This page contains suggestions for materials that may act as a good starting point for the FT-APG A Level Essay Competition.

This essay competition falls within a broader project aimed at fostering engagement between the American Politics Group the Political Studies Association, the Schools Programme of the Financial Times, and A-Level students and tutors.

Beyond the materials listed below, there is an extensive list of resources available on this FT Schools Programme page. Resources on American politics are below those on the UK, so you need to scroll down to the US focused materials.  You can also find advice on putting your essay together, as well as some discussion of generative artificial intelligence, on this page.

Given the nature of the questions, there are a broad range of materials available that could help you explore them. Below are some suggestions to get you started: 

1. Analysis of any of the three federal branches of the American government will inevitably lack depth if discussions of other branches are not considered. Discuss.  

FT Schools Programme material: 

Goodlad, G. (2025) ‘Schools politics class: Trump claims victory as Supreme Court curbs nationwide injunctions’, Financial Times (7 July) Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/d47d388a-2b44-44d8-9820-3854a269f682 (Accessed: 13/11/2025). 

• Hodgson, C. Hook, L. and Palma, S. (2025) ‘US Supreme Court clears way for Rio Tinto’s Resolution copper mine’, Financial Times (28 May). Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/a00699ed-2427-4c0a-bfd4-911d486bea6b (Accessed: 13/11/2025). 

• Johnson, T. R. Hertzog, G. and Houston, R. (2025) ‘To avoid irrelevancy, the US Supreme Court must now speak with the full voice of its constitutional authority’, LSE USAPP (8 May). Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2025/05/08/to-avoid-irrelevancy-the-us-supreme-court-must-now-speak-with-the-full-voice-of-its-constitutional-authority/ (Accessed: 13/11/2025).   

• Swamp Notes podcast (2025) ‘How the Supreme Court can change the course of Trump’s presidency’, Financial Times (September 12). Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/a744e6fd-7da7-40f0-bb11-b4ebd5b2cfe5 (Accessed: 13/11/2025). 

2. Does the American system still represent the last best hope? Discuss with relation to at least two branches of the American federal government.  

FT Schools Programme material: 

Goodlad, G. (2025) ‘Politics class: US gun control activists hope this time will be different’, Financial Times (2 April). Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/2d11cb3b-fa9a-4ea9-b51d-83ad66477d50 (Accessed: 13/11/2025). 

• Ganesh, J. (2020) ‘Biden is the last, best hope for globalists’, Financial Times (15 April) Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/cb3085e2-7ef9-11ea-82f6-150830b3b99a (Accessed: 13/11/2025).  

• Tett, G. (2022). ‘America’s political crisis may have to get worse before it gets better’, Financial Times (3 November). Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/ad9b0cfd-4d12-4b4c-bbf2-6b2de41c54b4 (Accessed: 13/11/2025). 

• Rachman Review (2025) ‘Donald Trump and autocracy in America’, Financial Times (6 November) Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/4bbfbfe8-f0fc-4242-a5c8-7f37f4d012a9 (Accessed: 13/11/2025). 

3. Does President Donald J. Trump represent an anomaly or reflect a broader strand of thought and action in American politics?  

FT Schools Programme material: 

Goodlad, G. (2025) ‘School politics class. Low approval and sticky inflation: a year of Donald Trump in charts’, Financial Times (9 November). Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/f7398468-64a2-48b1-98cd-716928544259 (Accessed: 13/11/2025). 

• Finn, P. and Ledger, R. (2018) ‘Fire and Fury aside, what can you read to understand Trump?’, The Conversation (January 8). Available at: https://theconversation.com/fire-and-fury-aside-what-can-you-read-to-understand-trump-89807 (Accessed: 13/11/2025). 

• Politi, J. (2025) ‘The never-ending Trump show’, Financial Times (26 September). Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/20ed2803-3a8b-48cf-8b6d-f26e07731219 (Accessed: 13/11/2025). 

• Swamp Notes podcast (2025) ‘Is Donald Trump the president of peace?’, Financial Times (10 October). Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/f9a1db67-ceb5-4498-a817-c7ee2d2588fc (Accessed: 13/11/2025). 

4. ‘The best policy and problem solving in the American political system grows out of the tension between federal and state & territory level politics.‘ 
   • Discuss the validity of this statement. Do so relation to at least one state or territory and one branch of the federal government.  

FT Schools Programme material: 

Goodlad, G. (2025) ‘Schools politics class: Trump’s show of force in Los Angeles’, Financial Times (14 June). Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/4d8e3789-8f32-45e9-a62b-bb0d425ef96e (Accessed: 13/11/2025). 

• Grimes, C (2025) ‘Trump backlash adds to challenges for California water policymakers’, Financial Times (21 March). Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/1b482a21-27e0-4559-bcdd-1e5156956635 (Accessed: 13/11/2025). 

• Kolodny, R. (2024) ‘Pennsylvania is a purple state that is developing a light blue tinge’, LSE USAPP (11 March). Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2024/03/11/the-2024-elections-pennsylvania-is-a-purple-state-that-is-developing-a-light-blue-tinge/ (Accessed: 13/11/2025). 

• McCormick, M. Indap, S. and Shevoryn K. (2025) ‘How corporate America learnt not to mess with Texas’, Financial Times (6 June). Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/364ee560-67f4-474b-84a8-8bccdfcbd07d (Accessed: 13/11/2025).