AP United States Government and Politics

Northgate High
Mr. Bradley
bradleyp@mdusd.org

Course Overview:

U.S. Government and Politics examines the political philosophies behind the structure of the US
Government and daily practices and operations of American political system. This course is analyzes the
strengths and weaknesses in the formation and implementation of public policy in the United States. The
purpose of this course is to prepare students to take the U.S. Government and Politics AP Exam

Curriculum Alignment and Teaching Strategies:

The class is structured to meet the needs of all students and challenge each student to achieve. A typical
unit includes taking notes from lecture/discussions, reading information from the text and new sources,
interpreting quantitative and visually presented information (graphs, maps and charts), reviewing
information in class and for homework, and assessing student achievement with quizzes and tests.
Lectures and discussion use both direct instruction and Socratic method to teach public policy concepts.
All information that is tested is discussed, applied and reviewed in the classroom and for homework prior
to assessment.

Assignments:
A mixture of assignments will be given throughout the semester. The assignments will focus the students'
attention on the information required for the course. Each quarter the following ratio of types of
assignments include the following:
1. Class Participation (5%) 5. Projects (10%)
2. Classwork 6. Presentations
3. Simulations 7. Quizzes (70%)
4. Homework (15%) 8. Tests

Assessment:
The concepts in each unit will be assessed in a variety of ways:
1. Multiple choice exam (25-50 questions)
2. Free response quizzes that include analytical questions from released US Government and
Politics AP Exams.
3. Vocabulary quizzes.
4. Reading quizzes.
5. Homework assignments including reading, graphical/chart analysis, writings, essays and projects.

Textbook:
Edwards, George C., Martin P. Wattenberg, and Robert L Lineberry. Government in America, 13th Ed.
New York: Prentice Hall, 2008.

Supplementary Materials:
Benedict, James A. and Daniel S. Ludlum. Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics.
USA: The Center for Learning, 1993.
Cigler, Allan and Burdett Loomis. American Politics: Classic and Contemporary Readings. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin, 2002.

Stanley, Harold and Richard Niemi. Vital Statistics on American Politics (2001-2002). Washington D.C.:
CQ Press, 2002.

Woll, Peter. American Government: Readings and Cases. 17th Ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2008.
Current Events:
Throughout the semester, students are responsible for keeping up with the daily events in the nation and
the world. Every Monday, students will present a Top 5 summary of the events that occurred during the
previous week and weekend. Each student will present at least once in the semester. Students will need
to gather information from reliable newspapers (Washington Post/ Washington Times/New York Times),
magazines (the Economist, Time, Newsweek), television stations (CNN, C-SPAN and other news stations),
radio (NPR and news stations), or online new sources.

Course Planner:
Unit 1 Constitutional Underpinnings (1-2 weeks)
Text Chapters: 1-3

Essential Questions/Content:
1. What is the basic function of government?
2. In response to the Articles of Confederation, why was the constitution adopted?
3. What is the theoretical basis and actuality of separation of power?
4. What are the arguments for and against federalism?
5. What are current trends and issues concerning federalism?
6. How has current trends in political though and historical events influences the American form of
democratic government?
7. What events and ideas influence shifts between centralized and decentralized government?

Readings:
Articles from Cigler and Loomis:
Beard, Charles A. An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States. p. 8-15.
James Madison. Federalist #51. p. 28-33.
Articles from Woll:
James Madison. Federalist #10. p 174-178.

Activities:
1. Venn Diagram: Delegated-Concurrent-Reserved Powers
2. Debate: Federalists v. Anti-Federalists in 1787
Groups of 3-5 students are assigned to present the Federalist or Anti-Federalist viewpoint in a
town-hall style debate
Each group is paired with a group opposing viewpoint for 15 minute rounds (each side has
one minute to respond to a question posed by the audience)
Groups rotate until all students have had an opportunity to participate.
The entire class votes for best arguments and whether to adopt a federalist government.

Charts: From Vital Statistics in American Politics (2001-2002).

Number of Government Employees: Federal, State and Local 1929-1999
 Federal Grants-in-Aid Outlays 1940-2006
Fiscal Dependency of Lower Levels on Higher Levels of Government (1927-1997)

Unit 2 Political Beliefs and Behaviors (2 weeks)

Text Chapters: 6 and 10

Essential Questions/Content:
1. What constitutes and shapes American political culture?
2. What factors shape public opinion?
3. What impact has public opinion had on American politics?
4. How do Americans participate in politics?
5. What factors impact voter registration and participation?
6. What issues impact voter ideology?
7. Chart the development of liberal and conservative ideologies in American politics?
8. What is the impact of public opinion polling on participation?

