AP United States Government and Politics is a study of the American Political System and the making/implementation of
Public Policy through this process. This course is designed to prepare students for the AP United States Government and
Politics Exam near the end of the course. Our content will focus on six major topics of study . They are as follows:
I.
Constitutional Underpinnings of the United States Government;
II.
American Political Culture, Public Opinion & Political Participation;
III.
Political Parties, Elections, Interest Groups and Mass Media;
IV.
Government Institutions: Congress, the Executive, the Courts & Bureaucracy;
V.
Public Policy (the Process, Economic, Social, Foreign, Military & Environmental); &
VI.
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights.
This course is a yearlong course of study. Wilson Memorial High School is on four by four block semester scheduling; however, because of the nature of AP preparation and its testing schedule, we have devised a special schedule of yearlong study. Students taking AP United States Government and Politics split the traditional 90 minute block with those also taking AP English. This allows for classes of 40 minutes each day over the course of the year, thus providing greater consistency and increasing the students’ retention of relevant information.
Text:
Wilson, James Q., and John J. DiLulio Jr. American Government: Institutions and Policies. Boston: Houghton
Mifflin, 2010. ISBN-10: 0-495-80283-2 & ISBN-13: 978-0-495-80283-9.
Supplemental Texts:
Woll, Peter. American Government: Readings & Cases .
18 th ed. New York: Longman, 2009. ISBN-10: 0-205-69798-
4 & ISBN-13: 978-0-205-69798-4.
Toobin, Jeffrey. The Nine: Inside The Secret World of the Supreme Court .
New York: Anchor, 2007& 2008. ISBN-
10: 9781400096794 & ISBN-13: 978-1-4000-9679-4.
Other Materials:
Online sources will be added, as needed. Some websites that will be used can be found throughout this document.
Contact Information:
Mr. Stephen J. Singleton
Mailing Address:
Mr. Singleton
Wilson Memorial High School
(540) 886-4286 - ssingleton@augusta.k12.va.us
78 Patriot Drive
Waynesboro, VA 22980
The following assignments are required for students who will be taking this course.
Project One: 2000, 2004 & 2008 Presidential Elections Project
1 ST – you need a map that shows all 50 states. The map must have the following:
1.
Each of the states needs to show how many electoral votes it carries, i.e. VA 13, and show how many each candidate carried in the last three presidential elections .
2.
Each of the states will need to be color coded to show each of the election’s results.
3.
Each state will need popular vote percentages for each candidate & each election.
4.
Those states with a difference of within 6% will need to be designated in some way. Perhaps with slanted lines through the state or perhaps having the borders darkened (You can decide how as long as it is clear).
5.
Create a key to show what all the symbols and colors mean.
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2 nd - You will also need to list the “battleground states” (those you had designated within 6%) for all three elections.
Also, create a chart that specifies the final vote totals and percentages for all the candidates. Use this chart to compare and contrast the three elections .
3 rd - you will need to complete a paper to explain what this data means. Also, extend this analysis to include the compare and contrast portion that you began with the chart. The paper will need to be a minimum of 5 pages (double spaced, 12 pt. font) and it will need to explain how the elections, polling, a divided electorate and battleground states have impacted the way campaigns spend money, travel and target their message. I will expect to see some analysis of important issues from these elections, how technology is playing a new role in the process and a consideration of how the notion of battleground states has changed these three elections. Sites such as npr.org
, washingtonpost.com
