AP U.S. Government and Politics
Course Syllabus 2010/2011
Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics


Text: American Government, James Q. Wilson/ John J. Dilulio, Jr. Tenth edition. (Readings denoted
with a “W” in each chapter handout)
Supplemental Reader: The Lanahan Readings in the American Polity, Lanahan Publishing Company,
Third edition (Readings denoted with an “L” in each chapter handout)
This course is an intensive study of the formal and informal structures of government and the processes of the
American political system, with an emphasis on policy making and implementation. The purpose of this AP
Government and Politics class is to prepare students to take the AP Government and Politics Exam in May
2011, and to pass the exam with a qualifying score for college credit. Students can expect a generous amount of
supplemental material from primary and secondary sources, such as journals, texts, documents, newspapers,
websites, and educational videos.
Student Expectations
It is essential that students keep up with current events through a variety of sources, such as USA Today, CNN,
Newsweek, and the Internet. Students must have a notebook or a binder that contains notes from each Unit. A
three-ring binder with a clear jacket is required for a research project late in the course.
All students enrolled in the AP Government and Politics course are expected to take the AP exam in May of
2011. Students who do not take the exam will not receive “AP” credit for the course, nor will they receive an
“AP” notation on their transcript. Absences from class will seriously undermine class performance, and class
will continue on schedule in order to prepare students for the AP Exam; therefore, the AP student will attend
class regularly. No student will be permitted to miss this class for other classes (for example, Driver’s Ed or
Band) without a minimum of 24 hours prior notice, unless approved by the teacher. Students are responsible for
all missed work and must check with the instructor about assignments in advance of in-school absences, field
trips, and family trips.
Missed tests or quizzes will be made up after school on a day mutually agreed upon by the teacher and the
student. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange for make-up work upon his/her return. All work is to be
made up according to the timeline as specified in AHS policy; failure to do so may result in a zero for all missed
work. Make-up tests and quizzes may have a different format from the original assessment. All assignments are
due on the date scheduled, regardless of attendance in class. Students will complete the assigned readings as
homework, taking notes as they read, and any questions on the reading or class notes should be brought up in
the beginning of class the next day. Students will complete all homework assignments in order to prepare them
for the next day’s discussion. Students should be ready at all times for announced and unannounced quizzes.
Students are expected to behave in a mature manner, to follow all District, school, and classroom rules and to
respect the classroom teacher, substitute teachers, guest speakers, and fellow classmates. Inappropriate behavior
or failure to comply with the above expectations may result in a loss of opportunities and points and/or
disciplinary action and will be dealt with according to the District’s Student Code of Conduct.
Texts are to be returned in the condition in which they were given out. Otherwise the school will seek
reparations in the amount of a new text (approximately $80.00 for Wilson text). Should the original textbook be
lost, a replacement textbook will not be issued until the obligation/cost for the issued book is paid.
Grades
Grades will be based on 20% process, 80% product system and will consist of reading quizzes, research projects
and papers, and chapter and practice AP test items. Students need to be prepared to complete homework
assignments as graded or non-graded enrichment. No individual extra credit assignments will be given.
Plagarism is dishonest student work and may result in either a loss of points or disciplinary action or both.
AP Course Outline: There are five units of study related to AP Government and Politics that will be covered
this school year. The units of study, in order and with the weighted percentages of questions on the AP test
from each unit, and corresponding chapters are:
Unit I: Constitutional Underpinnings of U.S. Government (5-15%); Chapters 1-4
Unit II: Opinions, Interests, and Organizations (20-40%); Chapters
7-12
Unit III: Institutions of National Government (35-45%); Chapters 13-16
Unit IV: Public Policy (5-15%); Chapters 17-21
Unit V: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (5-15%); Chapters 5 and 6
AP Test Format:
The AP Government and Politics Exam consists of two separate, timed sections.
Section I: The first section contains 60 multiple-choice questions with five choices each. The questions
increase in difficulty as students progress from question #1 to question #60. This section accounts for half
(50%) of the student’s overall score.
Section II: The second section of the exam consists of four free-response questions. Students have 100
minutes to complete this section of the exam. All questions in this section are weighted equally.
Scoring: When successfully obtaining a score of 3, students are designated as “qualified”, a score of 4,
“well qualified”, and 5, “extremely well qualified”. Colleges are responsible for setting their own policies
regarding how much credit, if any, they grant for AP grades. This course is generally accepted as a 3-credit
introductory political science course. Students should contact their university to determine what score is needed
for course credits.
