Preparing for AP US Government and Politics
SAT Score Range
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9 sessions
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Sv
DP
jl
+14
This series ended on August 31, 2022. All 1:1 and group chats related to this series are disabled 7 days after the last session.
About
Designed by the College Board, the AP US Government and Politics course “provides a college-level, nonpartisan introduction to key political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States.” Through comprehensive study and analysis of foundational political doctrines, fundamental Supreme Court cases, and modern interpretations of the two, the course provides students with a holistic overview of the theoretical principles of American Government and practical applications throughout history and in the modern day. For more information, visit the course's website and Course and Exam Description: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-united-states-government-and-politics
ABOUT THIS SERIES:
This three-week SHW series is designed to introduce prospective learners to some of the course's core concepts with an emphasis on the foundational documents and required US Supreme Court cases through short lectures, Q&A sessions, and analyses of primary sources. This course will NOT cover all content tested on the exam.
PRE-REQUISITES:
No formal pre-requisite knowledge is necessary, but learners should have a basic knowledge of foundational US history and the workings of the US Government through lower-level humanities courses and current events. Learners should also be open to rote memorization and quickly writing full and syntactically correct sentences.
SYLLABUS:
1. Dawn of a New Constitution (2 Sessions)
2. The US Constitution: Seven Foundational Articles and Three Branches of Government (2 Sessions)
3. The US Constitution: The Bill of Rights (2 Sessions)
4. From Civil Rights for Some to Civil Liberties for All (2 Sessions)
NOTE: Additional sessions for office hours and/or FRQ practices will be added as seen fit as we go on.
REMINDER: The CB explicitly declares holding no political conflicts of interest or partisan bias in the creation of the course. As such, I will also deliver content without personal biases. While healthy discussion and debate may be relevant to some topics, learners must remain respectful of each other's backgrounds and beliefs at all times.
Tutored by
Schedule
✋ ATTENDANCE POLICY
Full attendance is encouraged, but not mandatory! Feel free to come and go as you need.
SESSION 1
14
Aug
SESSION 1
Orientation
Orientation
Sun 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM UTCAug 14, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM UTC
DAY 1 — Dawn of a New Constitution (Part 1)
We'll introduce ourselves, our interests, and our expectations for this series. We'll then jump into quickly summarizing the historical context of our current government's beginnings by reviewing the Articles of Confederation, its problems, and the resulting debates surrounding the establishment of an entirely new Constitution. We'll also overview the publishing of the Brutus and Federalist papers.
Required Foundational Documents Covered: Declaration of Independence (briefly), Articles of Confederation
Required SCOTUS Cases Covered: NONE
SESSION 2
17
Aug
SESSION 2
Enrichment
Enrichment
Wed 1:30 AM - 2:30 AM UTCAug 17, 1:30 AM - 2:30 AM UTC
DAY 2 — Dawn of a New Constitution (Part 2)
We'll dive deeper into the existence of the Brutus and Federalist papers, before going over the core principles of American government, with an emphasis on federalism and its evolution over time.
Required Foundational Documents Covered: Brutus No. 1, Federalist No. 10
Required SCOTUS Cases Covered: NONE
SESSION 3
19
Aug
SESSION 3
Enrichment
Enrichment
Fri 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM UTCAug 19, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM UTC
DAY 3 — The Constitution: The Seven Articles
We'll skim through and summarize the seven original articles of the government with an emphasis on the more commonly tested clauses. We'll begin to examine Articles I-III and their original layout for our three-branch government.
Required Foundational Documents Covered: Federalist No. 51, US Constitution
Required SCOTUS Cases Covered: McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), US v. Lopez (1995)
SESSION 4
21
Aug
SESSION 4
Enrichment
Enrichment
Sun 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM UTCAug 21, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM UTC
DAY 4 — The Constitution: The Three Branches of Government
We'll connect the ideals of Articles I-III to the noticeably altered present-day set-up of our government with an emphasis on current structural roles, responsibilities, and leadership.
Required Foundational Documents Covered: Federalist Nos. 70 and 78, US Constitution
Required SCOTUS Cases Covered: Marbury vs. Madison (1803)
SESSION 5
24
Aug
SESSION 5
Enrichment
Enrichment
Wed 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM UTCAug 24, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM UTC
DAY 5 — The Constitution: The Bill of Rights (Part 1)
We'll begin examining the Bill of Rights and changes in its interpretations over time, with a focus on the First Amendment.
Required Foundational Documents Covered: US Constitution
Required SCOTUS Cases Covered: Schenk v. US (1919), Tinker v. Des Moines (1969), New York Times Co. v. United States (1971), Engel v. Vitale (1962), Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)
SESSION 6
25
Aug
SESSION 6
Office Hours
Office Hours
Thu 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM UTCAug 25, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM UTC
General office hours session dedicated to covering any remaining questions and concerns on the content given in the Addendum to Session 4, which went further into the branches of government in more detail. The Zoom room will remain open for the full hour!
SESSION 7
26
Aug
SESSION 7
Enrichment
Enrichment
Fri 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM UTCAug 26, 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM UTC
DAY 6 — The Constitution: The Bill of Rights (Part 2)
We'll continue to look closely at the first ten amendments to our Constitution and the evolution of their interpretations over time. We'll also introduce the ever-present principle of selective incorporation.
Required Foundational Documents Covered: US Constitution
Required SCOTUS Cases Covered: McDonald v. Chicago (2010), Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010)
SESSION 8
27
Aug
SESSION 8
Enrichment
Enrichment
Sat 11:00 PM - Sun, 12:00 AM UTCAug 27, 11:00 PM - Aug 28, 12:00 AM UTC
DAY 7 — Turning Civil Liberties for Some into Civil Rights for All (Part 1)
We'll direct our focus on due process and the rights of the accused (Amendments IV-VI) before walking through the implicit, yet nonetheless crucial, Constitutional right to privacy.
Required Foundational Documents Covered: US Constitution
Required SCOTUS Cases Covered: Gideon v. Wainwright (1963), Roe v. Wade (1973)
SESSION 9
30
Aug
SESSION 9
Enrichment
Enrichment
Tue 11:00 PM - Wed, 12:00 AM UTCAug 30, 11:00 PM - Aug 31, 12:00 AM UTC
DAY 8 — Turning Civil Liberties for Some into Civil Rights for All (Part 2)
We'll wrap up by spotlighting the Civil Rights Movement and its lasting effects in the present day, from social phenomena and government responses both past and present.
Required Foundational Documents Covered: Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"
Required SCOTUS Cases Covered: Baker v. Carr (1962), Shaw v. Reno (1993), Brown v. Board of Education (1954)