Documents
You must be able to explain and apply the basic principles of government found in these documents.
Declaration of Independence
Articles of Confederation
United States Constitution
Bill of Rights
General principles and terms
You must be able to explain and apply each of these terms (that means give an example from today).
Common good
Representative democracy
Limited government
Federalism
Separation of powers
Checks and balances
Rule of law
Individual rights and responsibilities
Confederate
Unitary
Democratic (parliamentary, presidential)
Authoritarian (monarchy, oligarchy, dictatorship, totalitarian)
Amendments
Consent of the governed
Majority rule
Popular sovereignty
You must be able to explain the principles of each case and apply these principles to other situations
(that means apply this principle to today).
McCulloch v. Maryland
Marbury v. Madison
General principles and terms
You must be able to explain and apply each of these terms (that means give an example from today).
Electoral process
Political parties
Interest groups
Citizens
Media and its roles
Public opinion
Regional interests
Campaign finance
Demographic trends
Primary and general elections
Voting patterns
Political action committees (PACs)
Lobbyists
Candidates
Referendum
Initiative
Reapportionment
General principles and terms
You must be able to explain and apply each of these
terms (that means give an example from today).
Separation of powers
Checks and balances
Powers of legislatures
Amendment process
Influencing the law making process
Regional concerns and policy
Structure of the national and state legislatures
Powers of the executive – national and state
Roles of executives
Structure of executive branch
Presidential use of power and executive orders
Regulatory agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Food and Drug Administration
Federal Trade Commission
Federal Communications Commission
Federal Aviation Administration
Judicial review
Structure of judicial branches
Government role in balancing rights v. order/safety
National, State, and Local Government © 2014 Montgomery County Public Schools Social Studies

General principles and terms
You must be able to explain and apply each of these terms (that means give an example from the present).
National sovereignty
Self-determination
Objectives, Concerns, Goals:
National security
National defense, weapons of mass destruction, arms control, terrorism, security of other nations
Economic
Economic well-being of U.S., global economic conditions, support of developing nations
Ideological
Spread of democracy, support of developing nations, support of human rights
Humanitarian
Support of human rights, support of developing nations, spread of democracy, disaster relief, environmental concerns
War Powers Act
Policies, Choices, Actions –
Political, diplomatic, economic(foreign aid, economic sanctions, trade status and trade barriers), military, cultural
International Organizations:
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
World Bank
International Red Cross
 What are the fundamental principles of American government that are expressed in the Constitution including its amendments? How do these fundamental principles affect the lives of citizens?
 How is power divided and shared in a federal system of government? What is the intent of federalism?
 How is power divided and shared by the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of US governments? What is the intent of this structure?
 What elements of the American political system help to establish and maintain a democratic system of government?
 How do the following contribute to and influence the electoral process? political parties, special interest groups, individual citizens, media
 What factors influence the actions of the legislative branch? The executive branch? The judicial branch?
 In what ways can national, state, and local governments make policies to meet the changing needs of citizens? Consider executive, legislative, and judicial actions.
 How may citizens or groups initiate change in governmental policy and institutions?
 How does the United States maintain a balance between protecting rights and maintaining order?
 What is the influence of demographic changes on government funding decisions?
 What is the social, economic, and political impact of regulatory agencies on a country, region or state?
 What are the policies of the US government that promote or fail to promote relationships with other countries?
 What are the contemporary concerns and goals that affect international relationships?
 How effective are international alliances and organizations from the perspective of the US?
United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization,
International Monetary Fund, World Bank,
International Red Cross
National, State, and Local Government © 2014 Montgomery County Public Schools Social Studies