My US Government study guide says... (politics related)?

In addition to knowing the ideaologies of each political party, it may help to learn the basic process by which the political positions are filled. For instance, the President and Vice President are elected by the electoral college. The members of the electoral college are put in place by the politicians of each state. Or he could be asking how legislation is passed. Usually a lobbyist drafts a bill and may give this 1,000 page proposed bill to a congressperson 1 hour before it is to be voted on. Then the lobbyist tells the congressperson what it contains (of course, it will be very biased toward the special interest group that is paying the lobbyist) and make it sound like it will be good for everyone. The lobbyist then offers "favors" (possibly a cruise or other valuable consideration) to the congressperson to pass the bill. After the special interest legislation is passed the bill moves on to the House, where lobbyists approach member of the House in the same way. Maybe this is what your professor wants, who and what the roles of certain persons are in American politics.

Either they want you to know who your elected officials are

or they want you to have a basic understanding of the major political ideologies in American Politics. (Probably the two major parties, the libertarians and the greens as well as a healthy understanding of what it means to be Independent.)

Know the political parties, their affiliations and beliefs. That's what I suppose.

Know who the people in power are. the major decision makers.

Pelosi

Obama

Reid

Frank

Hoyer

etc..

Like most university professors he's most likely sick, he wants you to waste time on nonsense.

~