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A.P. Government2013-2014

Course Overview: A.P. Government is a college level course that provides students with an analytical approach to government and politics in the United States. The course involves the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. Politics and the analysis of specific examples. It also requires familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute U.S. politics. Because of the rigorous nature of this course, there will be more difficult reading and writing associated with this class as opposed to a regular government class. However, the effort will pay off if you test out of some of your introductory courses in college through the A.P. test in May or gain needed experience of post-secondary expectations. At the end of the course, you should be able to demonstrate the following skills and abilities:

Knowledge of facts, concepts, and theories pertaining to U.S. government and politics Understanding of typical patterns of political processes and behavior and their

consequences Analysis and interpretation of data and relationships in U.S. government and politics Written analysis and interpretation of the subject matter of U.S. government and politics

Course of Study: You will be given a syllabus for each unit. They include objectives from your textbook for each of the chapters we will study. Use the unit syllabi as a guide when you are preparing for the A.P. exam as well. In addition, each syllabus will include the reading assignments for the unit. The readings are expected to be done for the day they are assigned. We will cover the following units:

I. Constitutional Underpinnings of the U.S. Government II. Civil LibertiesIII. Political Beliefs and BehaviorsIV. Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass MediaV. Institutions of National Government: Congress, Presidency, Bureaucracy, and the CourtsVI. Civil Rights VII. Public PolicyVIII. State and Local Government

BE RESPECTFUL While in my classroom, students will act appropriately. Respect and common courtesy will

always be given to your fellow classmates and instructor. Listen to others Follow directions Use appropriate voice and language No Sleeping at any time

BE RESPONSIBLE 1. Tardy Policy

You must be in the classroom when the bell rings. Detentions will be assigned for tardies. You have 2 days to serve your detention. All un-served tardies will be referred to the

administration. If you are more than 15 minutes tardy – you will be marked absent (school policy).

15 minutes after school for the first tardy 30 minutes after school for the second tardy 45 minutes after school for the third tardy Additional tardies will be referred to the office.

2. Bathroom Usage: You may use the restroom if you absolutely must. However, try to ask at an

appropriate time. Be back within a reasonable amount of time – the bathrooms are just across the

hallway. Abuse of restroom passes will result in the loss of restroom privileges (on an

individual basis)

3. Other Rules All school rules apply in my classroom. Consult your Student Handbook for a detailed

listing.

4. ConsequencesConsequences for inappropriate behavior may include the following. I will decide the

appropriate consequence for the infraction: Correction/warning Movement of assigned seat After school detention to discuss the behavior Conference with parent and/or administrator Loss of points Referral to the office

BE PRODUCTIVE Be prepared to begin right away and do not put materials away until I tell you to. I will give you time to pack up your materials.

Bring assigned textbooks when instructed Notebook or binder

Complete all work on time! Late work has limits. If you are absent, you have 2 days to hand in the work you have missed. If you know that you will be gone, please see me for the work. Also, consult your syllabus for the reading assignments. If you are in school at all on the day an assignment is due or if you have a planned absence (example: field trip) – you are expected to hand in your work the day it is due. This is particularly important for term papers and projects.

Late Work:You will be allowed to make up current events assignments. No make-ups will be allowed on summative assignments such as essays or term papers. All make-up’s must be done with me after school or during Personal Learning Time. The only grade penalty for make-ups will be the 4 points that you would have received for finding the article. No grade penalty will be assessed on the current event responses, but you must complete them with me.

Grading:Grades are reported every 6 weeks. The cumulative semester scores will be calculated from all assignments, tests and projects completed throughout the semester. Assignments will be weighted based on whether they are formative or summative. Formative assignments include all writing prompts, homework, classwork, or current events. Summative assessments are any tests, projects, end of unit quizzes, and essays. Summative assignments will be weighted at 80% and formative assessments will be weighted at 20%. Semester grades are computed as follows:Semester 1: Semester 2:Cumulative Semester Scores: 80% Cumulative Semester Scores: 80%Semester 1 Paper and presentation: 20% Semester 2 Final Exam: 20%

The grading scale is as follows:

100-94% = A 93-90% = A-89-87 = B+ 86-84% = B 83-80% = B- 79-77 = C+ 76-74% = C 73-70 = C-69-67 = D+ 66-64% = D 63-60 = D-Below 60% = F

Tests & QuizzesThe AP test in May contains 60 multiple choice and four essay questions. Due to time constraints, unit tests will consist of 25 multiple-choice questions and one free-response. The test will be timed. You will only have the class period in which the test is scheduled. Each unit test will be 100 points. There is a re-take policy, but it will not be another test. See the section below for explanation. Some smaller units will have quizzes. Each quiz will have a free response question but a shortened number of multiple choice questions. Formal review session for tests will be done in class prior to tests. Formal review sessions will be done before or after school for quizzes.