Readings: Selections include:

Articles from Cigler and Loomis:
Putman, Robert. Bowling Alone: Americas Declining Social Capital. p. 162-172.
Sifry, Micah. Finding the Lost Voters. p. 144-152.
Articles from Woll:
Berelson, Bernard, Paul Lazarsfeld and William McPhee. Democratic Practice and Democratic
Theory. p. 206-213.
Key, V.O. The Responsible Electorate. p. 213-217.
National Council for the Social Studies. A New Look at Voter Turnout: Good News After All?
Social Education. 70(5) p.302

Activities:
1. Students visit the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press (http://typology.people-
press.org/typology/ ) and take the online quiz. After reading about their individual results, students
write a review including their agreements and disagreements with their typology determined by the
quiz.
2. Students visit the Polling Place and research the current information available through different
polls. http://www.pollingplace.com

Charts: From Vital Statistics in American Politics (2001-2002).

Voter Turnout Rates, Presidential and Midterm Elections, 1789-2000
Voting-Age Population Registered and Voting, Cross Sections, 1980-1998
Congressional Vote in General Elections, 1992-2000

Unit 3 Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media (2 weeks)

Text Chapters: 7-9, 11

Essential Questions/Content:
1. What are the historical origins, modern functions, and organization of American political parties?
2. What impact do American politic parties have on the political process?
3. What is the relationship between electoral laws and American political parties?
 4. Who gets nominated and for what reasons?
5. Describe the relationship between campaigning and fundraising?
6. What are PACs? What types of interests are represented? How do they impact the political
process?
7. What is considered mass media in the US?
8. How has media impacted politics in America?
9. Chart recent movements to reform campaign finance in order to increase equity in campaign
finance.
10. What are the overlapping effects of political parties, interest groups and mass media on the
political process and American government?

Readings: Selections include:

Articles from Woll:
Schattschneider, E.E. Party Government p 179-182.
Paulson, Arthur. Toward A Responsible Party System? p. 187-191.
Rozell, Mark and Clyde Wilcox. Interest Groups and the American Political System. p. 241-
244.
Articles from Cigler and Loomis:
White, John K. and Daniel M. Shea. Creative Party Finances in the Information Age, in New
Party Politics: From Jefferson to Hamilton to the Information Age (Boston: Bedford St.
Martins, 2000), 222-236

Activities:
1. Students visit the LA Times website and gather information about particular political parties and
interest groups in the United States. Students choose 5 interest groups that they would be
interested in joining and explain the goal or ideology of two 3rd parties.
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-politics-politicalsites,1,6157525.htmlstory?coll=la-
mininav-politics
2. Students visit the Opensecrets.org. A wealth of information about who gets and who gives
donations. Students can look up either donations to specific people (their Congressional
Representatives and Senators), donations in their zip code, or particular individual, PAC, or soft
money donations. http://www.opensecrets.org/
3. Watch Skewing the News? from PBS NewsHour Media which aired January 24, 2002. This is
a discussion about bias in the media between Bernard Goldberg and Marvin Kalb from the
Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics, and Public Policy. Have students discuss the issue after
viewing. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/media/jan-june02/bias_1-24.html#

Charts: From Vital Statistics in American Politics (2001-2002).

Partisan Identification, by Groups, Gallup Poll, 2001
Partisan Identification, National Election Studies, 1952-2000
Party Competition, by Region, 1860-2000
Losses by Presidents Party in Midterm Elections, 1862-1998
Public Funding of Presidential Elections, 1976-2000
Campaign Spending for Winning Congressional Candidates, 1975-2000
PACs:/receipts, Expenditures, and Contributions, 1975-2000

Unit 4 Congress (1-2 weeks)

Text Chapters: 12
 Essential Questions/Content:
1. Describe the legislative process.
2. What are shared and independent powers of both houses of Congress?
3. What is the purpose and impact of specialization in Congress?
4. What impact do lobbies and special interests have on the creation of legislation?
5. How does the legislative branch fit into the system of checks and balances?
6. What impact do elections, public opinion and media have on congressional selection and
decision-making?
7. Describe the relationship between political parties in Congress?
8. What are iron triangles and how do they influence the legislative process?

Readings:
Article 1
Articles from Woll:
Fenno, Richard. If, as Ralph Nadar Says, Congress Is The Broken Branch, How Come We
Love Our Congressman So Much? p. 358-365.
Articles from Cigler and Loomis:
Cohen, Richard. Crackup of the Committees p. 358-366.
Shepsle, Kenneth. Changing the Textbook Congress p. 318-331.

Activities:
1. Given a list of actions (real or imaginary) students decide what power, if any, of Congress would
allow Congress act in such a way.
2. Students gerrymander the congressional district boundaries in favor of Republicans and
Democrats given one set of demographics.

