Advanced Placement

United States Government & Politics

Syllabus
The AP~ Government course has been traditionally taught in both the fall and
spring semesters with an average enrollment of thirty students. The academic
calendar uses a semester-block system. Students enroll in six classes each
semester that meet every other day for a hundred minutes.
Students are responsible for keeping up with events in the news. Each class
begins with a discussion of current events (public policy, international
relations, etc.). The current events provide concrete connections for each
lesson.

Course Overview/Description
This course explores the political theory and everyday practice that direct the
daily operation of our government and shape our public policies. The express
purpose of this course is to prepare students to take the AP Exam for U.S
Government and Politics. The course is for all intents and purposes taught on
a college level and it requires a substantial amount of reading and preparation
for every class. The objectives of this course go beyond a basic analysis of
how our government develops policy. Students will develop a critical
understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the American political
system, as well as their rights and responsibilities as citizens.

Course Readings
There are two required texts for this course:
Burns, James MacGregor, et al. Government by the People.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002.
Woll, Peter, ed. American Government: Readings and Cases. 15th
ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2004. (CR8)
These readings will be supplemented with classroom handouts throughout the
semester.

CR8Evidence of
Curricular
Requirements..The course
includes supplemental
readings, including primary
source materials (such as
The Federalist Papers) and
contemporary news
analyses.

Grading and Course Requirements

Grades are figured on a cumulative point basis. Each test, quiz, homework
assignment, etc., is worth a given number of points according to the quality
and level of completion of the work. At the end of a marking period, a grade
average is determined by dividing the total points possible by points earned.
For example:
Assignment Points
Seminar Discussion
Homework
Chapter Quiz
Current Events
Essay
Group Presentation
Unit Test
Current Events
Totals

Possible
20
50
50
40
100
50
100
40
450

GRADING:
The total points (an accumulation of exams, assignments, and class participation)
will be divided by the number of assignments and the average point scale will be:
90-100%-------------------A
80-89% --------------------B
70-79% --------------------C
60-69% --------------------D

Each term is worth 40 percent of the final course grade. The remaining 20
percent is based the average of a cumulative project assignment and a final
exam grade given in April. Chapter quizzes include responses to analytical
free-response questions once every other week by midyear. (CR9)

CR9Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course requires
students to answer
analytical and interpretive
free-response questions on
a frequent basis

Current Events

CR8Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course includes
supplemental readings,
including primary source
materials (such as The
Federalist Papers) and
contemporary news
analyses.

Students are responsible for keeping up with the daily events in the nation and
the world. Students will need to skim the front page of the Washington Post or
Washington Times, the San Francisco Chronicle or New York Times, listen to
NPR or another radio news program, watch a TV news station such as CNN,
or access a reliable online source. (CR8)

Using Graphs, Maps, and Charts (CR7)

Students are tested on their understanding of quantitative and visually
presented information (maps and graphs) at regular intervals in the quiz
assignments.
2

CR7Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course provides
students with practice in
analyzing and interpreting
data and other information
relevant to U.S.
government and politics.

Reading Assignments and Course Calendar

Week One
Foundations of American Government: Constitutional Democracy What
is the purpose of government? What are the defining features of democracy?
Why is constitutional democracy not a spectator sport? What conditions are
conducive to constitutional democracy? What are Americas constitutional
roots? What are the main philosophical and political assumptions guiding the
framers in creating the new Constitution? What compromises were reached at
the Constitutional Convention? What arguments for and against ratification of
the Constitution were used by the Federalists and Antifederalists? Living
Constitution: How does power check power in Americas constitutional
government? What are the origins of judicial review, and what consequences
follow from the acceptance that judges are the official interpreters of the
Constitution? What developments have modified the way the system of
checks and balances works? How have changes in our informal, unwritten
Constitution kept our constitutional system up to date? How can the
Constitution be amended? Understand the following concepts democratic
theory, republicanism, pluralist theory, majoritarianism, and the elitist theory.
(CR1)