AP Test Fees: The cost of an AP Exam is $86.00, students are responsible for payment.
AP Test Strategies: During the course of the year we will discuss important test strategies and structured
approaches to doing well on both sections of the AP Exam. In addition, students will be taking multiple
“practice” AP Exams culled from previous years’ tests in preparation for the actual exam in May 2011.
AP Resources: In addition to our classroom textbook, notes, assignments, etc., students may wish to purchase
additional reference guides, exam reviews, or other materials for their own personal use.
Student name (printed)
_________________________________________
Student signature
_________________________________________
Parent/Guardian signature _________________________________________
Date
______________
Unit I: Constitutional Underpinnings
Chapter 1: The Study of American Government
Key terms
Authority
Elite
Pluralist view
bureaucratic view
legitimacy
power
democracy
Marxist view
power elite
direct (participatory) democracy
power elite view
representative democracy
Objectives
The purpose of this chapter is to give the student a preview of the major questions to be asked throughout the
textbook and to introduce key terms. After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, students should
be able to do each of the following:
1. List the two basic questions to be asked about government in the United States (or any other nation) and
show that they are distinct questions.
2. Explain what is meant by power, and by political power in particular. Relate the latter to authority,
legitimacy, and democracy.
3. Distinguish between the two concepts of democracy mentioned in the chapter, explaining in which sense
the textbook refers to United States government as democratic.
4. Differentiate between majoritarian politics and elitist politics, explaining the four major theories of the
latter.
5. Explain how political change tends to make political scientists cautious in stating how politics works or
what values dominate it.
Agenda
Day one: Objective #1and #2; W: pp.1- 6; L 14
Day two: Objective #3 and #4; W: pp. 6- 10
Day three: Objective #5; W: pp. 10- 15;
Day four: M/C test
Unit I: Constitutional Underpinnings
Chapter 2: The Constitution
Key terms
Amendment process
Checks and balances
Federalism
Judicial review
Republic
Unalienable
Anti-federalists
constitution
Federalist Papers
natural rights
separation of powers
unicameral
bicameral
Bill of Rights
Declaration of Independence
factions
Federalists
Great Compromise
New Jersey Plan
ratification
Shays’s Rebellion
Virginia Plan
Objectives
The purpose of this chapter is to introduce students to the historical context within which the United States
Constitution was written. After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter the student should be able to
do each of the following:
1. Explain the notion of “higher law” by which the colonists felt they were entitled to certain “natural
rights.” List the rights.
2. Compare the basis on which the colonists felt a government could be legitimate.
3. List and discuss the shortcomings of government under the Articles of Confederation.
4. Compare and contrast the Virginia and New Jersey plans, and show how they led to the “Great
Compromise.”
5. Explain why separation of powers and federalism became key parts of the Constitution.
6. Explain why a bill of rights was not initially included in the Constitution and why it was added.
7. List and explain the two major types of constitutional reform advocated today, along with specific
reform measures.
Agenda
Day one: Objectives # 1 and #2; W: pp. 17- 22; L 9
Day two: Objective # 3 and #4; W: pp. 22- 30
Day three: Objective #5 and #6; W: pp. 30- 40
Day four: Objective #7; W: pp. 40- 47; L10
Day five: Review; L 13; quiz; student FRQ presentations
Day six: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit I: Constitutional Underpinnings
Chapter 3: Federalism
Key terms
Block grants
categorical grants
Devolution
dual federalism
Gibbons v. Ogden
grants in aid
McCulloch v. Maryland
Revenue sharing
unfounded mandates
conditions of aid
federalism
initiative
nullification
unitary system
cooperative federalism
federal system
mandates
referendum
Objectives
The central purpose of the chapter is to introduce the student to some of the complexities of federal government
in the United States-that is, one where both the national and state governments have powers independent of one
another. After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, the student should be able to do each of the
following:
1. Explain the difference between federal and centralized systems of government, and give examples of
each.
2. Show how competing political interest at the Constitutional Convention led to the adoption of a federal
system that was not clearly defined.
3. Outline the ways in which national and state powers have been interpreted by the courts.
4. State the reasons why federal grants-in-aid to the states have been politically popular, and cite what have
proven to be their pitfalls. Distinguish between categorical grants and block grants.
