bureaucracy (departments, agencies, commissions, and government corporations)

25%–36% of multiple-choice score

Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

You’ll connect what you’ve learned about the founding principles of our government to the debates over how best to balance freedom and order.

• The intent of the Bill of Rights
• The First Amendment (freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press) and how the Supreme Court has interpreted it
• The Second Amendment (the right to bear arms) and how the Supreme Court has interpreted it
• Supreme Court interpretations of other amendments
• How the due process and equal protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment have motivated social movements

13%–18% of multiple-choice score

Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs

You’ll explore the various beliefs that U.S. citizens hold about government, how these beliefs are shaped, and how they affect which policies citizens support.

• How cultural and social factors affect citizens’ beliefs about government
• How polls are used to gather data about public opinion
• The ideologies of the Democratic and Republican parties
• How political ideologies affect policy on economic and social issues

10%–15% of multiple-choice score

Unit 5: Political Participation

You’ll learn about the many ways that U.S. citizens can influence the decisions the government makes.

• Laws that protect the right to vote
• Why it’s hard for third parties and independent candidates to succeed
• Interest groups and their influence
• Campaign finance and its role in elections
• The media’s role in elections

20%–27% of multiple-choice score

Credit and Placement

Search AP Credit Policies

Find colleges that grant credit and/or placement for AP Exam scores in this and other AP courses.

Course Resources

Ap classroom resources.

Once you join your AP class section online, you’ll be able to access AP Daily videos, any assignments from your teacher, and your assignment results in AP Classroom. Sign in to access them.

• Go to AP Classroom

AP United States Government and Politics Course and Exam Description

This is the core document for the course. It clearly lays out the course content and describes the exam and the AP Program in general.

The Difference Between AP U.S. Government and Politics and AP Comparative Government and Politics

Read about the similarities and differences between AP U.S. Government and Politics and AP Comparative Government and Politics, and discover which course may be right for you.

• Go to College Board Blog

More About Your Course

The declaration of independence.

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration website offers a transcript of this founding document; articles about its history, creation, and meaning; and digital images of the parchment manuscript.

• Go to The Declaration of Independence

The U.S. House of Representatives

The U.S. House of Representatives website provides information on the history, leadership, committees, and activities of this legislative body.

• Go to The U.S. House of Representatives

The U.S. Constitution

• Go to The U.S. Constitution

The U.S. Federal Courts

The U.S. Courts website offers an array of resources, including informative articles, court records, national court forms, and more.

• Go to The U.S. Federal Courts

The U.S. Senate

The U.S. Senate website provides information on the history, leadership, committees, legislation, and records of this legislative body.

• Go to The U.S. Senate

The White House

The White House website features priorities and initiatives of the president, plus information on the current administration, executive offices, and more.

• Go to The White House

See Where AP Can Take You

AP United States Government and Politics can lead to a wide range of careers and college majors

Additional Information

2024 AP US Government & Politics Exam Guide

1 min read • july 11, 2024

Your Guide to the 2024 AP US Government & Politics Exam

We know that studying for your AP exams can be stressful, but Fiveable has your back! We created a study plan to help you crush your AP Government and Politics exam. This guide will continue to update with information about the 2024 exams, as well as helpful resources to help you do your best on test day.  Unlock Cram Mode for access to our cram events—students who have successfully passed their AP exams will answer your questions and guide your last-minute studying LIVE! And don't miss out on unlimited access to our database of thousands of practice questions.

Format of the 2024 AP US Gov Exam

Going into test day, this is the format to expect:

• 📃 55 multiple-choice questions with 80 minutes to complete them.- - There will be ~30 individual, stand-alone questions.- - All the other questions will be put together into sets. You may be asked to complete a quantitative, qualitative, or visual analysis in these questions.
• ✍ 4 free-response questions with 100 minutes to complete them. You should devote ~20 minutes to each response.- - Question 1 is always a  concept application question.- - Question 2 is a  quantitative analysis question, where you will analyze data and come to a conclusion.- - Question 3 is a  Supreme Court case comparison  essay. You will compare a required court case with a nonrequired one, explaining how they are related.- - Lastly, question 4 is an  argumentative essay . 👉 Check out the 2023 AP US Government and Politics Free-Response Section posted on the College Board site. 

Scoring Rubric for the AP US Government Exam

View an example set of questions and the corresponding  scoring guidelines (page 186) from the College Board to get an idea of what they look for in your responses! You can also focus in on the argumentative essay (free response #4) and take a look at that  rubric here .

Check out our study plan below to find resources and tools to prepare for your AP US Government exam. 

When is the 2024 AP Gov Exam and How do I Take it?

Tests will be taken in person at your school. Here is what we know from College Board so far:

• The exam date will be in-person and on paper at your school on Monday, May 6, 2024 at 8 am, your local time. You have 3 hours to take the exam. We will have more updates from College Board soon, but as of now, this is what we know!

How Should I Prepare for the AP Gov Exam?

• First, you need to take stock of your progress in the course so far so that you can build your study plan according to your needs. Download the  AP Government and Politics Cheatsheet PDF —a single sheet that covers everything you need to know—so that you can see a map of the entire course and quickly spot the weak areas that you need to focus on.
• Then, create your study plan by focusing on your learning styles and areas to improve. Which types of questions do you need to practice more? We've put together the study plan found below to help you study between now and May. This will cover all of the units and essay types to prepare you for your exam. Pay special attention to the units that you need the most improvement in.
• Study, practice, and review for test day with other students during our live cram sessions via  Cram Mode . Cram live streams will teach, review, and practice important topics from AP courses, college admission tests, and college admission topics. These streams are hosted by experienced students who know what you need to succeed.
• Finally, build your study schedule in advance! We highly suggest making your study schedule ahead of time so that you can easily join interactive study sessions such as live streams, voice chats, and study groups.

Pre-Work: Set Up Your Study Environment

Before you begin studying, take some time to get organized. 

🖥 Create a study space.

Make sure you have a designated place at home to study. Somewhere you can keep all of your materials, where you can focus on learning, and where you are comfortable. Spend some time prepping the space with everything you need and you can even let others in the family know that this is your study space. 

📚 Organize your study materials.

Get your notebook, textbook, prep books, or whatever other physical materials you have. Also create a space for you to keep track of review. Start a new section in your notebook to take notes or start a Google Doc to keep track of your notes. Get yourself set up!

📅 Plan designated times for studying.

The hardest part about studying from home is sticking to a routine. Decide on one hour every day that you can dedicate to studying. This can be any time of the day, whatever works best for you. Set a timer on your phone for that time and really try to stick to it. The routine will help you stay on track.

🏆 Decide on an accountability plan.