Due this Week: Burns, Chapters 1 and 2

Woll, Chapter 1: Second Treatise on Civil Government,
Founding Fathers: Reform Caucus in Action, pp. 330
Woll, Chapter 1: Federalist Papers, How Not to Read the
Constitution, pp. 4149
Woll, Chapter 3: Antifederalists, pp. 9598

Week Two
Federalism: What are the advantages of American federalism? What powers
are delegated to the national government, what powers are reserved for the
states and what concurrent powers are shared by the national and state
governments? What are the limitations of national and state governments?
How does secessionism still live on in contemporary America? How have the
federal courts affected the system of federalism? How and why is the U.S.
Supreme Courts record on federalism mixed? What has been the role of
federal grants in helping state and local governments find solutions to their
problems? What are federal mandates? What are some of the new techniques
of federal control? What are reasons for the growth of big government? Why
is Congress pressured to reduce national programs? What is the future of
federalism? How will the devolution revolution affect the future?
Due this Week: Burns, Chapter 3
3

CR1Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course instruction in
the constitutional
underpinnings of the U.S.
government

Woll, Chapter 2Federalist 39; Merits of the Federal

System, McCulloch v. Maryland, (CR8) The Federal
System, pp. 6078

Week Three
Political Socialization and Identity: Culture/Ideology: What are the
dominant values of the American political culture? What does political
scientist Robert Putnam mean by social capital? In what ways have our
political values been affected by historical developments and by economic and
technological growth? What are the key philosophical assumptions of
liberalism, conservatism, socialism, environmentalism and libertarianism?
What does it mean to be a citizen? (CR2)? What is the nature of the
relationship between ideology and tolerance? What role did ideology play in
the 2000 elections? Landscape: What is the importance of geography,
sectionalism, state and local identity, and the kinds of places in which we live
vis--vis the American political landscape? What accounts for American unity
in the midst of diversity? Why is a family structure important to the American
political landscape? What is the difference between the salad bowl and
melting pot concepts? How do we come by our political beliefs? Which
citizens vote and why?

CR8Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course includes
supplemental readings,
including primary source
materials (such as The
Federalist Papers) and
contemporary news
analyses.
CR2Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course provides
instruction on political
beliefs and political
behaviors.

Due this Week: Burns: Chapters 4 and 5

Woll, Chapter 4: Theory of Critical Elections, pp. 189199
Woll, Chapter 4: Voting Behavior Democratic Practice and
Democratic Theory, pp. 206214
Putnam, Robert. Bowling Alone: Americas Declining Social
Capital, Journal of Democracy, Volume 6, Number 1, January
1995, pp. 6578.

Week Four
Mass Movement Politics: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass
Movement Politics: Interest Groups: What are interest groups and where do
they commonly have their beginning? Why did James Madison call them
factions? What factors strengthen or weaken the political effectiveness of
interest groups? What techniques are most frequently used by interest groups?
Who are the lobbyists? What influence do lobbyists have? How do PACs
influence political outcomes and why have they increased in number? How do
they invest their money? How could one argue that single-issue interest
groups are less democratic than large, multi-interest organizations? What
efforts have been made to regulate interest groups? Political Parties: What do
political parties do for American democracy? What role have minor parties
had in American politics? How are political parties affected by partisan
realignment and dealignment? Why are issues of soft money and
accountability important for political parties? (CR3)
4

CR3Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course provides
instruction in political
parties, interest groups, and
mass media

Due this Week: Burns: Chapters 6 and 7

Woll, Chapter 4: Federalist 10, pp. 163169
Woll, Chapter 4: Perspectives on American Political Parties,
Divided We Govern, pp. 179189
Woll, Chapter 4: Politics by Other Means, pp. 200206

