AP US Government and Politics Syllabus
“No man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent.”
- Abraham Lincoln
“Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the
people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories.”
- Thomas Jefferson
Instructor:
Mrs. Lisa Fike
 BA and MA in Political Science from Ohio University
 JD from University of Illinois
 Secondary Ed. Certification from National Louis University
 815.744.7400 ext. 43290; lfike@jths.org
Course Description: From the AP Web Site: United States Government and Politics is an intensive study of the formal and
informal structures of government and the processes of the American political system, with emphasis on policy-making and
implementation. This course includes both the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. government and politics and
the analysis of specific examples. It also requires familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs and ideas that
constitute U.S. government and politics. Students will become acquainted with the variety of theoretical perspectives and
explanations for various behaviors and outcomes in government and politics. Additionally, students will be able to analyze
and interpret basic data relevant to U.S Government and Politics. The concepts and specific topics examined in this course
are those that may appear on the AP exam.
Texts:
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George C. Edwards, Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy, 15 th ed.
Selections from Peter Woll’s American Government: Readings and Cases
United States Constitution
Assortment of Supplementary Readings throughout the course
Materials: The following items will need to be brought to class each day
 Textbook
 Pen
 Three-Ring Binder (for this class only)
 Notecards (standard 3x5 in your choice of color)
 Paper (loose leaf or spiral)
Student and Course Expectations:
The work done in this course is college – level, and it is expected that all students will treat it as such. A significant amount
of coursework shall be done outside the classroom walls. Students are expected to participate fully, both in class and out,
and to work diligently to get the most out of the course.
 Regular attendance is imperative. Being in class guarantees that you will participate in an array of activities and
discussions that cannot be done otherwise.
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Complete all assigned readings from the textbook and all supplemental readings as well. If you want to do well on
the AP exam, it is imperative that you keep up with the reading. There is no way we can cover everything in class.
You will be responsible for some information on your own. Reading quizzes will be used regularly by the
instructor throughout the semester.
The multiple choice quizzes you will be given for every chapter are made up of AP style questions. Unit tests will
also be given using material from current and past units. If you expect to earn a high grade in this course, you must
prepare for these tests by completing all assignments and participating in class.
Late projects or assignments will be accepted for up to five school days at a penalty of 10% per day.
If you are absent, it is your responsibility to check JT Learn for information about what was done during class and
the night’s assignment. You need to make up all quizzes and tests within 1 week of the original date either before or
after school or during your advisory/free period.
Not everything in this class will be done “for a grade,” but completion of all activities/assignments is essential to being
successful in this course.
Working together on class work will sometimes be allowed, but each student is responsible for doing his or her own
work and copying will not be tolerated – this applies to study guides. Unless I tell you otherwise, assume all work
is to be done on your own. Both parties involved in copying or cheating will be penalized with zeros on the assignment
or quiz. Plagiarism is entirely unacceptable and the minimum punishment will be a zero on the offending assignment.
Classwork / Homework Policies:
The majority of the grades in this course will be from exams, quizzes, projects, reading questions and free – response
questions. Study guides for each unit will be provided, but will not be graded or collected. They are designed to be used in
conjunction with note taking and class discussion and can also be used on quizzes (but not on unit exams).
Category Weight
Summative Exams / Quizzes / Projects
60%
Formative Quizzes/Assignments/Class work
20%
Final Exam
20%
Students are strongly advised to take notes for each reading assignment in the text. Students who complete these notes
will be allowed to use those notes on quizzes. Students who wish not to take notes will not be penalized, but will not
have the option of using any supplementary materials on quizzes. Obviously, notes will not be permitted when taking the
AP test.
 Textbook reading: Students will be assigned textbook chapters in conjunction with the course units of study.
Often, students will be expected to complete an accompanying assignment.
 Supplemental readings: In addition to the textbook, students will frequently be assigned additional readings
relating to the current unit of study. Students will often be required to be prepared to discuss or apply the readings
to other activities in the course.
 Vocabulary and Flash Cards: Vocabulary associated with American government and politics will be emphasized
throughout this course. Students will be responsible through various assignments for incorporating and highlighting
important vocabulary terms and applying them to real-world concepts. All students will create their own review
flashcards as we move through each unit. There will be vocabulary quizzes for each unit, and the cards will be
checked in for a grade on the day of each unit test. Students will NOT be allowed to use their flashcards on unit
or vocabulary tests.