How will you hold yourself accountable to this study plan? You may or may not have a teacher or rules set up to help you stay on track, so you need to set some for yourself. First set your goal. This could be studying for x number of hours or getting through a unit. Then, create a reward for yourself. If you reach your goal, then x. This will help stay focused!

AP US Government & Politics 2024 Study Plan

🏛️unit 1: foundations of american democracy, big takeaways:.

Unit 1 introduces the concept of democracy and its various forms. The documents that first started the United States are analyzed by looking at the challenges and promises associated with each. The division of power within our government: individual rights vs government authority and state vs federal government powers are at the heart of this unit and discussed within each founding document. 

Definitely do this:

🎥 Watch these videos:

Intro to American Government, models of Representative Democracy : A full review of the types of democracy, the difference between government and politics as well as the functions of government are discussed.

Foundational Documents Review : A deep dive into the foundational documents you need to know for the exam.

Ratification of the Constitution: Constitutional Convention : A review of the compromises leading to the ratification of the Constitution. 📰 Check out these articles:

• Unit 1 Overview: Foundations of American Democracy 
• 1.1 Ideals of Democracy
• 1.2 Types of Democracy 
• 1.3 Federalist No. 10 & Brutus 1 Summary 
• 1.4 Challenges of the Articles of Confederation
• 1.5 Ratification of the US Constitution
• 1.6 Principles of American Government
• 1.7 Relationship Between States and the Federal Government
• 1.8 Constitutional Interpretations of Federalism
• 1.9 Federalism in Action 
• 1.10 Required Founding Documents ✍️ Practice:
• Best Quizlet Deck:   AP Gov Unit 1 by bryce_s

If you have more time or want to dig deeper:

• 👻 Check out  Too Late to Apologize: An Ode to the [object Object] (YouTube)
• Types of Federalism Part 1 - Dual vs Cooperative
• Marbury v. Madison, McCulloch v. Maryland and US v. Lopez
• The Powers - Expressed, Implied, Concurrent, Denied...

⚖️ Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government

Unit 2 dives into the separation of powers between our three branches of government. It looks at the specific powers of each branch as outlined in the Constitution and how each branch has grown in power through the years. The system of checks and balances and the role each branch plays in holding the other accountable is analyzed. 

Legislative and Judicial Branch Review : This stream provides a review of the legislative and judicial branches including their powers and role within the federal government.

• Powers of the Presidency : This stream provides a review of the executive branch including its powers and role within the federal government.

Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances : This video from Crash Course reviews the separation of powers between the three branches of government. It also looks at the ways each branch “checks” the other. 📰 Check out these articles:

Unit 2 Overview: Interactions Among Branches of Government

• 2.1 Congress : The Senate and the House of Representatives

2.2 Structures, Powers, and Functions of Congress

2.3 Congressional Behavior

2.4 Roles and Power of the President

2.5 Checks on the Presidency

2.6 Expansion of Presidential Power

2.7 Presidential Communication

2.8 The Judicial Branch

2.9 Legitimacy of the Judicial Branch

2.10 The Court in Action

2.11 Checks on the Judicial Branch

2.12 The Bureaucracy

2.13 Discretionary and Rule-Making Authority

2.14 Holding the Bureaucracy Accountable

2.15 Policy and the Branches of Government ✍️ Practice:

Best Quizlet Deck:   Unit 2 – AP Gov by k8te13

• Bill to Law Process
• Review and Application of Iron Triangles and Issue Networks
• Selection and Nomination of Federal Judges

✊ Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Unit 3 takes the principles of our government established in Units 1 and 2 to analyze maintaining those principles while balancing liberty and order. The role of the  Bill of Rights and the 14th amendment in guaranteeing civil rights and liberties for all citizens is at the heart of this unit.  

🎥  Watch these videos:

First and Second Amendments : This stream looks at what the first and second amendments say, how they have been interpreted and some of the major Supreme Court cases around them.

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights : This video from crash course provides a review of the civil liberties and civil rights guaranteed to US citizens. It also looks at the way the  Bill of Rights has been interpreted since its inception in relation to liberties and rights.

The 14th Amendment : This stream breaks down the 14th amendment and many of the key terms associated with it: due process, equal protection, incorporation, citizenship, and privileges or immunities clause.

Required Supreme Court Cases from 1st-10th Amendments : This stream reviews Supreme Court cases about the 1st-10th Amendments and how they protect civil liberties today! 📰 Check out these articles:

• Unit 3 Overview: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
• 3.1 The Bill of Rights
• 3.2 First Amendment: Freedom of Religion
• 3.3 First Amendment: Freedom of Speech
• 3.4 First Amendment: Freedom of the Press
• 3.5 Second Amendment: Rights to Bear Arms
• 3.6 Amendments: Balancing Individual Freedom with Public Order and Safety
• 3.7 Selective Incorporation & the 14th Amendment
• 3.8 Amendments: Due Process and the Rights of the Accused
• 3.9 Amendments: Due Process and the Right to Privacy
• 3.10 Social Movements and Equal Protection
• 3.11 Government Responses to Social Movements
• 3.12 Balancing Minority and Majority Rights
• 3.13 Affirmative Action ✍️ Practice:

Best Quizlet Deck:   AP Gov – Civil Liberties and Rights by Sandy_Midgley

• 📜 Check out  Bill of Rights and  Bill of Rights (YouTube)
• Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (Fiveable stream)

🐘Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs

Unit 4 focuses on political ideology - the idea that there are different and consistent patterns of beliefs about political values and the role of government within the context that we live in. This unit will discuss the different American ideologies and how major parties influence them.

Political Socialization and Political Ideology :  This stream discusses what influences people's political views and a few different dominant political ideologies.

Political Parties and Their Platforms :  This stream dives into the major beliefs and ideologies of the Republican and Democratic party platforms, the history of political parties, their impact on voters and the government, and third parties were also discussed.

Economic Ideology - Keynesian vs Supply Side :  In this stream we dived into fiscal economic theory and policy, looking at the liberal take on Keynesian theory and the conservative look at supply-side theory. 📰 Check out these articles:

Unit 4 Overview: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs

4.1 American Attitudes about Government and Politics

4.2 Political Socialization

• 4.4 Influence of Political Events on Ideology

4.5 Measuring Public Opinion

4.6 Evaluating Public Opinion Data

4.7 Ideologies of Political Parties

4.8 Ideology and Policy Making

4.9 Ideology and Economic Policy

4.10 Ideology and Social Policy ✍️ Practice:

Best Quizlet Deck:   AP GOV Unit 4 by MARGARET_CYLKOWSKI

• A Review of Public Policy (Social Policy)
• A Review of Public Policy (Economic Policy)
• Social Security, Healthcare, and Education Policy

🗳Unit 5: Political Participation

This unit focuses on how we, citizens, can participate in politics as well as how the media, finance and other factors play a part in our government and policy-making. 

