AP United States Government & Politics Syllabus

The political process itself has a big impact on who gets what economic advantages
in our society, when they get those advantages, and how they get them.
- Harold Lasswell

COURSE OVERVIEW & GOALS

This one-semester, block class is a survey course of American politics and political behaviors. We will closely
examine the philosophical foundations of our government, American political institutions (official & unofficial),
and some prominent controversies (both historical & current) in American political life. Be aware, this is a
college level class taught on a high school campus. You will be held to collegiate standards in your class
preparation, work ethic, and class participation. With this in mind, note also that our time together in class is
NOT entirely instructional time i.e. you will not come in and hear me tell you exactly what you need to know
from your readings. Rather, our class time will be used to reinforce what you have already gathered for
yourself from reading and independent study, and to discuss and highlight major themes, trends, causes and
effects. YOU are responsible for coming to class prepared to discuss the topic at hand. To prepare you for this
endeavor, you will learn to take notes from readings and look for key points and themes. I look forward to our
year together and helping each of you succeed on the A.P. Exam and with any luck earn credits you can use in
college.
Good luck!
- Mr. Huff

REQUIRED TEXTS
Edwards, et al. Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy. 13th edition (2008).
Woll. American Government: Readings and Cases. 14th edition (2002).

GRADING*
Our grading scale will be as follows:
Homework/Classwork

Grade Distribution

Final Grade

100

Student Engagement-----------------5%

Q3-----------------------------40%

89

Home/Classwork/Quizzes---------25%

Q4-----------------------------40%

79

Unit Exams/Projects-----------------70%

Final---------------------------20%

69

40

* Your attendance and class participation are crucial to your personal success in this class as well as the
success of the class itself.
* It is the students responsibility to maintain integrity and uphold PCHS and WCPSS policies regarding
cheating, plagiarism, falsification, violation of software copyright laws, and violation of computer access. On
any graded assignment, it is the expectation that plagiarism and/or cheating is never acceptable.

SMART LUNCH / TEST CORRECTIONS

I highly encourage each of you to take advantage of SMART Lunch. It is a great opportunity to get your reading
completed and notes taken. You will be able to correct O
NE test per quarter up to 80%. You will have the next
two SMART Lunches after you receive your score to complete your corrections.

UNIT PORTFOLIO
Classwork and homework for each unit will be collected on test day turned in as a portfolio. You will
be given a manila folder and you will turn in all classwork determined by the teacher at one time. All
items asked for must be submitted to receive credit. You will place an asterisk on the ONE
assignment you wish for the teacher to grade in detail and place it at the front. The rest will be
checked for completion and spot checked for accuracy. You will receive one grade for the portfolio
grade for each unit.
SUPPLIES
You should maintain a binder during this semester. With a divider for each of the 8 units. If you need a binder,
ask me, I probably have one. Black or blue pens; pencils.
REMIND
Text the following codes to 81010 to receive updates and reminders.
2ND PERIOD: @s17apgopo2
3RD PERIOD: @s17apgopo3
TURN IT IN
Starting with the summer assignment and certain assignments thereafter you will be required to submit via
turnitin.com. See below for appropriate class ids and passwords while registering.
PERIOD

ID

PASSWORD
(CASE SENSITIVE)

2ND PERIOD

14293329

GOPO2

3RD PERIOD

14293338

GOPO3

COURSE LAYOUT
This course is divided into 8 units. Some units, in the interest of time and practicality, will get more
attention than others based on how they are tested on the AP Test, however they are all important.
We will also cover ALL goals related to the Civics and Economics as outlined in the NC Standard
Course of Study . To give you a general idea of the topics of discussion, I have broken the course into
its separate units with a brief description and questions to consider.

UNIT 1
5-15%

Constitutional Underpinnings

Before we can truly understand our current system

of government, we must first understand the
philosophical foundations the Framers used to
construct our Constitution, with an emphasis on
checks and balances, separation of powers,
federalism, human nature and natural rights.
- Why did some fear factionalism?

UNIT 2
10-20%

Political Beliefs & Behaviors

Individual citizens hold a wide array of opinions on

government, its leaders and the issues government
acts upon. Collectively, these opinions make up
American political culture. We will begin by learning
how these opinions are formed, evolve, and are
transmitted, as well as participation in government
through actions like voting. Finally, we will examine
why people hold their particular opinions toward
government.
- What impact does race and religion have on the way
someone votes?
- How have politics in the South changed in the past
century?

