Unit 1: Foundations of American Government
Essential Questions:
1. What is the purpose of government?
2. What is democracy?
3. How did our government develop and transform into its current form?
4. What historical (both domestic and foreign) events and documents have influenced our government?
5. What is uniquely American about our federal government?
Instructional Objectives:
1. To explore the purpose of government and the different kinds of government.
2. To study the different types of democratic governments and their origins.
3. To examine the failures of the Articles of Confederation and the historical influences of the
Constitution.
4. Explain how Marbury v. Madison changed the Constitution and the balance of power between the
three branches.
5. To examine the unique federal system our government embraces.
6. To understand the origins, needs for, and challenges to the Constitution’s amendments.
Day 1
Topics: Course introduction; overview of American government
Format: - PowerPoint presentation
Day 2
To prepare: (1) print Unit 1 syllabus; (2) summer assignment, The Founding Fathers: An Age of Realism,
Richard Hofstadter
Topic: The Constitution
Format: Class discussion of Constitution worksheet and Hofstadter reading (summer assignment)
Constitutional scavenger hunt
Day 3
To prepare: LHS Website  Departments  Media Center  Online Databases  ABC-CLIO  American
Government. Read the selections under “U.S. Constitution” and “Amending the Constitution.”
Format: Continue scavenger hunt
Day 4
To prepare: (1) print The Federalist Papers from website; (2) read Marbury vs. Madison; (3) print Constitutional
Change worksheet
Topic: The Federalist Papers
Judicial Review
Amendment process
Format: Video: History Talks: Federalist Papers – New Ideas for a New Nation (7:13)
Class discussion of Federalist Papers, Marbury vs. Madison, and Constitutional amendments
Day 5
To prepare: (1) read McCulloch v. Maryland; (2) print Federalism worksheet from website; (3) read ABCCLIO, “Federalism.”
Topics: Federalism, National Supremacy, Implied Powers
Format: Class discussion of McCulloch v. Maryland issues regarding federalism
Day 6:
To prepare: (1) read United States v. Lopez; (2) print National Supremacy: The Commerce Power from website;
(3) print NY Times article It Is Not Our Role to Forbid It, or to Pass Upon Its Wisdom.
Topics: The Commerce Power
Format: Interactive worksheet
Class discussion of United States v. Lopez; excerpts from “Obamacare” opinion
PowerPoint Presentation – Federalism
Day 7:
Unit test