Introduction to American Government
Political Science 1101
Dr. Nathan Price
336 Hansford Hall
nathan.price@ung.edu
Office Hours: M 3:00-4:00pm
W 1:00-3:00pm
Appointment
Fall 2015
MWF 11-11:50
MLC 112A
(706) 864-1628
Course Overview:
This course is designed to give students a broad overview of American politics. We will
begin by studying the Constitution and the institutional framework of the American state.
This course examines the three branches of the federal government and the relationship
between these institutions. We will discuss the different levels of government, and
examine the importance of federalism in American politics. Additionally, we will study
political parties, public opinion, public policy, voting behavior, civil rights, foreign
policy, and a host of other topics that political scientists examine in order to make sense
of the world around them. This course is important for political science majors and non
majors alike. For students who will continue studying political science, this course will
be the foundation on which you will build your future studies. Additionally, I hope this
course will also help non majors make better sense of the increasingly-complicated world
around them so that they may become better citizens.
Course Requirements:
Exam I (October 5th) – Exam I will consist of 30 multiple choice questions as well as
five short answer questions. Additionally, students will be given a choice of prompts to
prepare an out of class essay that will be due the day of the mid-term. Essays turned in
late will be penalized one letter grade per day late. (20% of course grade.)
Exam II (November 2nd)-Exam II will be the same format as Exam I. (20% of course
grade)
Final Exam (December 7th 10:20-12:20) The final exam will be the same format as the
first two exams. (30% of course grade.)
Current Events Journal- Each week, I will disseminate three or four news articles that
cover current events that relate to our course. Students will choose one article per week,
and write a brief (less than one page) reaction that will be kept in a journal throughout the
duration of the course. I will collect the journals every week to monitor your progress,
and to assign a grade. Students must be present in order to receive credit for that
week’s journal entry, and no late submissions will be scored. (10% of course grade)
Poli 1101 Assessment Assignment (due November 20th) All students who take 1101 are
required to complete an analytical paper (500-750 words) over an article or video that I
will provide to you. Students will be provided the article, prompt, and a rubric for how I
will score the assignment at a future date. This assignment is designed to address the
following.
Area E: Students will analyze the complexity of human behavior as a function of the
commonality and diversity within or between groups.
Learning Goal I: US Perspectives
Students will analyze the interaction between culture and history or politics in the United
States.
(The assignment is worth 10% of course grade)
Participation- Students are expected to be engaged with the course material, and to
periodically take part in classroom discussions. Any student who engages in behavior
that disrupts or distracts other members of the class is subject to being penalized on this
component. (10% of course grade)
Grade Scale:
A = 90-100
B= 80-89
C= 70-79
D= 60-69
F= 60 or below
Required Text:
Cavalli, Carl D. (2013) The Basics of American Government (Revised Edition)
University of North Georgia Press
Great news…I can get this to you for free!
Accommodations:
The University of North Georgia is committed to equal access to its programs, services,
and activities, and welcomes otherwise qualified students with disabilities. (Disabilities
include but are not limited to: learning barriers, medical concerns, or mobility concerns.)
Students who require accommodations and services must register with Disability Services
and submit supporting documentation. Students who suspect they may need
accommodations may also want to follow up with the office. Student Disability Services
provides accommodation memos for eligible students to give their instructors. Students
are responsible for providing the “Accommodations Letter” to the instructors and must
give reasonable prior notice of the need for accommodation.
Any student who needs a document or web page in a different format please email me at
Nathan.Price@ung.edu or call me at (706) 864-1628
Contact Information for Disability Services; (Dahlonega Campus)
Alicia Sarvis (Coordinator) Alicia.Sarvis@ung.edu Stewart Student Success Center,
Room 313. (706) 867-2782
Additionally, it is the responsibility of any student who will miss class, assignment
deadlines, or exams due to their involvement with a sport or club to make me aware of
their needs so that I may accommodate them in accordance to UNG policy.