UNIT 3
10-20%

Political Parties, Interest Groups &

Mass Media

UNITS
4, 5, & 6
30-45%

Institutions of Government

This unit focuses on the instruments citizens use to

communicate their political beliefs, including
political parties, elections, interest groups, political
action committees (PACs) and mass media. Each
of these has a profound effect on American
political behavior. We will focus on the historical
evolution of the party and election systems,
campaign reform, the role of interest groups and
how the media influences citizens and government.

These units, surprisingly, will be shorter than you might

expect, as they will draw heavily on your study from
Civics & Economics. We will briefly review the basic
makeup of the presidency, Congress and the Supreme
Court and how they interact with one another. We will
then focus our attention on the arrangement of these
institutions and the implications of this arrangement,
what jobs the branches do or do not do and why.

- What does it mean to be a Democrat or

Republican?
- Is campaign finance reform necessary or even
possible?

- Why would the president and Congress struggle over

a national budget?

UNIT 7
5-15%

Civil Rights & Civil Liberties

This unit examines the evolution of thought and

practice with regard to civil rights. We will focus on
the Supreme Court and its major decisions
regarding our freedoms.
- How effective are Supreme Court rulings as tools
of social change?

UNIT 8
5-15%

Public Policy

Public policy is a result of people, events,

circumstances,
media,
government,
interests,
institutions and processes. A knowledge of American
public policy will serve to reinforce the ideas of
federalism, separation of powers as well as the roles of
the president, Congress and the Supreme Court. This
unit will be covered primarily through student projects
on particular areas of public policy.

- What is our
environment?

national

policy

regarding

the

There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent
encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.
- James Madison

A.P. U.S. Government & Politics Required Readings

-

THE BEST WAY TO BE PREPARED FOR THIS CLASS IS TO DO THE READINGS

AND TAKE NOTES AS YOU READ.
PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO CASES, CHARTS, AND GRAPHS WHILE READING.

All assigned readings should be prepared prior to class. Class seminars and discussions will be a daily part of
our classroom activities (25% - 60% daily).
E- Edwards, et al. Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy. 13th edition (2008).
W - Woll. American Government: Readings and Cases. 14th edition (2002).
DAY

1-6

Unit 1 CONSTITUTIONAL UNDERPINNINGS

E- Pages 2-27
E- Pages 30-67
E- Pages 68-97
W pages 3-9 (John Locke, Second Treatise, Of Civil Government)
W 10-40 (Roche, The Founding Fathers: A Reform Caucus in Action & Beard, Framing the
Constitution)
W 41-45 (Federalist 47, 48, 51)
W 45-49 (Tribe & Dorf, How Not to Read the Constitution)
W 50-60 (Federalist 16 & 17 & The Anti-Federalist Papers No. 17)
W 60-62, 70-78 (Federalist 44, Bryce, The Merits of the Federal System, & McCulloch v.
Maryland)
Anticipated Assignments/Topics of Discussions:
- Lost Activity & the Nature of Man (& Woman)
- Required Readings Quiz 1
Reading The Federalist
- Required Readings Quiz 2
- Rewriting the Constitution Class Project
- An Exercise in Compromise: Peace Park Playground
- Amendments Quiz
- Required Readings Quiz 3
UNIT 2 POLITICAL BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS

13-21

E- Pages 176-209
Anticipated Assignments/Topics of Discussions:
- Political Ideologies Quiz
- Required Readings Quiz 4

- Lou Dobbs Special: War on the Middle Class

- Unit 3 Mass Media Project Assigned
- Required Readings Quiz 5
- Required Readings Quiz 6
- After School Writing Seminar
UNIT 3 POLITICAL PARTIES, INTEREST GROUPS & MASS MEDIA