Voting and Voter Behavior : Who votes and why do they vote? This stream answers these questions and explains the process of voting in the US in this stream.

Campaign Finance : Campaign finance isn't as scary as you think! This stream looks at the Federal Elections Campaign Act, hard vs soft money, Buckley vs Valeo, Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, Citizens United vs FEC, 501(c)s, and more!

Media Ownership and Bias :  This steam discusses the growing concentration of media companies and how bias in media affects both policy-making and public interest.

• Critical Elections: Realignments and Dealignment :  Often, students are confused on the differences between a party realignment and dealignment. This stream covers those around the five critical elections in US history. 📰 Check out these articles:
• Unit 5 Overview: Political Participation
• 5.1 Voting Rights and Models of Voting Behaviour 
• 5.2 Voter Turnout 
• 5.3 Political Parties 
• 5.4 How and Why Political Parties Change 
• 5.5 Third-Party Politics
• 5.6 Interest Groups Influencing Policy Making 
• 5.7 Groups Influencing Policy Outcomes 
• 5.8 Electing a President 
• 5.9 Congressional Elections
• 5.10 Modern Campaigns
• 5.11 Campaign Finance 
• 5.12 The Media 
• 5.13 Changing Media ✍️ Practice:

Best Quizlet Deck:   AP Government - Political Participation by Carpenter-Economics

🧐AP US Government - Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

📰 Check out these articles:

• AP US Government Multiple Choice Questions
• AP US Government Multiple Choice Help (MCQ)

🏛️AP US Government - Free Response Questions (FRQ)

Breaking Down the Supreme Court Case Comparison Essay : This stream discusses how exactly to write the Supreme Court Case Comparison Essay, FRQ #3, on the AP Gov exam! We talked about the elements of a good response, and wrote one ourselves!

Writing Workshop on the Argumentative Essay : This stream explores the Argumentative Essay, looking at the rubric and then using the remainder of the time to practice our skills. 📰 Check out these articles:

AP US Government Free Response Help - FRQs

FRQ: Conceptual Analysis

FRQ: SCOTUS Application

AP Gov FRQ: Argument Essay Review (2020)

AP Gov FRQ: Quantitative Analysis Review (2020) ✍️ Practice:

AP Gov SAQ Practice Prompt Answers & Feedback

AP GoPo Free Response Questions (FRQ) – Past Prompts

• AP Gov Federalism Practice Prompt Answers & Feedback

As you're studying for the AP exam, make sure that you have a handle on all of the Required Cases.  Check out this comprehensive study guide that outlines all the Supreme Court Cases you have to know to do your best in May!

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Free-Response Essays on the AP® U.S. Government and Politics Exam

The AP ® U.S. Government and Politics exam covers a breadth of topics surrounding the cultural, political, and social changes in U.S. History. The exam itself contains four free-response questions that require students to write two essays. They are:

• Concept Application
• Quantitative Analysis
• SCOTUS Comparison
• Argument Essay

To make sure that you nail these essays, it’s crucial that you know what to expect from each one. That’s why we want to walk you through what exactly is on the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics exam, as well as what you’ll see in the free-response section.

What’s on the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics exam?

The AP ® U.S. Government and Politics exam tests students on their knowledge of the United States governing bodies, processes, policies, and history.

The course itself will go over five units covering the following topics:

• Foundations of American Democracy
• Interactions Among Branches of Government
• Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
• American Political Ideologies and Beliefs
• Political Participation

Students have 3 hours and 15 minutes to complete the exam. There is a 1 hour and 20-minute multiple-choice section, followed by a 1 hour and 40-minute free-response section. A full breakdown of each section is provided below:

Now that we know how the exam is broken down, let’s take a deeper look into the free-response essays on the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics exam.

Breakdown: Free-response essays on the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics exam

There are four questions students must answer with an essay on the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics exam.

The questions are:

• Concept Application. Students are given a political scenario and must explain the impact of a political “institution, behavior, or process.”
• Quantitative Analysis. Students are given a piece of quantitative data, and they must show how that data relates to a political process.
• SCOTUS Comparison. Students are tasked with comparing a non-required Supreme Court case with a required one and showing how they’re relevant to one another.
• Argument Essay. Students must craft an argument essay based on required documents and evidence.

College Board suggests that students take at least 20 minutes to answer each question during the allotted time.

Prepare with FREE practice tests

The best way to get better at something is by practicing.

That’s why it’s important that you take practice tests to help you get better at the AP ® U.S. Government and Politics Exam. Only then can you expect to get a good score and improve.

That’s why we want to help. Marco Learning has created a host of resources to help you prepare for AP ® exams, including video lessons, study guides, drills, and, most importantly, practice tests.

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Last Modified: 1/24/2023

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Any User Contribution you post to the site will be considered non-confidential and non-proprietary. By providing any User Contribution on the Website, you grant us and our affiliates and service providers, and each of their and our respective licensees, successors, and assigns the right to use, reproduce, modify, perform, display, distribute, and otherwise disclose to third parties any such material for any purpose.

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You understand and acknowledge that you are responsible for any User Contributions you submit or contribute, and you, not the Company, have full responsibility for such content, including its legality, reliability, accuracy, and appropriateness.

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You agree that we may record all or any part of any live online classes and tutoring sessions (including voice chat communications) for quality control and other purposes. You agree that we own all transcripts and recordings of such sessions and that these Terms of Use will be deemed an irrevocable assignment of rights in all such transcripts and recordings to us.

We are not responsible or liable to any third party for the content or accuracy of any User Contributions posted by you or any other user of the Website.

Monitoring and Enforcement: Termination

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Without limiting the foregoing, we have the right to cooperate fully with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing us to disclose the identity or other information of anyone posting any materials on or through the Website. YOU WAIVE AND HOLD HARMLESS THE COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES, LICENSEES, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM ANY CLAIMS RESULTING FROM ANY ACTION TAKEN BY ANY OF THE FOREGOING PARTIES DURING, OR TAKEN AS A CONSEQUENCE OF, INVESTIGATIONS BY EITHER SUCH PARTIES OR LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES.

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(collectively, the “ Content Standards ”)

Copyright Infringement

If you believe that any User Contributions violate your copyright, please contact us  and provide the following information:

• An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest;
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We may terminate the accounts of any infringers.