Semester Exam:First semester you will write a term paper and complete a presentation in place of a semester exam. This will be a 5-page typed research paper using only scholarly resources. The presentation will ask you to present your findings to the class while comparing and contrasting your research with that of your classmates. A list of topics will be handed out the first week and posted on my website at the beginning of the semester. Additional information and guidelines have also been posted on my website and will be distributed in class. Second semester, you will take a cumulative exam that will make up 20 percent of your semester grade. The test will consist of 60 multiple choice and 2 essays – Taken directly from old AP Exams. (Question and grading rubric) This will take place prior to the AP test in May. You will also write a term paper second semester that will not be weighted but will be graded out of 100 points. Again, a list of topics will be distributed in class and put on the website.

Reading:You are expected to follow the reading assignments in the unit syllabus. They have been arranged to follow the topic of study for the day listed.

Essays: Smaller 5 paragraph essays will be required throughout the term. You will be given an essay writing guide that specifies the requirements (From the AP writing guidelines). Plagiarism is a serious issue and it will not be tolerated. If anyone is found plagiarizing an essay – the paper will be given a score of zero. All essays and term papers are due on the date assigned. If you have a planned absence, you are still required to hand in the paper on time.

Re-take Policy:If you wish to re-take a unit test, you may write the term-paper topic for that particular unit. This must follow the same guidelines as the semester term paper. Therefore, you must have the same number of scholarly sources and page length. It will be graded on the same rubric. You will have two weeks (10 school days) after the tests grades have been distributed. Keep in mind that there is one question that must be completed as a semester term paper. In other words, you may not do a re-take paper for each and every unit. You will receive the re-take grade.

Timed Writing:At least once a unit you will have a timed writing on a sample AP Free Response Question. They will be graded according to the AP rubric.

Unit ProjectsSome units will have a project. These are generally 100-point assignments. Therefore, they are weighted as much as a test. They will be group projects. In some cases you will choose your group members and in other cases I will choose for you. If you choose your partners, you will all receive the same grade. If I choose groups, I will give everyone an individual grade.

Current Events:Every Monday you are responsible for posting a 1-2 paragraph current events analysis on Edmodo. By Friday, you are to respond to 3 of your classmates postings. Respond to 3 different stories or topics. Only one of the responses may be about your topic. The requirements for the paragraphs will change throughout the course of the year as we cover more content. You may make up assignments if you miss them but they must be made up with me after school or during a Personal Learning Time.

Terms 1 and 2: Summary of the story Terms 3 and 4 add: How the author reported on the story (using a biased source) Terms 5 and 6 add: The impact of the event on the U.S. Government and political system

utilizing information from the units we have studied (eliminate the bias paragraph)You will be given more information later on the specifics of this assignment.

Supplies: Textbooks: Please bring when advised. I suggest a binder and dividers – You will be given PowerPoint lecture guides and reading

guides. To be prepared for the AP test, you should also have sections for political vocabulary and Supreme Court cases. Ultimately, your own organization is your choice.

Questions???See me in room 214 before or after school. You may always talk to me about any problem you are

having – please tell me what is going on so that I can help before it is too late. You may also see me during the teaching day if you have a quick question, but save longer questions for my personal learning time or prep. Refer to the schedule below:

Semester 1 Semester 2

1st hour Government Government2nd hour PLT PLT3rd hour AP Government AP Government4th hour PLT Government5A Government Prep6B Government Economics7th hour Prep PLT8th hour Government Government

Dear Parents:I am very happy to be teaching your son/daughter this year, and I believe communication is the key to your child’s success in my class. You may reach me through district e-mail at [email protected] You may contact me by phone at 723-4920 Extension #1688.

Please take the time to familiarize yourself with this syllabus. It represents the academic and behavioral standards your child will be held to. Please do not hesitate to ask for clarifications as these are essential to success in my class. Fill out the bottom portion of this form and have your son/daughter return it to class by Friday.

Thank-you,Katie Randall

________________________________________________________________________

I have read and understand the requirements and standards for AP U.S. Government. The best way to contact me if any questions or concerns arise is by: (please specify any/all you prefer)

E-mail: ____________________________

Telephone: _________________________ (Daytime number)

Mail: ______________________________ (address)

_____________________________ ______________________________Student Signature Parent/Guardian Signature

mailto:[email protected]

Unit 1: Constitutional Underpinnings of the U.S. Government

This unit will provide a basic introduction to the topic of politics and government in America, look at the history and structure of our basic foundational documents, and explore the concept and application of federalism.

