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AP United States Government & Politics
Syllabus 2007-08
Phone: (425)
431-5275
Room
9/11
Email:
masont@edmonds.wednet.edu
Objective – To explore the
foundations of American Government and current political issues
facing our country today. Additional emphasis will be
given to citizen participation in the political
process.
Students will use their
core knowledge of American Government to:
Discuss the historical
relevance of an issue facing American government.
Objectively analyze
current political issues and policies.
Form, reasoned,
informed opinions about a variety of political
issues.
Study the foundations
of our political system: the Constitution, Political Beliefs
& Behaviors, Political Parties, Interest Groups and the Media,
Institutions (Congress, the Presidency, the Courts, Budget Process,
and the Bureaucracy), Public Policy, and Civil Liberties &
Rights
Successfully pass the
AP exam in early Spring.
Expectations
This class will consist
of a great deal of discussion, lecture and reading. If you do
not enjoy putting forth your reasoned opinion (based, of course, on
knowledge gained from reading and impartial analysis), debating, or
arguing, this class is NOT for you! Everyone’s opinions
will be valued and no one will be laughed at for sharing their
thoughts regarding any topic being covered. At times
classroom discussion may become heated over a particular
issue. If you feel you have been offended or treated unfairly
by your teacher or another student, it is your responsibility to
calmly make us aware of your unhappiness.
You are expected to
actively participate on a daily basis and turn in the highest
quality of work you are capable of. In short, senioritis is
not recognized in this classroom. Mediocre to sub-par effort
will not be tolerated.
Taking the AP exam IS a
requirement of this course and proof of registration will be
expected. This college level class will move at an
accelerated pace with weekly current affairs quizzes, daily reading
assignments, chapter and unit tests, supplementary readings, and
supporting activities or projects.
Your daily homework
will consist of nightly reading, reviewing lecture notes, and
keeping up on current affairs through newspapers, news magazines,
and television news.
You are required to
keep a spiral bound and/or binder type notebook that will soon
contain lecture notes, assignments, readings and vocabulary from
the various units we will be covering. This organized
notebook will be turned in for credit in April.
Finally, be aware that
is your responsibility to turn major projects/papers in on the day
they are due even if you are absent which means you should have a
friend or relative drop it off in my mailbox by the end of school.
In short, this class is
geared toward the academic student and if school is not your number
one priority you need to find another course ASAP.
The usual grading scale
applies. However, 65% is needed to pass the course and 10% of
your grade is based upon current affairs assignments and
quizzes. Also, no late work of any kind will be accepted nor
will any kind of academic dishonesty, i.e. cheating, copying other
student work, plagiarism, using other students’ assignments,
etc will be tolerated. Violation of this policy could result
in failure of the course and a letter detailing your ethics sent to
the college you will be applying to.
TEXT: Edwards, Wattenberg and
Lineberry. Government in America: People, Politics, and
Policy. New York: Longman Press, 2007.
1
Introducing Government in America
2 The
Constitution
3
Federalism
4
Civil Liberties and Rights
5
Civil Rights and Public Policy
6
Public Opinion and Political Action
7
Mass Media and the Political Agenda
8
Political Parties
9
Nominations and Campaigns
10
Elections and Voting Behaviors
11
Interest Groups
12
Congress
13
The Presidency
14
Congress, President and the Budget
15
Federal Bureaucracy
16
Federal Courts
17
Economic Policymaking
18
Social Welfare Policymaking
19
Policymaking for Health Care and the
Environment
20
Foreign and Defense Policymaking
21
The New Face of State and Local Government
NOTE: You will be
given a chapter study guide (vocabulary, study questions, outlines)
for each unit. All chapter and unit tests will consist of 40
to 50 multiple-choice questions and two short response
questions. Major lectures will be given throughout each unit
and it is expected you will be responsible for all content covered
in class, especially during tests.
Supplemental readings
are listed for each chapter. However, since politics is an
ever-evolving subject, additional articles & television news
clips will be covered often. Supplemental readings have been
copied from a variety of sources and will be included in your study
packets. You will also have a brief quiz over each
supplemental reading.