5. Distinguish between mandates and conditions of aid with respect to federal grant programs to states and
localities. Discuss whether or to what extent federal grants to the states have created uniform national
policies comparable to those of centralized governments.
6. Evaluate the effect of devolution on relationships between the national and state governments. Assess its
implications for citizens as taxpayers and as clients of government programs.
Agenda
Day one: Objectives #1 and #2; W: pp. 48-54
Day two: Objective #3; W: pp. 54-60; L 15
Day three: Objective #4; W: pp. 60-66
Day four: Objective #5; W: pp. 66-68; L 21
Day five: Objective #6; W: pp. 68-74; quiz; Review; student FRQ presentations;
Day six: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit I: Constitutional Underpinnings
Chapter 4: American Political Culture
Key terms
Civic competence
Political culture
civic duty
political efficacy
class consciousness
progressive religion
orthodox religion
Objectives
This chapter concentrates on the notion of “political culture, or the inherited set of beliefs, attitudes, and
opinions people (in this case, Americans) have about how their government ought to operate. After reading and
reviewing the material in this chapter the student should be able to do each of the following:
1. Define what scholars mean by political culture, and list some of the dominant aspects of political culture
in the United States.
2. Discuss how American citizens compare with those of other countries in their political attitudes.
3. List the contributions to United States political culture made by the Revolution, by the nation’s religious
heritages, and by the family. Explain the apparent absence of class consciousness in the United States.
4. Define internal and external political efficacy, and explain how the level of each of these has varied over
the past generations.
Agenda
Day one: Objectives # 1; W: pp. 75-80
Day two: Objective # 2; W: pp. 80-84; L 3
Day three: Objective # 3; W: pp. 84-89; L 4
Day four: Objective # 4; W: pp. 89- 96; quiz
Day five: Chapter 4 Test, M/C; Contemporary political research article due
Unit II: Opinions, Interest, and Organizations
Chapter 7: Public Opinion
Key terms
Elite
Political ideology
Public opinion
exit polls
gender gap
political socialization
random sample
norm
political elites
poll
sampling error
Objectives
The purpose of this chapter is to explore what we mean by public opinion and to ask what sort of effects public
opinion has on our supposedly democratic form of government. After reading and reviewing the material in this
chapter, the student should be able to do each of the following:
1. List the sources of our political attitudes and indicate which are the most important.
2. Explain why there are crosscutting cleavages between liberals and conservatives in this country. Assess
the significance of race, ethnicity, and gender in explaining political attitudes.
3. Define political ideology and give reasons why most American do not think ideologically. Summarize
the liberal and conservative positions on the economy, civil rights, and political conduct.
4. Discuss the basic elements of polling and explain how polling reflects the attitudes of people generally.
Agenda
Day one: Objective #1: W. pp.155-162
Day two: Objective #2: W. pp. 162-167
Day three: Objective #3: W. pp. 167-176
Day four: Objective #4 and Review: W. pp. 167-176
Day five: Multiple Choice (M/C) test; Student opinion poll due
Unit II: Opinions, Interest, and Organizations
Chapter 8: Political Participation
Key terms
Activist
Fifteenth Amendment
Literacy test
Nineteenth Amendment
Registered voters
Unconventional participation
White primary
Conventional participation
Grandfather clause
Motor-voter law
Poll tax
Twenty-sixth Amendment
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Australian ballot
Objectives
This chapter reviews the much-discussed lack of voter turnout and of other forms of political participation in the
United States. After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, the student should be able to do each of
the following:
1. Explain why the text believes that the description, the analysis, and many of the proposed remedies for
low voter turnout rates in the US are generally off base.
2. Compare the way that turnout statistics are tabulated for the US and for other countries, and explain the
significance of these differences.
3. Describe how control of the elections has shifted from the states to the federal government, and explain
what effect this shift has had on Blacks, women, and youth.
4. State both sides of the debate over whether voter turnout has declined over the past century, and describe
those factors that tend to hold down voter turnout in the US.
5. Discuss those factors that appear to be associated with high or low political participation.
Agenda
Day one: Objective #1: W: pp.177-181
Day two: Objective #2: W: pp.177-181; L 71
Day three: Objective #3: W: pp. 181-184
Day four: Objective #4: W: pp. 184-187; L 76
Day five: Objective #5 and Review; W: 187-195; quiz
Day five: M/C test
Unit II: Opinions, Interest, and Organizations
Chapter 9: Political Parties
Key terms
Congressional campaign committee
Mugwumps (or progressives)
National convention
Political machine
Split ticket
Superdelegates
critical or realignment period
national chairman
personal following
political party
sponsored party
two-party system
ideological party
national committee
plurality system
solidary incentive
straight ticket
Objectives
This chapter examines political parties, with an emphasis on the two-party system that has evolved in the United States.
