Fiveable
👩🏾‍⚖️AP US Government
​

👩🏾‍⚖️AP US Government

FRQ 1 – Concept Application
​
Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy
​

Guided Practice

FRQ 1 – Concept Application
​
Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy
​
FRQ Types & Units

Each FRQ type tests specific skills taught in particular units. Here's why certain units appear for each question type:

This mapping reflects College Board's exam structure - each FRQ type tests specific skills that are taught in particular units.

Why are some FRQs missing?

For this first release, we focused on FRQs that:

  • We already have stimulus materials for (i.e. history/English)
  • Don't require stimulus materials at all
  • Use stimulus that can be generated with AI (like science data sets)

We also skipped FRQs that require audio playback or speaking responses for now.

Our goal is to eventually have practice available for every FRQ type across all AP subjects. We're actively working to add more!

Practice FRQ 1 of 71/7

In 2017, the state legislature of Riverton passed the 'Riverton Agricultural Freedom Act' with broad bipartisan support. The new law legalized the cultivation and sale of industrial hemp within the state's borders, aiming to boost the local farming economy. However, this state law directly conflicted with the federal Controlled Substances Act, which at the time classified hemp as a Schedule I drug, making it illegal under federal law. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) asserted that federal law preempted state law and threatened to raid farms operating under the new state regulations.

In response, Riverton's Attorney General filed a lawsuit against the federal government. The state argued that the regulation of agriculture within its own borders was a power reserved to the states, not delegated to the national government. The federal government countered that the production of hemp had a substantial effect on the national market, giving Congress the authority to regulate it.

While the legal battle unfolded, the Riverton Farmers Association mobilized its members to contact their congressional representatives, urging them to update federal laws. Simultaneously, national anti-drug coalitions lobbied the executive branch to strictly enforce the existing ban. This clash highlighted the ongoing struggle to define the boundaries of power between the state and national governments.

1. Respond to parts A, B, and C.
A. Describe the constitutional clause the federal government relied upon to justify the Controlled Substances Act mentioned in the scenario.
B. Explain how the state of Riverton could use the Tenth Amendment to challenge the use of the power described in part A.
C. Explain how the actions of the interest groups in the scenario illustrate the concept of pluralist democracy.
Pep
🙀 AP Exams start in: 14d 21h 06m 50s

essential ap study content awaits..

Features
Testimonials
Testimonials
start studying →
FRQ Directions
Free Response Question Practice

This practice environment simulates the AP AP US Government Free Response Questions section. Here are some guidelines:

  • Read each question carefully before responding. Pay attention to command verbs like "identify," "explain," "analyze," or "evaluate."
  • Use the timer to practice time management. You can pause, restart, or hide the timer as needed.
  • Mark for Review if you want to come back to a question later.
  • Your responses are saved automatically as you type. You can also use the drawing tool for questions that require diagrams or graphs.
  • Use the toolbar for formatting options like bold, italic, subscript, and superscript.
  • Navigate between questions using the Previous and Next buttons at the bottom of the screen.

Tip: Answer all parts of each question. Partial credit is often available, so even if you are unsure, provide what you know.