Reliance on Information Posted

From time to time, we may make third party opinions, advice, statements, offers, or other third party information or content available on the Website or from tutors under tutoring services (collectively, “Third Party Content”). All Third Party Content is the responsibility of the respective authors thereof and should not necessarily be relied upon. Such third party authors are solely responsible for such content. WE DO NOT (I) GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS OR USEFULNESS OF ANY THIRD PARTY CONTENT ON THE SITE OR ANY VERIFICATION SERVICES DONE ON OUR TUTORS OR INSTRUCTORS, OR (II) ADOPT, ENDORSE OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY OPINION, ADVICE, OR STATEMENT MADE BY ANY TUTOR OR INSTRUCTOR OR ANY PARTY THAT APPEARS ON THE WEBSITE. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL WE BE RESPONSBILE OR LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM YOUR RELIANCE ON INFORMATION OR OTHER CONENT POSTED ON OR AVAILBLE FROM THE WEBSITE.

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Information About You and Your Visits to the Website

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Online Purchases and Other Terms and Conditions

All purchases through our site or other transactions for the sale of services and information formed through the Website or resulting from visits made by you are governed by our Terms of Sale, which are hereby incorporated into these Terms of Use.

Additional terms and conditions may also apply to specific portions, services, or features of the Website. All such additional terms and conditions are hereby incorporated by this reference into these Terms of Use.

Linking to the Website and Social Media Features

You may link to our homepage, provided you do so in a way that is fair and legal and does not damage our reputation or take advantage of it, but you must not establish a link in such a way as to suggest any form of association, approval, or endorsement on our part without our express written consent.

This Website may provide certain social media features that enable you to:

• Link from your own or certain third-party websites to certain content on this Website.
• Send emails or other communications with certain content, or links to certain content, on this Website.
• Cause limited portions of content on this Website to be displayed or appear to be displayed on your own or certain third-party websites.

You may use these features solely as they are provided by us, and solely with respect to the content they are displayed with and otherwise in accordance with any additional terms and conditions we provide with respect to such features. Subject to the foregoing, you must not:

• Establish a link from any website that is not owned by you.
• Cause the Website or portions of it to be displayed on, or appear to be displayed by, any other site, for example, framing, deep linking, or in-line linking.
• Link to any part of the Website other than the homepage.
• Otherwise take any action with respect to the materials on this Website that is inconsistent with any other provision of these Terms of Use.

The website from which you are linking, or on which you make certain content accessible, must comply in all respects with the Content Standards set out in these Terms of Use.

You agree to cooperate with us in causing any unauthorized framing or linking immediately to stop. We reserve the right to withdraw linking permission without notice.

We may disable all or any social media features and any links at any time without notice in our discretion.

Links from the Website

If the Website contains links to other sites and resources provided by third parties (“ Linked Sites ”), these links are provided for your convenience only. This includes links contained in advertisements, including banner advertisements and sponsored links. You acknowledge and agree that we have no control over the contents, products, services, advertising or other materials which may be provided by or through those Linked sites or resources, and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them. If you decide to access any of the third-party websites linked to this Website, you do so entirely at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of use for such websites.

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The owner of the Website is based in the state of New Jersey in the United States. We provide this Website for use only by persons located in the United States. We make no claims that the Website or any of its content is accessible or appropriate outside of the United States. Access to the Website may not be legal by certain persons or in certain countries. If you access the Website from outside the United States, you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws.

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You understand that we cannot and do not guarantee or warrant that files available for downloading from the internet or the Website will be free of viruses or other destructive code. You are responsible for implementing sufficient procedures and checkpoints to satisfy your particular requirements for anti-virus protection and accuracy of data input and output, and for maintaining a means external to our site for any reconstruction of any lost data. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, WE WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY A DISTRIBUTED DENIAL-OF-SERVICE ATTACK, VIRUSES, OR OTHER TECHNOLOGICALLY HARMFUL MATERIAL THAT MAY INFECT YOUR COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, COMPUTER PROGRAMS, DATA, OR OTHER PROPRIETARY MATERIAL DUE TO YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR TO YOUR DOWNLOADING OF ANY MATERIAL POSTED ON IT, OR ON ANY WEBSITE LINKED TO IT.

YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANY PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY MAKES ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPLETENESS, SECURITY, RELIABILITY, QUALITY, ACCURACY, OR AVAILABILITY OF THE WEBSITE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY REPRESENTS OR WARRANTS THAT THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE WILL BE ACCURATE, RELIABLE, ERROR-FREE, OR UNINTERRUPTED, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, THAT OUR SITE OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS, OR THAT THE WEBSITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE WILL OTHERWISE MEET YOUR NEEDS OR EXPECTATIONS.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, THE COMPANY HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY WARRANTIES THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.

Limitation on Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL THE COMPANY, ITS AFFILIATES, OR THEIR LICENSORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OFFICERS, OR DIRECTORS BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, UNDER ANY LEGAL THEORY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE WEBSITE, ANY WEBSITES LINKED TO IT, ANY CONTENT ON THE WEBSITE OR SUCH OTHER WEBSITES, INCLUDING ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PERSONAL INJURY, PAIN AND SUFFERING, EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, LOSS OF REVENUE, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS OR ANTICIPATED SAVINGS, LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF GOODWILL, LOSS OF DATA, AND WHETHER CAUSED BY TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), BREACH OF CONTRACT, OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF FORESEEABLE.

THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, licensors, and service providers, and its and their respective officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, suppliers, successors, and assigns from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to your violation of these Terms of Use or your use of the Website, including, but not limited to, your User Contributions, any use of the Website’s content, services, and products other than as expressly authorized in these Terms of Use or your use of any information obtained from the Website.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

All matters relating to the Website and these Terms of Use and any dispute or claim arising therefrom or related thereto (in each case, including non-contractual disputes or claims), shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New Jersey without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New Jersey or any other jurisdiction).

Any legal suit, action, or proceeding arising out of, or related to, these Terms of Use or the Website shall be instituted exclusively in the federal courts of the United States or the courts of the State of New Jersey in each case located in the County of Monmouth although we retain the right to bring any suit, action, or proceeding against you for breach of these Terms of Use in your country of residence or any other relevant country. You waive any and all objections to the exercise of jurisdiction over you by such courts and to venue in such courts. You may not under any circumstances commence or maintain against us any class action, class arbitration, or other representative action or proceeding.

Arbitration

By using this Website, you agree, at Company’s sole discretion, that it may require you to submit any disputes arising from the use of these Terms of Use or the Website, including disputes arising from or concerning their interpretation, violation, invalidity, non-performance, or termination, to final and binding arbitration under the Rules of Arbitration of the American Arbitration Association applying New Jersey law. In doing so, YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO GO TO COURT to assert or defend any claims between you and us. YOU ALSO GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION OR OTHER CLASS PROCEEDING. Your rights may be determined by a NEUTRAL ARBITRATOR, NOT A JUDGE OR JURY. You are entitled to a fair hearing before the arbitrator. The arbitrator can grant any relief that a court can, but you should note that arbitration proceedings are usually simpler and more streamlined than trials and other judicial proceedings. Decisions by the arbitrator are enforceable in court and may be overturned by a court only for very limited reasons.