& cnn.com
should be a good place to start your research.
This 1 st Project is due Monday June 27, 2011 (Please turn in your work by the due date…work may be e-mailed, mailed or turned into the main office at school. Late assignments will not be accepted & will result in removal from the class .
You will then be scheduled in a regular government class.)
Project Two: Three Branches Textbook Review
1.
Examine the three branches of American Government as they are covered in the textbook. Be certain to include all terms and major ideas in no less than 5 pages (again, double spaced with 12 pt. font) .
2.
Someone reading your paper should be able to clearly understand the function, power, and makeup of the three branches of government and how they interact with each other.
3.
Due Monday July 25, 2011 (these can be mailed, e-mailed or turned into the main office)
Project Three: Daily News Journal
1.
You will need to keep a daily news journal . In a spiral notebook, you will have to have 3 entries per week starting June 6 th & ending August 21 st ( 33 total entries/pages ). The entries must be related to government or politics. Your source for the news entries must also be included. These entries must be hand written and reflective of what is happening in the world of government and politics. Please include a summary and an analysis of each item; make sure you have each distinctly represented in your work.
2.
Your source can be a news program, an online site or a newspaper as long as the news is factual. Watch what you use as sources as many websites and television shows now purport to be news, while they are actually not.
3.
Due Tuesday August 23, 2011 (The 1st Day of School)
Project Four: Judicial Review Paper
1.
You will need to fully understand the concept of judicial review . You need to research the topic & produce a 6 page paper . Your paper will need to fully address the concept of judicial review as used by our nation's highest court. Be certain to include the meaning of precedent and how it is used in today’s court system. Also discuss in your paper 1 st & 14 th Amendment guarantees, as well as, the following cases: Marbury v. Madison, Dred Scott v.
Sanford, Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, Baker v. Carr, and Roe v. Wade . You may include other cases as needed.
2.
Due Friday August 26, 2011
*Mailed work must be post-marked by the due date; late assignments will not be accepted & should not be submitted.
**All papers should be double-spaced, with normal margins and written in no larger than 12 point font.
***Any issues that might come up should be dealt with ahead of time, if possible, and any questions should be directed to
Mr. Singleton sooner, rather than later, either in person, or by e-mail.
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Grades will be determined based 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 each six weeks’ grading period, the student’s grade average will be determined by dividing the total points possible by points earned. See the teacher if examples are needed.
Chapter quizzes will include responses to multiple choice questions and free response questions will be assigned, discussed and answered during each unit and on each unit test.
Current events & debate assignments will help students keep up with our evolving government. 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 newspaper, listen to NPR or another radio news program, watch a TV news station such as CNN, or access a reliable online source. These will then be graded each week, or as necessary.
Students will also use charts, maps, graphs, tables and other artifacts to increase their understanding of government ( see website urls listed in the course calendar for examples ). Students will be assessed on their understanding of these quantitative & visually presented pieces of information at regular intervals on their quizzes and tests.
Unit 1: Constitutional Underpinnings of the United States Government: (8-23 to 9-20)
Due This Unit:

