(3) AP Government UNIT 2 REVIEW [Everything You Need to Know!]

Unit 2: Three Branches of Government

General Overview

  • Focuses on the interactions between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, including the bureaucracy.

  • Important for AP Government exam preparation.

Legislative Branch (Congress)

  • Bicameral Structure

    • Comprised of two houses: House of Representatives and Senate.

    • Legislation must be agreed upon by both houses.

  • House of Representatives

    • 435 members; representatives are apportioned by state population.

    • Members serve 2-year terms; closer connection to constituents.

  • Senate

    • 100 members; 2 senators per state, serving 6-year terms.

    • Senators have broader responsibilities than House members.

  • Legislation Process

    • Coalitions are formed; durability affected by term lengths (Senate more stable).

  • Congressional Powers

    • Enumerated Powers: Explicitly listed in Article 1, Section 8 (e.g., tax, war declaration).

    • Implied Powers: Powers inferred via the Necessary and Proper Clause (e.g., establishing a national bank).

  • Leadership Structures

    • House: Speaker leads; majority/minority leaders direct debates.

    • Senate: Vice President as President of the Senate; Majority Leader has significant power.

  • Committees: Function primarily through 4 types:

    1. Standing Committees: Permanent (e.g., Budget).

    2. Joint Committees: Members from both houses.

    3. Select Committees: Temporary, specific purposes.

    4. Conference Committees: Resolve bill differences.

  • Bill Becoming Law

    • Process: Introduction, committee assignment, marking up, voting, approval by President.

    • Legislative work influenced by factors like political polarization and representative models (trustee, delegate, politico).

Executive Branch (President)

  • Formal Powers

    • Veto power provided by Article 2, can be overridden by Congress.

    • Executive agreements and military command authority (cannot declare war).

  • Informal Powers

    • Bargaining, persuasion, executive orders, and signing statements.

  • Conflict with Congress

    • Appointments require Senate confirmation; tensions rise during Supreme Court nominations.

Judicial Branch

  • Court Structure

    • U.S. District Courts (original jurisdiction).

    • U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals (appellate jurisdiction).

    • Supreme Court (original/appellate jurisdiction).

  • Judicial Review

    • Established by Marbury v. Madison, allows courts to rule on the constitutionality of laws.

  • Precedent and Decision-Making

    • Importance of stare decisis and judicial activism versus restraint.

Bureaucracy

  • Structure

    • Composed of cabinet departments, agencies, regulatory commissions, and government corporations.

  • Functions

    • Write & enforce regulations, compliance monitoring, issue fines, and testify before Congress.

  • Iron Triangle Relationship

    • Interactions among bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups.

  • Accountability

    • Congress controls funding, and judicial checks on agency decisions.

Key Cases

  • Baker v. Carr: Equal protection in districting (one person, one vote).

  • Shaw v. Reno: Unconstitutionality of racial gerrymandering.

Notable Definitions

  • Gerrymandering: Manipulating district boundaries for electoral advantage.

  • Political Polarization: Increasing ideological differences between parties affecting legislation.

  • Pork Barrel Spending: Funding for local projects within a bill to gain favor.

  • Filibuster and Cloture: Tactics in the Senate to extend/discourage debate.

  • Trustee, Delegate, Politico: Models describing representatives' voting behavior.