Any proceeding to enforce this arbitration provision, including any proceeding to confirm, modify, or vacate an arbitration award, may be commenced in any court of competent jurisdiction. In the event that this arbitration provision is for any reason held to be unenforceable, any litigation against Company must be commenced only in the federal or state courts located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. You hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of those courts for such purposes.

Limitation on Time to File Claims

ANY CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM YOU MAY HAVE ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OF USE OR THE WEBSITE MUST BE COMMENCED WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUES, OTHERWISE, SUCH CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM IS PERMANENTLY BARRED.

Waiver and Severability

No waiver by the Company of any term or condition set out in these Terms of Use shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or condition or a waiver of any other term or condition, and any failure of the Company to assert a right or provision under these Terms of Use shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

If any provision of these Terms of Use is held by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason, such provision shall be eliminated or limited to the minimum extent such that the remaining provisions of the Terms of Use will continue in full force and effect.

Entire Agreement

The Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and Terms of Sale constitute the sole and entire agreement between you and Marco Learning LLC regarding the Website and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations, and warranties, both written and oral, regarding the Website.

Communications and Miscellaneous

If you provide us your email address, you agree and consent to receive email messages from us. These emails may be transaction or relationship communications relating to the products or services we offer, such as administrative notices and service announcements or changes, or emails containing commercial offers, promotions or special offers from us.

Your Comments and Concerns

This website is operated by Marco Learning LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company with an address of 113 Monmouth Road, Suite 1, Wrightstown, New Jersey 08562.

Please contact us   for all other feedback, comments, requests for technical support, and other communications relating to the Website.

AP® US Government

Ap® us government faq: everything you need to know for 2024.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: February 8, 2024

Read below for detailed answers to the most common questions about the 2024 AP® United States Government and Politics exam.

What We Review

Is AP® US Government easy? What can make it hard?

The AP® US Government and Politics exam is more difficult than a regular high school level government and politics course. AP® courses are generally meant to simulate introductory college-level courses, so the AP® exams are crafted to test content understanding higher than most high school courses. 

Compared with other AP® courses, the AP® US Government and Politics exam is more difficult than other AP® exams, as explained below.

On the 2023 AP® US Government and Politics exam, 49.2% of students who took the exam scored a 3 or better . The mean score for 2022 was 2.59. In general, scores on the AP® US Government and Politics exam are a bit lower on average than other AP® exams.

The statistics above are based on an average of approximately 300,000 yearly exam takers.  In 2023, there were 329,132 test-takers. The AP® US Government and Politics exam is among the more popular exams in the AP® course catalog.

If you want to achieve the highest score possible on the AP® US Government and Politics exam, it is useful to understand which of the course’s units carry more weight than others on the exam. This knowledge will help you focus on those units as you study.

The AP® US Government and Politics exam has two units that carry between 45% and 63% of the total exam. Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government is weighted at 25-36%, and Unit 5: Political Participation is weighted at 20-27%. Focusing half of your study time on these two sections will ensure that you’re prepared for approximately half of the exam questions. 

The rest of the units for the AP® US Government and Politics exam are weighted as follows:

• Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy (15-22%)
• Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (13-18%)
• Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs (10-15%)

While the percentage weighting for Units 1, 3, and 4 are lower than that for units 2 and 5, they still make up a significant portion of the exam, so you should be sure to cover all AP® US Government and Politics course content topics in preparation for the exam. 

Achieving a score of 3 or better on the AP® US Government and Politics exam is no easy feat. You may find it useful to know exactly how many questions you must correctly answer in each section to pass this exam. Albert’s AP® US Government and Politics score calculator (previewed below) shows that you would need to answer at least 28 of the 55 multiple-choice questions correctly and at least half of the total possible points on the free-response questions to get a score of 3 or higher.

Is AP® US Government and Politics worth it?

There are many reasons why students feel that taking AP® US Government and Politics is worth it for them. First, taking AP® courses shifts students’ mindset toward the critical thinking and analysis required in college courses. Doing well in the course can help students to build their confidence academically. 

When applying to colleges, the AP® courses on your high school transcript will show admissions counselors that you are prepared for college’s rigors. According to College Board research , “students who receive a score of 3 or higher on AP® Exams typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher graduation rates than their non-AP® peers.”

Of course, parents will be very interested in the potential cost-savings of taking AP® courses. At many colleges, students who pass an AP® exam can substitute that exam for the class in college. This translates into savings on college tuition and can sometimes mean that the student can graduate early, if they entered college with a significant number of college credits at high school graduation. 

This chart highlights just a few of the hundreds of colleges that accept AP® US Government and Politics for college credit and how that can translate into tuition savings.

When you factor in the tuition savings, the academic confidence, and the benefits in the admissions process, you can see that taking AP® US Government and Politics is worth it.

When is the 2024 AP® US Government and Politics exam?

The 2024 AP® US Government and Politics exam will be given in person using paper-and-pencil tests. The 2024 AP® US Government and Politics exam will take place on:

Mon, May 6, 2024 at 8am local time

Curious about when other AP® exams are happening in 202 4? View or download the complete AP® exam schedule here .

Return to the Table of Contents

When do AP® US Government and Politics scores typically come out?

According to the latest update from the College Board exam season timeline , students will receive their AP® scores in July 2024. Historically, the College Board typically releases AP® scores early in the month of July.

You’ll be able to access your AP® scores online with your College Board account username and password.

How is AP® US Government and Politics scored? What’s the weighting of different questions?  

Below is a breakdown of the scoring for the AP® US Government and Politics exam:

The first section of the AP® US Government and Politics exam consists of 55 multiple-choice questions. You will have one hour and 20 minutes to complete this section. This section consists of approximately 30 individual questions and 25 set-based questions. The set-based questions will cover analysis of quantitative material, text-based primary and secondary sources, and qualitative visual information. 

Section 2 of the AP® US Government and Politics exam is the free response portion. This section consists of four questions you must answer within the one hour and 40 minute time limit. The first question will be a concept application in which you must describe and explain the effects of a particular political scenario, institution, behavior or process. 

The second question will require a quantitative analysis of supplied data. From this data, you must identify any trends or patterns you see and relate these to a political scenario, institution, behavior or process. 

The third question will require a comparison of a non-required and required Supreme Court case with an explanation of which elements from the required case are relevant to the non-required case.

NOTE: Although the Supreme Court recently overturned  Roe v. Wade , this case is still required course content and is part of Unit 3, along with  Griswold v. Connecticut and  Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization . Any of these cases can be assessed in AP® questions, but none of them will be the focus of Free Response Question 3.