After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, the student should be able to do each of the following:
1.
Define the term political party and contrast the structures of the European and American parties, paying particular
attention to the federal structure of the United States system and the concept of party identification.
2.
Trace the development of the United States party system through its four periods. Explain why parties have been in
decline since the New Deal.
3.
Describe the structure of a major party. Distinguish major from minor parties.
4.
Indicate whether there are major differences between the parties. Describe some of the issue differences
between delegates at Democratic and Republican conventions, and compare these differences with those of
the party rank and file.
Agenda
Day one: Objective #1:W: 197-201
Day two: Objective #2: W: 201-207; L 79
Day three: Objective #3: W: 207-223
Day four: Objective #3: W: 207-223; L 82
Day five: Objective #4: W: 223-228
Day six: Objective #4 and Review: W: 223-228; L83; quiz; Introduction to FRQs
Day seven: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit II: Opinions, Interest, and Organizations
Chapter 10: Elections and Campaigns
Key terms
527 organizations
closed primary
general election
independent expenditures
political action committee
prospective voting
soft money
blanket primary
coattails
gerrymandering
malapportionment
position issue
retrospective voting
sophomore surge
caucus (electoral)
general election
incumbent
open primary
primary election
runoff primary
valence issue
Objectives
This chapter focuses on the process of campaigning involved in each type of election. After reading and
reviewing the material in this chapter, the student should be able to to do each of the following:
1. Demonstrate the differences between the party-oriented campaigns of the nineteenth century and the
candidate-oriented ones of today, contrasting the major elements of successful campaigns.
2. Outline the processes for electing presidents and for electing members of Congress, and discuss how the
major differences between the two types of contests shape who runs and how it affect their campaign
strategy.
3. Discuss how important campaign funding is to election outcomes, what the major sources of such
funding are under current laws and how successful reform legislation has been in removing improper
monetary influences from U.S. elections.
4. Describe what the Democrats and Republicans each must do tot put together a successful national
coalition to win an election.
5. Outline the major arguments on either side of the question of whether elections do or do not result in
major changes in public policy in the U.S.
Agenda
Day one: Objective #1and #2: W: pp. 230- 232, 232-244; L 74
Day two: Objective #2: W: pp. 232- 244
Day three: Objective #3: W: pp. 244- 253;
Day four: Objective #4: W: pp. 253- 259; L 75,
Day five: Objective #5: W: pp. 259-263
Day six: Review; Introduction to political cartoons; quiz
Day seven: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit II: Opinions, Interest, and Organizations
Chapter 11: Interest Groups
Key terms
Ideological interest group
Political cue
Ratings
Direct mail
Grassroots lobbying
Lobbyist
Social movement
incentive
public-interest lobby
social movement
environmental movement
institutional interests
membership interests
unions
material incentive
purposive incentive
solidary incentive
feminist movement
interest groups
political action committees
Objectives
The purpose of this chapter is to survey the wide variety of interest groups that operate in the United States and
to assess their impact on the political system. After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, the
student should be able to do each of the following:
1. Explain why the characteristics of United States society and government encourage a multiplicity of
interest groups.
2. Indicate the historical conditions under which interest groups are likely to form and specify the kinds of
organizations Americans are most likely to join.
3. Describe relations between leaders and rank-and-file members of groups, including why members’
priorities may not determine the leaders’ actions.
4. Describe several methods that interest groups use to formulate and carry out their political objectives,
especially the lobbying techniques used to gain public support. Explain why courts have become an
important forum for public-interest groups.
5. List the laws regulating conflict of interest and describe the problems involved with revolving door
government employment. Describe the balance between the First Amendment’s freedom of expression
and the need to prevent corruption in the political system.
