AP United States Government and Politics
Course Syllabus 2015-2016
John P. Roberts
Jroberts1@interact.ccsd.net
Course Overview: This introductory college level course is designed to offer the student an opportunity to
view government and politics in the United States through an analytical lens. Students will take an in-depth
look at the forces which helped to shape American political policy at the local, state and federal levels.
Emphasis will be placed on the Constitutional underpinnings, political beliefs and behaviors, political
parties, interest groups and the Media, the institutions of government, including the Legislative, Executive,
and Judicial branches, the Bureaucracy, the development, application and impact of public policy, and civil
rights and civil liberties.
Texts:
American Government: Continuity and Change, O’Connor and Sabato, 2012
Kaplan AP U.S. Government and Politics 2010 .
Kaplan AP U.S. Government and Politics Flash Cards
Year Subscription to Newsweek Magazine
Various other readings and resources, as needed
Homework and Make Up:
To check grades use:
my.ccsd.net/Roberts
Please Check the website everyday for
assignments.
https://www.infinitecampus.com/
Required Materials: Students will need a three-ring binder with dividers for each unit of study.
Requirements for the notebook will be given on the first day of school. Students will also be expected to
come to class prepared each with binder, paper, pencils, pens, textbook or any other assigned material.
Homework and readings must be completed BEFORE each class period.
Grading: Students will be graded using a standard grading scale.
90-100 = A
89-80 = B
79-70 = C
69-60 = D
59 = F
1. Each assignment will be given a point value and total points will be utilized in calculating the final
score.
2. Each quarter grade is worth 40% of the total semester grade, with the semester exam counting for
20%. The first semester exam will be a cumulative simulated AP exam.
3. The second semester final will be waived for any student that takes the AP test in May. However,
each student will complete a final project that will be due on the final exam day.
4. It is expected that EVERY student who enrolls in the course will take the AP exam in May.
All work completed in class will help each student prepare for the AP exam.
5. As we prepare for the exam in the Spring, the students will be REQUIRED to attend study
sessions outside of class. Attendance will be MANDATORY.
6. Cheating and plagiarism is an unacceptable way to handle procrastination. Cheating will result in
a “0” for the assignment or test and a phone call home. Students are expected to take the
appropriate steps if an assignment cannot be completed by the due date. I am the only necessary
step. Speak to me and maintain your integrity.
7. Writing is an integral part of this course. Students will be graded on spelling and grammar so
please put 100% into your assignments.
Semester Grade Percentages
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Quarter
Quarter
Semester
Quarter
Quarter
Semester
1
2
1
3
4
2
40%
40%
20%
40%
40%
20%
Format for Class Instruction:
 Lecture/Discussion
 Reading Assignments/Chapter Quizzes
 Unit Tests: 60 Multiple Choices and 2 Free Response Questions
 Projects (Group and Individual)
 C-SPAN Video Clips
 Newsweek Magazine
 Newspapers and Magazines
 Homework
AP Test: For many students this class is one of many AP level classes you are undertaking. AP courses
are designed to simulate a college level course, therefore college level work and participation are required.
Again, you are EXPECTED to take the AP exam in May and attend all outside study sessions.
Newsweek: Newsweek Magazine will serve as an invaluable tool in allowing students to read about their
government in action on a weekly basis. Analyzing current events as they are related to our current unit of
study furthers students’ preparation and will comprise a significant portion of the content for the AP exam.
The cost of each issue is approximately 59 cents and will be billed to the students’ home. Centennial High
School does not collect money for your subscription.
I will be sending a letter home to garner permission to order the magazine. Once I receive all addresses and
parent permission, each student will begin receiving the subscription the third week of September 2007.
Other options include buying the magazine off the newsstand or making copies of article in the library at
the students’ own expense. We will discuss Newsweek articles on a weekly basis and I will make an
attempt to let students know what articles they will need to be familiar with.