22-31

E-Pages 210-239
E-Pages 240-267
E-Pages 322-351
W 253-258 (Berry, Madisons Dilemma)
W 259-265 (Truman, The Governmental Process)
W 270-284 (Lowi, The End of Liberalism: The Indictment)
W 185-200 (Report of the Committee on Political Parties, American Political Parties, American
Political Science Association, Toward a More Responsible Two- Party System, Wattenberg,
Perspectives on American Political Parties, Mayhew, Divided We Govern)
W 219-226, 247-252 (Berelson, et. al., Democratic Practice and Democratic Theory & Mann and
Ornstein, Myths and Realities About The Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002)
Anticipated Assignments/Topics of Discussions:
- Interest Group Research Posters
- Required Readings Quiz 7
Student Presentations on chosen Special Interest Group
- NY Times Guide to Political Herds/Aging and Influence on Voting - Required Readings Quiz 8
- NC Voter Registration Applications
- Required Readings Quiz 9
- Mock Presidential Election Overview
- Heidi Codys American Alphabet - Analyzing Commercials
- Mass Media Projects Due
- Mock Presidential Debate
- After School Writing Seminar

UNIT 4- INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT- CONGRESS

32-39

E-Pages 352-389
W 372-384 (Wilson, Congressional Government & Fiorina, The Rise of the Washington
Establishment)*Student-written legislation is based on their assignment to a house of Congress
and a specific committee. Each student drafts a bill and presents to their committee. The
committee votes and if the bill passes there is a floor vote in their house. The bill-to-law process
continues. If the bill passes both houses it may be signed or vetoed by our class-elected president.
Anticipated Assignments/Topics of Discussions:
- Congress At Work Project Assigned Student-written legislation
- Required Readings Quiz 10
Congress At Work Session 1
Congress At Work Session 2
- After School Writing Seminar
UNIT 5- INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT- THE PRESIDENCY &
THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY

40-47

E-Pages 390-433
E-Pages 466-501
W 287-312 (Hamilton, Federalist 70; Rossiter, The Presidency Focus of Leadership; Neustadt,
Presidential Power; Cronin & Genovese, Presidential Paradoxes)
W 313-327 (Milkis, The Presidency and Political Parties & Brooks, How to Run for President)
W 350-363 (Woll, Constitutional Democracy and Bureaucratic Power & Wilson, The Rise of the
Bureaucratic State)
Anticipated Assignments/Topics of Discussions:
- The Evolution of the American Presidency
- Required Readings Quiz 11
- Presidential Face-Off students select presidents to research and debate presidential greatness
- The structure of the Executive Branch
- Presidential Expectation v. Presidential Reality
- Required Readings Quiz #12
- Required Readings Quiz #13
- Structure of the Federal Bureaucracy
- Ineffectiveness and Inefficiency? The Department of Redundancy Department
- After School Writing Seminar
Unit 6- INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT- THE FEDERAL COURTS

49-50

E- Pages 502-539
W 426-431 (Hamilton, Federalist 78 & Marbury v. Madison (1803))
W 435-442, 448-465 (Roche, Judicial Self-Restraint)
*Students read a summary of the arguments in the Supreme Court case Gonzalez v. Oregon as
well as a detailed summary of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Using the facts of the case
and the data presented in the CSA, students draft their own Supreme Court Opinion. After all
opinions are submitted, students group themselves into the majority and the minority and debate
their conclusions. (Students are not given the actual outcome of the case prior to writing their
decisions.)
Anticipated Assignments/Topics of Discussions:
- Required Readings Quiz 14
- The Structure of the Federal Judiciary
- You Decide Student opinions of Gonzalez v. Oregon
- The Supreme Court
After School Writing Seminar
UNIT 7-CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

51-57

E-Pages 98-139
W 146-166 (Engle v. Vitale (1962); Zelman v.Simmons-Harris (2002); & Roe v. Wade (1973))
Anticipated Assignments/Topics of Discussions:
- The Serpentine Wall: The Separation of Church and State
- Required Readings Quiz 15
- What is obscenity?
- What is an Illegal Alien? Visualization
- Illegal Immigration Debate
- Required Readings Quiz 16
- Flaws In the System
- Required Readings Quiz 17

- Americas Struggle for Equality

- The Debate Over Affirmative Action
- After School Writing Seminar
UNIT 8-PUBLIC POLICY
58-65

REMAINING

Research for Unit 8 presentations

Anticipated Assignments/Topics of Discussions:
- Student-led presentations on Foreign, Domestic, Social, Economic, Environmental & Energy, and
Defense Policy
REVIEW AND PRACTICE TESTS

AP TEST: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 8:00 AM