Modern Government
Political Participation, Institutions, and the Forces That Shape American Politics
11 sections remaining in the Summer Assignment
Unit 5 topics account for 20–27% of the AP Government exam — the largest single-unit weight. Political participation, elections, parties, interest groups, and media appear in multiple-choice questions, FRQ 1 (Concept Application), FRQ 2 (Quantitative Analysis), and FRQ 4 (Argument Essay). This unit is the most likely source of questions students who studied only the Constitution and court cases will miss.
Political Participation
Voting, turnout, suffrage amendments (15th, 19th, 24th, 26th), the Voting Rights Act, structural barriers, and what predicts who participates.
Elections and Campaigns
The Electoral College, primary vs. general elections, campaign finance (hard money, soft money, PACs, Super PACs), and incumbency advantage.
Political Parties
Party functions, realignment and dealignment, the two-party system, third parties, and how parties shape elections and governance.
Interest Groups
Types of interest groups, lobbying strategies, the iron triangle, PACs, and how organized interests influence policy at every stage.
Media and Its Roles
Agenda setting, gatekeeping, framing, the watchdog role, media bias, social media's impact, and the press's relationship with government.
The Bureaucracy
Federal agencies, bureaucratic discretion, rulemaking, the iron triangle, congressional oversight, and how the administrative state operates.