U.S. Government
Mr. Conley
Welcome to U.S. Government! I hope this will be a great class! It really depends of you and me. I need you to listen, read, think critically, and participate in class. Why government? And why do I really need this class to graduate? I hope by the end of this semester you will know the answer to those questions and realize what we have studied together was indeed worth while.
Framework of Major Topics
Principles of United States Government
1. Analyze the influence of ancient Greek, Roman, and leading European political thinkers such as John Locke, Charles-Louis Montesquieu, Niccolò Machiavelli, Jean Jacques Rousseau, and William Blackstone on the development of United States government.
2. Describe the purposes and functions of government as outlined in the Preamble to the Constitution.
3.Why did the Founding Fathers establish a constitutional system that limited the power of government?
4. Describe the systems of enumerated and shared powers, the role of organized interests (Federalist Number 10), checks and balances (Federalist Number 51), the importance of an independent judiciary (Federalist Number 78), implied powers, rule of law, federalism, popular sovereignty, and civilian control of the military.
5. Analyze how the Bill of Rights limits the powers of the federal government and state governments.
Branches of Government
1. Analyze Article I of the Constitution as it relates to the legislative branch, including eligibility for office and lengths of terms of representatives and senators; election to office; the roles of the House and Senate in impeachment proceedings; the role of the vice president; the enumerated legislative powers; and the process by which a bill becomes a law.
2. Describe in order the steps of the process through which the Constitution can be amended.
3. Analyze Article II of the Constitution as it relates to the executive branch, including eligibility for office and length of term, election to and removal from office, the oath of office, and the enumerated executive powers.
4. Analyze Article III of the Constitution as it relates to judicial power, including the length of terms of judges and the jurisdiction of the United States Supreme Court.
5. Explain the processes of selection and confirmation of Supreme Court justices.
The Supreme Court and the Constitution
1. Evaluate various interpretations and determine which explanations best accord with textual evidence to understand the changing interpretations of the Bill of Rights over time including interpretations of the basic freedoms (religion, speech, press, petition, and assembly) articulated in the First Amendment and the due process and equal -protection-of-the-law clauses of the 14th Amendment through examination of Supreme Court cases.
2. Analyze judicial activism and judicial restraint and the effects of each policy over time.
3. Explain the controversies that have resulted over evolving interpretations of civil rights.
Federal Power
1. Explain how conflicts between levels of government and branches of government are resolved (supremacy clause, checks and balances).
2. Identify and explain powers that the Constitution gives to the President and Congress in the area of foreign affairs.
Elections and The Political Process
1. Analyze the origin, development, and role of political parties.
2. Explain the history of the nomination process for presidential candidates and the increasing importance of and difference between primaries, caucuses and general elections.
3. Describe the means that citizens use to participate in the political process (e.g., voting, campaigning, lobbying, filing a legal challenge, demonstrating, petitioning, picketing, and running for political office).
4. Analyze the function of the Electoral College.
Influence of the Media
1. Cite textual evidence to defend a point of view about the meaning and importance of a free and responsible press.
2. Explain how public officials use the media to communicate with the citizenry and to shape public opinion.
The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens
1. Analyze the meaning and importance of each of the rights guaranteed under the Bill of Rights and how each is secured (e.g., freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, petition, and privacy).
2. Connect insights gained from appropriate informational text to describe the obligations of civic-mindedness, including voting, being informed on civic issues, volunteering and performing public service, and serving in the military or alternative service.
3. Describe the reciprocity between rights and obligations and how enjoying rights means fulfilling certain obligations and respecting the rights of others. 4. Explain how one becomes a citizen of the United States, including the process of naturalization.
Fundamentals of a Free Society
1. Summarize the central ideas of iconic primary documents, including the writings and speeches of Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, John Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan.
2. Examine the historical role of religion and religious diversity and their impact on society.
3. Compare and contrast the relationship of government and civil society in constitutional democracies to the relationship of government and civil society in authoritarian and totalitarian regimes.
Civil rights
1. Describe the Civil Rights Movement and analyze resulting legislation and legal precedents.
2. Describe the women’s rights movement and analyze resulting legislation and legal precedents.
3. Identify legislation and legal precedents that established rights for the disabled, Hispanics, American Indians, Asians, and other minority groups, including the tensions between protected categories (e.g., race, women, veterans) and non-protected ones (United States v. Carolene Products, Adarand Constructors v. Pena).
The Federal Government and the Economy
1. Explain how the role of government in a mixed economy includes providing for national defense, addressing environmental concerns, defining and enforcing property rights, attempting to make markets more competitive, and protecting consumer rights.
2. Describe how the government responds to perceived social needs by providing public goods and services.
3. Describe how federal tax and spending policies affect the national budget and the national debt.
Tennessee State and Local Government
1. Identify and describe the provisions of the Tennessee Constitution that define and distribute powers and authority of the state government.
2. Provide examples of the principles of federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, and popular sovereignty in the government of the state of Tennessee and the balance between the grand divisions within the state.
3. Explain the differences among the types of local governments in Tennessee, including county government, city government, and metro government.
4. Describe how citizens can monitor and influence local and state government as individuals and members of interest groups.
Classroom Expectations & Procedures
Classroom Expectations
*I will arrive on time to class and sit in my assigned seat.
*I will have my materials that I need for class everyday.
*I will work to the best of my ability on what we are doing in class on a daily basis.
*I will contribute to a positive classroom environment that is conducive to learning.
*I will respect the inherent worth of each of my classmates and treat them with the respect they deserve.
*I will be honest. I will arrive at my answers honestly, and complete my own work. Academic fraud - cheating, of any sort on any assignment or test will not be tolerated.
*I will keep my electronics in my backpack unless Mr. Conley grants permission to get them out.
Grading Policy
*Bell Work - 15%
*Assignments - 15%
*Projects - 20%
*Tests - 50%
MaterialsExtra Credit Item (not required)
*1"or 1.5" binder ~ 1 ream of copy paper (20 pts.)
*Pack of college-ruled paper
Your name ______
Parents signature ______