Unit Standards (explored in part or in whole; may be used in successive units):State standards:

C.12.1 Identify the sources, evaluate the justification, and analyze the implications of certain rights and responsibilities of citizens

C.12.3 Trace how legal interpretations of liberty, equality, justice, and power, as identified in the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and other Constitutional Amendments, have changed and evolved over time

C.12.4 Explain the multiple purposes of democratic government, analyze historical and contemporary examples of the tensions between those purposes, and illustrate how governmental powers can be acquired, used, abused, or legitimized

C.12.5 Analyze different theories of how governmental powers might be used to help promote or hinder liberty, equality, and justice, and develop a reasoned conclusion

C.12.6 Identify and analyze significant political benefits, problems, and solutions to problems related to federalism and the separation of powers

C.12.13 Describe and evaluate ideas of how society should be organized and political power should be exercised, including the ideas of monarchism, anarchism, socialism, fascism, and communism; compare these ideas to those of representative democracy; and assess how such ideas have worked in practice

Unit Objectives: (Upon completion of this unit you will know or be able to do the following things)

Chapter 1: pp. 2-24

Become familiar with and be able to use the terms Politics, Government, and Democracy

Understand and distinguish between the three theories of American Democracy

Become familiar with questions facing people and institutions in our modern democratic society

Chapter 2: pp.26-62

Explain why the Constitution is sometimes called the “higher law”

Understand how the events that led to the Declaration of Independence shaped the documents essential to the founding of our nation

Detect Enlightenment philosophy in our foundational documents; appreciate the changes the founding fathers made to those basic philosophical tenets

Explain how the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, particularly its inability to solve economic issues laid the groundwork for the Constitution

Describe what Madison meant by “factions” and how he proposed to solve the problems presented by them

Evaluate how the Constitutional Convention dealt with issues of equality

Summarize the compromises of the Constitutional Convention

Demonstrate what we mean by the “Madisonian Model” and how it is incorporated within the Constitution; understand historical and modern criticisms of the “Madisonian Model”

Describe the major issues between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists in the debates over the ratification of the Constitution

Ascertain how constitutional changes – both formal and informal – continue to shape and alter the Madisonian system

Evaluate the Constitution in terms of the theme of Democracy that runs throughout the chapter

Identify factors that have led to a gradual democratization of the Constitution

Understand how the Constitution affects the scope of government in America

Chapter 3: pp.64- 92

Identify the three basic forms of governmental structures: federalism, unitary, and confederacy

Explain why the relationship of local governments to the states is considered to be a unitary arrangement

Determine the significance of how the American federal system decentralizes our politics

Identify the ways in which the Constitution determines the powers of the state and national governments

Evaluate how contracting interpretations of the “Supremacy clause” and the Tenth Amendment lead to divergent views of the scope of state and national powers

Describe how the Supreme Court set forth the principle of implied powers in the McCulloch v. Maryland case

Understand the relationship of “implied powers” to “enumerated powers”

Describe how the Civil War and the civil rights movement contributed to the development of national supremacy over the states

Identify and be able to explain the clauses in the Constitution that define the obligations that each state has to every other state

Understand the changes in American federalism

Compare and contrast forms of dual federalism and cooperative federalism

Describe what is meant be fiscal federalism and assess the role that federal money plays in state policies

Identify the characteristics of categorical grants and block grants and explain how they are used at the state and local levels

Discuss the impacts and implications of funded and un-funded mandates

Describe the positive and negative impacts of American Federalism on democracy

Reading Assignments

9/6/13 : text: pp. 17-21; Locke’s “Second Treatise of Civil Government”: Highlight anything in the piece that sounds familiar to them or reminds them of how our government or society operates

9/9/13: Text: pp. 21-22

9/10/13– 9/11/13: Federalist #10 (p. A21)

9/12/13: Text: pp. 22-39

9/13/13: Text: 40-42; Federalist 51

9/16/13: p. 29 – How things work

9/17/13-9/19/13: pp. 30-45Timed Writing

9/20/13-9/23/13: U.S. Constitution pp. A4-A20

9/24/13: Federalism video

9/25/13- 9/26/13: pp. 49-64; Lanahan: 121-135; State Welfare Policy – Irene Lurie

9/27/13:Text: pp. 49-64; packet to be handed out in class

9/30/13: Text: pp. 49-64; packet to be handed out in class

10/1/13: Text: pp. pp. 65-73; packet to be handed out in class

10/2/13: Review Unit 1

10/3/13: Test – Unit 1

10/4/13: Constitution games due

Unit 2: Civil Liberties

In this unit, we will study the liberties or protections every American is ensured by the Bill of Rights. We will understand the origins basic terminology of these as well as the applications in terms of Supreme Court cases, legislation, and connections to federalism. Civil Rights will precede Public Policy.