 Data Analysis: Students will examine multiple forms of information including political maps, election results, and
public opinion polls throughout the year both to understand current and past issues and trends in American
government and politics and to predict future events / trends.
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In – class discussions: It is my hope that students will participate and contribute substantially to discussion carried
out in class. Fundamentals of American government and politics and their relation to important and controversial
issues will be among the discussion topics.
Aside from the course content, students will need to keep up with current events. This can be done in a variety of ways and
with much of the information available online. Students can read national newspapers (New York Times, Washington Post,
etc.), news magazines (Time, Newsweek, US News and World Report, The Economist, Atlantic Monthly, etc.), and watch
television or radio news programs (BBC World News, Newshour with Jim Lehrer, Nightline, Crossfire, C-SPAN, All Things
Considered) to stay informed of current political events.
AP Exam:
The AP United States Government and Politics exam is given each May. The AP exam is 2 hours and 25 minutes long. It
includes a 45 minute multiple choice section consisting of 60 questions and a 100 minute free-response section consisting
of 4 questions.
As this course prepares students to succeed on the AP exam and is taught with the exam as the primary focus of the
course, I strongly recommend that all students take the exam. While this course focuses on issues and concepts most likely
to be seen on the AP exam, this class is not a test prep course per se. In other words, while much of the in-class work and
at-home assignments correspond with the exam, it is incumbent upon the student to take the work seriously and take
responsibility for thorough test preparation himself or herself.
As the exam nears, there will be review sessions held on Saturday mornings to help prepare you for the exam.
Topics Covered in this course include:
I.
Constitutional Underpinnings of United States Government (Text chapters 1, 2, and 3) (5 – 15%)
a. Considerations that influenced the formulation and adoption of the Constitution
b. Separation of powers
c. Checks and balances
d. Federalism
e. Theories of democratic government
II.
Political Beliefs and Behaviors (Text chapters 6, 9, and 10) (10 – 20%)
a. Beliefs that citizens hold about their government and its leaders
b. Processes by which citizens learn about politics
c. The nature, sources and consequences of public opinion
d. The ways in which citizens vote and otherwise participate in political life
e. Factors that influence citizens to differ from one another in terms of political beliefs and behaviors
III.
Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media (Text chapters 7, 8, and 11), (10 – 20%)
a. Political Parties and Elections
i. Functions
ii. Organization
iii. Development
iv. Effects on the political process
v. Electoral laws and systems
b. Interest groups, including political action committees (PACs)
i. The range of interests represented
ii. The activities of interest groups
iii. The effects of interest groups on the political process
iv. The unique characteristics and roles of PACs in the political process
IV.
V.
VI.
c. The mass media
i. The functions and structures of the news media
ii. The impacts of the news media on politics
iii. The news media industry and its consequences
Institutions of National Government: The Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy and the Federal
Courts (Text chapters 12 - 16) (35 – 45%)
a. The major formal and informal institutional arrangements of power
b. Relationships among these four institutions and varying balances of power
c. Linkages between institutions and the following:
i. Public opinion and voters
ii. Interest groups
iii. Political parties
iv. The media
v. State and local government
Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (Text Chapters 4 and 5) (5 – 15%)
a. The development of civil liberties and civil rights by judicial interpretation
b. Knowledge of substantive rights and liberties
c. The impact of the 14th Amendment on the constitutional development of rights and liberties
Public Policy (Text chapters 17 – 20) (5 – 15%)
a. Policy making in a federal system
b. The formation of policy agendas
c. The role of institutions in the enactment of policy
d. The role of the bureaucracy and the courts in policy implementation
e. Linkages between policy process and the following:
i. Political institutions and federalism
ii. Political parties
iii. Interest groups
iv. Public opinion
v. Elections
vi. Policy networks
General Class Rules and Policies:
 Unless otherwise directed by Mrs. Fike, all cell phones, MP3 players, etc. must be silenced and put away upon
entering the classroom and should not be used in any way during class time.
 Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each hour. Students are required to be in the room when the bell rings.
 Work is due upon entering the room or when requested by the teacher. Work turned in after this point may be
considered late and will be deducted accordingly.
 The teacher dismisses the class, not the clock. Students will remain in assigned seats until dismissed! DO NOT
LINE UP AT THE DOOR