Course Structure:
 Foundations and Principles: Theoretical and Historical
 Constitutional Underpinnings
 Federalism: Division of Powers
 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
 People and Government/Public Policy: Public Opinion, Political Participation, Political Parties,
Elections and Campaigns, Interest Groups, The Media
 Government Institutions: Legislative, Executive, Judicial, Bureaucratic
 Politics of Public Policy: Domestic, Foreign, Economics
 Comparative Government: International Systems, Issues, Relations
 State and Local Government: National, Nevada, Community
 Critical Issues: Economy, Scandals, Midterm Elections, Constitutional Issues, Ideological
Conflicts
The following is a break down of the areas of study, daily activities, reading assignments and homework.
While the schedule is laid out for the entire year, it is subject to change due to other school conflicts,
holidays, school in-services or the teachers’ discretion. The syllabus should be included in the course
notebook and brought to class each day in case a change needs to be made.
Unit I: Constitutional Underpinnings and Federalism
5-15% of the AP Examination
The study of modern politics in the United States requires students to examine the kind of government
established by the Constitution, paying particular attention to federalism and the separation of powers.
Understanding these developments involves both knowledge of the historical situation at the time of the
Constitutional Convention and an awareness of the ideological and philosophical traditions on which the
framers drew. Such understanding addresses specific concerns of the framers: e.g., Why did Madison fear
factions? What were the reasons for the swift adoption of the Bill of Rights? Familiarity with the Supreme
Court’s interpretation of key provisions of the Constitution will aid student understanding of theoretical and
practical features of federalism and the separation of powers. Students should be familiar with a variety of
theoretical perspectives relating to the Constitution, such as democratic theory, theories of republican
government, pluralism and elitism.
Unit II and III: Political Beliefs and Behaviors & Political Parties, Interest Groups and Mass Media
10-20% of AP Examination
Students should understand the mechanisms that allow citizens to organize and communicate their
interests and concerns. Among these are political parties elections, political action committees (PACs),
interest groups, and the mass media. Students should examine the historical evolution of the U.S. party
system, the functions and structures of political parties, and the effects they have on the political process.
Examination of issues of party reform and of campaign strategies and financing in the electronic age
provides students with important perspectives. A study of elections, election laws, and election systems on
the national and state levels will help students understand the nature of both party and individual voting
behavior. Treatment of the development and the role of PACs in elections and the ideological and
demographic differences between the two major parties, as well as third parties, form an important segment
of this material.
Students must also consider the political roles played by a variety of lobbying and interest groups.
Important features of this section of the course include an explanation for why some interests are
represented by organized groups while others are not, and the consequences of these differences. Students
study what interest groups do, how they do it, and how this affects both the political process and public
policy. Why are certain segments of the population, such as farmers and the elderly, able to exert pressure
on political institutions and actors in order to obtain favorable policies?
The media has become a major force in U.S. politics. Students are expected to understand the role
of the media in the political system. In addition, the impact of the media on public opinion, voter
perceptions, campaign strategies, electoral outcomes, agenda development, and the images of officials and
candidate should be explored and understood by students. Understanding the often symbiotic, and
frequently argumentative, relationship between candidates, elected officials, and the media is also
important.
VOC: Bill of Rights, Federalists, Anti-Federalists, enumerated powers, checks and balances, federal
system, Great Compromise, implied powers, necessary and proper clause, New Jersey Plan, separation of
powers, supremacy clause, Virginia Plan bill of attainder, block grant, categorical grant, concurrent powers,
cooperative federalism, dual federalism, ex post facto laws, federalism, Gibbons v. Ogden 1824, interstate
compacts, McCulloch v. Maryland 1819, Tenth Amendment, Sixteenth Amendment, Seventeenth
Amendment, mandates
Unit IV: Institutions of national government: The Congress, the Presidency, the Federal Courts.
