Welcome to Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics. This course will be designed as a college level course giving you the opportunity to earn college credits. You will take the AP exam in May, which may give you College credits. You are on your own to find out what score you will need on this exam to give you those credits at the college of your choice. We will talk a lot more about this exam later.
Because you are taking this course in high school, you will earn high school credits as well. Your grade will be based on my evaluations of your work and participation throughout the year. This will be a very rigorous course requiring a lot of outside work on your part to be successful. You are expected to complete all assignments and readings outside of class. Class time will mostly be spent on discussions and lecture style learning. You will find it difficult to participate if you do not do the work outside of class.
All assignments will be turned in on a specified date and no late work will be accepted. There will be no exceptions to this rule unless I approve a circumstance before hand. If you are absent, you will have my e-mail address so that you will be able to send me your work as an attachment.
Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics is separated into six areas:
- Constitutional Underpinnings of United States Government
- Political Beliefs and Behaviors
- Political Parties, Interest groups, and Mass Media
- Institutions of National Government
- Public Policy
- Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Your grade in this course will be determined by:
Exams: 50%
Projects: 10%
Assignments: 20% In class assignments can not be made up. They will be omitted
Chapter questions: 10%
Participation: 10%
- All Exams will be in the format of the AP exam. They will consist of Multiple Choice questions and a Free Response section. Each section will be timed and no extra time will be given.
- Each nine weeks will have at leastone major project. Some of the projects will be individual and some will be group projects. There will be very little class time devoted to projects, which means you must fit these into your own personal schedule.
- An essay or in class quiz relevant to the reading will accompany all supplemental readings. Other assignments will be given at my discretion.
- Chapter questions for each unit will be assigned and must be turned in on specified dates. These questions are designed to make sure that all students are reading the text as the class is discussing it. Reading the chapters only once on the night before the exam is insufficient. Your answers to these questions must be handwritten.
- Participation in this class is critical. At the end of each class period you are to turn in an index card showing your verbal participation for that period. I will evaluate the cards and issue a number of points based on your comments. I will keep track of the points and your total number will be your participation grade for the nine weeks. You can earn a maximum of forty points but you may not accumulate more than two points in one day.
Class Materials: You will need the following materials in this course.
- Textbook: American Government 10th ed.
- Classic Readings in American Government reader.
- Index Cards
- Three ring binder notebook
- Paper
- Pens and Pencils
Deadlines:
Deadlines will be set by the instructor and may only be changed by the instructor. All assignments are due by the deadline regardless of your attendance. No late work will be accepted. If you are absent when an exam is given, you must schedule tomake-up the exam on your next day back. All make-up exams will be given before or after school. You will have no more than three days upon return to make up the exam. I would suggest you make sure that you are in class for exams if at all possible.
Communication:
You will need to provide the instructor an e-mail address. You are expected to look for messages from the instructor each day. From time to time I may find something on television relevant to this course that I would like to discuss. This information will be sent to you by e-mail before 18:00. If it is sent before 18:00 you will be responsible for it. If I do not get the message out before that time, it is my fault. I will provide you with my e-mail address so that you can stay in contact with me and for assignments in case you are not in class.
Discipline:
You have chosen to participate in a college level course so I do not anticipate dealing with discipline problems. In my eyes you are all college freshmen.
The common method of punishment will be ASD. If problems are more severe, it may call for a discipline notice.
Cell Phones and Macbooks:
The distractions caused by these devices can be harmful to the learning process. Although the Macbooks are great learning tools, we will have limited usage. Students should take handwritten notes in class. Cell phones should NEVER be used during class. I will provide a safe place for you to put your phone if you cannot responsibly ignore it during class. Use of the phone during class will result in the phone being confiscated for the duration of class and a requirement to place your phone in the safe place for the duration of the course.
Respect:
This course will deal with very controversial issues. We will all work together to create an environment where everyone is comfortable sharing their ideas. I will need your help with this. Disrespect will not be tolerated.
Important Web Sites:
US Senatesenate.gov
US House of Reps.house.gov
US Supreme Courtsupremecourtus.gov
White Housewhitehouse.gov
Supreme court opinionsOYEZ.com
New York Timesnytimes.com
Washington Postwashingtonpost.com
USA Todayusatoday.com
C-Spanc-span.org
CNNcnn.com
MSNBCmsnbc.com
Fox Newsfoxnews.com
Vote Smartvote-smart.org
FiveThirtyEight
Real Clear Politics
E-Mail:
Every student must provide the instructor with an e-mail address. My e-mail address is It is important that you communicate with me if an emergency should arise. Assignments are to be turned in by 9:00 on the due date. If you are not in school, I will expect an e-mail with your attached assignment by 9:00. I will check the time.
AP US Government and Politics Unit Summary
Unit I: Democracy and the Constitution
Text Reading: Chapter 1 and chapter 2
Supplemental reading: Federalist # 51.
Summary: This unit will begin the foundations of our system of government with specific focus on why the republican form of government was the chosen type. Students will understand the Constitution and how the document has been able to withstand the test of time. The primary source reading of the federalist papers will help students understand the thought that was involved with the choice of government and how the Constitution would strengthen the national government while leaving states free to carry on their own sovereignty.
Unit II: Federalism
Text Reading: Chapter 3 and the Constitution
Supplemental Reading: Federalist #10
Summary: In this unit, students will focus on the powers of the different levels of government. We will study various Supreme Court cases that began and strengthened the idea of national supremacy. We will discuss contemporary issues that have put national supremacy and the principle of federalism to the ultimate constitutional test. We will also focus on the constitution itself. Students will learn the structure and specific ideas of this important document.