Unit Standards: (explored in part or in whole; may be used in successive units):C.12.1 Identify the sources, evaluate the justification, and analyze the implications of certain rights and responsibilities of citizens

C.12.2 Describe how different political systems define and protect individual human rights



Ch. 5 pp. 93-120 Examine how decisions of the Supreme Court have extended specific provisions of the

Bill of Rights to the states as part of the incorporation doctrine

Understand the original intent of and describe how the two constitutional statements about religion and government – the “establishment clause” and free exercise clause may sometimes conflict

Establish why the Supreme Court will usually not permit prior restraint on speech and press

Explain why it has been difficult for the courts to clearly define which types of materials are considered to be obscene

Differentiate between freedom of speech and related concepts like symbolic speech and freedom of expression

Understand the conflict that can occur between free speech and public order

Determine how essential rights such as the right to a fair trial can conflict with other rights such as the right to a free press

Identify the two facets of freedom of assembly and explain how they may conflict with other societal values

Explain how specific provisions in the Bill of Rights have been used to extend basic rights to defendants in criminal trials

Ascertain how concepts such as a right to privacy can be inferred or implied from the Bill of Rights

Explain why civil liberties are seen as an individual’s protection against the government

Reading Assignments

Reading list:

10/7/13: 94-98

10/8/13: 94-105; Freedom of Speech: A Primer for Students and Teachers

10/9/13-10/10/13: 106-109; Lanahan: 366-375 - Timed Writing

10/11/13-10/14/13 : 109-118; Lanahan: 326-331or Miranda Dissent w/ Questions (handed out in class)

10/15/13: 109-118

10/16/13: Lanahan: 331-342

10/17/13: Quiz

Review for this unit will take place after school on 10/16 at 2:40. An in-class review will not be conducted.

Unit 3: Political Beliefs and Behaviors

This unit will examine the multitude of political beliefs held by the American electorate and analyzes how those political beliefs translate into voting behavior. We will also examine elections in the United States from the initial stages to election day.

Unit Standards: (explored in part or in whole; may be used in successive units):State Standards:


C.12.10 Identify ways people may participate effectively in community affairs and the political process



Ch. 4 pp. 75-92

1. Define what scholars mean by political culture, and list some of the dominant aspects of political culture in the Untied States.

2. Discuss how American citizens compare with those of other countries in their political and economic attitudes

3. List the contributions to Untied States political culture made by the Revolution, by the nation’s religious heritages, and by the family.

4. Explain how the “culture war” between orthodox and progressive Americans shapes the debate over controversial policy issues.

5. Identify reasons for Americans’ mistrust of government and explain how it is affected by both political events and political efficacy.

6. Explain why political tolerance is a necessary component of a democratic system.

Ch. 7 pp. 152-171

1. Explain the role of public opinion in our democratic system.2. Discuss the basic elements of polling and explain how polling reflects the attitudes of people

generally.3. Discuss the role of the family in the political socialization of today’s youth4. Explain why there are crosscutting cleavages between liberals and conservatives in this

country: assess the significance of social class, race and ethnicity, and geographic region in explaining political elites.

5. Define political ideology, and describe the ideological differences between that average public and the political elites.

Ch. 8 pp. 172-189

1. Explain why the text believes that the description, the analysis, and many of the proposed remedies for low voter turnout rates in the Untied States are generally off base.

2. Compare the way that turnout statistics are tabulates for the Untied States and for other countries, and explain the significance of these differences.

3. Describe how control of the elections has shifted from the states to the federal government, and explain what effect this shift has had on blacks, women, and youth.

4. State both sides of the debate over whether voter turnout has declined over the past century, and describe those factors that tend to hold down voter turnout in the United States.

5. Discuss those factors that appear to be associated with high or low political participation.

Reading Assignments: Read the assignment for the day listed

10/18/13: Text: 75-91; 156-163 (Political Culture)

10/22/13:Text: 153-156; Lanahan: 401-407

10/23/13: 156-163

10/24/13: Text: 163-167; Lanahan: 516-527 – In-class (Ideology)

10/25/13: Text: 173-179; (participation) – Timed Writing

10/28/13: Lanahan: 393-400; Lanahan – 393-400 (participation)

10/29/13 – 10/30/13: 179-188; Lanahan 500-507 (Demographics of Voting)

10/31/13: Quiz

11/1/13 – Unit essay Due

Unit 4: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and the Mass Media

This unit will examine the role of three critical participants in the political system. Political parties, interest groups, and the mass media affect the political view of nearly every citizen in the United States. Furthermore, their influence on elections is incredible.