The fourth free-response question is an argument essay. In this response, you will need to develop an essay-length argument using supplied documents and relevant course concepts.

Reminder: When creating a thesis statement to answer the free-response questions, make sure that you establish a strong position. Simply restating the prompt does not go far enough in creating a strong thesis statement. 

The AP® US Government and Politics exam is weighted as follows:

What happens if you fail AP® US Government and Politics?

The important thing to remember if you fail the AP® US Government and Politics exam is not to panic. You can retake the exam as many times as you choose in order to pass or even to achieve a higher score. Note that you will have to pay the exam fee each time you retake the exam.

If you are worried about the impact of failing the AP® US Government and Politics exam on your high school GPA, don’t worry. Most schools do not use your AP® US Government and Politics exam score as part of your course grade. Instead, they base that grade on your coursework, class tests and assignments. So failing this AP® US Government and Politics exam should not have any impact on your GPA.

If you are using the AP® US Government and Politics exam for college credit, failing the exam would disqualify you from getting credit for the course. If you receive a score of 3 or higher on the exam, you’ll want to check with your college of choice to see if your score qualifies for college credit. Typically, scores lower than 3 do not qualify for credit.

You can minimize the impact of failing the AP® US Government and Politics exam on your college admissions chances if you retake the exam and pass it. Students are in control of which colleges receive their AP® scores, so you have the option of not sending your low score to particular colleges. Even if you do send them a low score, most schools will allow you to replace that score with a higher score if you retake the exam. 

When do students typically take AP® US Government and Politics? When is best?

The AP® US Government and Politics exam is one that students typically take in their last two years of high school. 

When you should take the AP® US Government and Politics exam will depend on the requirements of your high school. Some schools will require students take certain prerequisite courses, typically an introductory U.S. History course, so taking AP® US Government and Politics in your freshman year could be a challenge. 

Many students wait until their junior or senior year to take AP® US Government and Politics. By the second half of your high school career, you are better able to manage the demands of high school courses and may have even taken one or two other AP® courses and are more aware of what to expect. 

If you take other AP® courses prior to taking the AP® US Government and Politics exam, you will have more experience with the types of questions required in AP® courses and the level of detail required in the free-response section of this exam. All of this experience will help you be more successful in this course detailing the United States government and political process. 

The decision of when to take the AP® US Government and Politics exam will be different for each student. Your parents, guidance counselor and teachers can assist you with this decision and help you decide when is the right time to take AP® US Government and Politics.

Where can I find past AP® US Government and Politics exams?

You can find past ap® us government and politics exam questions on the college board’s ap® central website ..

The College Board has also provided online access to the practice tests for the last few years so that you can become familiar with the types of questions on past exams. These practice tests will also allow you to understand the academic rigor of the questions and to see what kinds of answers have resulted in full credit in the past. 

Below are links to the AP® US Government and Politics exam practice tests for the last five years:

• 2023 AP® US Government and Politics Free-Response Questions
• 2022 AP® US Government and Politics Free-Response Questions (Set 1)
• 2022 AP® US Government and Politics Free-Response Questions (Set 2)
• 2021 AP® US Government and Politics Free-Response Questions (Set 1)
• 2021 AP® US Government and Politics Free-Response Questions (Set 2)
• 2019 AP® US Government and Politics Free-Response Questions
• 2018 AP® US Government and Politics Free-Response Questions

NOTE: The 2020 AP® US Government and Politics Exam is not listed above because it had a unique format given the COVID-related adjustments.

The course content was changed for the 2018-2019 academic year .

If you are interested in examples of multiple choice questions for the AP® US Government and Politics exam, you can access those here . The number of multiple-choice questions in the guide is limited, so it won’t encompass all of the content and learning objectives that the actual exam will cover. But it does provide a glimpse into what to expect from the multiple-choice portion of the exam.

If you want to get more practice on the multiple choice portion of the AP® US Government and Politics exam, visit Albert to find hundreds more multiple choice practice questions that are aligned with the learning objectives and units covered by the AP® US Government and Politics.

The AP® Central website contains a wealth of other useful information that you should consider reviewing in order to maximize your chances at a high score on the AP® US Government and Politics. These resources include:

• AP® US Government and Politics Scoring Guidelines: 2023 / 2022 (Set 1) / 2022 (Set 2) / 2021 (Set 1) / 2021 (Set 2) / 2019 / 2018 / 2017 / 2016
• AP® US Government and Politics Chief Reader Reports: 2023 / 2022 / 2021 / 2019 / 2018 / 2017 / 2016
• AP® US Government and Politics Scoring Reports: 2023 / 2022 (Set 1) / 2022 (Set 2) / 2021 (Set 1) / 2021 (Set 2) / 2019 / 2018 / 2017 / 2016

Viewing the scoring guidelines can be useful because they will show you how the points are assigned for each short answer question.

While the multiple choice questions are straightforward at one point each, the short answer questions are more subjective to grade. The scoring guidelines above can provide examples of the types of answers awarded full or partial credit on past exams. 

The Chief Reader Reports are very useful for getting even more insight into the grading process for the short answer and essay questions. This report explains the expectations for each question and provides guidance on the information and elements that are necessary for a successful response.  Using this report you can find out what kinds of information you must include and get a glimpse of where other students fell short in answering the question. 

For example, the 2019 Chief Reader Report for AP® US Government and Politics revealed that many students struggled with establishing a unique line of reasoning. Instead, they often just restated the question prompt.  The reader felt that this signaled a tentativeness in their argument.  

The Scoring Report for AP® US Government and Politics is useful because it shows you which questions were most missed by students in past exams and which ones were most often answered successfully. For example, in 2019, question #3 had a mean score of 1.74 out of 4 possible points, which was the lowest mean score of all of the questions. 

The correct answer to this question required students to read a Supreme Court case summary and compare it to the required course case. Students also had to identify the common clause in the Constitution that applied to the cases. The Chief Reader Report showed that students often identified the wrong clause. Those that did identify the correct clause missed points by discussing the ruling rather than the facts of the case.

Once you’ve reviewed all of the resources above, you should also review the sample responses for the AP® US Government and Politics. Three sample responses are provided for each question. At the end of the three responses, there is a breakdown of how many points each would have received as well as detailed explanations of why they earned or failed to earn points. 

The AP® Central website provides a wealth of information about the successful answering and scoring of the short answer and essay questions for the AP® US Government and Politics exam. With all of this emphasis on these questions, it can be easy to forget that 50% of the exam score comes from your ability to successfully answer the multiple choice questions. Albert provides you with thousands of multiple-choice practice questions that are aligned with the AP® US Government and Politics. Each question includes a detailed explanation of each question and the correct answer. 

Click here to learn more about Albert

Who should take AP® US Government and Politics? What sort of students may like it more than others?