I.
Constitutional Underpinnings - Ch. 1, 2, 3, 21 (5 -
15%)
A)
Federalism (3) (21)
B)
State and Local Govt. (21)
C)
Separation of Powers (2)
D)
Considerations that influenced the formulation and adoption
of the Constitution (1 & 2)
E)
Theories of democratic govt. (1)
Ch. 1 Introducing
Government
Supplemental Reading
– De Tocqueville, Zweigenhaft & Domhoff, Meritocracy in
America
Political Ideology
Test
Conservative v. Liberal
Handout & Discussion
Media Resource
Guide
Lecture
Ch.
2 Constitutionalism
Supplemental Reading -
Federalist #10, #51, #78, Hoffstader, Hitchins, The Revolution as a
World Ideal, Hitchens – Bush Doctrine and the Founding
Fathers
Federalist Readings
Analysis Packet
Process of Amending the
Constitution Quiz
6 Constitutional
Principles
Constitution as an
economic model activity.
Lecture
Ch.
3 Federalism
Supplemental Readings
– US v. Lopez, Tommy Thompson, Bush Executive Order, The
Incredible Shrinking Government, political cartoons, various short
newspaper articles
Conflicts in Federalism
Presentation (Groups of two.)
Lecture
Ch.
21 State and Local Government
Graphic lecture on
state and local tax structures across the nation.
Ax and Tax Activity
– Balancing the Washington State Budget.
Current Washington
State and City issues - various
readings/discussions
Post-Primary Election
analysis & General Election Activity (Unless the election is
before!)
End of Unit - Dutch
Constitutional Model Video Questions &
Discussion
II.
Political Beliefs/Political Behaviors – Ch. 6, 10 (10 -
20%)
A)
Beliefs that citizens hold about their govt. and its leaders
(6)
B)
Processes by which citizens learn about politics
(6)
C)
The nature, sources, and consequences of public opinion. (6
& 10)
D)
The ways in which citizens vote and otherwise participate in
political life. (6 & 10)
E)
Factors that influence citizens to differ in terms of
political beliefs and behaviors. (6 & 10)
Ch.
6 Public Opinion and Action
Supplemental Readings -
Red & Blue America (historical election maps), Ladd Report, The
Science of Polls, current polls in the news
Poll Analysis and
Demographic Assignment
Ch.
10 Elections and Voting Behavior
Journeys with George
video
2008 Presidential
Election
Political Typology
Activity-
http://typology.people-press.org/typology
Electoral College
handouts & discussion of alternatives.
NOTE: Ch. 6/10
study guide & lecture combined and the Electoral College really
belongs in Ch.9 but…
III.
Political Parties, Interest Groups, Media – Ch. 7, 8, 9, 11
(10 - 20%)
A)
Political parties and elections.
1)
Functions, 2) Organization, 3) Development, 4) Effects on
political process, 5) Electoral laws and systems (8 &
9)
B)
Interest Groups (including PACs)
1)
Representation, 2) Activities, 3) Effects on political
process, 4) Characteristics (11)
C)
The Mass Media
1)
Functions and structure, 2) Impact on politics
(7)
Ch.
7 Mass Media
Supplemental Reading
– “The media isn’t biased it’s
you.” Media ownership. Current
articles.
Media bias
assignment/Identifying Bias
Extra Credit Viewing
–The Control Room
Ch.
8 Political Parties
Supplement Readings
– Souraf, Broder, Kaden &Mahe, The Western
Front
2008 Party
Platforms
Political Party
Project
Ch.
9 Nominations and Campaigns
Supplemental Reading
– Campaign Finance, OpenSecrets.org, Current articles.
2008 Election
Ch.
11 Interest Groups
Supplemental Reading -
Bimbaum, Greider, The Lobbyists, Interest Group Theory,
Will
Interest Group
Assignment
NOTE: Chapters 7
& 11 AND Chapter 8 & 9 combined
lecture/tests.