Agenda
Day one: Objective #1; W: pp. 265- 268. L #64
Day two: Objective #2; W: pp. 268- 273
Day three: Objective #3; W: pp. 273- 276; L #68
Day four: Objective #4; W: pp. 276- 286
Day five: Objective #5; W: pp. 286- 290
Day six: Review; L #66; quiz; Interest Groups FRQ
Day seven: Chapter 11 test, M/C; Contemporary political research article due
Unit II: Opinions, Interest, and Organizations
Chapter 12: Mass Media
Key terms
Adversarial press
attack journalism
Federal Communications Commission
Muckrakers
party press
Sensationalism
sound bite
national media
insider stories
press secretary
trial balloon
C-SPAN
feature stories
Internet
investigative journalism
popular press routine stories
yellow journalism
Objectives
This chapter examines the historical evolution and present status of relations between the government and the
news media. After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, students should be able to do each of the
following:
1. Describe the evolution of journalism in U.S. political history and indicate the differences between the
party press and the mass media of today.
2. Demonstrate how the characteristics of the electronic media have affected the actions of public officials
and candidates for national office.
3. Describe the impact of the pattern of ownership and control of the media on the dissemination of news.
Show how wire services and TV networks have affected national news coverage. Discuss the impact of
the “national press.”
4. Discuss the issue of “media bias” and how this bias might manifest itself. Assess the impact of such
bias, if it exists, on the electorate.
5. Assess the impact of the media on politics and indicate why it is so difficult to find evidence that can be
used to make a meaningful and accurate assessment. Explain why the executive branch probably
benefits at the expense of Congress.
Agenda
Day one: Objectives #1 and #2; W: pp. 292- 298
Day two: Objective #3; W: pp. 298- 303
Day three: Objective #4; W: pp. 303- 307; L 86
Day four: Objective #5; W: pp. 307- 313
Day five: Review; L 87; quiz
Day six: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit III: Institutions of Government
Chapter 13: Congress
Key terms
Bicameral legislature
Conference committee
Double-tracking
Multiple referral
Private bill
Roll-call vote
Simple resolution
Speaker of the House
caucus
closed rule
concurrent resolution
conservative coalition
discharge petition
division vote
filibuster
joint committee
joint resolution
majority leader
open rule
party polarization
pork-barrel legislation
public bill
quorum
quorum call
restrictive rule
safe district select committees
sequential referral
standing committees
teller vote
voice vote
whip
cloture
Congressional Budget
Office General Accounting Office
Objectives
The purpose of this chapter is to describe the roles and organization of Congress. After reading and reviewing
the material in this chapter, the student should be able to do each of the following:
1. Explain the differences between a congress and a parliament and delineate the role that the Framers
expected the U.S. Congress to play.
2. Pinpoint the significant eras in the evolution of Congress.
3. Describe the characteristics of members of Congress and outline the process for electing members of
Congress.
4. Identify the factors that help to explain why a member of Congress votes as he or she does.
5. Identify the functions that party affiliation plays in the organization of Congress.
6. Describe the formal process by which a bill becomes a law.
Agenda
Day one: Objective #1; W: pp. 316-321
Day two: Objective #2; W: pp. 321-325; L 23
Day three: Objective #3; W: pp. 325-330
Day four: Objective #4; W: pp. 330-333; L 28
Day five: Objective #5; W: pp. 333-347
Day six: Objective #6; W: pp. 347-366
Day seven: Review; quiz; student FRQ presentations
Day eight: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit III: Institutions of Government
Chapter 14: The Presidency
Key terms
Ad hoc structure
Divided government
Lame duck
Pyramid structure
bully pulpit
Electoral College
legislative veto
unified government
cabinet
gridlock
line-item veto
veto message
circular structure
impeachment
pocket veto
Objectives
This chapter studies the chief executive, considering the powers of the presidential office and the structures that
constitute the presidency. After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, the student should be able to
do each of the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Explain the differences between the positions of president and prime minister.
Discuss the approach taken by the Founders in regard to executive power.
Sketch the evolution of the presidency from 1789 to the present.
List and describe the various offices that make up the executive branch.
Review discussions of presidential character, and explain how these relate to the achievements in office
of various presidents.
6. Enumerate and discuss the various facets- formal and informal- of presidential power.
Agenda
Day one: Objective #1: W: pp. 367-370
Day two: Objective #2: W: pp. 370-372; L 32
Day three: Objective #3: W: pp. 372-379
Day four: Objective #4: W: pp. 380-388
Day five: Objective #5: W: pp. 388-389; L 35
Day six: Objective #6: W: pp. 379-380 (review); 390-407
Day seven: Review; quiz; student FRQ presentations
Day eight: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit III: Institutions of Government
Chapter 16: The Judiciary
Key terms
Activist approach
Constitutional court
Dual sovereignty
In forma pauperis
Opinion of the Court
Sovereign immunity
Writ of certiorari
amicus curiae
courts of appeals
diversity cases
judicial review
per curiam opinion
standing
political question
brief
dissenting opinion
federal question cases
legislative court
plaintiff
stare decisis
strict constructionist approach
concurring opinion
district courts
fee shifting
litmus test
remedy
class action suit
Objectives
This chapter introduces the student to the final branch of United States government: the courts. After reading
and reviewing the material in this chapter, the student should be able to do each of the following:
1.
