Course Overview:

Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics explains the foundations of the Constitution and examines the structure and functions of the branches of the federal government. The course seeks to help students understand the system of checks and balances among the branches of government and the ways in which power has been shared between the federal government and the states. The course stresses the importance of government’s role of balancing order and liberty, and it provides students with an understanding of the processes that allow for laws and policies to be interpreted differently over time. The course emphasizes the role of citizen participation in a representative democracy and teaches students how to be knowledgeable and politically engaged citizens. Students will understand the role of linkage institutions (political parties, interest groups, and the media) and the processes they use to influence the policymaking and implementation process. The course examines case law as it applies to the rights and responsibilities of the citizen, the state, and the federal government. In this course, students will develop a variety of analytical skills including:  application of political concepts and processes to contemporary political scenarios; analysis and interpretation of quantitative data in tables, charts, graphs, maps, and infographics; analyze and interpret foundational documents and other text-based and visual sources; interpretation of Supreme Court decisions; and develop an argument in an essay format. This is a college level course; students must be self-motivated, self-directed learners who are willing to complete substantial reading, research, and writing outside of the classroom environment. 

Key Course Components:

·      A unit exam at the end of each unit to include 30 multiple choice questions and one essay question

·      Frequent quizzes which will be modeled on the concept and quantitative analysis free response questions (FRQ) found on the exam; when applicable, quizzes will also be modeled on the SCOTUS comparison FRQs

·      Each unit will require the completion of a news journal project that requires students to apply course concepts to public policy and political processes

·      A midterm exam to be taken in December as well as a full mock exam taken on a Saturday prior to the actual exam

·      A civics engagement project that will be broken into 4 parts and completed during the first semester; students’ final projects will be presented on-line, in video format

·      One week of review for the AP exam at the end of the course

Course Textbooks:

Wilson, James Q. American Government. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006.

Course Supplemental Textbooks:

Serow, Ann G and Everett C. Ladd. ed. The Lanahan Readings in the American Polity. Baltimore: Lanahan Publishers, Inc., 2007.

Woll, Peter. ed. American Government:  Readings and Cases. New York: Pearson Longman, 2008.
 

The course progression will follow this timeline:
 

1ST QUARTER

Unit 1:  Constitutional Underpinnings
~ 17 days

Essential Questions:

·      How did the founders of the U.S. Constitution attempt to protect individual liberty while also promoting public order and safety?

·      How have theory, debate, and compromise influenced the U.S. Constitutional system?

·      How does the development and interpretation of the Constitution influence policies that impact citizens and residents of the U.S.?

Primary Unit Focus:

·      The philosophical underpinnings and documents of American democracy, including the Declaration of Independence, social contract theory, republicanism, types of democracy, and the tension between individual liberty and order [EU LOR-1]

·      The inability of the Articles of Confederation to adequately balance individual liberty and public order / safety [EU LOR-1]

·      The compromises made at the Constitutional Convention and the debate between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists during the ratification debate [EU CON-1]

·      The evolving relationship between the national and state governments, including the grant process, policy issues, and the concepts of dual and cooperative federalism as well as the concept of devolution [EU CON-1]

Unit 2: Political Beliefs and Behaviors
~ 7 days

Essential Questions:

·      How are American political beliefs formed and how do they evolve over time?

·      How do political ideology and core values influence government policy making?

Primary Unit Focus:

·      The basic tenets of American political culture, political socialization, and the conservative and liberal political ideologies

·      Elements of a scientific poll, the different types of polls, and how they are used in U.S. government and politics

Unit 3:  Political Parties, Interest Groups & Mass Media
~ 20 days

Essential Questions:

• How have changes in technology influenced political communication and behavior?
• Why do levels of participation and influence in politics vary?
• How effective are the various methods of political participation in shaping public policies?

Primary Unit Focus:

·      The evolution of voting rights and the current state of voter turnout [EU MPA-3] [EU PMI-3] [EU PMI-5]

·      Factors that influence voter choice in elections [EU MPA-3] [EU MPA-1]

·      The functions of political parties in the United States [EU PMI-5]

·      Interest group influence in United States government and politics [EU PMI-5]

·      Nominations, campaigns, and elections in United States government and politics [EU PRD-2]

·      Congressional representation and gerrymandering [EU CON-3]

·      The media as a linkage institution, including changes in media, such as the growth of social media and partisan media sources [EU PRD-3]

2ND QUARTER

Unit 4a:  The Congress
~ 11 days

Essential Questions:

·      How do the branches of the national government compete and cooperate in order to govern?

·      To what extent have changes in the powers of each branch affected how responsive and accountable the national government is in the 21^st century?

Primary Unit Focus:

·      The structure of Congress, including significant differences between the chambers regarding organization, leadership, incumbency, and powers [EU CON-3]

3RD QUARTER

Unit 4b:  The Presidency & the Bureaucracy
~ 11 days

Essential Questions:

·      How do the branches of the national government compete and cooperate in order to govern?

·      To what extent have changes in the powers of each branch affected how responsive and accountable the national government is in the 21^st century?

Primary Unit Focus:

·      The president’s formal and informal powers [EU CON-4]

·      How the bureaucracy operates and its place in the checks and balances system [EU PMI-1, PMI-2]

·      The development of fiscal and monetary policy; the funding challenges of and the ideological debates that contribute to distributive and redistributive policies such as Social Security, TANF, Medicare, and Medicaid

4TH QUARTER

Unit 5:  Civil Rights and Liberties

~ 15 days

Essential Questions:

• To what extent do the U.S. Constitution and its amendments protect against undue government infringement on essential liberties and from invidious discrimination?
• How have U.S. Supreme Court rulings defined civil liberties and civil rights?

Primary Unit Focus:

·      Judicial independence and judicial review [EU CON-5]

·      The role of the courts, and the due process and equal protection clauses in the expansion of civil liberties and civil rights, including selective incorporation [EU LOR-2] [EU CON-5]

·      The expansion of the liberties protected by the 1^st, 2^nd, 4^th and 6^th Amendments [EU LOR-2] [EU CON-5]

·      A history of civil rights issues and how historically disadvantaged groups in American society have achieved greater equality and equitable treatment in society [EU PRD-1] [EU PMI-3]