AP US Government and Politics

Name: _________________________________________ Date: _____________________

Summer Assignment
Welcome to US Government and Politics. There are a few things you need to begin in order for you to be
prepared for our class. First you should join my Schoology page at www.schoology.com. The access code is
XXGJR-Q48XS. You should also watch the news so you can join into our current events discussions.
Here is your summer assignment:
1. Read the US Constitution and answer fill in the blank worksheet.
2. Research the AP US Government and Politics course using the Scavenger Hunt below.
3. Report on one current event using the format below.

This activity should take 2-3 hours to complete.

I am excited about our class next year.

See you in August!

Kelly Primeaux
AP US Government and Politics

US Constitution
Read the US Constitution: http://constitutioncenter.org/media/files/constitution.pdf
Here is an “Easy to read” version:
http://www.twyman-whitney.com/constitutiontest/constitutionplainenglish.pdf
Directions: Complete the following outline of the U.S. Constitution by filling in the missing information of the
different sections and clauses.

ARTICLE 1
The Legislative Branch
Article 1: The Legislative Branch
SECTION 1: _______________________________________________
 The Constitution gives ____________________ the power to ____________________
SECTION 2: ______________________________________
Clause 1: Election of Members
 Members of the ____________________ are elected every ____________________ years
Clause 2: Qualifications
 Members of the ____________________ must be at least ____________________ years old, an
American ____________________ for at least ____________________ years, and a
____________________ of the state he or she represents.
Clause 5: Officers; Impeachment
 Only the ____________________ has the power to ____________________
SECTION 3: __________________________________________________
Clause 1: Composition; Term
 Each state has ____________________ senators

 Each ____________________ serves for ____________________ years.

Clause 2: Classification; Filling Vacancies
 Every two years ____________________ of the ____________________ runs for reelection.
Clause 3: Qualifications
 A senator must be at least ____________________ years old, an American citizen for at least
____________________ years, and a ____________________ of the state he or she represents.
SECTION 4: __________________________________________________
Clause 2: Sessions
 Congress must meet at least ________________ a year.
SECTION 5: ________________________________________
Clause 1: Organization
AP US Government and Politics

 A quorum is:
_________________________________________________________________________________
___________________
Clause 2: Rules
 A member of Congress can only be forced out by a ________________vote.
Clause 4: Adjournment
 Neither house can stop meeting for more than ____________ days without the approval of the other
house
 Both houses of Congress must meet in the same __________________.
SECTION 6: _____________________________________________
Clause 1: Salaries; Immunities
 A member of Congress cannot be ________________for anything he or she says on the
_____________________ of Congress. This allows for ________________of debate.
SECTION 7: ___________________________________________
Clause 2: How a Bill Becomes a Law; the Veto
 A proposed law is known as a ___________

 The ________________________ can _____________________, or reject a bill by sending it back

to the house where it was introduced.
 Congress can override the President’s ________________if each house of Congress passes the bill
again by a __________________ vote
SECTION 8: _______________________________________
Clause 1
 Congress has the power to ________________and spend ________________money.
Clause 3
 Congress can regulate foreign and interstate ________________
Clause 5
 Congress has the power to coin ________________
SECTION 9: _________________________________
Clause 2: Writ of Habeas Corpus
 A _______________________ protects people from unlawful imprisonment.
Clause 3: Bills of Attainder; Ex Post Facto
 Congress cannot pass a _________________________ or
__________________________________ laws.
Clause 6: Special Preference for Trade
 Congress cannot make laws that ______________________________________ over another.
SECTION 10: _____________________________________
Clause 1: Unconditional Prohibitions
 Congress prohibited states from making ________________or __________________ money.

ARTICLE 2
The Executive Branch
AP US Government and Politics

Article 2: The Executive Branch

SECTION 1: _____________________________________

Clause 1: _______ __________

 The president is responsible for _____________ _______________, or carrying out the laws passed
by Congress.
Clause 2: __________ ___________
 Directs each state to choose ___________ ______________, or delegates to the ________
___________, to vote for ___________ _______________
Clause 3: __________ _________________ __________
Clause 4: _________ ___________________
 The candidate for President who wins the ________________ _________________ vote in each
state wins that state’s ________________ ____________________ votes.
Clause 5: __________ _________________ ________________
 The President must be a citizen of the United States from ___________ _______________, at least
_______ years old, and a ______________ of the country for _______ years.
Clause 6: ________ ________________
 The powers of the President pass to the _______________ __________________ if the President
leaves office or cannot discharge his or her duties.
Clause 7: __________ _______________
 The President’s salary cannot be ____________ _______________ or ___________
______________ during his or her term of office.
Clause 8: __________ ________________
 The President must promise to __________ _____________ and __________ _____________ the
Constitution.
SECTION 2: __________ _________________
Clause 1: _________ _______________
 The president is the head of the _____________ _________________ and the state militias.
 The president has the power to grant a ___________ ______________ or a ____________
________________
Clause 2: __________ _________________ _____________
 The president has the power to make ______________ ___________________ with other nations.
Clause 3: __________ _________________ _____________