Explain what judicial review is and trace its origins.
2.
List and comment on the three eras of varying Supreme Court influences on national policy.
3.
Explain what is meant by a dual court system and describe its effects on how cases are processed, decided,
and appealed.
4.
List the various steps that cases go through to reach the Supreme Court and explain the considerations
involved at each step.
5.
Discuss the dimensions of power exercised today by the Supreme Court and the opposing viewpoints on an
activist Supreme Court.
Agenda
Day one: Objectives #1 and 2; W: pp. 437- 448
Day two: Objective #3 and 4; W: pp. 448- 456; L 43
Day three: Objective #5; W: pp. 456- 465; L 45
Day four: Review; quiz; student FRQ presentations
Day five: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit III: Institutions of Government
Chapter 15: The Bureaucracy
Key terms
Appropriation
authorizing legislation
Competitive service discretionary authority
Laissez-faire
legislative veto
bureaucracy
iron triangle
red tape
committee clearance
issue network
trust funds
Objectives
In this chapter, both the distinctiveness and the size of the federal government bureaucracy are examined. After
reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, the student should be able to do each of the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Compare and contrast the United States and British models of government bureaucracy.
Trace the history of the executive branch bureaucracy and the different uses to which it has been put.
Discuss the recruitment, retention, and demographic profiles of federal bureaucrats.
Explain how the roles and missions of the agencies are affected by internal and external factors.
Review congressional measures to control the bureaucracy and evaluate their effectiveness.
List the “pathologies” that may affect bureaucracies and discuss why it is so difficult to reform the
executive branch bureaucracy.
Agenda
Day one: Objectives #1 and 2; W: pp. 410- 414; L 39
Day two: Objective #3 and 4; W: pp. 414- 427
Day three: Objective #5 and 6; W: pp. 427- 436
Day four: Review; quiz,
Day five: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit IV: The Politics of Public Policy
Chapter 17: The Policy-Making Process
Key terms
Benefit
logrolling
cost
client politics
entrepreneurial politics
majoritarian politics policy entrepreneurs
pork barrel legislation
interest-group politics
political agenda
process regulation
Objectives
In this chapter, we move from the study of political and governmental institutions (president, Congress, courts,
etc.) to the study of the policies that those institutions have produced. After reading and reviewing the material
in this chapter, the student should be able to do each of the following:
1. Explain how certain issues at certain times are placed on the political agenda for action.
2. Define the terms “costs,” “benefits,” and “perceived” as used in this chapter.
3. Use the above terms to explain the four types of politics presented in the text: majoritarian, client, interest
group, and entrepreneurial, giving examples of each.
4. Discuss the roles played in the process of public policy formation by people’s perceptions, beliefs, interests,
and values.
Agenda
Day one: Objectives #1; W: pp. 469-473
Day two: Objectives #2 and #3 (first two types: majoritarian and client); W: pp. 473- 487
Day three: Objective #3 (the last two types: interest group and entrepreneurial); W: pp. 473- 487
Day four: Objective #4; W: pp. 487-490; quiz
Day five: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit IV: The Politics of Public Policy
Chapter 18: Economic Policy
Key terms
Budget
Fiscal year (FY)
Deficit
Reaganomics
budget resolution
gross domestic product (GDP)
monetarism
sequester
economic planning
Keynesianism
monetary policy
supply-side economics
fiscal policy
entitlement
national debt
Objectives
The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the student to the theories and substance of economic policy. After
reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, the student should be able to do each of the following:
1. Show how voters have contradictory attitudes regarding their own and others’ economic circumstances.
2. Discuss the origin of the national deficit, its magnitude, and the various approaches to solving deficit
spending.
3. List and briefly explain four competing economic theories. Assess the nature and impact of
Reaganomics.
4. List the four major executive branch agencies involved in setting economic policy and explain the role
of each.