Week Five
Public Opinion, Participation, and Voting : What are the main
characteristics of public opinion? How does public opinion affect public
policy? How do the agents of political socialization influence the political
values and attitudes held by the individual? What elements of the voting
choice explain why people vote as they do? How serious is nonvoting? What
has been the electoral impact of the motor-voter act? Why are so many
swing voters targeted though mass mailings? (CR3)

CR3Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course provides
instruction in political
parties, interest groups, and
mass media

Due this Week: Burns, Chapter 8

Woll, Chapter 4: Myths and Realities about the Bipartisan
Campaign Reform Act of 2002, pp. 232238
Woll, Chapter 5: Madisons Dilemma, pp. 239246
Woll, Chapter 5: Interest Groups and the American Political
System, The Misplaced Obsession with PACs, pp. 256267
Woll, Chapter 6: American Presidential Elections, pp. 323327

Week Six
Campaigns and Elections/Media: What are the main features of the electoral
college system? What reform proposals are directed at the presidential
primaries, the nominating process, and the electoral college? Media: What
factors promote the rise of the media as an independent force? How does the
media influence elections, nominations, and referendums? What is the role of
the media as an observer and as a participant in the governing process? How
has the Internet affected media usage, the public, and politicians? (CR3)
Due this Week: Burns, Chapters 9 and 10
Woll, Chapter 3: New York Times v. Sullivan, pp. 119125
Woll, Chapter 8: Media Power and Congressional Power, pp.
372379

CR3Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course provides
instruction in political
parties, interest groups, and
mass media

Week Seven
Public Policy and the Institutions of National Governance: Congress:
What are the politics of representation and how does Congress organize itself
to do the work of law making and representation? What are the major job
responsibilities of a member of Congress? How does Congress reflect the
interest and desires of the nation, state or district? Why is the passage of a bill
considered to be a legislative obstacle course? What are the factions that
influence congressional decision-making? What are the differences and
similarities in conducting business in the House and Senate? Why are
committees so important to the proper functioning of Congress? How has the
role of Congress evolved in a divided government? (CR4)
Due this Week: Burns, Chapter 11
Woll, Chapter 8: All

CR4Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course provides
instruction in institutions of
national government.

Week Eight
Public Policy and the Institutions of National Governance: Presidency:
What factors constitute effective presidential leadership? What roles does the
president have that are not clearly defined in the Constitution? What does
presidential leadership mean in a constitutional democracy? How do we judge
presidential greatness or failure? Congress and the President: Why do policy
perspectives frequently differ between the President and members of
Congress? Under what circumstances can the two branches cooperate? What
is the meaning of executive privilege and executive orders? How have the
veto/item veto and budget/spending problems complicated relationships
between the president and Congress? Why is coalition building so
important? Has the role of the president become too powerful? (CR4)
Due this Week: Burns, Chapters 12 and 13
Woll, Chapter 6: Federalist 70, pp. 269-274
Woll, Chapter 6: Presidential Power, Presidential Paradoxes,
Presidential Character, Pp. 280-298

Week Nine: Spring Break

CR4Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course provides
instruction in institutions of
national government.

Week Ten
Public Policy and the Instruments of National Governance: Judiciary:
How and why do judges make the law? How does the role of interpreting the
Constitution influence policy making? What factors influence the selection
and eventual confirmation of federal judges? What is the meaning and
significance of judicial restraint and judicial activism? What are the linkages
between what the judges do and what the people want done? (CR4)

CR4Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course provides
instruction in institutions of
national government.