(Week 1) – Summer Assignments 3 & 4, Roundtable #1 & Current Events Introduction by (8-26)
– Wilson , Chapter 1 (pp. 1-17 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Woll , Chapter 1: “Second Treatise on Civil Government,” “Founding Fathers: Reform Caucus in
Action” & “Framing the Constitution,” pp. 3-39

(Week 2) – Free Response Question #1, Homework Essay #1 Assigned & Chapter 1 Quiz by (9-2)
– Wilson , Chapter 2 (pp. 18-49 – Additional Pages in Class)

– Woll , Chapter 1: “The Federalist 47, 48 & 51” & “How Not to Read the Constitution,” pp. 40-50
(Week 3) – Current Events, Roundtable #2, Debate #1 & Chapters 2 & 3 Quiz by (9-13)
– Wilson , Chapter 3 (pp. 50-75 – Additional Pages in Class)

– Woll , Chapter 2: “The Federalist 16, 17, 39, 44 & 45” & “Anti-Federalist 17,” pp. 51-71
(Week 4) – Roundtable #3, Homework Essay #1 Due & Unit 1 Test – MC & 2 FRQs by (9-19 & 9-20)
– Woll , Ch. 2: “The Merits of the Federal System,” Modern Federalism & All 4 Cases , pp. 72-102
Unit 1 – Objectives and Goals: Students should be able to answer the following questions: What is the purpose of government? What was the founders’ view of the purpose of government and the role of the citizen in the American Republic? Are these views still relevant at the close of the millennium? How does the constitution underpin U.S. government? The concept of “checks and balances” was a novel idea in the 18th century. Why? Why did the Anti-Federalists fear this new system? What are the powers of state and local governments in an era of “new federalism” and devolution? What influence should the federal government have over state and local issues such as education, affirmative action, abortion, and the environment? Students should also be able to define and explain the following concepts: democracy and democratic theory, republicanism, federalism and its forms, ratification and the various theories of government.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
* After the first week, all readings should be completed by the beginning of the week they are assigned so that they
may be properly utilized and examined in class. Any exceptions to this will be communicated by the teacher in advance.
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** All free response questions, current events, debates, essays and roundtables will be given appropriate due dates
when assigned; all assignments will be available on the teacher’s website & the class wiki once assigned.
*** Pages from Woll correspond to the 18 th Edition. Other editions must be cleared with the teacher.
****Roundtable discussions & peer review will be utilized to maximize feedback & understanding of content. The
format of the discussions & the review will be suitable to the assignment.
Unit 2: American Political Culture, Public Opinion & Political Participation: (9-21 to 10-19)
Due This Unit:

(Week 5) – Homework Essay #2 Assigned, Roundtable #4 & Current Events by (9-27)
– Wilson , Chapter 4a (pp. 76-85 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Woll
, Ch. 4: “Democratic Practice and Democratic Theory” & “The Responsible Electorate,” pp. 204-216

(Week 6) – Free Response Question #2, Online Overview & Chapter 4 Quiz by (10-4)
– Wilson , Chapter 4b (pp. 86-95 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Introduction to Sources – Online Sites & Documents at http://avalon.law.yale.edu/default.asp
&

Political Cartoon Analysis at http://historymatters.gmu.edu/
(Week 7) – Current Events, Roundtable #5, Debate #2 & Chapter 7 Quiz by (10-14)
– Wilson , Chapter 7 (pp. 154-173 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Putnam, Robert.
“Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital,” Journal of Democracy,

Volume 6, Number 1, January 1995, pp. 65-78. (at http://www.journalofdemocracy.org/ )
(Week 8) – Roundtable #5, Homework Essay #2 Due & Unit 2 Test – MC & 2 FRQs by (10-27 & 10-28)
– Wilson , Chapter 8 (pp. 174-190 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Plattner, Marc F.
“Populism, Pluralism, and Liberal Democracy,” Journal of Democracy,
Volume 21, Number 1, January 2010, pp. 81-92. (at http://www.journalofdemocracy.org/ )
Unit 2 – Objectives and Goals: Students should be able to answer the following questions: How do we come by our political beliefs? What are the sources of public opinion? What is “political culture,” and is there a unique American political culture? What is the “political spectrum”? How do these political beliefs define who we are as citizens? What does it mean to be a citizen? What is the role of the citizen in a civil society? Which citizens vote and why? What is the relationship between individual rights & the needs of the larger community?
Is democracy in America healthy and viable today? What changes have occurred in American political culture in the last twenty to thirty years? Students should also be able to define and explain the following concepts: political culture, civic duty, the political spectrum, political socialization, political ideology and the electorate.
Unit 3: Political Parties, Elections, Interest Groups and Mass Media: (10-20 to 11-30)
Due This Unit:

(Week 9) – Homework Essay #3 Assigned, Roundtable #6 & Current Events by (11-4)
– Wilson , Chapter 9 (pp. 192-221 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Woll , Chapter 4: “The Federalist 10,” “Party Government,” “Government by Discussion,” The
American Party System & “Divided We Govern,” pp. 173-197

(Week 10) – Free Response Question #3, History of Political Parties Activity & Chapter 9 Quiz by (11-11)
– Wilson , Chapter 10 (pp. 222-259 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Woll , Chapter 4: “A Theory of Critical Elections,” pp. 198-204