5. Analyze federal fiscal policy in terms of the text’s four categories of policy-making politics.
6. Trace the history of federal government budgeting practices.
Agenda
Day one: Objectives #1 and #2; W: pp. 492-497
Day two: Objectives #3 and #4; W: pp. 497- 503; L 89
Day three: Objectives #5 and #6; W: pp. 503- 510; L 90
Day four: Review; quiz; In-class FRQ
Day five: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit IV: The Politics of Public Policy
Chapter 19: Social Welfare
Key terms
Assistance program
Income strategy
Service strategy
Charitable Choice
insurance program
client politics
Earned Income Tax Credit
majoritarian politics means test
Objectives
This chapter covers over seventy years of efforts to establish, maintain, expand, or cut major government
programs that give, or claim to give, help to individuals in need. After reading and reviewing the material in this
chapter, the student should be able to do each of the following:
1. Describe the four factors that shape the American approach to welfare policy, and discuss why this
system is quite different from those found in European nations.
2. Describe the major elements of the system, including the Social Security Act of 1935, the Medicare Act
of 1965, the abolition of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program (AFDC), and the
development of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF).
3. Explain why some welfare policies involve majoritarian politics, while others involve client politics.
Give examples and indicate the political consequences of each.
4. Discuss the politics of welfare reform.
Agenda
Day one: Objectives #1; W: pp. 511- 516
Day two: Objectives #2; W: pp. 516- 523; L 93
Day three: Objectives #3 and #4; W: pp. 523- 528; quiz
Day four: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit IV: The Politics of Public Policy
Chapter 20: Foreign and Military Policy
Key terms
Containment
Isolationism
Cost overruns
military-industrial complex
disengagement
worldview
gold plating
human rights
Objectives
This chapter presents a survey of selected topics in United States foreign policy; and explores the structures and
policies for making military policy. After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, the student should
be able to do each of the following:
1. List the constitutional powers of the president and compare them with the authority of Congress in
foreign affairs. Explain why the president now has a larger role than the Framers necessarily intended.
2. Explain why checks on the powers of the national government in foreign affairs are primarily political
rather than constitutional.
3. Give reasons for the volatility of public opinion on foreign affairs. Describe the problems that the
president may face, using public opinion on the Vietnam War as an example.
4. Explain the worldview concept and describe the containment strategy of George Kennan. Summarize
essential elements of the anti-appeasement, disengagement, and human-rights worldviews.
5. Analyze the key allocative decisions about the defense budget. Explain how the congressional role in
deciding on weapons systems has changed in recent years.
6. Explain why the 1947 and 1949 Defense Reorganization Acts did not merge the armed services. Review
the present structure of the department, and explain how it contributes to inter-service rivalries. Discuss
the reforms adopted in 1986 and the challenges the services confront in fighting the war on terrorism.
7. Explain why the cost-overrun problem is due to bureaucratic and political factors, and describe proposed
reforms of the system.
Agenda
Day one: Objectives #1 and #2; W: pp. 529-539
Day two: Objectives #3 and #4; W: pp. 539-545;
Day three: Objectives #5 and #6; W: pp. 545-557;
Day four: Objective #7 and Review; W: pp. 551-553; quiz; L 98: Discussion
Day five: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit V: Civil Rights and Liberties
Chapter 6: Civil Rights
Key terms
Affirmative action
Brown v. Board of Education
civil rights
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Civil rights movement
de factor segregation
de jure segregation Fourteenth Amendment
Freedom rides
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Montgomery bus boycott
NAACP
Nonviolent civil disobedience
Plessy v. Ferguson reasonableness standard
Roe v. Wade
Rosa Parks
separate-but-equal-doctrine
sit-ins
strict scrutiny standard
Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Board of Education
Objectives
This chapter focuses on two of the most intense and protracted struggles for civil rights in recent times: that of
African Americans and that of women. It also reviews the controversies that have appeared in regard to
affirmative action and gay rights. After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, the student should be
able to do each of the following:
1. Contrast the experience of economic interest groups with that of African American groups in obtaining
satisfaction for their interests from the government. Indicate why in most circumstances the African
American civil rights movement involved interest group rather than client politics. Describe the
strategies used by African American leaders and explain why the civil rights movement has become
more conventional.
2. Summarize the legal struggles of African Americans to secure rights under the Fourteenth Amendment,
and indicate how the Court construed that amendment in the civil rights cases. Discuss the NAACP
strategy of litigation, and indicate why it was suited to the political circumstances. Summarize the
rulings in Brown v. Board of Education and compare them with those in Plessy v. Ferguson.
