INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
POLITICAL SCIENCE 110
LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY
FALL, 2004
Instructor:
Dr. Gary Johnson
Office Phone: 635-2763 (ext. 2763)
Home Phone: 635-9415
Office: Library 221
Hours: MTWR 1-2, W 9-10, & by appt
E-mail: gjohnson@lssu.edu
Course Objectives
PS 110 is an introductory survey of American government and politics. The course has several goals. First, it
will provide you with foundations for future learning. Contemporary citizens are virtually inundated with news
and analyses of American politics. The person who wishes to understand and learn from this constant flow of
information must possess a basic knowledge of American politics. This course is designed to provide you with
that basic knowledge. Upon completing it, you should be better prepared to understand the political news and
analyses of the day, whether presented in newspapers, on radio or television, or in popular periodicals and
books.
Second, the course should introduce you to the excitement and passion of American politics. As part of the
learning process, we will generate some of that excitement and passion in class. Third, because of the methods
we will sometimes use, the course should enhance your critical thinking skills and your capacity to understand
diverse perspectives in politics and public policy. Fourth, and finally, the course will prepare you for more
advanced classes in political science.
Readings
The textbook for the course is American Government, Ninth Edition, by Susan Welch
and others. The book may be obtained at the university bookstore (the Campus
Shoppe). A number of additional supplementary readings may be placed on reserve in
the library or handed out in class. Since the supplementary readings will depend upon
the needs and progress of the class, these readings will be announced in class.
Examinations
There will be five multiple-choice exams for the course, including the final. The final will not be
comprehensive (that is, it will include only the material covered after the fourth exam). For all exams you will
be responsible for assigned readings, lectures, and class activities. Examinations must be taken at the scheduled
times unless you are excused for a valid reason. Make-up exams must be taken before corrected exams are
returned to the class. In cases in which this is not possible, the make-up will be an essay exam.
Grading
Each of the five exams will contain fifty questions. Each question will be worth one point, for a total of 250
points for the semester. However, you may also earn participation points by participating in class activities or
certain outside activities. These opportunities will be announced in class. Participation points will be added to
your point total from the exams. In effect, these participation points give credit back for questions you missed
on the exams. For example, if you earn three points for participating in a class activity, that would be the
equivalent of having earned a 45 on an exam rather than a 42 (an A- rather than a B). Participation points can
easily be the difference between passing or failing, a B or a C, an A or a B. Students who regularly take
advantage of participation opportunities can earn as many as ten or twelve points during the semester.
The grading scales for the exams and the course as a whole are as follows:
Exams
49-50 A+
46-48 A
45
A-
Course
245-250
230-244
225-229
Exams
44
B+
41-43 B
40
B-
Course
220-224
205-219
200-204
Exams
39
C+
36-38 C
35
C-
Course
195-199
180-194
175-179
Exams
34
D+
31-33 D
30
D-
Course
170-174
155-169
150-154
Exams Course
0-29 F 0-149
Class Attendance
A major part of our class time will be devoted to lecture. Since lectures will often include material not found in
your text, class attendance is very important. The remainder of our class time will be devoted to films,
discussions, debates, and role-playing activities. You are responsible for these non-lecture class periods. In
addition, constructive participation in debates and role-playing activities will count as participation credit in
determining your final grade.
Cheating
Cheating undermines the entire system of teaching and learning. Any toleration of cheating is therefore unfair
to the great majority of students who do not cheat. To discourage any temptation to cheat—and you may all
occasionally feel that temptation—my policy on cheating is firm and simple: any student caught cheating, no
matter how insignificant the incident, will automatically fail the course. In severe cases, or for repeat offenders,
the Scholastic Standards Committee can expel a student from school.
Office Hours
My office hours are listed on the front of this syllabus. If you need to see me and can’t make it during those
times, I will also be available by appointment. Please feel free to come in and discuss lectures, exams, readings,
or anything else. If you are not doing well in the course, you should come in and see me as soon as possible.
Those who do poorly on the first few exams will be asked to come and see me so that I have an opportunity to
help.
Disability-Related Accomodations
Disability-related accommodations or services are available at LSSU. Students who desire such services should
meet with me early in the semester—preferably during the first week of class—to discuss their disability-related
needs. Students will not receive services until they register with the Resource Center for Students with
Disabilities (RCSD). Proper registration will enable the RCSD office to verify the disability and determine
reasonable academic accommodations. RCSD is located in Library 101. The coordinator is Vicki Fox. She
may be reached by telephone at 635-2355 or 635-2454 and by e-mail at vfox@lssu.edu.
Tolerance and Respect
Once we get well started, we will have occasional debates in class. Toward the end of the semester, when we
turn to discussing public policy, we will have frequent debates. In addition to being educationally stimulating,
these debates will be fun. However, we will often tackle sensitive issues about which people have strong
feelings. Our capacity to freely debate such important and sensitive issues is one of our great strengths in this
society. We each have the right to express our opinion, even when that opinion is unpopular (or even
considered reprehensible by some who disagree with it).
When we debate, I ask you to do two things. First, you should each attempt to be tolerant of and patient with the
expression of other opinions, even opinions with which you disagree fundamentally (and which you may find
offensive). The right you have to freely express your opinion depends upon the right of others to freely express
theirs. Second, you should debate vigorously within the framework that I give you, but you should also treat
one another with respect. Disagree with someone’s opinion—even pointedly—but show them respect as a
person. If you have a good point to make, you will not make that point stronger by calling someone else a
name, or by insulting them on the basis of their sex, race, nationality, sexual orientation, or other personal
characteristic. And, by all means, please do not insult anyone’s mother! 
Course Outline
Day-to-day topics and assignments will be included in the next section. This section provides you with an
overview of the course, its topics, and the exams. Exam dates are estimates to help you plan. They are subject
to changes announced in class.
Subject
Text Chapter
Introduction
The Constitution
Federalism
Civil Liberties
Supplementary Reading
1
2
3
14
Declaration—Appendix A
U.S. Constitution—Appendix B
15
4
5
6
Amendments 13, 14, 15, 19, 24, 26
Amendments 1-10, Appendix B
First Exam—Monday, September 27
Civil Rights
Public Opinion
News Media
Interest Groups
Second Exam—Thursday, October 14
Political Parties
Elections
Money and Politics
Congress
7
8
9
10
Third Exam—Tuesday, November 2 [Election Day]
The Presidency
The Judiciary
The Bureaucracy
Regulation and Environmental Policy
11
13
12
18
Fourth Exam—Tuesday, November 23
Economic Policy
Social Welfare and Health Policy
Foreign Policy
16
17
19
Final Exam—10 am-12 noon, Wednesday, December 15
Planned Schedule of Topics, Assignments, Activities, Exams, and Important Events
The planned schedule below includes most assignments, many activities, and all five exams. Other
assignments and activities will be announced in class (space has in some cases been saved for you to record
these). Scheduled dates for assignments, activities, and exams are designed to help you with planning, but
they may have to be changed to accommodate conditions that cannot be anticipated (such as illness or a
snow day) or simply in the interests of more effectively achieving the course’s objectives.
Cls
1
Day
M
Date
08/30
Topic
Organization
Assignments/Activities
 First class. No assignment.
2
T
08/31
Introduction

