GOVT 2301-2302: Lesson Descriptions
Version 3.0
U.S. & Texas Government 2301
Lesson Summaries
Government and Politics in the United States (1)
Examines how societies create different political systems, such as democracies, monarchies, and theocracies,
based on their concept of what a government should do. Explains the role played by politics in determining
who gets what, when, and how. Emphasizes the importance of comparing American institutions and politics
with other democracies in order to accurately evaluate the quality of American democracy.
American Political Culture (2)
Examines how ideals of American political culture, such as equality, personal liberty, and individualism, are
reflected in our government’s institutions and policies. Illustrates how political ideologies such as
conservatism, liberalism, populism, and socialism shape an individual’s belief about government’s role in a
citizen’s life.
Origins of American Nationhood (3)
Explains the development of a shared political culture among the thirteen colonies. Discusses how the
colonies’ political culture led to the establishment of a weak, centralized government in the Articles of
Confederation. Explores how faults within the Articles of Confederation compelled the 1787 Constitutional
Convention delegates to abandon the Articles in order to fashion a more workable form of government.
The Federal System (5)
Defines federalism and illustrates its characteristics by comparing it to unitary and confederate systems.
Highlights three kinds of power found in American federalism: (1) enumerated powers granted to Congress in
the U.S. Constitution, (2) implied powers that result from the Necessary and Proper Clause and, (3)
concurrent powers. Explores changes in the balance of power between the national government and the
states over the last two hundred years.
Issues in Federalism (6)
Uses contemporary issues to examine implications of federal involvement (or non-involvement) in areas
traditionally reserved to the states.
Donkeys, Elephants, and Assorted Political Wildlife (11)
Examines the origins and evolution of the American party system. Discusses the functions and structure of
political parties. Explains the party-in-electorate, party as an organization, and party-in-government roles
assumed by political parties. Identifies factors predicting party identification and reasons for shifts in party
realignments. Assesses the role third parties play in the American two-party system.
Congressional Campaigns and Elections (12)
Discusses the importance of campaigns to the democratic process. Describes the basic stages of political
campaigns, the strategies used by candidates get elected, and key elements that contribute to a successful
congressional campaign. Assesses the role of money in modern campaigns and the effectiveness of
legislation intended to restrict its influence. Examines the role the incumbency advantage plays in elections.
Presidential Campaigns and Elections (13)
Explains the role of caucuses and primaries in presidential elections. Compares campaign strategies used by
candidates in the primary phase of an election with those used in the general election. Assesses factors
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within a campaign and those beyond a campaign’s control that contribute to a candidate winning the
presidency. Analyzes the role of the Electoral College in selecting the President of the United States.
Interest Groups and Democracy (14)
Examines the emergence of interest groups in the United States and their role in influencing government
policy. Organizes interest groups into categories based on areas of focus – economic, environmental,
ideological, single issue, and so forth. Discusses the purposes and strategies of organized interest groups.
Explores if interest groups make democracy more pluralistic or elitist.
Political Socialization and Public Opinion (15)
Describes how political values and opinions are formed through the political socialization process. Identifies
factors that contribute to the formation of political values and opinions. Discusses the importance of elected
officials being aware of constituents’ opinions about important policy issues. Appraises the effects of public
opinion on government and politics. Examines major methods of polling public opinion, problems with
polling, and techniques for alleviating the problems.
American Political Participation: The (Ir)rational Voter? (16)
Highlights key events in the expansion of voters’ rights in the United States. Compares voter turnout in the
United States to voter turnout in other mature democracies. Examines demographic profiles of voters and
nonvoters, reasons for sparse voter turnout, and the consequences of voluntary nonvoting to our democracy.
Introduces the concept of formal and informal participation. Compares the level of informal participation in
the United States to informal participation in other democracies.
Media: The Fourth Estate (17)
Describes the evolution of mass media in the United States. Examines government’s regulation of the media
with regards to the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of the press. Discusses the shift in mass media
from broadcasting to narrowcasting and how it impacts interpretation of political information. Analyzes
claims about media bias and the media's treatment of political campaigns. Evaluates the power and limits of
the media on political socialization.
Texas Political Culture: An Introduction (23)
Discusses the cultural myths and common historical experience that shape Texans' political views and
institutions. Identifies the values characterizing the Texas political culture and the conditions fostering that
culture. Examines the political implications of shifts in the racial and ethnic composition of Texas’
population. Analyzes the evolution of the Texas economy and the challenges it faces in the 21st century.
Evaluates the social context of Texas politics in relation to wealth and income disparities in the state.
Texas Political Parties, Campaigns, and Elections (28)
Describes the major functions of political parties in the state of Texas. Analyzes the reasons for Texas’
longtime one-party system, the recent rise of a two-party system, and the role of demographics in shaping
Texas’ party system. Examines the organization and method of state and local elections in Texas. Assesses
patterns of voter turnout in Texas and the role of campaigns.
Interest Groups in Texas (29)
Contrasts interest groups with political parties and examines the role they play in the political process.
Discusses interest groups' areas of focus – economic, environmental, ideological, single issue, and so forth.
Describes the strategies used by interest groups to achieve policy objectives. Examines why some interest
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groups are more successful in mobilizing their potential membership and how they overcome the collective
action problem. Examines if interest groups serve an elitist or pluralist role within the political system.
Local Government in Texas (30)
Identifies the two types of local governments specified in the Texas Constitution. Explains the relationship of
local governments to the state government. Describes the primary responsibilities of various types of city
governments. Discusses the structure, function, and common criticisms of county governments in Texas.
Examines the role played by special purpose districts. Assesses major problems confronting local
governments and the solutions proposed to resolve them.
