AP UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

SYLLABUS

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND GOALS

The goals of the AP United States Government and Politics course is to increase understanding of the American Political System, its framework, traditions, and values. This course is concerned with the nature of the American Political System, its development since its inception, and how it continues to function. We will examine in detail the principle processes and institutions through which the political system functions, as well as some of the public policies that are implemented by these institutions. In addition, we will compare the structures of six other countries and analyze how they function in comparison to the US political system. AP US Government is a comprehensive course in which students will be prepared to pass theAP US Government and Politics exam on Thursday, May 10th.

For the first semester, this course will conclude before winter break. When students return in January, they will begin to attend the AP Macroeconomics course with Mr. Willis. Likewise, students that were assigned AP Macroeconomics in the fall semester will begin to attend my AP US Government course immediately after winter break. The week before AP testing begins, students will return to their first semester teacher to review for the AP exam. During the 2 weeks of AP testing, students will have the option to attend either the AP Macroeconomics review or AP US Government review. Students will finish the last three weeks of the 2nd semester with their respective 2nd semester teacher.

Required Texts for AP American Government

Edwards, Wattenberg, and Lineberry – Government in America

PDF of supplemental readings for AP US Government and Politics

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1)Class participation is a major factor in one’s grade. Students are required to participate in class discussions and will be marked down for classroom disturbances. Classroom disturbances include being tardy, being unprepared, making inappropriate remarks.

2)Students will complete worksheets for each assigned textbook chapter, as well as assigned article questions for participation points.

3)Students will take multiple choice question quizzes for each assigned chapter. Free response questions will be completed in class through-out the semester.

4)Students may have an opportunity to earn extra credit by completing questions for extra articles or group assignments. A maximum of 50 points possible can be earned for extra credit by the end of the semester. Students will be given opportunities throughout the semester to earn extra credit by being assigned an extra legal brief summaries or answering questions for articles. If students fail to complete the assigned extra credit, than that reduces the total amount of extra credit he/she can earn.

5)Student assessment will be based on participation points, weekly quizzes, cumulative exams, and free response questions. Make-up quizzes and exams consist of fill-in and free response questions. Make-ups can only be conducted before or after class (NOT during class time).

6)If a student is absent, then it is the student’s responsibility to turn in any assignment that was due during that absence the day he/she returns to class. Students are required to check the course calendar to see what was assigned or missed during an absence.

7)Late work will only be accepted the day after the due date by 7:50 AM (If an assignment was due on Friday, than students must email me a pdf or picture of the work completed (by Saturday 7:50 AM) and return the assignment on Monday by 8:20 AM.) Students can only earn up to 50% of the assignment’s points.

GRADING SCALE (Percentages)

100-90 = A

89-80= B

79-70= C

69-60= D

59-0= F

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Students are expected to abide by ethical standards in preparing and presenting material assigned to demonstrate their level of knowledge. Failure to maintain such standards will result in removal from the AP class. This includes copying or cheating on homework, quizzes, exams, or any other graded assignment.

AP Exam

All students are expected to sign up for the AP US Government and Politics exam in March and take the exam in May.

Assigned readings for AP US Government and Politics

Required ArticlesExtra Credit ArticlesWorksheet Chapters

EWL

(1) Beard’s Framing the Const.(8) Turner’s Democracy and other words1, 2, 3

(1) Roche’s Founding Fathers

Participation Points (100)

(2) McCulloch v Maryland4, 5

(2) Gibbons v Ogden

(3) Obamacare and the Courts

Participation Points (100)

(4) Federalist #10(9) Neustadt’s Power to Persuade11, 6 & 10

8 & 9

Participation Points (100)

(5) Federalist 51(10) O’Neill’s Carter & Reagan years12 & 13

(6) Mayhew’s Electoral Connection(11) Woll article16

(7) Federalist 7814 & 15

Participation Points (100)