Text, 1: 2-14
3
W
09/01
Introduction


Text, 1: 14-21
Declaration of Independence (Text, Appendix A: 638-639)
4
R
09/02
No class

No class. I will be away at a conference.
M
09/06
No class

No class. Labor Day break.
T
09/07
No class

No class. Labor Day break.
5
W
09/08
The Constitution


Text, 1: Quickly review chapter
Text, 2: 22-32
6
R
09/09
The Constitution


Text, 2: 32-40
Constitution of the United States of America (Text,
Appendix B: 640-644; for now you need not read the
amendments)
7
M
09/13
The Constitution


Text, 2: 40-49
Amendments 13, 14, 15 (Text, Appendix B: 646)
8
T
09/14
The Constitution
Federalism

Text, 3: 50-61
9
W
09/15
The Constitution
Federalism

Text, 3: 61-69
10
R
09/16
The Constitution
Federalism

Text, 3: 69-77
11
M
09/20
Civil Liberties


Text, 14: 420-434
Amendment 1 (Text, Appendix B: 645)
12
T
09/21
Civil Liberties


Text, 14: 434-441
TBA
Attorneys (yes):
Attorneys (no):
Justices:
13
W
09/22
Civil Liberties


Text, 14: 441-449
TBA
14
R
09/23
Civil Liberties


Text, 14: 449-458
TBA
15
M
09/27
Exam 1

Study for exam. Take advantage of the review sheet.
16
T
09/28
Civil Rights


Text, 15: 460-474
Amendments 13, 14, 15, 24 (Text, Appendix B)
17
W
09/29
Civil Rights


Text, 15: 474-487, 498-500
Amendments 19, 26 (Text, Appendix B)
18
R
09/30
Civil Rights

Text, 15: 487-498, 500-502
Should women be drafted?
Witnesses (yes):
Witnesses (no):
Committee:
19
M
10/04
Political Socialization
and Public Opinion


Text, 4: 78-94
Think about: Why do you believe what you believe?
20
T
10/05
Political Socialization
and Public Opinion