C.12.7 Describe how past and present American political parties and interest groups have gained or lost influence on political decision-making and voting behavior

C.12.9 Identify and evaluate the means through which advocates influence public policy


C.12.11 Evaluate the ways in which public opinion can be used to influence and shape public policy



Ch. 9(Political Parties) pp. 190-221

1. Define the term “political party” and contrast the structures of the European and American parties, paying particular attention to the federal structure of the United States system and the concept of party identification.

2. Trace the development of the United Stated party system through its four periods. Explain why parties have been in decline since the New Deal.

3. Describe the structure of a major party. Distinguish major from minor parties.4. Indicate whether there are major differences between the parties. Describe some of the issues differenced between

delegates and Democratic and Republican conventions, and compare their policy positions with those of rank-and-file party members

Ch. 10 (Nominations and Campaigns) pp. 223-256

1. Demonstrate the differences between the party-oriented campaigns of the nineteenth century and the candidate-oriented ones of today, contrasting the major elements of successful campaigns.

2. Discuss how important campaign funding is to election outcomes, what the major sources of such funding are under current laws, and how successful f\reform legislation has been in removing improper monetary influences.

3. Outline the processes for electing presidents and for electing members of Congress, and discuss how the major differences between the two types of contests shape who runs and how it affects their campaign strategy.

4. Describe what the Democrats and Republicans each must do to put together a successful national coalition to win an election

5. Outline the major arguments on either side of the question of whether elections do or do not result in major changes in the public policy in the United States.

Ch. 11 (Interest Groups) pp. 258-284

1. Explain why the characteristics of United States society and government encourage a multiplicity of interest groups.2. Indicate the historical conditions under which interest groups are likely to form and specify the kind of organization

Americans are most likely to join.3. Describe relations between leader’s and rank-and-file members of groups, including why members’ priorities may not

determine the leaders’ actions.4. Describe several methods that interest groups use to formulate and carry out their political objectives, especially the

lobbying techniques used to gain public support.

5. List the laws regulating conflict of interest, and describe the problems involved with the revolving door government employment. Describe the balance between the First Amendment’s freedom of expression and the need to prevent corruption in the political system.

Ch. 12 (Media) pp. 287-310

1. Describe the evolution of journalism in the United States political history and indicate the differences between the party press and the mass media of today.

2. Demonstrate how the characteristics of the electronic media have affected the actions of public officials and candidates for national office.

3. Describe the impact of the pattern of ownership and control of the media on the dissemination of news. Show how wire services and TV networks have affected national new coverage. Discuss the impact of the :national press”

4. Discuss the issue of the media bias and how this bias might manifest itself. Assess the impact of such bias on the electorate.

5. Asses the impact of the media on public opinion and on the functioning of our government institutions. Explain why a free press is a critical component of our democratic system of government.

Reading Assignments

11/1/13: 190-198; 210– 213

11/4/13: 198-201; Lanahan – 511-516

11/5/13: 201-210; 213-215: Timed Writing

11/6/13: 215-220; Lanahan – 457-463

11/7/13- 11/8/13: 223-238; Lanahan – to be assigned

11/11/13: 239-246

11/12/13: 247- 256

11/13/13: Class Handouts

11/14/13: Text: 287-308

11/15/13: Free Response Timed Writing

11/18/13: Lanahan: 574-592

11/19/13: Federalist #10; Lanahan: 71-78; 88-94

11/20/13: Text pp. 259-268

11/21/13: Text: 268-274; Lanahan: 413-417, 418-424, 432-441, 441-449, 449-453 (Assigned 1 of 5)

11/22/13: Article handed out in class; Lanahan 424-432

11/25/13: Text: pp.274-281

11/26/13-11/27/13: Review and Test

Unit 5: Institutions of the National Government

This unit will be broken up into four parts: Legislative, Judicial, and Executive branches of government and the Bureaucracy. Each section will examine the structure of the branch and how each works within the Constitutional framework to ensure the rights, freedoms, and protection of the American people.




C.12.4 Explain the multiple purposes of democratic government, analyze historical and contemporary examples of the tensions between those purposes, and illustrate how governmental powers can be acquired, used, abused, or legitimized

C.12.6 Identify and analyze significant political benefits, problems, and solutions to problems related to federalism and the separation of powers

C.12.7 Describe how past and present American political parties and interest groups have gained or lost influence on political decision-making and voting behavior

C.12.12 Explain the United States' relationship to other nations and its role in international organizations, such as the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and North American Free Trade Agreement


Part 1 - Unit Objectives: (Upon completion of this unit you will know or be able to do the following things):

Legislature: pp. 314-360Describe the essential roles and functions of a senator and representativeExamine the role of money in Congressional elections – Where it comes from, how it is used, and what influence or effect it has