Bureaucracy and Public Policy
35-45% of AP Examination
The founding fathers intended for Congress to be the central policy-making body in the federal
government. Although the power of Congress has fluctuated over the years, today it shares with the
presidency the responsibility of making key policy decisions that shape the course of the nation.
When the founders created the three branches of government, they disagreed about the amount of
power to be vested in the executive. Many feared more than anything a strong President whose powers
could be compared to those of the king of England. Others believed, in the words of Alexander Hamilton,
that “energy in the executive is a leading characteristic of good government.” As the modern presidency
has evolved, Hamilton’s point of view seems to prevail today, as the President is the single most powerful
individual in the American political system. Although the checks and balances set in motion in 1787 still
operate, the presidency described in the Constitution is much different from the one that we have today.
In most modern democracies the executive and legislative branches hold considerable power, but
most grant little policymaking power to the judicial branch. A most important exception to this general
rule is the United States, whose judiciary is truly a coequal branch with as much power as the other two.
And yet our government did not begin with this almost equal balance of power; the founders almost
certainly saw the judiciary as an important check on the legislative and executive branches, but not as an
equal policymaking body.
The court system is a cornerstone of our democracy. According to our ideals, judges make
impartial and wise decisions that elected officials find difficult to make. Members of Congress, state
governors and the President must always worry about elections and popular opinion. As a result, they may
lose sight of the need to preserve our values, and they sometimes set hasty or unjust policies. Under the
guidance of the Constitutional principles, the courts serve as watchdogs for the other branches of
government.
VOC: Chapter 7 Congress
Bicameral Legislature
Filibuster
Legislative veto
Pork barrel
War Powers Act
casework
impeachment
line-item veto
senatorial courtesy
delegate
cloture
incumbency factor
oversight
standing committee
trustee
politico
VOC: Chapter 8 and 9
Cabinet
Executive privilege
Stewardship theory
22nd Amendment
Clientale agencies
Iron triangles
Pendleton Act
executive agreement
pardon
Taftian theory
U.S. v. Nixon
Hatch Act
independent regulatory commission
executive order
patronage
25th Amendment
veto power
independent executive agency
merit system
VOC: Chapter 10
Amicus curiae
Brief
Judicial review
Civil law
Precedent
Writ of certiorari
appellate court
judicial activism
jurisdiction
Marbury v. Madison
Rule of Four
appellate jurisdiction
judicial restraint
criminal law
original jurisdiction
strict constructionist
Unit V – Public Policy
5-15% of AP Examination
 Policy making in a federal system
 Formation of Policy agendas
 Role of institutions in the enactment of policy
 Role of bureaucracy and courts in policy implementation and interpretation
 Linkages between policy processes and
o Political institutions and federalism
o Political parties
o Interest groups
o Public opinion
o Elections
o Policy networks
Unit VI – Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
5-15% of AP Examination
An understanding of United States politics includes the study of the development of individual rights and
liberties and their impact on citizens. Basic to this study is an analysis of the workings of the Supreme
Court and an understanding of its most significant decisions. Students should examine judicial
interpretations of various civil rights and liberties such as freedom of speech, assembly, and expression; the
rights of the accused; and the rights of minority groups and women. For example, students should
understand the legal, social and political evolution following the Supreme Court’s decisions regarding
racial segregation. Finally, it is important that students be able to assess the strengths and weaknesses of
Supreme Court decisions as tools of social change.
Supreme Court Cases
Baker v. Carr
Brandenburg v. Ohio
Buckley v. Valeo
Engel v. Vitale
Furman V. Georgia
Griswold v. Connecticut
In re Gault
Korematsu v. United States
Reed v. Reed
New Jersey v. T.L.O.