There are a variety of factors to consider when deciding if you should take AP® US Government and Politics. If you enjoy current events and the workings and origins of the American political system, the course content will be interesting to you. The course overview can give you more insight into what the course will cover. 

Of course, no student is required to take AP® US Government and Politics in order to graduate. If the content outlined in the course overview does not align with your interests and strengths, you might want to choose a different AP® course. The College Board provides a wide variety of AP® courses and you would be better off choosing one you are interested in, as this will consume a good portion of your academic time for the year. 

Taking the AP® US Government exam can be a good idea if you are planning on attending college. This is especially true if you plan to major in political science, history or any other writing and reading intensive major. AP® courses like AP® US Government and Politics can help you get acclimated to the rigors of college-level courses. They can also signal to admissions counselors that you are serious about and prepared for college academics. 

Getting a higher score on AP® exams can increase your chances of being accepted at some highly selective colleges. If your goal in taking the AP® US Government and Politics exam is to score a 5, it will be useful to know the difficulty of achieving this goal on this particular exam. For 2022, 12.0% of students who took this exam scored a perfect 5. 

This percentage is higher than that of most of the AP® History exams.

Achieving a perfect score on any AP® exam is a difficult task. You should choose AP® courses that best align with your skills and interests rather than choosing those with the best chance for a perfect score. While the final choice is up to you, the decision of which AP® courses to take should be made in consultation with your teachers, your guidance counselor and your parents. 

How do students typically score on AP® US Government and Politics? What’s the score distribution?

How students typically score on the AP® US Government and Politics exam depends on such factors as how well they studied for the exam, their aptitude for the subject, and their writing ability. The chart below outlines the score distributions for the AP® US Government and Politics exam for the last three years. 

This exam has historically yielded a passing rate of around 50% or better. The number of AP® US Government and Politics exam test-takers has remained relatively stable over those years.

The 2023 AP® US Government and Politics exam mean score was 2.59 . This mean was based on a total of 329,132 students who took this exam in 2023 . 

Need help preparing for your AP® US Government exam?

Albert has hundreds of AP® US Government practice multiple-choice questions, free-response questions, and full-length practice tests to try out.

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., guide to the ap u.s. government and politics exam.

Can you discuss the strengths of the Constitution? Do you understand the role of PACs in our political process? The AP ® U.S. Government & Politics exam tests the topics and skills discussed in your AP Gov course. If you score high enough, your AP score could earn you college credit !

Check out our AP U.S. Government Guide for what you need to know about the exam:

• Exam Overview
• Sections & Question Types
• How to Prepare

AP Government Exam Overview

The College Board is very detailed in what they require your AP teacher to cover in his or her AP U.S. Government & Politics course. You should be familiar with the following topics:

• Foundations of American Democracy: Ideals of Democracy; Types of Democracy; Government Power and Individual Rights; Challenges of the Articles of Confederation; Ratification of the U.S. Constitution; Principles of American Government; Relationship Between the States and Federal Government; Constitutional Interpretations of Federalism; Federalism in Action
• Interactions Among Branches of Government: Congress: The Senate and the House of Representatives; Structures, Powers, and Functions of Congress; Congressional Behavior; Roles and Powers of the President; Checks on the Presidency; Expansion of Presidential Power; Presidential Communication; The Judicial Branch; Legitimacy of the Judicial Branch; The Court in Action; Checks on the Judicial Branch; The Bureaucracy; Discretionary and Rule-Making Authority; Holding the Bureaucracy Accountable; Policy and the Branches of Government
• Civil Liberties and Civil Rights: The Bill of Rights; First Amendment: Freedom of Religion; First Amendment: Freedom of Speech; First Amendment: Freedom of the Press; Second Amendment: Right to Bear Arms; Amendments: Balancing Individual Freedom with Public Order and Safety; Selective Incorporation; Amendments: Due Process and the Rights of the Accused; Amendments: Due Process and the Right to Privacy; Social Movements and Equal Protection; Government Responses to Social Movements; Balancing Minority and Majority Rights; Affirmative Action
• American Political Ideologies and Beliefs: American Attitudes About Government and Politics; Political Socialization; Changes in Ideology; Influence of Political Events on Ideology; Measuring Public Opinion; Evaluating Public Opinion Data; Ideologies of Political Parties; Ideology and Policy Making; Ideology and Economic Policy; Ideology and Social Party
• Political Participation: Voting Rights and Models of Voting Behavior; Voter Turnout; Political Parties; How and Why Political Parties Change and Adapt; Third-Party Politics; Interest Groups Influencing Policy Making; Groups Influencing Policy Outcomes; Electing a President; Congressional Elections; Modern Campaigns; Campaign Finance; The Media; Changing Media

For a comprehensive content review, check out our book,  AP U.S. Government & Politics Prep

AP U.S. Government & Politics Required Supreme Court Cases

For information regarding required Supreme Court cases to know for the course and potentially the exam, refer to the AP U.S. Government & Politics Course and Exam Description, Effective Fall 2022 .

Read More: Review for the exam with our AP Government Cram Courses 

AP U.S. Government & Politics Sections & Question Types

The AP U.S. Government and Politics exam is 3 hours long and has two sections: a multiple-choice section and a free response section.

Multiple-Choice Questions

The AP U.S. Government & Politics multiple-choice questions test the following skills:

• Application of political concepts and processes in hypothetical and authentic contexts
• Application of SCOTUS decisions in authentic contexts
• Analysis and interpretation of quantitative data
• Analysis and interpretation of sources

AP Gov Free Response Questions (FRQ)

For success on the AP U.S. Government & Politics FRQs, you'll need to:

• Compare: provide a description/explanation of similarities and/or differences
• Define: provide a specific meaning of a word or concept
• Describe: provide the relevant characteristics of a specified topic
• Develop an argument: articulate a claim and support it with evidence
• Draw a conclusion: use available information to formulate an accurate statement that demonstrates understanding based on evidence
• Explain: provide info about how/why a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome occurs using evidence or reasoning.
• Identify: Indicate or provide information about a specified topic, without elaboration or explanation.

Interpreting AP U.S. Government & Politics Scores

AP scores on the are reported from 1 to 5. Colleges are generally looking for a 4 or 5 on the AP U.S. Gov & Politics exam, but some may grant credit for a 3. Here’s how students scored on the AP U.S. Government & Politics Exam in May 2022: 

Source: College Board

How can I prepare?

AP classes are great, but for many students they’re not enough! For a thorough review of AP U.S. Government & Politics content and strategy, pick the AP prep option that works best for your goals and learning style.

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AP BArch admission 2024: Registration begins today at apsche.ap.gov.in

Ap barch admission 2024: the ap barch admission 2024 registration has started at apsche.ap.gov.in, with applications open until august 19. key dates include certificate verification from august 13 to 20, and the release of seat allotment results on august 29..

