government
democracy (direct and representative)
gerrymandering
apportionment
reapportionment
The Bill of Rights
Federalism
supremacy clause
Impeachment process
how a bill becomes a law
key congressional committees and their areas of responsibility
key congressional leadership positions, their names, roles and authority
roles of a Congressman: trustee, delegate, partisan, politico

qualification for Congress; age, residence
orginal jurisdiction/appellate jurisdiction
Supreme Court jurisdiction; original and appellate
writ of mandamus (see Marbury)
writ of certiorari
writ of habeas corpus
Constitutional Courts: names and what they can do
Federal Courts: names and what they can do, what can't they do
Judicial Review
qualifications to run for President
Executive Departments
The Cabinet
Independent executive agencies
Independent regulatory agencies
Interest Groups
The role of the media
Poltical Action Committees
Criteria for a poll: sample, questions, etc.
role of the political party in the nomination process and general election
national convention:  what it does, key players, keynote speaker, party chairman
party platform, planks
veto powers of the president (pocket etc.)
enumerated powers
delegated powers
inherent powers
implied powers
"necessary and proper "clause
"elastic" clause
civil rights laws and their relevance to the inclusion of the 14th amendment
due process
"winner take all" elections
majority
plurality
single-member districts
separate but equal doctrine
Gideon v Wainwright
Brown v Board of Education
The federal budget
discretionary spending
non-discretionary/mandatory spending
continuing resolution

incorporation of the Bill of Rights (14th amendment)
Lemon test
Presidential Succession Act
First Amendment; speech, establishment clause, freedom of religion, assembly, press
sociological factors affecting voting patterns
definition of nation-state; state, government, democracy
the purpose of government
censure
filibuster

bureaucratic pathologies

strengths and weaknesses of the electoral college

be able to describe
the federal budget process
how a bill becomes a law
how a case gets to and through the Supreme Court
the roles and powers of Congress
the major components of the Constitution
the roles and powers of the President

With thanks to Bud Droke