INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT – POL 102

Course Syllabus

Winter Quarter 2006

Instructor: Jill Lane

Phone:(202) 550-6982 or (206) 527-3755

E-mail:

Office hours: By appointment. Room 2324-C

Division: Math, Science, & Social SciencesProgram (Political Science Dept.)

Course Number: POL 102Credits: 5

Course Title: Introduction to American Government

Text: Melusky, American Political System Plus Powerweb American Government, MP

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is an introduction to American government.Topics will consist of: democracy, the constitution, the presidency, the congress, the federal courts/civil liberties, political parties/elections, and state & local government.The class will consist of quizzes, discussion about current events and how they are applicable to the text, a journal, research paper, and final exam.

COURSE CONTENT

All readings are due at the beginning of the week! Extra reading materials will be handed out for discussion. These readings will complement the text.

Dates / Topics / Activities/Readings
Week 1: / Introduction/What is the Political System /
  • Chapter 1: Politics, the Politics & You
  • Read one of the Federalist Papers found in the Appendix
  • Handouts regarding voter turnout and the role of democracy in 2005

Week 2: / Theory/History/Character of Democracy /
  • Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
  • The Declaration of Independence
  • The Constitution
  • Liberty! The American Revolution Documentary (part 1)

Week 3: / Constitution/Branches of Govt. /
  • Chapter 3: Constitutional Rights & Liberties
  • Liberty! The American Revolution Documentary (part 2)

Week 4: / Voting/Political Parties/Interest Groups /
  • Chapter 4: Linking…
  • Chapter 5: Collective Links…
  • Test Yourself—Determining Party affiliation test
  • “How Big Business Affects Politics”article handout

Week 5: / Elections /
  • Chapter 6: Elections: Presidential & Congressional
  • Guest Speakers
  • Excerpts from The Daily Show: Indecision 2004

Week 6: / Congress/How a Bill Becomes a Law /
  • Chapter 7: Congress
  • mock Congress with class-drafted bill
  • Just the Facts: Legislative Branch documentary
  • “How special interests lobby Congress” article

Week 7: / The President and Cabinet /
  • Chapter 8: The American Presidency
  • Just the Facts: The Executive Branch documentary

Week 8: / Bureaucracy/Administrative Organization /
  • Chapter 9: The Federal Bureaucracy

Week 9: / Supreme Court/Court systems /
  • Chapter 10: The Federal Court System
  • Just the Facts: Judicial Branch of Govt. documentary

Week 10: / State & Local Politics /
  • Handout to be given out and determined at a later time

Week 11: / Review

Critical Dates:

  • Quizzes will be held every Thursday.
  • Journal entries are due every Friday.
  • The paper is due March 1, 2006. Topics are due January 9, 2006.
  • The final exam will be held in accordance with the university schedule unless special plans are otherwise made.

DAILY NEWS:

It is required that you read a newspaper article and/or watch the news for a short time every day. I recommend the NY Times, the Washington Post, or the Wall Street Journal. I also recommend that you read an "alternative" political news source from time to time. Alternative news sources can be about:

Specific issues (special interest group newsletters found on websites),

Points of view (In These Times, Mother Jones, National Review)

or from foreign countries (The Financial Times or the Economist).

Each class will begin with a short discussion about current events and how it applies to the American Government system.

JOURNAL REPORTS Students will be required to keep a journal addressing topics of American Government being studied the previous week. Entries are due each Friday and will be discussed in class. Creativity and application to “real life” is encouraged.For example, the student can find a topic of interest, write a letter to a member of congress, and report back about results. The journal will be at least one half type-written page and will be turned in on each Friday. There will be a three- point penalty for any late journal, plus a three-point penalty for each additional week that it is late.

QUIZZES Quizzes will be fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice. Quizzes will be given every Thursday. Utilization of the companion website is encouraged. Practice quizzes are provided there.

RESEARCH PAPER Topics are due January 9, 2006.kkk. Paper or study must be 4-6 typewritten pages with at least 4 sources. MLA style preferred and provided by teacher. Topics can address any topic in the text. Topic Examples: Interview campaign workers and discuss their roles in American Government; track the history of a bill; examine the priorities and works of a specific President; Critique and analyze a Supreme Court member.

FINAL EXAM:The first half of the final will be an essay exam. You must choose two out of four possible topics provided. Each essay will be worth 75 points. Answers can be researched from the text. The other half of the final will consist of fifty multiple-choice questions and fill-in-the-blanks, composed of questions from the ten weekly quizzes. These questions will be worth 2 points each.

COURSE OUTCOMES

Specific course objectives include:

1) To study the concepts and themes of American Government.

2) To familiarize students with the basic history of U.S.A.

3) To help students understand the changing nature of government.

4) To show the students how the government impacts them and how they can impact the government.

5) To give the students an understanding of the achievements of our government as well as its shortcomings.

6) To give students an understanding of the U.S. Constitution, The Bill of Rights, and The Declaration of Independence.

7) To give students a better understanding of the historical development of the American system of government.

8)To read and write in a competent and analytical manner.

COURSE GRADING

Reading quizzes, ...... 250 points

(10 quizzes worth 25 points each)

Weekly Research, Class Participation & Journal ...... 250 points

Research Paper…………...... 250 points

Final Exam...... 250 points

900-1000 points = A600-699 points = D

800-899 points = BBelow 600 points = Fail

700-799 points = C

INCOMPLETES & WITHDRAWALS

If any requirements are not completed, one may request an incomplete and fill out an Incomplete Removal Agreement;any withdrawal requiresa Withdrawal Form. Anyone who drops the class without formally withdrawing will fail the course.

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