AP BArch admission 2024: The registration process for AP BArch Admission 2024 has been commenced today, August 12, on the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) website, apsche.ap.gov.in . Eligible candidates seeking admission to the Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) programme in Andhra Pradesh can apply online until August 19.

The AP BArch 2024 admission will be based on the scores of National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) or JEE Main Paper 2. The authorities will normalise these scores and subsequently release the individual State Architecture Rank (SAR) for the candidates.

AP BArch Admission 2024: Eligibility criteria

Candidates interested in applying must have passed the 10+2 or equivalent examination with Mathematics as a compulsory subject. For general category candidates, a minimum aggregate of 50 per cent is required, while for SC/ST category candidates, the required minimum aggregate is 45 per cent. Additionally, candidates must have valid scores in either the NATA 2024 or JEE Main 2024 Paper 2 (BArch) examinations.

AP BArch Admission 2024: Important Dates

The AP BArch Admission 2024 application window will be open from today will August 19. Following the application process, certificate verification is scheduled to take place from August 13 to 20. The list of registered candidates will be displayed between August 21 and 22.

On August 24, the authorities will allot the State Architecture Rank (SAR). Candidates can then exercise their web options on August 26 and 27, with the results of the first round of seat allotment being announced on August 29. Those who secure a seat must complete the payment of fees and report to their allotted colleges between August 30 and September 2, 2024.

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Majority of US adults say democracy is on the ballot but they differ on the threat: AP-NORC poll

FILE - Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz arrive at a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Aug. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

FILE - Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrive a campaign rally, July 20, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Mich. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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NEW YORK (AP) — Roughly 3 in 4 American adults believe the upcoming presidential election is vital to the future of U.S. democracy, although which candidate they think poses the greater threat depends on their political leanings, according to a poll.

The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that most Democrats, Republicans and independents see the election as “very important” or “extremely important” to democracy, while Democrats have a higher level of intensity about the issue. More than half of Democrats say the November election is “extremely important” to the future of U.S. democracy, compared to about 4 in 10 independents and Republicans.

Democrat Pamela Hanson, 67, of Amery, Wisconsin, said she has grave concerns for the future of democracy in the country if Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gets elected .

“His statements tend towards him being a king or a dictator, a person in charge by himself,” Hanson said. “I mean, the man is unhinged in my opinion.”

But Republican Ernie Wagner from Liberty, New York, said it’s President Joe Biden’s administration — of which Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, is a part — that has abused the power of the executive branch.

“Biden has tried to erase the student loans, and he’s been told by the courts that it’s unconstitutional to do that,” said Wagner, 85. “He’s weaponized the FBI to get at his political opponents.”

The poll findings suggest that many Democrats continue to view Trump as a threat to democracy after he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election , embraced the rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and threatened to seek retribution against his opponents if he wins reelection.

But they also indicate that many of Trump’s supporters agree with him that Biden is the real threat to democracy. Trump and his allies have accused Biden of weaponizing the Justice Department as it has pursued charges against the former president over his effort to halt certification of the 2020 election and keeping classified documents, though there is no evidence Biden has had any involvement or influence in the cases .

Trump has framed himself as a defender of American values and portrayed Biden as a “destroyer” of democracy. He said multiple times after he survived an assassination attempt last month that he “took a bullet for democracy.”

The poll, conducted in the days after Biden dropped out of the race and Harris announced her campaign, is an early glimpse of Americans’ views of a reshaped contest.

Majorities of both Democrats and Republicans say democracy could be at risk in this election depending on who wins the presidency, responses generally in line with the findings when the question was last asked in an AP-NORC poll in December 2023 .

Hanson, the Wisconsin Democrat, said she worries Trump in a second term would use the conservative-dominated U.S. Supreme Court to overrule important freedoms. She also is concerned that he would fill his Cabinet with loyalists who don’t care about the well-being of everyone in the country and defund agencies that regulate key functions of society.

But Wagner, the New York Republican, brushed off those concerns and pointed to Trump’s time in office.

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“When he was in the White House, we had peace, we had prosperity, we had energy independence,” he said. “What’s undemocratic about that?”

He said he didn’t think Trump’s intentions leading up to and on Jan. 6 were criminal.

“I just think he was misguided,” Wagner said.

Some independents also are carefully considering the stakes of the upcoming election on the country’s democratic future.

“I believe that this is the most important election of my lifetime,” said 53-year-old Patricia Seliga-Williams of LaVale, Maryland, an independent who is leaning toward voting for Harris.

Seliga-Williams said she’s barely scraping by on $15 an hour as a hotel breakfast attendant and remembers Trump handling the economy and immigration well. But she didn’t like it when he recently quipped that he plans to be a “dictator” on day one in office.

“We all know Donald Trump could run the country,” she said. “But he’s just too aggressive anymore, and I don’t think I can trust that as a voter.”

Not everyone agrees that this year’s presidential election will be an inflection point for the country’s democracy, offering starkly different reasons, according to the AP-NORC poll. About 2 in 10 Americans say democracy in the U.S. is strong enough to withstand the outcome of the election no matter who wins, while another 2 in 10 believe democracy is already so seriously broken that the outcome doesn’t matter.

The poll also shows the stakes of democracy in the election are felt more by older adults rather than younger ones. About half of adults 45 and older say the outcome of the election is extremely important for the future of democracy, compared to about 4 in 10 adults under 45.

“Making the claim that the other candidate is trying to destroy democracy, it doesn’t really land for me,” said Daniel Oliver, 26, an independent from suburban Detroit. “I think that we have things in place that should safeguard against when you kind of play at destroying democracy. We have other branches of government. We have people that believe in voting. So, it would be hard for a candidate to take over and become some kind of dictator.”

He said he’ll be looking for candidates to talk about issues he’s more interested in, such as reducing inflation and investing in clean energy sources.

Biden and Trump spent months sparring over whose second term would be worse for democracy. The president nodded to the consequences when he ended his campaign last month, saying in his Oval Office address that “the defense of democracy is more important than any title.”

Harris has focused more on the concept of “freedom” in the early days of her campaign. She has said Trump’s reelection could result in Americans losing the freedom to vote , the freedom to be safe from gun violence and the freedom for women to make decisions about their own bodies. Her debut campaign ad last month was set to Beyoncé’s 2016 track “Freedom,” and it has become a campaign anthem for her at rallies ever since.

Harris didn’t mention democracy in her first two presidential campaign rallies, but she returned to the topic in remarks to Sigma Gamma Rho sorority members in Houston last week, saying “our fundamental freedoms are on the ballot, and so is our democracy.”

The poll of 1,143 adults was conducted July 25-29, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.

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