(Week 11) – Continue Current Events, Roundtable #7, Debate #3 & Ch. 10 & 11 Quiz by (11-17)
– Wilson , Chapter 11 (pp. 260-285 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Woll , Chapter 5: “The Dangers of Faction,” “Madison’s Dilemma,” “ Buckley & Valeo
” & “The
Democratic Paradox of Campaign Finance Reform,” pp. 217-234

(Week 12) – Roundtable #8, Homework Essay #3 Due & Unit 3 Test – MC & 2 FRQs by (11-29 & 11-30)
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– Wilson , Chapter 12 (pp. 286-310 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Woll , Ch. 5: “The Governmental Process,” “The Role of Interest Groups in Government” &
“The Misplaced Obsession with PACs,” pp. 234-250
Unit 3 – Objectives and Goals: Students should be able to answer the following questions: What is the difference between a Democrat and a Republican? Are there other options beyond these two choices? Political parties and interest groups are not mentioned in the constitution yet they play a critical role. How? Why? Do they serve our democracy or are they an obstacle? How do interest groups & PACs influence government decisions and policy making? How is an election determined to be critical? What roles do the media play?
Has campaign finance reform progressed in the last 10 years? Students should be able to define & explain the following concepts: political party, two-party system, interest groups, social movements & the primary system.
Unit 4: Government Institutions: Congress, the Executive, the Courts & Bureaucracy: (12-1 to 1-11)
Due This Unit:

(Week 13) – Homework Essay #4 “The Nine” Assigned & Current Events by (12-7)
– Wilson , Chapter 13 (pp. 312-357 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Woll , Chapter 8: “The Federalist 53, 56-58, 62 & 63,” Washington & the Establishment,
Committee Chairmen & the Electoral Connection, pp. 323-368

(Week 14) – Free Response Question #4, Roundtable #9 & Chapter 13 Quiz by (12-14)
– Wilson , Chapter 14 (pp. 358-399 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Woll , Chapter 6: “The Federalist 70”& All Presidential Essays , pp. 253-307

(Week 15) – “The Nine” Activity & Discussion , Debate #4 & Ch. 14 & 16 Quiz by (12-21)
– Wilson , Chapter 16 (pp. 428-457 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Woll , Chapter 9: English Common Law Precedents, “The Federalist 78,” “ Marbury v.
Madison
,” “Judicial Self-Restraint,” The Political Question Doctrine, Judicial Decision-Making
& Constitutional Interpretation, pp. 369-416
– Toobin
, Chapters 1, 3, 4 & 15, pp. 13-26, 43-70 & 223-238

(Week 16) – Homework Essay #4 “The Nine” Due & Semester Exam Preparation by (1-11)
– Wilson
– Woll
, Chapter 15 (pp. 400-427 – Additional Pages in Class)
Bureaucratic State,” pp. 309-322
, Ch. 7: “Constitutional Democracy and Bureaucratic Power” & “The Rise of the
Unit 4 – Objectives and Goals: Students should be able to answer the following questions: How does
Congress represent and reflect the interest and desires of the nation as a whole? Is the Congress the most efficient and effective way to make policy? What are some comparisons and contrasts that can be made between the House and Senate. What are the formal and informal powers of the presidency? How does the president use these powers to influence policy and the way the government works? Is the president too powerful or not powerful enough compared with the legislative and judicial branches? What role do the courts play in interpreting the Constitution and in the overall running of the government? Are the courts “guilty,” as some of critic charge, of supplanting the legislative and executive branches by legislating from the bench? What is the evolving relationship between the courts and “civil rights”? How has the Supreme Court changed over time?
Who controls the bureaucracy and how does it work? Does a semi-permanent professional bureaucracy serve democracy? Students should also be able to define and explain the following concepts: party polarization, committee, bills & resolutions, the Electoral College, imperial v. stewardship presidencies, judicial review, judicial restraint, bureaucracy and iron triangles.
Semester Exams, Court Cases & Model General Assembly Preparation: (1-12 to 1-27)
Unit 5: Public Policy (the Process, Economic, Social, Foreign, Military & Environmental): (1-30 to 3-2)
Due This Unit:

(Week 23) – Homework Essay #5 Assigned, Roundtable #10 & Current Events by (2-8)
– Wilson , Chapter 17 (pp. 460-482 – Additional Pages in Class)
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– Policy Articles at http://www.harvard-jlpp.com/ (specific articles assigned in class)

(Week 24) – Free Response Question #5, Roundtable #11 & Chapters 17 & 18 Quiz by (2-17)
– Wilson , Chapters 18 & 19 (pp. 484-523 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Policy Articles at http://www.virginiainstitute.org/ (specific articles assigned in class)

(Week 25) – Public Policy Activity and Discussion, Debate #5 & Chapters 19 & 20 Quiz by (2-24)
– Wilson , Chapter 20 (pp. 524-553 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Policy Articles at http://www.ips-dc.org/ (specific articles assigned in class)

(Week 26) – Roundtable #12, Homework Essay #5 Due & Unit 5 Test – MC & 4 FRQs by (3-1 & 3-2)
– Wilson , Chapters 21 & 22 (pp. 554-584 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Policy Articles at http://www.brookings.edu/ (specific articles assigned in class)
Unit 5 – Objectives and Goals: Students should be able to answer the following questions: How is public policy made? Does the system work as intended and work for citizens today? Who sets policy agendas for our nation? What are the specific issues addressed in public policy making? How does federalism affect public policy? How is monetary policy different from fiscal policy? What is the proper role for government in social issues such as education, welfare, the environment and crime? What role should the U. S. play in the world?
What is, and what should be, our relationship with the UN? Who governs the U. S. and to what end?
Students should also be able to define and explain the following concepts: political agenda, deficit, deficit spending, debt, isolationism, globalization, majoritarian v. client politics, service & income strategies, bipolar v. unipolar world views, military-industrial complex, global warming and political polarization.
Unit 6: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (With SCA Election Campaigns): (3-6 to 3-23)
Due This Unit:

(Week 27) – SCA Election Campaigns Started, Debate #6, Current Events & Chapter 5 Quiz by (3-14)
– Wilson , Chapter 5 (pp. 96-123 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Woll , Chapter 3: Constitutional Background & Incorporation, “ Gideon v. Wainwright
,”
Freedom of Speech & the Press, “
NY Times Co. v. Sullivan
,” “
Plessy v. Ferguson
” & “
Brown v. Board of
Ed. (1 & 2)
,” pp. 103-136

(Week 28) – Continue SCA Project, Free Response Question #6 & Final Test – MC & 4 FRQs by (3-22 & 3-23)
– Wilson , Chapter 6 (pp. 124-152 – Additional Pages in Class)
– Woll , Chapter 3: “ Gomillion v. Lightfoot
,” “
Crawford et al. v. Marion County Election Board et al.
,” Judicial Sources of Political Controversies, “
Engel v. Vitale
,” The Right to Privacy,
“
Griswold v. Connecticut
,” “
Roe v. Wade
” & Affirmative Action, pp. 136-170
Unit 6 – Objectives and Goals: Students should be able to answer the following questions: What constitutes free speech and what forms of speech are protected? How does the national Bill of Rights apply to states? Do the courts, especially the Supreme Court, “legislate from the bench”? What is “equal protection” under the law and how has the interpretation of the equal protection clause changed over time? How is the 1st
Amendment affected in times of crisis? What constitutes “establishment” and what are the limits of “free exercise”? What is the difference between procedural & substantive due process? Is there a right to privacy?
What do property rights mean in relation to community interests? How have laws like the Civil Rights Act of
1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and affirmative action statutes influenced our understanding of the equal protection clause? Students should also be able to define and explain the following concepts: due process, selective incorporation, prior restraint, the exclusionary rule, probable cause, separate-but-equal, de jure & de facto segregation, reverse discrimination and civil disobedience.
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