Here it is: Your Study Guide for the American Government Final Exam!

NOTE: Don’t freak out at the length of this study guide!

This is simply every single thing I could test you on!

To narrow things down for you, do the following:

1. Look over the following and study each question enough to get an idea of what the right answer is. But save time to do #2, below . . .
2. Take all the practice tests I have on mygradebook.com, several times. This is actually the best way to get a grasp of what I might ask. I may draw questions from tests/quizzes you haven’t seen, but the material we covered in class is all the same . . .

THE FORMAT OF THIS TEST:

1. OPEN-NOTHING!
2. 50-60 multiple-choice questions

From "The Important Sections of the Constitution:"

Article I--The Legislative Branch:

Section 1: Know what this section means.

Section 2: Know all the material in this section.

Section 3: Know all the material in this section.

Section 4: Know when Congress meets, and the day their first session of the year begins.

Section 5: Be able to define the word "Quorum," and know what number of votes are needed to expel a member of Congress.

Section 6: Know the three cases in which "Congressional Immunity" does not apply.

Section 7: Identify in which house of Congress revenue bills MUST originate, as well as the basic process in which an action becomes a law, and the 4 things a President may do when an action reaches his desk.

Section 8: Know these powers, one of which MUST be #18.

Section 9: Know these powers.

Section 10: Know these powers.

Article II--The Executive Branch:

Section 1:

• Identify the President's term of office.
• Describe how a President gets elected, including how the Electoral College is used and how many electors each state has.
• Identify the 3 qualifications for anyone to be President.
• Identify the current salary and amount for official expenses that the President has.

Section 2:

• Describe the President's role as Commander in Chief.
• Describe the President's power of appointment, as well as his treaty-making power.

Section 3: Duties of the President

• Know them well enough to be able to pick them out of a multiple-choice lineup.

Section 4: Impeachment

• Identify the three cases in which the President may be impeached.

Article III--The Judicial Branch:

Section 1: Federal Courts

• Know the basic structure of the federal courts in the nation.
• Know how long federal judges serve in their positions.

Section 2: Jurisdiction of the Federal Courts

• Know the types of cases in which federal courts have original jurisdiction.
• Know the types of cases in which the Supreme Court have original jurisdiction.
• Know what type of trial is guaranteed to everyone accused of a federal crime (except in cases of impeachment).

Section 3: Treason

• Know everything under this section.

Article IV: Relations of the States to Each Other

Section 1: Official Acts

• Define the "Full Faith and Credit" Clause.

Section 2: Privileges of Citizens

• Define "Extradition."

Section 3: New States and Territories

• Know subsection (1) of this part.

Section 4: Guarantees and Protection for the States

• Know each subsection of this part.

Article V: How Amendments are Made

• Know it all (the 2 ways an amendment can be proposed, as well as the 2 ways a proposed amendment can be ratified).

Article VI: General Provisions

• Know subsection (2) of this section.

Amendment 1: Freedom of Speech, Press, Assembly, and Religion (1791)

• Know each of the 5 types of unprotected speech we went over in class.

Amendment 2: Right to Keep and Bear Arms (1791)

• Know the dichotomy inherent in this amendment.

Amendment 3: Quartering of Soldiers (1791)

• Be able to define this amendment, and describe its relevance to Americans today.

Amendment 4: Search and Seizure: Warrants (1791)

• Define both parts of this amendment.

Amendment 5: Rights of Persons Accused of a Crime (1791)

• Know each of the 5 parts of this amendment.

Amendment 6: Right to a Speedy Trial (1791)

• Know each of the 5 parts of this amendment.

Amendment 7: Jury Trial in Civil Cases (1791)

• Know this amendment, including the dollar amount.

Amendment 8: Excessive Bails, Fines, or Cruel and Unusual Punishment (1791)

• Know all 3 parts of this amendment, as well as how the Supreme Court defines them today.

Amendment 9: Powers Reserved to the People (1791)

• Know this amendment.

Amendment 10: Powers Reserved to the States (1791)

• Know this amendment.