Summarize both the advantages and disadvantages of the growing influence of PACs

Contrast organizational style and procedures in the House of Representatives with those of the Senate

Identify the major leadership positions in the House and Senate and summarize the functions of each office

Review the four types of congressional committees and explain how they control the Congressional agenda and guide legislation

Determine the significance of legislative procedures like the filibuster and oversight

Outline the process by which a bill becomes a law

Construct three theories of the role of a legislator: trustee, instructed delegate, and politico

Appraise the influence of lobbyists and interest groups on the legislative process

Identify both representative and unrepresentative aspects of Congress

Examine the effect that the U.S. Congress has had on the scope of government

Reading Assignments (have the assignments prepared on the following dates) 12/2/13: No reading 12/3/13: 315-324; Lanahan: 168-180 12/4/13: Text: 324-327 12/5/13-12/6/13: Text: 327-352 12/9/13-12/10/13: 331-338; Lanahan 156-162 12/11/13-12/12/13: Text: 338-343- Work time on Congressional Project 12/13/13-12/16/13: 343-352; Lanahan 162-168 12/18/13: No reading 12/19/13: Review 12/20/13: Test

Part 2 - Unit Objectives: (Upon completion of this unit you will know or be able to do the following things):Executive pp. 361-402

Describe the Constitutional process of impeachment and explain why it is so difficult to remove a discredited president before the end of his term

Outline the procedures established in the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to deal with presidential succession and presidential disability

Trace the evolution of the Presidency from the limited office envisioned by the framers to the more powerful contemporary officeIdentify the major offices and positions that serve as key aides and advisors to the president

Examine the ways in which the American system of separation of powers is actually one of shared powers

Review the methods by which presidents may improve their chances of obtaining party

support in Congress

Summarize the Constitutional powers that are allocated to the president, such as chief executive, chief legislator, commander in chief, and crisis manager

Determine the role that public opinion plays in setting and implementing the president’s agenda

Describe the methods used by presidents and their advisors to encourage the media to project a positive image of the president’s activities and policies

Examine the impact that changing world events have had on public debate over whether a “strong” president is a threat or a support to democratic government

Reading Assignments (have the readings prepared for the day listed)1/2/14: No reading1/3/14: 362-3721/6/14: 373-374; Lanahan: 231-2391/7/14: 375-380; Lanahan: 239-2461/8/14-1/9/14: 373-374; 388-391 ; Timed Writing1/10/14-1/13/14: 383-387; Lanahan: 199-212 1/14/14: Handouts1/15/14-1/17/14 – Final Exam 1/20/14: 383-387 1/21/14: 393-394; Handouts1/22/14: 395-400; Lanahan TBA1/23/14: Review1/24/14: Test


The Bureaucracy pp. 403-430Identify the common myths that surround the bureaucracy and either justify or refute them

Describe in what ways the permanent bureaucracy is broadly representative of the American people

Trace the development of the American bureaucracy from the “spoils system” to the “merit system”

Identify and describe several theories of the functions and organization of bureaucracies

Describe the functions of the four basic types of federal agencies: cabinet departments, regulatory agencies, government corporations, and independent executive agencies

Understand what the textbook means when it says that bureaucracies are essentially implementers of policy and why implementation of policy can break down

Determine the importance of administrative routine and administrative discretion Evaluate the effects that the movement toward deregulation has had on the American economy

Determine how presidents, Congress and the Judiciary try to control the bureaucracy

Investigate the importance of iron triangles and issue networks

Explain the relationship between democratic theory and the operations of bureaucracies

Reading Assignments

1/27/14: 404-409: American Bureaucracy and Growth of Bureaucracy1/28/14: 409-421: Iron Triangles1/29/14: 421-428: Oversight and Reform1/30/14: Timed Writing1/31/14: Quiz


The Judiciary pp. 504-540Explain why the American judicial system is called an adversarial system

Identify the major actors in the judicial system and explain their functions and responsibilities

Describe the functions of federal district courts, courts of appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court

Summarize judicial selection procedures for federal judges and justices

Discuss the backgrounds of judges and justices

Describe the role of the courts as policymakers

Summarize procedure in the U.S. Supreme Court, including the “discuss list” oral

argument, the conference, and opinion writing

Explain the importance of opinion writing at the Supreme Court level and describe different types of opinions

Identify factors used by the Supreme Court in deciding which cases to accept for review

Analyze the contrasting opinions of judicial restraint and judicial activism

Trace the historical evolution of the policy agenda of the Supreme Court

Examine the ways in which American courts are both democratic and undemocratic institutions