Charts: From Vital Statistics in American Politics (2001-2002).

Losses by Presidents Party in Midterm Elections, 1862-1998

Unit 5 Presidency and Bureaucracy (2 weeks)

Text Chapters: 13, 15

Essential Questions/Content:
1. What are the Constitutional and non-Constitutional sources of power for the Presidency?
2. What are the Constitutional and non-Constitutional roles of the President?
3. What are the different structures of the Office of the White House?
4. What is the relationship between the President and the bureaucracy?
5. What are the Constitutional and non-Constitutional sources of power for the bureaucracy?
6. How are bureaucracies organized?
7. Rate the efficiency and effectiveness of bureaucratic institutions.
8. How are the President and the executive branch affected by public opinion, interest groups,
political parties, and media?
9. How does the executive branch fit into the system of checks and balances?

Readings:
Article 2
Articles from Woll:
 Neustadt, Richard. Presidential Power p. 264-267.
Woll, Peter. Constitutional Democracy and Bureaucratic Power. p. 308-312.

Neustadt, Richard. Leader or Clerk 243-245 (Jessicas book)

Schlesinger, Arthur Jr. Rating the Presidents 237-242. (Jessicas book)

Unit 6 Judicial Power (1 week)

Text Chapters: 16

Essential Questions/Content:

1. What is the origin and role of the federal court system?

2. What powers and remedies are available through judicial action?
3. What types of cases make it to the Supreme Court? For what types of reasons are the cases
selected?
4. How does the judicial branch fit into the system of checks and balances?
5. How do public opinion, interest groups, political parties, and media impact judicial decision-
making?

Readings:
Article 3
James. Madison. Federalist 78.
Articles from Woll:
Brennan, William. How the Supreme Court Arrives as Decisions. p. 402-411.
Roche, John. Judicial Self-Restraint. P. 395-401.
Activities:
1. Students browse cases at www.oyez.org. Students will research the members of the US Supreme
Court and view the current docket.
2. Students can view the structure of the federal courts system at http://www.uscourts.gov/. After
viewing, students can locate the court in which particular cases would be heard.

Charts:
US Court of Appeals and US District Courts Map: http://www.uscourts.gov/images/CircuitMap.pdf

Unit 7 Public Policy (1-2 weeks)

Text Chapters: 14, 17-20

Essential Questions/Content:
1. How do political institutions, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, and media impact
policy-making in the US?
2. How are policy agendas formulated?
3. What are the sources of federal revenue?
4. What voices are heard in the construction of the federal budget?
5. Describe the relationship between bureaucracy and the implementation of public policy?
6. Describe the relationship between courts and the interpretation of public policy?
7. Describe the evolution of social welfare policy making in the US.
8. Describe the instruments and actors of American Foreign Policy networks?
 9. What are iron triangles and how do they influence policy-making?

Readings:
Articles from Cigler and Loomis:
Georges, Christopher. Sign It, Then Mind It. p. 481-488.
Stone, Deborah. Stories. P. 489- 493.

Activities:
1. Students research the participants in Iron Triangles. Given a particular Department in the federal
bureaucracy, students will identify mission of the department, current leader, current budget and
organization of the department. Students will also identify which Congressional Committees and
Sub-Committees will oversee the department, create legislation affecting the department and fund
the department. Additionally, students will identify which interest groups would likely want to
influence the actions of the department and the legislation passed by Congress.

Charts: From Vital Statistics in American Politics (2001-2002).

Number of Government Employees: Federal, State and Local 1929-1999
Federal Grants-in-Aid Outlays 1940-2006
Fiscal Dependency of Lower Levels on Higher Levels of Government (1927-1997)

Unit 8 Civil Rights & Civil Liberties (1-2 weeks)

Text Chapters: 4-5

Essential Questions/Content:
1. What have been some of the historical shifts and developments in CLCR?
2. What role has judicial interpretation played in the CLCR?
3. Explain rights and liberties as listed in the Constitution and interpreted by the 3 branches of
government?
4. How has the 14th Amendment been used to protect, curtail and broaden the rights of people living
in the United States?

Readings:
Bill of Rights
Amendments 11-27
Articles from Woll:
Anti-Federalist Paper #84, p. 106-108.

Activities:
1. Students browse cases at www.oyez.org. Students will research particular cases identifying the
facts of the case, the question to the court, and the conclusion of the court. Cases include but are
not limited to: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954), Engel v.
Vitale (1962), Gideon v. Wainwright (1963), Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), Roe v. Wade (1973),
University of California Board of Regents v. Bakke (1978), Gratz v. Bollinger (2002), Grutter v.
Bollinger (2002).
2. Students act out constitutionally accepted limitations of freedom of expression and actions
limitations deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.