AP US Government & Politics AP 美国政府与政治
📌 Course at a glance
· 5 units · key topics drilled across the official outline
· Next exam: 2026-05-04 · 2026-05-04
📝 Full chapter-by-chapter lecture walkthroughs are being written. This page is the course outline — every unit and topic that will be covered, with key concepts you can already start to recognise. Use it as a study map; the chapter notes drop in over the coming weeks.
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Course outline
Unit 1 · Foundations of American Democracy 美国民主的基础
Exam weight: 15-22%
1.1 — Ideals of Democracy 民主理想
· Natural rights · Social contract · Popular sovereignty · Enlightenment ideas
1.2 — Types of Democracy 民主类型
· Participatory democracy · Pluralist democracy · Elite democracy · Representative democracy
1.3 — The Declaration of Independence 独立宣言
· Unalienable rights · Resistance to tyranny · Influence of Locke · Founding principles
1.4 — The Articles of Confederation 邦联条例
· Weaknesses of the confederation · Shays' Rebellion · Insufficient central authority · Impetus for the Constitutional Convention
1.5 — The Constitutional Convention 制宪会议
· Virginia Plan · New Jersey Plan · Great Compromise · Three-Fifths Compromise
1.6 — Principles of the Constitution 宪法原则
· Separation of powers · Checks and balances · Limited government · Republicanism
1.7 — Ratification and the Bill of Rights 批准与权利法案
· The Federalist Papers · Anti-Federalist arguments · Bill of Rights · Constitutional amendment process
1.8 — Federalism in Action 联邦制的运作
· Enumerated powers · Reserved powers · Concurrent powers · Evolution of federalism
Unit 2 · Interactions Among Branches of Government 政府各部门之间的互动
Exam weight: 25-36%
2.1 — Congress: Structure and Powers 国会：结构与权力
· Bicameral legislature · Enumerated powers · Elastic clause · Congressional organization
2.2 — The Legislative Process 立法过程
· Committee system · Rules of debate · Filibuster · How a bill becomes a law
2.3 — Congressional Behavior 国会行为
· Models of representation · Partisan voting · Interest group influence · Constituency service
2.4 — The Presidency: Powers and Roles 总统：权力与角色
· Constitutional powers · Executive orders · Executive privilege · Multiple roles of the president
2.5 — Presidential Communication and Agenda 总统沟通与议程
· State of the Union address · Bully pulpit · Public opinion · Presidential agenda setting
2.6 — Expansion of Presidential Power 总统权力的扩大
· Executive orders · Signing statements · War powers · Imperial presidency
2.7 — The Federal Bureaucracy 联邦官僚机构
· Cabinet departments · Independent agencies · Regulatory agencies · Bureaucratic reform
2.8 — Bureaucratic Discretion and Accountability 官僚裁量权与问责
· Iron triangles · Issue networks · Rulemaking · Bureaucratic accountability mechanisms
2.9 — The Federal Judiciary: Structure 联邦司法：结构
· Federal court system · Jurisdiction · Judicial appointments · Judicial independence
2.10 — Judicial Review and Supreme Court 司法审查与最高法院
· Marbury v. Madison · Power of judicial review · Judicial activism · Judicial restraint
2.11 — Landmark Supreme Court Cases 里程碑式最高法院案例
· McCulloch v. Maryland · Gideon v. Wainwright · United States v. Lopez · Baker v. Carr
2.12 — Checks and Balances in Practice 制衡的实践
· Veto power · Impeachment process · Senate confirmation · Interbranch conflict
2.13 — Policy Making and Implementation 政策制定与执行
· Policy process · Agenda setting · Policy implementation · Policy evaluation
Unit 3 · Civil Liberties and Civil Rights 公民自由与公民权利
Exam weight: 13-18%
3.1 — The Bill of Rights and Incorporation 权利法案与并入原则
· Selective incorporation · Fourteenth Amendment · Due Process Clause · Application of the Bill of Rights
3.2 — First Amendment Freedoms: Speech and Press 第一修正案自由：言论与新闻
· Limits on freedom of speech · Symbolic speech · Freedom of the press · Schenck v. United States
3.3 — First Amendment Freedoms: Religion 第一修正案自由：宗教
· Separation of church and state · Free Exercise Clause · Lemon Test · Engel v. Vitale
3.4 — Due Process and Rights of the Accused 正当程序与被告权利
· Miranda rights · Exclusionary rule · Right to counsel · Cruel and unusual punishment
3.5 — Right to Privacy 隐私权
· Griswold v. Connecticut · Roe v. Wade · Constitutional basis for privacy · Privacy in the digital age
3.6 — Second Amendment and Gun Rights 第二修正案与枪支权利
· Right to bear arms · McDonald v. Chicago · Gun control debate · District of Columbia v. Heller
3.7 — The Civil Rights Movement 民权运动
· Brown v. Board of Education · Civil Rights Act · Voting Rights Act · Nonviolent protest
3.8 — Equal Protection and Affirmative Action 平等保护与平权行动
· Equal Protection Clause · Strict scrutiny · Affirmative action debate · Systemic discrimination
Unit 4 · American Political Ideologies and Beliefs 美国政治意识形态与信仰
Exam weight: 10-15%
4.1 — American Political Culture 美国政治文化
· Individualism · Free enterprise · Rule of law · American exceptionalism
4.2 — Political Socialization 政治社会化
· Family influence · Education · Media · Peer groups
4.3 — Political Ideologies: Liberal and Conservative 政治意识形态：自由派与保守派
· Liberalism · Conservatism · Ideological spectrum · Policy preference differences
4.4 — Public Opinion and Polling 公众舆论与民调
· Scientific polling · Sampling methods · Polling error · Formation of public opinion
4.5 — Influence of Ideology on Policy 意识形态对政策的影响
· Fiscal policy positions · Social policy debates · Environmental policy · Healthcare debate
4.6 — Media and Political Communication 媒体与政治传播
· Media bias · Social media influence · Agenda setting · Echo chamber effect
Unit 5 · Political Participation 政治参与
Exam weight: 20-27%
5.1 — Voting and Voter Behavior 投票与选民行为
· Voter turnout · Voter registration · Factors influencing voting · Rational voter model
5.2 — Voter Turnout and Barriers 投票率与障碍
· Voter suppression · Voter ID laws · Early voting · Making voting accessible
5.3 — Political Parties 政党
· Two-party system · Functions of political parties · Party realignment · Third parties
5.4 — Elections and Campaigns 选举与竞选
· Primary elections · Electoral College · Campaign strategies · Swing states
5.5 — Campaign Finance 竞选资金
· Federal Election Commission · Political action committees · Citizens United ruling · Super PACs
5.6 — Interest Groups and Lobbying 利益集团与游说
· Lobbying activities · Types of interest groups · Grassroots mobilization · Iron triangle relationships
5.7 — Social Movements 社会运动
· Social movement strategies · Protests and demonstrations · Social change · Collective action
5.8 — The Role of Media in Elections 媒体在选举中的角色
· Campaign coverage · Political advertising · Debate impact · Fake news and misinformation