ap gov

Aight bih I got you — clean, concise, ONLY the test-worthy facts for AP Gov Chapters 7 & 8 (O’Connor/Sabato/Yanus). No fluff.





CHAPTER 7 — THE PRESIDENCY (TEST ESSENTIALS)




1. Constitutional Requirements



  • 35+ years old

  • Natural-born citizen

  • Resident 14 years

  • 4-year terms, 22nd Amendment = 2-term limit




2. Powers of the President




Formal (Constitutional)



  • Commander in Chief

  • Appointment power (cabinet, judges) → needs Senate approval

  • Treaties → Senate 2/3 approval

  • Veto power

  • Convene Congress

  • Pardons/Reprieves




Informal Powers



  • Executive orders

  • Executive agreements

  • Signing statements

  • Going public / using media

  • Bargaining & persuasion




3. The Presidential Establishment



  • Vice President – roles vary

  • Cabinet – heads of 15 departments

  • EOP (Executive Office of the President) – most important:

    • NSC (national security)

    • OMB (budget)


  • White House Staff – closest advisers, no Senate approval




4. Roles of the President



  • Chief Executive

  • Chief Legislator (agenda setting)

  • Commander in Chief

  • Chief Diplomat

  • Chief of State

  • Party Leader




5. Presidential Leadership



  • Power depends on public approval, relationships with Congress, and ability to persuade.

  • Modern presidency = expanded power beyond what founders expected.






CHAPTER 8 — THE BUREAUCRACY (TEST ESSENTIALS)




1. What Is the Bureaucracy?



  • The system of agencies, departments, and commissions that implement and enforce laws.

  • Grows when government responsibilities increase.




2. Types of Bureaucratic Agencies



  • Cabinet Departments (Defense, State, Education, etc.)

  • Independent Executive Agencies (NASA, EPA)

  • Independent Regulatory Commissions (FCC, SEC)

  • Government Corporations (USPS, Amtrak)




3. How Bureaucrats Are Chosen



  • Merit System → based on qualifications

  • Pendleton Act ended patronage/spoils system

  • Hatch Act limits political activity of federal workers




4. What Bureaucracies Do



  • Implement laws from Congress

  • Rule-making → agencies write regulations with force of law

  • Administrative discretion → choose how to enforce

  • Conduct enforcement & investigations




5. How the Bureaucracy Is Controlled




President



  • Appoints heads

  • Issues executive orders

  • Can reorganize the bureaucracy (limited)




Congress



  • Creates agencies

  • Funding (power of the purse)

  • Oversight hearings

  • Can rewrite laws to limit agency power




Courts



  • Judicial review on agency decisions




6. Why the Bureaucracy Has Power



  • Expertise

  • Continuity (stays longer than presidents)

  • Rule-making authority






If you memorize everything above, you’re straight for any AP Gov test on Ch. 7–8.



Want me to turn this into a rapid-fire quiz so you can practice real quick, bih?