Regents of the Univ of California v. Bakke
Roe v. Wade
Casey Martin v. PGA
Tinker v. Des Moines School District
United States v. Lopez
Webster v. Reproductive Health Services
Florida v. Bostwick
Terry v. Ohio
Wisconsin v. Yoder
Voc:
Political ideology
Random sampling
Issue-oriented politics
Party identification
Spoils system
Bethel School Dist v. Fraser
Brown V. Board of Education, Topeka
Roe v. Wade
Escobedo v. Illinois
Gideon v. Wainwright
Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier
Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition
Mapp v. Ohio
Miranda v. Arizona
Plessy v. Ferguson
Reynolds v. Sims/Wesberry v. Sanders
Schenck v. United States
Texas v. Johnson
Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe
Boy Scouts of America v. Dale
Planned Parenthood v. Casey
Weeks v. United States
Lemon v. Kurtzman
Bob Jones University v. United States
political socialization
straw polls
national convention
party in the electorate
closed primary
public opinion
direct primary
national party platform
political party
caucus
Critical election
Electorate
Gerrymandering
Recall
Hard money
Paid media
Political action committee (PAC)
Economic interest group
Lobbying
elector
front-loading
incumbency
redistricting
soft money
public funds
equal time rule
free rider problem
lobbyist
electoral college
general election
open primary
free media
matching funds
political consultant
fairness doctrine
interest group
public interest group
Course Specifics
Attendance: You are expected to be in class each day and on time. In the event of an EXCUSED absence,
you will have three days to make up any missed in class assignments. Any homework due on a day when
you are absent will be due upon the day you return, no exceptions. Please consult your Unit Agenda for all
due dates. In the event of an UNEXCUSED absence there will be no opportunity to make up missed class
work. If you should be absent on the day of a reading quiz, there will be no opportunity to make it up.
Tardies: Tardies are disruptive to the flow of the class. If you are tardy, without a pass, you will lose your
participation points for the day.
Six Absences: Any student who accumulates more than six (6) unexcused absences during the semester
will lose credit for the course.
Make-Up Work: Students are responsible for any missed class work. A Unit Agenda will be provided to
each student at the beginning of a unit of study. All reading assignments, class activities, homework and
due dates will be provided. In the event of a missed class, please consult your Unit Agenda. You will have
three (3) days to complete any missed work. Check my.ccsd.net/Roberts for this information
Student Conduct and Discipline: Since this is a college level course, your time in here will not be
wasted. Therefore, I would expect that my time should not be wasted by disruptive or rude behavior. The
best atmosphere for learning is one of mutual respect. The topics and issues covered in a government class
can elicit some strong emotions and viewpoints and therefore require that for our year to be a success, we
respect the views and opinions held by others and ourselves.
A few simple class rules will include:
 No eating or drinking in class. Water is the only exception.
 Be courteous and respectful to others.
 Be in your seat and ready to participate when the bell rings.
 Cell phones are to be turned OFF during class time. ALL CELL PHONES WILL BE
CONFISCATED AFTER ONE WARNING. THERE IS TO BE NO USE OF CELL
PHONES WHATSOEVER.
 If these rules are violated, you will receive a warning, one-on-one meeting, phone call home,
teacher detention, referral to the counselor and finally, Dean’s Referral.
Citizenship Grades:
 An “O” will be given to those students who come to class on time, are prepared to work,
participate in classroom discussions and activities, and demonstrate a respectful attitude towards
peers and teacher.
 An “S” will be given to those students who meet most of the requirements above, but not all.
 A “U” will be given to those students who sleep in class, are consistently tardy, come to class
unprepared and demonstrate a disrespectful attitude towards their peers and teacher.
General Information: I look forward to having a successful year with all of my students. If you have any
questions or concerns about your grade or the material, please come and see me before or after school. Do
not wait until the end of the quarter or semester to get help or it may be too late.
Please sign and detach the bottom portion of the course expectations and return during the next class
period.
Sincerely,
Teacher contact information omitted
Student
I, _______________________, understand my responsibilities and what is expected of me in AP U.S.
Government.
_________________
Date
Parent
I, ______________________, understand the expectations and responsibilities my child has committed to
as a student in AP U.S. Government.
_________________
Date