Due this Week: Burns, Chapter 14

Woll, Chapter 9: All

Week Eleven
Public Policy and the Instruments of National Governance: Bureaucracy:
How big is the federal government? How did the bureaucracy evolve? Who
are the bureaucrats and what do they do? How is the federal bureaucracy
formally and informally organized? What are the principles of bureaucratic
management? What is bureaucratic accountability to the President and to
Congress? Define the relationships in the Iron Triangle and how it influences
public policy? How might the bureaucracy be reformed? Is the existence of a
bureaucracy compatible in a democracy? (CR5)
Due this Week: Burns, Chapter 15
Woll, Chapter 7: All Selections from current news stories about
bureaucracy (CR8)

Week Twelve
Case Studies in Public Policy: What are the stages in the policy-making
process? (CR5) How does federalism affect public policy? What is the debate
over regulation?
1. Making Economic and Regulatory Policy: How do the principles
of fiscal and monetary policies compare? What are the economic
arguments on free trade and protectionism? What are some
regulatory agencies and their missions? What is the purpose of
antitrust legislation? How have governmental policies handled
environmental issues, such as clean air and pollution? What
arguments are used for and against the practice of deregulation?
2. Making Social Policy: What politics are involved in social policy?
What are the historical events in the evolution of subsidies and
entitlements? What are some of the major governmental policies in
social issues such as health care, welfare, education and crime?
7

CR5Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course provides
instruction in public policy.
CR8Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course includes
supplemental readings,
including primary source
materials (such as The
Federalist Papers) and
contemporary news
analyses.
CR5Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course provides
instruction in public policy.

3. Making Foreign and Defense Policy: What factors make an

interest vital in the conduct of American foreign policy, especially
in the new century? What roles are played by the public, special
interests, foreign nations and companies, political parties, and
Congress in the formulation and implementation of American
foreign policy?
What should be the role of the military in a constitutional
democracy? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the United
Nations? And what is the United States relationship with the UN?
Due this Week: Burns, Chapters 19, 20, and 21

Week Thirteen
CR6Evidence of
Curricular Requirement:
The course provides
instruction in civil rights
and civil liberties.

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights: What constitutes free speech and freedom
of religion? How does the national Bill of Rights apply to states? Do the
courts legislate from the bench? (CR6)
1.

2.

Freedom of Speech, the Press, and Assembly: What tests does

the Supreme Court apply to interpreting the free exercise clause?
What constitutional tests has the Supreme Court used for
limiting freedom of speech? What is the prevailing view of
freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and the freedom of
association in light of times of crisis?
Religion: What constitutes establishment clause? What
constitutes the free exercise clause? What was the significance
of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993? Why was the
Act ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court?

Due this Week: Burns, Chapter 16

Woll, Chapter 3: The Need to Maintain a Free Marketplace of
Ideas, pp. 113119
Woll, Chapter 3: Engle v. Vitale, Zelman v. Simmons-Harris,
pp. 134145

Week Fourteen
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights: What is equal protection and equal
rights under the law? How does the national Bill of Rights apply to states?
Do the courts legislate from the bench?
1.

Rights of Life, Liberty and Property: What is procedural due

process? What are our constitutional protections of property? What
are the differences between procedural and substantive due process?
How has the Supreme Court defined the right of privacy in its
8

2.

rulings?
Equal Rights and the 14th Amendment: How does the
struggle for civil rights relate to the four types of equality in
America? How has the struggle for equal rights for women been
intertwined with the battle to secure equal rights for African
Americans? What historic barriers to voting, public
accommodations, employment, and education existed in the past
and how have these barriers been overcome? Is the practice of
affirmative action and preference policies constitutional? What
issues regarding equal rights are pertinent today?

Due this Week: Burns, Chapters 17 and 18

Woll, Chapter 3: Gideon v. Wainwright, pp. 105113
Woll, Chapter 3: Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of
Education I &II, pp. 125134
Woll, Chapter 3: Roe v. Wade, Adarand Constructors, Inc. v.
Pena, pp. 145160

Week Fifteen
Review for AP U.S. Government & Politics Exam and in-class final exam

Final exam (10 percent of final course grade)

Week Sixteen
AP U.S. Government & Politics Exam
All students are expected to take the AP Exam. Those not taking the AP Exam
will have another final exam in class.