End of Unit –
Independent Lens/PBS, “Can Mr. Smith go to Washington
anymore?
IV.
Institutions: Congress, Presidency, Bureaucracy and Federal
Courts - Ch. 12-16 (all chapters for below topics) (35 -
45%)
A)
Major formal and informal institutional arrangements of
powers.
B)
Relationships among these institutions.
C)
Links between institutions and parties, groups, media,
subnational governments and public opinion.
Ch.
12 Congress
Supplemental Reading -
Filibuster articles, Starobin, Elwood & Patashnik, Price,
Killan, Stanilov, Eleanad, Origins of the Filibuster, Stall Tactics
in the Senate, Realignment? Campaign 2006 –
Barone
Pick a Congressperson
assignment.
Iron Triangle
analysis.
Review Bill to Law
Process
Lecture
Ch.
13 The Presidency
Supplemental Reading
– Cronn, Genovese, Clinton timeline, president's guide, web
site of presidential recordings, Arthur Schlesinger article,
Newsweek – Return of the Imperial Presidency, current article
readings.
Presidential support
staff assignment
Best/Worst Presidents
Biography Video
Identify the President
Matching Quiz
Lecture
Ch.
14 The Politics of Taxing and Spending
Supplemental Readings
– current legislative articles, Brady and Volden, Revolving
Gridlock, Will, Bush’s Tax Cuts (Issues and
Controversies)
Mock Congress Budget
simulation
Lecture
Ch.
15 The Federal Bureaucracy
Supplemental Reading -
Bush's gatekeeper, Heclo, Califano
Lecture
Ch.
16 The Federal Courts
Supplemental Reading
– Bush reshaping courts, Will- Soft Rights, Rehnquist’s
Stamp, Roberts Court and other readings
Supreme Court Justices
assignment – Can you predict how they will vote? Aka
Vote Alignment
Lecture
V. Public
Policy – Ch. 17-20 (all chapters for below topics) (5 –
15%)
A)
Policy making in a federal system.
B)
Formation of policy agendas.
C)
Role of institutions in policy enactment.
D)
Role of bureaucracy and courts in policy implementation and
interpretation.
E)
Linkages between policy processes and:
1)
Political institutions and federalism, 2) political parties,
3) Interest groups 4) Public Opinion, 5) Elections, 6) Policy
networks
Ch.
17 Economic Policymaking
Various
Readings
Mini-issue
presentation/debate.
Discussion on
taxes
Ch.
18 Social Welfare Policymaking
Various
Readings
Mini-issue
presentation/debate.
Ch.
19 Policymaking for HealthCare and the Environment
Various
Readings
Mini-issue
presentation/debate.
Ch.
20 Foreign & Defense Policymaking
Supplemental Reading
- Bush Foreign Policy Doctrine. Various readings.
Include WMD articles. New American Empire reading, cultural
relativism article, discussion of America's role
Mini-issue
presentation/debate.
20th Century Foreign
Policy overview lecture
NOTE: Combined
lecture and tests over all of these chapters.
VI. Civil
Liberties/Civil Rights - Ch. 4-5 (all chapters for below topics) (5
– 15%)
B)
Development of civil liberties and civil rights by judicial
interpretation.
C)
Substantive rights and liberties.
D)
Impact of 14th Amendment on
rights/liberties.
Ch.
4 Civil Liberties
Supplemental Reading
– Excerpts from decisions of key precedents. Current
high profile cases in the Supreme Court.
Ch.
5 Civil Rights
Supplemental Reading
– Excerpts from decisions of key precedents. Current
high profile cases in the Supreme Court
Liberties & Rights
Hypothetical Case Analysis & Debate
Supreme Court Cases and
Clauses/Terms Flip Card assignment
FINAL REVIEW – at least 4
Practice Exams & Study Notebook
POST-AP
EXAM
Middle East Studies
Unit
History of Islam
overview
Israel and the
Palestinians - Presentation
The Iraq War –
“You’re the policy advisor…now
what?!?!”
Note: Because it
is a presidential election year other activities may be
substituted.
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