Text, 4: 94-106
21
W
10/06
Political Socialization
and Public Opinion

Text, 5: 108-121
22
R
10/07
Public Opinion and
Mass Media

Text, 5: 121-134
23
M
10/11
Public Opinion and
Mass Media

Text, 5: 134-143
24
T
10/12
Interest Groups

Text 6: 144-160
25
W
10/13
Interest Groups

Text 6: 160-175
26
R
10/14
Exam 2

Study for exam. Take advantage of the review sheet.
27
M
10/18
Political Parties

Text 7: 176-194
28
T
10/19
Political Parties
Campaigns/Elections



Text 7: 194-204
Text 8: 206-213, 233-234
Electoral College Handout
Should the Electoral College be abolished?
Witnesses (yes):
Witnesses (no):
Committee Members:
29
W
10/20
Campaigns/Elections

Text 8: 213-232
30
R
10/21
Campaigns/Elections
Voting Behavior


Text 8: 234-248
Text 9: 250-256
31
M
10/25
Money and Politics

Text 9: 256-276
32
T
10/26
Congress

Text 10: 278-292
33
W
10/27
Congress

Text 10: 292-304
34
R
10/28
Congress

Text 10: 304-315
35
M
11/01
Congress

TBA
36
T
11/02
Exam 3

Study for exam. Take advantage of the review sheet.
37
W
11/03
Presidency

Text, 11: 316-332
38
R
11/04
Presidency

Text 11: 332-344
39
M
11/08
Presidency

Text 11: 344-356
40
T
11/09
Judiciary

Text 13: 388-404
41
W
11/10
Judiciary

Text 13: 404-419
42
R
11/11
Judiciary

TBA
Should capital punishment be abolished?
Initial arguments (yes):
Initial arguments (no):
43
M
11/15
Bureaucracy


Text, 12: 358-374
Review bureaucracy handouts
44
T
11/16
Bureaucracy


Text, 12: 374-387
Review bureaucracy handouts
45
W
11/17
Bureaucracy/
Environmental
Regulation

Text 18: 562-578
46
R
11/18
Bureaucracy

Text 18: 578-593
47
M
11/22
Bureaucracy


Text 18: 593-597
Begin studying for exam.
48
T
11/23
Exam 4

Study for exam. Take advantage of the review sheet.
W
11/24
No class


No class. Thanksgiving Break.
Drive safely!
R
11/25
No class


No class. Thanksgiving Break.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
49
M
11/29
Economic Policy

Text, 16: 505-519
50
T
11/30
Economic Policy


Text, 16: 519-534
Issue: Is there too much economic inequality in the United
States? If “no,” how much would be too much? If “yes,” to
what extent should it be reduced, and how?
Debate leaders:
Yes:
No:
51
W
12/01
Domestic Policy


TBA
Issue: TBA
Debate leaders:
Yes:
No:
52
R
12/02
Social Welfare and
Health Policy


Text, 17: 536-549
Issue: Does the United States need tougher gun control
laws?
Debate leaders:
Yes:
No:
53
M
12/06
Social Welfare and
Health Policy


Text, 17: 549-561
Issue: Should the United States adopt a national health care
plan?
Debate leaders:
Yes:
No:
54
T
12/07
Foreign Policy


Text, 19: 598-612
Issue: Was it a mistake for the United States to invade and
occupy Iraq? What policy regarding Iraq should the U.S.
pursue now?
Debate leaders:
Yes:
No:
55
W
12/08
Foreign Policy


Text, 19: 612-624
Read handout glossary on nuclear weapons and warfare
56
R
12/09
Foreign Policy


Text, 19: 624-637
Issue: Should the United States proceed with development
of a national missile defense program?
Debate leaders:
Yes:
No:
W
12/15
Final Exam
(Exam 5)


10 am-12 noon
Study for exam. Take advantage of the review sheet.
Participation
Opportunity

Participation
Opportunity

Participation
Opportunity

Participation
Opportunity

Participation
Opportunity

Participation
Opportunity

State Standards met by this course
2.3 explain the structure and function of American government, core democratic values, and the rights and
responsibilities of citizens
2.4 describe how women and minorities have been affect by the American economic system
3.2 conduct investigations including the ability to formulate a clear statement of questions, gather and
organize information from a variety of sources, analyze and interpret information, formulate and test
hypotheses, report results both orally and in writing, and make use of appropriate technology
3.3 state issues clearly as questions of public policy, trace the origins of the issues, analyze various
perspective people bring to the issue, and evaluate possible ways to resolve the issue
3.4 engage in constructive conversation about matters of public concern by clarifying issues, considering
opposing views, applying democratic values, anticipating consequences, and working toward making
decisions