Academic Integrity:
“If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else
matters.” -Former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson
Plagiarism is a serious offense which directly violates our honor code at the University of
North Georgia. Your student handbook provides a broad definition of plagiarism that
includes passing off another person’s work as your own, passing off another person’s
ideas as your own, using direct quotations that are not properly attributed to their author,
and paraphrasing without use of proper citations. Any student caught plagiarizing will be
referred to judicial affairs.
I encourage students to familiarize themselves with UNG’s full plagiarism policy:
http://ung.edu/dean-of-students/student-code-of-conduct/article-3-proscribed-conduct.php
Additionally, I encourage students to take advantage of the resources UNG has in place
in order to ensure that plagiarism does not occur. Our writing center at UNG is a
fantastic resource that can help students learn how to use and cite resources properly.
http://ung.edu/writing-center/
Additional Rules and Procedures:
1) All cell phones and other electronic devices are to remain off and put away for the
duration of the class period. Failure to comply with this policy will have
deleterious effects on your course participation grade.
2) Laptops are not permitted in my course. While I am well-aware of the potential
benefits laptops provide us, it has been my experience that the negatives
associated with them outweigh the benefits.
3) Students are expected to attend all class sessions in a punctual manner. Any
student who compiles more than six unexcused absences will be withdrawn.
4) Students are to stay current with the readings. I do not like to give unannounced
reading quizzes, but I reserve the right to do so.
UNG Supplemental Syllabus: Please consult the UNG Supplemental Syllabus for
additional rules or procedures.
http://ung.edu/academic-affairs/policies-and-guidelines/supplemental-syllabus.php
Course Outline:
Aug 17 Course Introduction
Aug 19 Introduction to Political Science
Aug 21 Theories of Democracy (Read Chapter 1)
Aug 24 U.S. Republic v1
Aug 26 The Constitution (Read Chapter 2)
Aug 28 U.S. Republic v2 (Read Federalist #10, #51)
http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1786-1800/the-federalist-papers/
Aug 31 Federalism (Read Chapter 3)
Sept 2 Federalism
Sept 4 The Presidency (Read Chapter 8)
Sept 7 (Labor Day)
Sept 9 The Presidency
Sept 11 The Presidency
Sept 14The Bureaucracy (Read Chapter 9)
Sept 16 The Bureaucracy
Sept 18 Congress (Read Chapter 7)
Sept 21 Congress
Sept 23 Congress
Sept 25 The Federal Judiciary (Read Chapter 10)
Sept 28 The Federal Judiciary
Sept 30 The Federal Judiciary
Oct 2 Review for Exam I
Oct 5 Exam I
Oct 7 Political Socialization and the Media (Read Chapter 4)
Oct 9 Public Opinion
Oct 12 Political Parties (Read Chapter 6)
Oct 14 Voting Behavior
Oct 16 Voting Behavior
Oct 19 Elections
Oct 21 Civic Engagement (Read Chapter 15)
Oct 23 Civic Engagement
Oct 26 Interest Groups (Read Chapter 5)
Oct 28 Interest Groups
Oct 30 Review for Second Exam
Nov 2 Exam II
Nov 4 Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (Read Chapter 11)
Nov 6 Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
Nov 9 Public Policy (Read Chapter 12)
Nov 11 Public Policy
Nov 13 State and Local Government (Read Chapter 13)
Nov 16 Georgia Public Policy (Read supplement to Chapter 13)
Nov 18 American Foreign Policy (Read Chapter 14)
Nov 20 American Foreign Policy (Assessment Assignment is due)
Nov 23 (No class)
Nov 25 (No Class)
Nov 27 (No class)
Nov 30 Contemporary Issues in American Politics
Dec 2 Contemporary Issues in American Politics
Dec 4 Review for Final Exam
Dec 7- Final Exam (10:20 am-12:20 pm)