From "The Legislative Branch" Presentation

1. Know how many members are in each house of Congress.
2. Define the term "Congressional District" as it applies to members of the House of Representatives.
3. Describe at least 5 benefits members of Congress receive as part of the job.
4. Know the difference between a joint session and a special session of Congress.
5. Define a party caucus.
6. Identify all of the leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
7. Identify and describe each of the 5 types of committees that Congress has, as well as how membership on each of them is divided.
8. Identify each of the major steps in which an action becomes a law.

From "The Executive Branch"

1. Name the 3 qualifications needed for anyone to be President.
2. What is the Presidential salary and allowance for official expenses?
3. What is the Vice President's term of office?
4. Describe, IN DETAIL, the process of presidential succession outlined in the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. Include the "I can’t work anymore" and the "I can work again" clauses in your answer.
5. Describe the President's role as Commander in Chief, and outline the limitations placed upon the President by the War Powers Resolution Act of 1973.
6. Identify and describe the three judicial powers that the President has.
7. What is the Cabinet, and how do Cabinet officials get their jobs?
8. Describe the roles of each of the following Cabinet departments, and identify the head of that department:

a. Department of State

b. Department of the Treasury

c. Department of Defense

d. Department of Justice

e. Department of the Interior

f. Department of Agriculture

g. Department of Commerce

h. Department of Labor

i. Department of Health and Human Services

j. Department of Housing and Urban Development

k. Department of Transportation

l. Department of Energy

m. Department of Education

n. Department of Veterans Affairs

o. Department of Homeland Security

9. Describe how each of the following influence U.S. foreign policy:

a.       The President:

b.       Public Opinion

c.        The Senate

d.       The Media

e.        Key people in key places

10. Describe how the world is organized politically, in VERY general terms.

11. Define "despot," and explain where one is most likely to find one.

12. Describe at least 2 roles that the United States plays in the world today, and describe at least TWO changes to this role since the events of September 11, 2001.

From "The Judicial Branch"

Define:

1. Statutory Laws
2. Precedent
3. Common Law (note especially what these laws usually become)
4. Administrative Laws
5. Constitutional Law
6. Grand Jury
7. Indicted
8. Trial Jury
9. Petit Jury
10. Jurors
11. Jury Duty
12. Verdict

Answer the following questions:

1. Identify and describe the four types of laws that we make in the United States. Also, be able to explain which of the four "prevails" in the United States.
2. Identify and describe 6 basic rights that any American citizen accused of a crime has.
3. Study this handout on the Michigan Judicial System, and know the basic answers to each of the FAQs on it.

Define:

1. Jurisdiction
2. Original Jurisdiction
3. Appellate Jurisdiction
4. Subpoenas
5. Circuit
6. Court-martial
7. District Courts
8. U.S. Marshal
9. U.S. Magistrate
10. U.S. Attorney
11. Courts of Appeals
12. Supreme Court
13. United States Claims Court
14. United States Court of International Trade
15. Territorial Courts
16. United States Tax Court
17. Court of Military Appeals

Answer the following questions:

1. Describe each part of a basic criminal trial, as we simulated in class.
2. Describe the basic process of a case in a Court of Appeals, using the term "uphold" as a part of your answer.

Define (for the cases, know the facts, the ruling, and what's relevant about each to all of us):

1. Judicial Review
2. Unconstitutional
3. Brief
4. Opinion
5. Concurring opinion
6. Dissenting opinion
7. Marbury v. Madison (1803)
8. McCullough v. Maryland (1819)
9. Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
10. Plessy v. Ferguson (1898)
11. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KS (1954)
12. Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
13. Roe v. Wade (1973)
14. University of California Regents v. Bakke (1978)
15. Grutter v. Bollinger (2001-2)
16. Gratz v. Bollinger (2001-2)
17. Kyllo v. United States (2001)
18. Kelo v. City of New London (2005)

Answer the following questions:

1. Describe how the Supreme Court decides which cases it wants to hear, as well as what happens if it doesn’t choose to hear a particular case.
2. How does Congress limit the power of the Supreme Court? (2 basic ways you should know . . .)

BEST OF LUCK TO YOU AS YOU STUDY FOR THIS, OUR LAST ACADEMIC ENCOUNTER TOGETHER! IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, DON’T HESITATE TO EMAIL ME.