FRQ AP Government Exam Questions &
Answers 2025/2026
1. American politics has often been called an "invitation to struggle." Although in recent years
the president has been thought to have an advantage in policy making, there are still constraints
on the power of the president.
(a) Describe a power of the president in each of the following roles.
• Chief legislator
• Chief bureaucrat or chief administrator
(b) Explain how each of the following limits the president's influence in policy making.
• Civil service employees
• The Supreme Court
(c) Describe the influence of divided government on the policy-making process. - ANSWERSA).
Chief Legislator: Veto, State of the Union address, agenda setting
Chief Bureaucrat: executive orders
B). Civil Service Employees: bureaucratic discretion, expertise
The Supreme Court: can declare presidential actions unconstitutional
C). Control of Congress by one party and presidency by another, control of the two chambers of
Congress bu different parties
2. The framers of the Constitution devised a federal system of government that affected the
relationship between the national and state governments.
(a) Compare state sovereignty under the Articles of Confederation and under the Constitution.
(b) Explain how each of the following has been used to expand the power of the federal
government over the states.
, • Commerce clause
• Mandates
(c) Explain how each of the following has played a role in the devolution of power from the
national government to the states.
• Block grants
• Supreme Court decisions - ANSWERSA). States were sovereign under the Articles but have
shared power/limited power under Constitution
B). Commerce Clause: Feds control interstate commerce like transportation
Mandates: Feds make states implement policies, reducing their discretion
C). Block Grants: States can decide how to spend money so they have more choices on what
policies to implement
Supreme Court Decisions: With judicial review, state powers are protected
4. The Fourteenth Amendment protects civil rights and civil liberties.
(a) Describe the difference between civil rights and civil liberties.
(b) Identify the primary clause of the Fourteenth Amendment that is used to extend civil rights.
(c) Describe a specific legislative action that extended civil rights to each of the following. •
Women
• Persons with disabilities
(d) Identify the primary clause of the Fourteenth Amendment that is used to extend civil
liberties.
(e) Explain how civil liberties were incorporated by the Supreme Court in two of the following
cases.
• Gideon v. Wainwright
• Mapp v. Ohio
• Miranda v. Arizona - ANSWERSA). Civil Rights: protect groups from discrimination
Answers 2025/2026
1. American politics has often been called an "invitation to struggle." Although in recent years
the president has been thought to have an advantage in policy making, there are still constraints
on the power of the president.
(a) Describe a power of the president in each of the following roles.
• Chief legislator
• Chief bureaucrat or chief administrator
(b) Explain how each of the following limits the president's influence in policy making.
• Civil service employees
• The Supreme Court
(c) Describe the influence of divided government on the policy-making process. - ANSWERSA).
Chief Legislator: Veto, State of the Union address, agenda setting
Chief Bureaucrat: executive orders
B). Civil Service Employees: bureaucratic discretion, expertise
The Supreme Court: can declare presidential actions unconstitutional
C). Control of Congress by one party and presidency by another, control of the two chambers of
Congress bu different parties
2. The framers of the Constitution devised a federal system of government that affected the
relationship between the national and state governments.
(a) Compare state sovereignty under the Articles of Confederation and under the Constitution.
(b) Explain how each of the following has been used to expand the power of the federal
government over the states.
, • Commerce clause
• Mandates
(c) Explain how each of the following has played a role in the devolution of power from the
national government to the states.
• Block grants
• Supreme Court decisions - ANSWERSA). States were sovereign under the Articles but have
shared power/limited power under Constitution
B). Commerce Clause: Feds control interstate commerce like transportation
Mandates: Feds make states implement policies, reducing their discretion
C). Block Grants: States can decide how to spend money so they have more choices on what
policies to implement
Supreme Court Decisions: With judicial review, state powers are protected
4. The Fourteenth Amendment protects civil rights and civil liberties.
(a) Describe the difference between civil rights and civil liberties.
(b) Identify the primary clause of the Fourteenth Amendment that is used to extend civil rights.
(c) Describe a specific legislative action that extended civil rights to each of the following. •
Women
• Persons with disabilities
(d) Identify the primary clause of the Fourteenth Amendment that is used to extend civil
liberties.
(e) Explain how civil liberties were incorporated by the Supreme Court in two of the following
cases.
• Gideon v. Wainwright
• Mapp v. Ohio
• Miranda v. Arizona - ANSWERSA). Civil Rights: protect groups from discrimination
