The Varsity Tutors AP US Government Mobile App
Advanced Placement (AP) US Government is a college-level high school class that has many names, such as AP US Government and Politics, AP Government, or AP US Government. The class is designed to cover the formation of the American government and political system and analyze its function and foundation. Throughout the class, you will learn about the three branches of government and their support systems, the democratic process and how political behavior affects it, and the way political groups really work.
The free Varsity Tutors AP US Government app for Apple and Android devices is designed to prepare students for analyzing political relationships, evaluating public policies, and comparing, understanding, and interpreting major American policies and institutions. The exam consists of a 60-question multiple-choice section, followed by four essay questions. The test uses four response questions that relate to cultural, constitutional, and civil events that shaped the US Government. With the proper tools, you can increase the chances that you will be able to succeed when you reach exam day.
The Learn by Concept feature provides practice questions and explanations on various concepts that you’ll learn about in your AP Government course. Among the concepts you can study through the Learn by Concept tool include the Civil Rights movement, citizen participation, Congressional procedures, and the Bill of Rights. You can use these materials to identify your strong and weak points through the detailed feedback provided with every question. You can even share your progress on social media sites and through email.
There are hundreds of ready-to-go flashcards in the app’s database, with questions from every concept you’ll need to know on the big test. Each flashcard provides a question that you can find on the app’s practice exams, which are based on real AP US Government exams. The flashcards provide a full explanation of each answer to help you better understand the relevant concepts. You can use the app’s Flashcard Maker to build personalized flashcards using your school's tests or classwork. This can benefit a variety of learners, regardless of their preferred study style.
The app can even be used as a group study tool. Pull up the flashcards, and compete with your study partners. Try taking the tests together on separate papers, and compare answers. The flexibility of using the mobile app to study offers endless possibilities to make studying more fun. On any of the available tools, you can remove the concepts and sections that you are already strong in and focus your study time on the topics you need to review.
Taking the AP US Government exam isn’t as intimidating as it first seems to be. By properly and thoroughly preparing for the exam, you will be able to enter the testing room feeling confident and prepared. You can get your start by downloading the free Varsity Tutors AP US Government app for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices through iTunes or the Google Play Store.
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If you are a high school student and are interested in pursuing a college degree that advances you in the field of law, politics, journalism, or American studies, then the AP U.S. Government course might be of interest to you. This course will help you develop a greater understanding and appreciation of American society, while giving you the opportunity to possibly earn college credits or bypass certain prerequisite courses. Additionally, it will help you interpret political writings from a number of time periods in America, as well as understand Supreme Court rulings and the socio-political landscape of the United States.
The AP American Government course covers the function of the American government, as well as analyzes various political movements throughout the country. In this course, you will explore the United States Constitution, learn about America’s three branches of government, and learn about the various agencies that work for each branch. Moreover, the democratic process, political parties, and elections will all be covered.
The length of the end of course exam is two hours and 25 minutes, and the test is comprised of two parts. For section one, you will have 45 minutes to answer 60 multiple-choice questions. This portion of the test covers the Constitution, political philosophies, different political parties, the branches of government, public policy, and civil rights. The second portion of the test consists of four free-response questions, which you will have an hour and 40 minutes to answer. Here, you must demonstrate that you have a great understanding of the breadth of the course content and are able to analyze and evaluate U.S. policies.
As you begin the AP U.S. Government course, you will be introduced to the overall concept of government and how it should function. This is where you will learn about the services which, according to the U.S. Constitution, the American government is expected to provide. These services include justice, domestic tranquility, general well-being, and liberty. Furthermore, you will learn about different types of governments, like theocracy, dictatorship, oligarchy, and absolute and traditional monarchies.
While you explore the various functions that government serves, you will also learn about democracy. Democracy is a quintessential part of American society, and the country’s founding fathers established a few core principles to preserve it. These include popular sovereignty, a separation of powers, and a system of checks and balances. By limiting the government’s power, America’s Founding Fathers aimed to create a government that must submit to the authority of the people.
You will learn about a variety of ideologies that influenced the American government, including the political theories of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. You will also learn about America’s core values: equality, liberty, and self-governance. Furthermore, the course provides you with a deeper understanding of the three principles that govern American politics: democracy, capitalism, and constitutionalism.
After learning about the mechanics behind the American government, you will study the events that helped shaped the government of today. For example, prior to the Revolutionary War, the American colonists were subject to English laws and parliament. Disenchanted with the British run system, the colonist took the stance of “never again” when they wrote the United States Constitution, which was based on democratic principles that protected the rights of the individual.
You will also learn about how federalism became a central theme associated with the United States government. When the Articles of Confederation were written, American states operated independently and without outside influence. However, when the Constitution was enacted, America began a system of dual federalism. In this system, state governments and the federal government had their own responsibilities, and these responsibilities rarely conflicted. This concept is derived from the Tenth Amendment, which gives the federal government limited power. When President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented the New Deal, the federal government was given more power as a means to implement policies to pull America out of the Great Depression. Here, you will learn about how this laid the framework for the current federal model in America.
In order to understand the American political system, you must first understand the political culture of the United States. This section will remind you of the core American values of liberty, equality, and limited government. Another concept that is highly regarded among Americans is individualism, and how the individual’s rights are prioritized over the government’s needs.
The AP U.S. Government course works to explain the American political system by providing historical context. You will learn about how America has a two-party system, and how President George Washington vehemently opposed political parties. You will also learn about the history and policies before and after the Civil War, as well as about mildly successful third-party presidential candidates, such as James Weaver, Strom Thurmond, and Ross Perot. One of the most important aspects of the course is the voting system in the United States. You will learn about the types of elections, such as primary and general elections, as well as the Electoral College.
In order to successfully pass the AP exam, you will also need to demonstrate knowledge of the three branches of government: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. You will need to describe the process of how a bill becomes a law, as well as various legislative tactics. It is equally important that you understand the roles and duties of the president and vice president, and how the president appoints the cabinet. Finally, you must have a working knowledge of how the judicial system works. This includes knowing the steps and procedures that inform a judge’s decision, how U.S. Supreme Court Justices are selected, and what the checks and balances of power in the U.S. Supreme Court are.
After completing this course, you will have a better understanding and appreciation of the mechanics behind the U.S. Government. This course also gives you the tools necessary to analyze and interpret data related to government and politics. By understanding the American political system, the historical events that shaped the nation, and the political culture in the United States, you should have the foundation in place to take the AP American Government exam.