3. Discuss the rationale used by the Supreme Court in ordering busing to achieve desegregation. Explain
the apparent inconsistency between Brown and Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Indicate why these decisions are
not inconsistent and explain why the courts chose busing as an equitable remedy to de jure segregation.
4. Trace the campaign launched by African Americans for civil rights laws. Discuss the conflict between
the agenda-setting and the coalition-building aspects of the movement. Demonstrate how civil rights
advocates overcame resistance in Congress.
5. Describe the differences between the African American civil rights movement and the women’s
movement. Indicate the various standards used by the courts in interpreting the Fourteenth Amendment,
and explain how these standards differ depending on whether African Americans or women are
involved.
6. Explain why the Equal Rights Amendment was not ratified, despite strong congressional and popular
support. Discuss the changing agenda of the women’s movement.
7. Explain what is meant by “affirmative action,” and discuss how the ideals of equality of opportunity and
equality result play roles in the debate surrounding affirmative action.
8. What is meant by “gay rights”? Discuss the role of the states in the gay rights movement. Explain the
difference between gay marriage and civil unions.
Agenda
Day one: Objectives #1 and #2; W: 124-132
Day two: Objective #3 and #4; W: 132-139; L 51
Day three: Objective #5 and #6; W: 139-144; L 54
Day four: Objective #7 and #8; W: 144-152; quiz
Day five: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Unit V: Civil Rights and Liberties
Chapter 5: Civil Liberties
Key terms
Clear and present danger test
Exclusionary rule
Good-faith exception
Search warrant
due process of law
equal protection of the law
freedom of expression
freedom of religion
incorporation
libel
symbolic speech
wall of separation
establishment clause
free exercise clause
probable cause
Objectives
This chapter examines the ways in which the courts have interpreted the Bill of Rights. It focuses on the First
Amendment and on criminal due process concerns. After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, the
student should be able to do each of the following:
1.
Discuss the relationship of the Bill of Rights to the concept of majority rule, and give examples of tension
between majority rule and minority rights.
2.
Explain how the civil liberties may at times be a matter of majoritarian politics and offer several examples.
3.
Explain how the structure of the federal system affects the application of the Bill of Rights.
4.
Describe how the Supreme Court has used the Fourteenth Amendment to expand coverage in the federal
system. Discuss changing conceptions of the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
5.
List the categories under which the Supreme Court may classify “speech.” Explain the distinction between
“protected” and “unprotected” speech and name the various forms of expression that are not protected
under the First Amendment. Describe the test used by the Court to decide the circumstances under which
freedom of expression may be qualified.
6.
State what the Supreme Court decided in Miranda v. Arizona, and explain why that case illustrates how the
Court operates in most such due process cases.
Agenda
Day one: Objectives #1; W: 97-102
Day two: Objective #2; W: 97-102; L 50
Day three: Objective #3; W: 102-105; L 58
Day four: Objective #4; W: 102-105
Day five: Objective #5; W: 105-113
Day six: Objective #6 and review; W: 113-123
Day 7: Review; quiz; writing prompt
Day 8: M/C test; Contemporary political research article due
Supplemental
Documents and
information
1. Evidence that the course includes supplemental
readings, including primary source materials and
contemporary news analyses that strengthens
students’ understanding of the curriculum
AP Government/Politics
Contemporary political article research assignment
2008/2009
Your assignment is to research a contemporary political article- using print sources and UDLib
Search databases only- that pertains to the chapters of your text as indicated on your syllabus.
You are to summarize the article, and in doing so, explain how it directly relates to the chapter
currently being studied. Articles can be obtained from a variety of reputable print sources (such
as magazines, newspapers, and journals; if you are not certain if it is a reputable source, do not
use it. For example, People, Ms., and GC are not considered to be suitable sources for the
purposes of this class) and are due on the day of that chapter’s test. You are required to submit
the following in order to receive full credit for each assignment:
1. a full copy of or the original article (ten points)
2. a seven to ten sentence summary of the article and its relationship to the current chapter
(twenty points)
3. source citation: APA style only (ten points)
2. Evidence of providing students with practice in
analyzing and interpreting data and other
information relevant to U.S. government and politics
(the following are some of the FRQs used to supplement for chapters 13-16 of the Wilson text; FRQs used for
other chapters of the Wilson text can be made available upon request)