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GOVT 2301-2302: Lesson Descriptions
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U.S. & Texas Government 2302
Lesson Summaries
Government and Politics in the United States (1)
Examines how societies create different political systems, such as democracies, monarchies, and theocracies,
based on their concept of what a government should do. Explains the role played by politics in determining
who gets what, when, and how. Emphasizes the importance of comparing American institutions and politics
with other democracies in order to accurately evaluate the quality of American democracy.
The U.S. Constitution: Separation of Powers (4)
Describes the primary purpose of a constitution. Examines the form of government established by the U.S.
Constitution, with its emphasis on federalism and separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and
judicial branches. Reviews the process for amending the Constitution and highlights major changes to the
document since its ratification.
The Legislative Branch: Congress (7)
Explains the Constitutional roots of the legislative branch of government. Describes how Congress is
organized, the rules governing each chamber, and Congress’ legislative and oversight functions. Discusses
the impact apportionment, redistricting, and gerrymandering have on the composition of the House of
Representatives. Examines Congress’ decline in power relative to the Executive branch during the past
century.
The Executive Branch: The Presidency (8)
Explains the Constitutional roots of the executive branch of government. Describes the structure of the
executive branch, qualifications for becoming president, and leadership roles assumed by modern
presidents. Highlights formal and informal powers exercised by the president and the president’s role in the
legislative process. Examines events that have enhanced or undermined presidential power.
The Judiciary Branch: The Supreme Court (9)
Explains the Constitutional roots of the judicial branch of government and the origins of judicial review.
Discusses the structure and jurisdiction of federal courts. Describes the process for selecting federal judges
and the role politics plays in the process. Highlights different theories of judicial interpretation and their
impact on judicial decision-making. Examines the federal judiciary’s role in the policy-making process.
The Bureaucracy (10)
Describes the structure and function of the federal bureaucracy. Explains the transition from a spoils system
to a merit system. Examines factors contributing to the bureaucracy’s expansion as well as the presidential,
Congressional, and judicial controls that temper expansion and increase accountability. Analyzes the
problems a bureaucratic organization poses for American democracy.
Civil Liberties: Individual Rights (18)
Distinguishes between civil liberties and civil rights. Examines the inclusion of the Bill of Rights in the U.S.
Constitution, its initial application to the federal government, and its eventual expansion to state
governments. Identifies key civil liberties in the First through Eighth Amendments. Analyzes how changes in
American society can result in redefining or renegotiating liberties.
Civil Rights: The Quest for Equality (19)
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Explores the differences between civil rights and civil liberties. Discusses key landmarks in American history
that expanded the application of equality to larger segments of the U.S. population. Examines the role the
14th Amendment plays in providing equal protection of the law to different segments of the population.
Evaluates the impact of the Civil Rights movement and the subsequent legislation on historically
disadvantaged groups. Analyzes contemporary civil rights issues and proposed remedies to inequality.
Economic Policy: In G.D.P. We Trust (20)
Examines a key question in formulating economic policy: how much should government policy control the
marketplace in providing goods and services? Surveys the extent of government involvement in the national
economy. Discusses how the federal government measures the health of the economy and the tools used to
manage the economy. Analyzes the impact of globalization on the national economy and the arguments for
and against globalization.
Social Policy: Dividing the Pie (21)
Examines the key question in formulating social welfare policy: who benefits from government spending?
Analyzes the allocation of major social insurance and public assistance programs in the federal budget.
Investigates the persistence of poverty despite anti-poverty programs. Reviews the evolution of Social
Security, its demographic and budgetary challenges, and proposed solutions to the challenges. Identifies the
challenges facing the American health care system and proposed solutions.
Foreign Policy: From Cold War to Hot Peace (22)
Examines the international context of American foreign policy. Discusses the roles played by key government
institutions involved in the formulation and implementation of American foreign policy. Describes the roles
and relevance of international institutions to American foreign policy (World Bank, GATT, IMF, etc.).
Compares the current challenges in national and international security to those faced during the Cold War
era.
The Texas Constitution (24)
Describes the main purposes of a state constitution. Reviews characteristics of constitutions preceding the
current Texas constitution. Traces the historical and ideological origins of the state’s present constitution.
Compares powers of the Texas Constitution and the U.S. Constitution. Assesses criticism of the Texas
Constitution. Examines past attempts and current proposals to revise the Texas Constitution.
The Texas Legislature (25)
Discusses the roots of the Texas legislature and the effects of Texas’ political culture in shaping its formation.
Describes the roles played by legislative officers and committees in the legislative process. Explains the
major functions of the Texas legislature and its relation to other branches of state government. Evaluates
the consequences of a part-time legislature. Examines the evolving role of political parties, lobbyists, and
interest groups in the legislative process.
The Texas Governor and Executive Branch (26)
Discusses the historical factors contributing to the creation of a relatively weak executive branch and
governorship. Compares the formal powers of the Texas Governor to those of other state governors.
Assesses the Governor’s role in the budget process. Analyzes the formal and informal powers Texas
governors use to enhance the power of their office. Describes the major offices and agencies of the Texas
executive branch. Examines the difficulties in keeping executive bureaucracies accountable and insulated
from special interests.
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Justice, Texas Style: The Judiciary (27)
Discusses the influence of the Spanish legal tradition and Texas political culture on the development of the
Texas judicial system. Identifies the five levels of the court system and their jurisdiction. Highlights
differences between criminal and civil justice systems, their basic procedures, and actors. Evaluates
arguments regarding the current process of partisan and electoral judicial selection. Explores contemporary
challenges to Texas’ judicial system.
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