Reading Assignments2/3/14: Lanahan: Federalist 782/4/14-2/5/14: Text: 432-4402/6/14- 2/7/14: Text: 441-443:Timed Writing2/10/14: Text: 443-449 2/11/14: Text: 449-451; Lanahan: 296-3082/12/14: Text: 451-456; The Imperial Judiciary2/13/14: 456 -459; Lanahan: 291-2962/14/14-2/17/14: Project work time2/18/14:Lecture2/19/14-2/20/14: Project Presentation Time2/21/14: Review

2/24/14: Test

Unit 6: Civil Rights

In this unit, we will study the rights we hold dear as Americans, the origins of those rights, and the struggle for full realization of civil rights and liberties for every American. This unit will be taught in two parts. Civil liberties will follow Unit 1 due to its link to the Bill of Rights. Civil Rights will precede Public Policy.

Unit Standards: (explored in part or in whole; may be used in successive units):C.12.1 Identify the sources, evaluate the justification, and analyze the implications of certain rights and responsibilities of citizens



C.12.14 Explain and analyze how different political and social movements have sought to mobilize public opinion and obtain governmental support in order to achieve their goals

C.12.15 Describe and analyze the origins and consequences of slavery, genocide, and other forms of persecution, including the Holocaust

C.12.16 Describe the evolution of movements to assert rights by people with disabilities, ethnic and racial groups, minorities, and women


Ch. 5 pp. 93-120Examine how decisions of the Supreme Court have extended specific provisions of the Bill of Rights

to the states as part of the incorporation doctrine

Understand the original intent of and describe how the two constitutional statements about religion and government – the “establishment clause” and free exercise clause may sometimes conflict

Establish why the Supreme Court will usually not permit prior restraint on speech and press

Explain why it has been difficult for the courts to clearly define which types of materials are considered to be obscene

Differentiate between freedom of speech and related concepts like symbolic speech and freedom of expression

Understand the conflict that can occur between free speech and public order

Determine how essential rights such as the right to a fair trial can conflict with other rights such as the right to a free press

Identify the two facets of freedom of assembly and explain how they may conflict with other societal values

Explain how specific provisions in the Bill of Rights have been used to extend basic rights to defendants in criminal trials

Ascertain how concepts such as a right to privacy can be inferred or implied from the Bill of Rights

Explain why civil liberties are seen as an individual’s protection against the government

Ch. 6 pp. 121-149 Understand how civil rights have been used to extend more equality to groups that historically been

subject to discrimination

Analyze different interpretations of equality, such as equality of opportunity contrasted with equality

of results

Identify provisions of the Bill of Rights that have implications for equality

Explain how the Fourteenth Amendment guarantee of “equal protection of the laws” has been applied to the idea of equality

Summarize the reasoning of the Court in the 1954 case of Brown v Board of Education and use this case to show how the Court set aside its earlier precedent in the Plessy v. Ferguson

Show the significance of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and explain why efforts for civil rights legislation were finally successful in the mid-1960’s

Trace the attempts of southern states to deny African Americans the right to vote even after the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment

Identify the major public policy milestones in the movement toward gender equality

Determine the ways in which Americans with disabilities have become the successors to the Civil Rights movement

Explain why gay and lesbian activists may face the toughest battle for equality of any of America’s minority groups

Describe the opposing positions of those who favor affirmative action and those who claim that these policies simply create reverse discrimination

Analyze how the important democratic principles of equality and individual liberty may actually conflict with each other

Determine how civil rights laws increase the scope and power of government

Reading Assignments

2/25/14 – 2/27/14: 122-124; Lanahan 375-379

3/3/14: 124-131; Lanahan: 342-349: Timed Writing

3/4/14: 131-136

3/5/14: 136-140

3/6/14: 140-146; Lanahan: 358-366

3/10/14: Quiz

Unit 7: Public Policy

This unit presents various different topics related to domestic and foreign policy. The government is responsible for a great deal of policy governing many different aspects of our lives. Therefore, there is a lot of information here. We will further examine the role of the citizen in the public policy process.




C.12.5 Analyze different theories of how governmental powers might be used to help promote or hinder liberty, equality, and justice, and develop a reasoned conclusion

C.12.8 Locate, organize, analyze, and use information from various sources to understand an issue of public concern, take a position, and communicate the position

C.12.9 Identify and evaluate the means through which advocates influence public policy


C.12.11 Evaluate the ways in which public opinion can be used to influence and shape public policy

C.12.12 Explain the United States' relationship to other nations and its role in international organizations, such as the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and North American Free Trade Agreement


Ch. 1 pp. 2-24

Understand and be able to use the term public policy

Understand how government, politics and public policy are interrelated

Describe the basic concept of the policymaking system

Ascertain how people can influence the government’s policy agenda

Ch. 14 pp. 434-464

After identifying the major sources of revenue and the major recipients of federal tax expenditures, analyze how this impacts the creation of social and economic policy making

Explain how “uncontrollable” expenditures are similar or different from “controllable” expenditures in regard to policy making

Identify the key players and decision makers in the budgetary process

Outline the steps involved in the Presidential and Congressional budget process

Understand the importance of budget resolution, reconciliation, authorization, and appropriation states in the budget process and how they relate to the creation of domestic and foreign policy

Ch. 17 pp. 542-562

Describe the interrelationship of electoral politics and the economy in the U.S.