 If the _____________ __________________ is in recess the president can fill vacant posts by
making ___________ ______________ appointments.
SECTION 3: __________ _________________ ________________
 Every year the President must give Congress a report on the nation, now called the _______
_________________ __________________
SECTION 4: __________ __________________
 The President, Vice President, and others can be forced out of office if ___impeached__ and found
guilty of certain crimes.
AP US Government and Politics

ARTICLE 3
The Judicial Department
Article 3: The Judicial Branch
SECTION 1: __________ _______________

 The Constitution creates the ____________ _______________, but lets Congress decide on the
_________ _____________ of the _____________ _________________
 Federal judges hold their offices for ___________ ________________

SECTION 2: __________ _________________ _____________

Clause 1: __________ _________________ ____________________

 In _________ ____________ v. __________ ____________ the Supreme Court established the right
to judge whether a law is constitutional.
Clause 2: __________ ________________
 The Supreme Court mainly acts as an ___________ __________
Clause 3: __________ _________________ __________
 A trial by jury is guaranteed to anyone accused of a federal crime, EXCEPT those cases dealing with
____________ ________________
SECTION 3: __________ ______________________________
Clause 1: __________ __________________
 A person can be convicted of treason only if he or she ______________ ________________ or two
_____________ ________________ testify to it.
Clause 2: __________ _________________
ARTICLE 4
Relations Among the States
Article 4: Relations Among the States
SECTION 1: _______ _________________ __________________

 Each state must recognize the official __________ _____________ and _________ ____________
of any other state.
SECTION 2: __________ _______________

Clause 1: __________ __________________________

 Each state must treat __________ _____________ of another state the same way it treats its own
__________ ______________
Clause 2: __________ _______________
AP US Government and Politics

 Extradition means the: ___________ _________________ _____________________

_________________ __________._____
Clause 3: __________ ______________
SECTION 3: __________ ______________

Clause 1: __________ ________________________

 Congress has the power to ______________ __________________ to the Union.
Clause 2: _______ ______________________
SECTION 4: __________ _________________ _________________ ____________
 The federal government must protect the states from __________ ______________ invasion and
from ___________ ______________, or internal disorder.
ARTICLE 5
Amending the Constitution

The __________ ____________, whenever two-thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, __________

_____________ to this Constitution, or on the application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the several states,

__________ _____________, in either case, __________ _____________ to all intents and purposes, as part of

this Constitution, __________ _________________ _________________ _____________, as the one or the

other mode of ratification may be proposed by Congress.

ARTICLE 6
National Supremacy

SECTION 1: __________ _________________ __________

 The U.S. government promised to pay all ___________ ______________ and honor all agreements
made under the ____________ _________________ __________________.
SECTION 2: __________ ________________
 The Constitution is the ___________ _______________, or highest law of the land.
SECTION 3: __________ ______________
ARTICLE 7
Ratification of the Constitution

The _______ _________________ _______________ shall be sufficient for the establishment of the
Constitution between the states so ratifying the same.
AP US Government and Politics

AP U.S. Government and Politics Scavenger Hunt

https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse/ap-united-states-government-and-politics?usgovpol
1. What makes AP US Government and Politics and interesting course?

2. What is the fee for each AP exam?

http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap-us-government-and-politics-course-description.pdf
3. What are the possible scores on the AP Exam?

4. What are the six content areas that will be on the AP Exam?

5. How long is the exam?

6. What type of questions are on the first session of the exam? How many questions are on this session?

7. What type of questions are on the second session of the exam? How many questions are on this session?

http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap-course-overviews/ap-usgopo-course-overview.pdf
8. What are the Course Goals and Objectives?

https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse/ap-united-states-government-and-politics?usgovpol
9. Taking AP US Government and Politics can lead to a future in several career areas and college majors.
Which of the listed careers and majors are you interested in?

10. What is the AP credit policy at SLU? LSU?

AP US Government and Politics

Current Event Analysis

HEADLINE Place the title of the article below.
Title
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Source
__________________________________________________________________________________________
MAIN IDEA Describe the main, or central idea of this article in a sentence.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
CITE SUPPORTING EVIDENCE Choose 2 to 3 sentences that support the main idea of the article with
scientific data or research.
“_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________”
“_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________”
“________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________”
ARTICLE SUMMARY Write 3 to 5 sentences that summarize the article. (who, what, when, where, how)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION Write a brief conclusion that can be drawn after reading the article. Remember, conclusions
often reflect the main idea.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
AP US Government and Politics

TECH CONNECTION: AN ARTICLE SUMMARY HASH TAG In the digital world, hash tags (#) are used to
briefly summarize the main idea of posted information. The reason for using a hash tag is so other people can
locate a post (and similar posts) when searching. For example, a hash tag for the previous two sentences may be
#shortenedsummary. Create a hash tag summary for the article you read below.

# ____________________________