Unit III: Interest Groups and Political Parties
Text Reading: Chapter 9 and Chapter 11
Project: Interest group research project.
Summary: This unit will begin the importance on civic participation by focusing on the various interest groups found within the United States. Students will also research an interest group to get an idea of how the group works for change within the scope of American government. We will discuss Campaign Finance Reform with special attention being paid to disclosure and campaign limitations. The focus will then shift to political parties with an emphasis on the two-party system in the United States and the idea of winner-take-all. Students will learn about third parties and begin to see how they can be somewhat successful in a system that is stacked against them. Students will focus on the fundamental difference between interest groups and political parties.
Unit IV: Campaigns and elections
Text Reading: Chapter 10
Supplemental reading: Reforming the Electoral College.
Summary: This unit will focus on the campaigning process as well as the election process. Campaign strategies will be thoroughly discussed and students will get an idea of the importance of television campaign ads and how they have changed over time. After discussing the election process of the president, we will shift to Congress. Students will learn about the competition (or lack of competition) in congressional races and learn about the role of fundraising. Students will understand the election process beginning with the nomination phase and ending with the general election.
Unit V: Political landscape and political ideology
Text Reading: Chapter 4 and Chapter 7
Summary: This unit will discuss the foundations of political socialization and political ideology. Students will focus on controversial issues and learn the different ways that specific ideological thought view them. Students will get a sense of their own ideologies by taking various ideological tests that I have accumulated over the years. Students will learn about demographics as a possible predictor of voting behavior. This unit will also include the difference between majority rules and plurality.
Unit VI: Political Participation and the Media
Text reading: Chapter 8 and Chapter 12
Project: Public opinion poll and analysis.
Summary: In this unit we will focus on public opinion and its relevance to the political process. We will try to decide if politicians should govern in the way the public thinks. We will analyze the art of public opinion polls and students will be expected to conduct one on their own to determine how relevant these polls actually are. They will also analyze the results while breaking them down into several demographic categories. Our attention will turn next to the media and focus on the different types of media and where Americans tend to get their news. Students will be expected to watch multiple news programs and try to discover the answer to whether or not there is a media bias.
Unit VII: Congress
Text reading: Chapter 13
Supplemental reading: Congress and the Quest for Power article.
Summary: In this unit we will focus on the men and women that make the laws for this country. We will re-visit the campaigning aspect before focusing on their role as legislators. We will learn about the importance of the committee structure of congress and debate the benefits of the system compared to the delays that are imminent. We will study the leaders of congress focusing on how they become leaders to what they do in those positions. We will end this unit with the process of how a bill becomes a law.
Unit VIII: The President
Text reading: Chapter 14
Supplemental reading: The Two Presidencies.
Summary: This unit will focus on the President of the United States and the different roles played by this important leader. We will discuss the men who have been elected to this powerful office and debate the top five presidents of all time and the bottom five presidents of all time. We will discuss the role of public opinion in making presidential decisions. We will discuss the election process of the president from its beginnings to the changes brought about by the twelfth amendment. We will discuss the importance of the people that surround the Chief Executive and learn about their roles. This will be the first time we focus on the priorities of domestic policy vs. foreign policy.
Unit IX: The Judiciary
Text Reading: Chapter 16
Supplemental reading: Various Supreme Court opinions, Federalist #78
Summary: This unit will focus on the role of the various levels of the federal courts. Students will learn the different jurisdictions of the federal courts and focus on the important roles held by the other branches of government when dealing with the federal courts. We will focus on the appeals process and students will learn the impact of court rulings on the district, circuit, and Supreme Court level. We will debate the judicial philosophies of activism vs. original intent. Students will read various Supreme Court opinions and focus on majority, concurring, and dissenting opinions.
Unit X: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
Text Reading: Chapter 5 and Chapter 6
Project: Supreme Court Case video project on first amendment cases.
Summary: This unit will focus on the five freedoms of the first amendment. We will study the concepts of the freedoms and debate how absolute the freedoms actually are. We will debate the contradictory clauses of the first amendment when dealing with religion. Students will learn the laws that govern these freedoms and will learn many Supreme Court cases that deal with these freedoms. Students will present Supreme Court cases in the form of a video presentation. This unit will focus on other amendments protecting Americans including the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th. We will discuss privacy rights and the idea of selective incorporation with the use of the 14th amendment. Students will learn the trial procedure and the rights guaranteed to all persons in our justice system. We will debate the constitutionality of the death penalty while looking at Supreme Court cases dealing with the issue as well as how various states approach the issue. We will then focus on equality and how the Constitution has paved the way for more group access while leaving the question of protection up to the courts. We will discuss segregation from its beginning and focus on the way states attempted to deny access to certain groups. We will discuss the remedies of segregation from affirmative action to congressional use of the commerce clause.
Student Contract
I have read the requirements and expectations of Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics. I realize the course will be very demanding and time consuming. I understand that much of the learning will take place outside of class. I understand that the class discussions are meant to reinforce the learning experience. I understand that this course will be taught as a college level class and that I am responsible for all assignments.
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Name (Print)
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______Date
Signature
Parent Contract
I have read the requirements and expectations of Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics. I am fully aware that my child has chosen to participate in a very demanding course. I understand that my child will be responsible for learning a lot of the information on his/her own. I understand that this course will be taught as a college level class and that my child is expected to be responsible for all assignments.
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Name (Print)
______
______Date
Signature