Identify the tools that are used by government in an attempt to control the economy

Summarize the key role of the Federal Reserve System in setting U.S. monetary policy

Recognize obstacles that make it difficult for politicians to manipulate the economy for short-run advantage to win elections

Contrast the views of liberals and conservatives with respect to government involvement in the economy

Describe the ways in which government both benefits and regulates areas of the economy such as business, labor, and agriculture

Summarize the development of U.S. consumer protection policy

Understand the development between democracy, the scope of government, and economic policy in America

Ch. 18 pp. 564-585

Explain what is meant by social welfare policy

Summarize how liberals and conservatives disagree about the conduct and impact of public assistance programs

Identify the three major types of taxes and show how each can affect citizen’s incomes

Summarize the effects that social welfare programs have had on the day to day living conditions of groups of Americans, such as the poor, the young, and the elderly

Differentiate between entitlement programs and means-tested programs

Indicate the role that entitlements play in the U.S. budgetary system

Identify the major American social welfare programs and the groups that benefit from them

Contrast social welfare policy in the United States with that of other major Western Democracies

Trace the evolution of America’s social welfare programs, with emphasis on the role of the Great Depression

Examine intergenerational equality issues that stem from the disparity in public dollars spent on the elderly as contrasted with public funds spent on children

Compare and contrast the views of recent presidents of both political parties toward social welfare expenditures

Explain why policymaking in the United States is very incremental in nature

Examine the relationship between social welfare policy and the scope of the government

Ch. 19 pp. 588-614

Ascertain the effect that the technological revolution has had on standards of health care, and on the costs and access to medical care

Contrast the costs and the results of health care policies in the United States with those of other industrialized countries

Compare the role of government in medical care in the United States with that of other comparable countries

Identify government insurance programs in the United States and determine who benefits from these programs

Determine how issues of pollution affect political choices through their impact on business, economic growth and jobs

Summarize legislative enactments in the United States that establish federal environmental policy

Ascertain the impact of technological issues on the scope of government

Ch. 20 pp. 616-653

Understand how the instruments of foreign policy differ from those of domestic policy

List the major international and regional organizations and describe their roles in the realm of international relations

Determine how multinational corporations, groups, and individuals operate as actors in international relations

Delineate the major institutions of the U.S. national security establishment

Briefly outline American diplomatic history from the period of isolationism to contemporary involvement in international relations

Summarize how domestic political concerns, budgetary limitations, and ideology all have a role in influencing decisions regarding the structure of defense policy

Outline the major agreements negotiated by the United States and other nations on arms limitations and nuclear reduction

Explain why the Middle East is such an important component of American foreign policy

Evaluate the roles that democracy and the scope of government play in the development of foreign policy and international relations

Unit Schedule

3/12/14-3/14/14: Economic Policy

3/17/14: Social Policy

3/18/14: Project work time

3/19/14-3/20/14: Social Policy

3/21/14: Project work time

3/31/14-4/1/14: Project work time

4/2/14-4/3/14: Defense policy

4/4/14-4/8/14: Presentations

4/9/14: Wrap-up and Review

4/10/14: Test

Project Description - PowerPoint Presentation:

Working with a group, you will create and present a PowerPoint on one area of public policy. The PowerPoint should include but is not limited definitions, statistics, historical references, expert analysis, and visuals on the area of public policy you are responsible for. You will be assigned one half of a class period to present you information. Print handouts for the class so that they may follow along with and take notes from your slides. You are expected to have talking points to go along with your presentation. Talking points should be taken from the text and additional research. These should be typed into the notes section of the PowerPoint and must be printed out for the presentation – you will hand this in at the conclusion of your presentation. You must have a minimum of 10 slides and your slides must be formatted as follows:

Each slide must have 3 general statements

Save the details for your talking points

Each statement must have at least 3 talking points to accompany

Statistics and examples

Incorporate charts, graphs, or photos into at least 8 of the slides. If you find an appropriate video clip you may also use it, but keep in mind your time constraints. I do have the ability to show C-Span clips on my computer, but all others should be tested first.

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