High school · Aligned to AP U.S. Government & Politics
US Government & Politics — study guide & practice questions
The Constitution, the three branches, civil liberties and rights, and elections, taken to AP Gov level with all required cases and documents.
Study guide
Foundations
- Popular sovereignty, natural rights and the social contract shaped the Constitution.
- Federalism divides power; McCulloch expanded national power and Lopez limited it.
The Branches
- Congress makes laws, the president executes them, and courts interpret them, with checks on each.
- Marbury v. Madison established judicial review.
Liberties, Rights & Participation
- Selective incorporation applies the Bill of Rights to the states through the 14th Amendment.
- Linkage institutions connect citizens to government: parties, interest groups, elections, media.
Course modules
4 foundation modules free to read here; 3 AP-level and advanced modules with Pro. Every module ends with a quiz in the app.
1. Foundations of American Democracy Free
The ideas behind the Constitution, why the Articles of Confederation failed, the Convention's compromises, and federalism.
Read the 3 lessons →2. Congress Free
The structure and powers of the House and Senate, how a bill becomes law, and how members represent their constituents.
Read the 3 lessons →3. The Presidency & the Bureaucracy Free
Formal and informal presidential powers, checks on the president, and how the federal bureaucracy makes and carries out policy.
Read the 3 lessons →4. The Courts & Civil Liberties Free
Judicial review and the federal courts, selective incorporation, and the First, Second and Sixth Amendment cases that define civil liberties.
Read the 3 lessons →5. AP: Civil Rights & the Required Supreme Court Cases Pro · AP Gov · Units 1–3
Equal protection and the civil rights movement, plus a study map of all 14 required Supreme Court cases and how to compare a case on the exam.
6. AP: Political Participation & Elections Pro · AP Gov · Units 4–5
Ideology and public opinion, voting behavior and turnout, parties and interest groups, the Electoral College, and campaign finance.
7. AP: Foundational Documents & Free-Response Skills Pro · AP Gov · Exam Skills
The nine required foundational documents and a strategy for each of the four free-response question types.
Sample practice questions
From module 1, Foundations of American Democracy. Pick your answers, then check them in the app, with an explanation for every question.
1. McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) established that:
2. A federal grant for highway construction that requires states to follow specific rules is a:
Sample flashcards
4 of the cards in this course's deck. Tap a card to flip it.
CourtsWhat did Marbury v. Madison (1803) establish?
Judicial review: the power of courts to strike down laws that violate the Constitution.
Foundational DocumentsMain argument of Federalist No. 10
A large republic best controls the effects of factions, because many competing factions check one another.
Civil LibertiesWhat is selective incorporation?
Applying Bill of Rights protections to the states, one at a time, through the 14th Amendment's Due Process Clause.
CongressHow can Congress override a presidential veto?
With a two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate.
The full course is in LectureMate's Course Library: every module quiz with explanations, the complete flashcard deck with spaced repetition, and a 6-step strategy for AP U.S. Government & Politics questions. Foundation modules are free; AP-level and advanced modules need Pro.