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COURSE OUTLINE
United States Government
Name of the Course: ___Humanities_____(e.g. Humanities)
I.
Level: Grade 12
Course Description:
This one semester course is a survey course designed to give the senior student a basic
understanding of the important institutions, offices, and political processes involved in
United States government. This study revolves around the democratic policy-making
cycle, including the interactions between the citizens, linkage institutions, government
institutions and the political processes involved in shaping public policy in the United
States. It is designed to extend much of the basic knowledge gained from social studies
classes throughout the students’ primary and secondary public education. At every
opportunity, special emphasis will be placed on development of the knowledge and skills
the student needs in order to be an active and productive citizen in the American
Democracy.
II.
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Topics:
Current Events
The Policy-Making Cycle
o Politics (the process)
o Linkage Institutions (Parties, Elections, Campaigns, Media, etc.)
o Policy Making Institutions (Legislative, Executive, Judicial Branches & the
Bureaucracy)
o Public Policy & Structural Policy
Types of Governments
o Democratic versus Authoritarian Systems
o Federal versus Unitary & Confederate Systems
o Parliamentary versus Presidential Systems
Development of the United States Federal Government
o Influence of Important English Documents
 Magna Carta
 Petition of Rights
 English Bill of Rights
o Enlightenment Philosophies
 John Locke (Social Contract Theory)
 Rousseau
 Montesquieu (Separation of Powers, System of Checks & Balances)
o Colonial Governments
o Declaration of Independence
o Articles of Confederation
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Republicanism versus Democracy
Compromises of the Constitutional Convention
Framers & Fear of the “Tyranny of the Majority over the Minority”
Major Principles of the Constitution
 Popular Sovereignty
 Limited Government
 Federalism
 Separation of Powers
 System of Checks & Balances
 Judicial Review
o Ratification of the US Constitution (Federalist & Anti-Federalists Arguments)
o Comparison of Governments (Articles of Confederation versus US Constitution)
Federalism
o Dual Federalism
 Powers of Federalism (Delegated, Concurrent, Reserve Powers)
 Types of Delegated Powers (Expressed, Implied, & Inherent)
o Expansion of Federal Powers
 Historical Factors
 Elastic Clause & Implied Powers
 Commerce Clause
 Supreme Court Rulings (Broad versus Narrow Interpretations)
 Cooperative Federalism
 Fiscal Federalism
 Types of Grants-in-aid
 Unfunded Mandates
o Interstate Relationships (Article V)
 Privileges & Immunities Clause
 Extradition Clause
 Full Faith & Credit Clause
Civil Rights & Civil Liberties
o Expansion of Suffrage
 State Laws Expanding Suffrage
 Constitutional Amendments Extending Suffrage
 Federal Laws & Court Rulings Protecting African American Voting
Rights
o Article One Protections (Denied Powers)
o First Amendment Freedoms
o Other Protections of the Bill of Rights
o Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause & Federal Incorporation
o The Civil Rights Movement
Political Parties
o Evolution of Political Parties
o Political Roles
o Organization
o Ideological Differences (Democrats versus Republicans)
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o Demographic Differences (Democrats versus Republicans)
Media & Political Polling
o Types of Media
o Media’s Influence on the Political Process
o Types of Political Polls
o Polling Techniques
o Influence of Polls on the Political Process
Elections & Voting
o Types of Elections
o Historical reforms to the election process in the United States
o The election process today
o Presidential Elections (Differences)
 Party Convention
 Electoral College
o Voting Process
o Study of non-voting in the United States
Legislative Branch (Congress)
o Congressional Leadership
o Role of Parties
o Congressional Committees & Roles in the Law Making Process
o How a bill becomes a law
Executive Branch / Bureaucracy
o Formal Duties of President
o Informal Duties of President
o Constitutional Duties of Vice President
o Other Executive Officers
o Influence on Policy Making
o The Federal Bureaucracy
 The Cabinet
 Executive Departments
 Federal Agencies
 Regulatory Agencies
Judicial Branch
o Dual Court System (federalism)
 Federal Court System
 Alabama State Court System
o Civil versus Criminal Law
o Role of the Juror
o US Supreme Court Hearing Process
The Alabama Constitution
o Organization of Alabama state government
o Organization of local governments
o Purposes of state and local governments
 Fiscal & Monetary Policy Implementation
 Ensuring Personal Security
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III.
Regulating Transportation
Teaching and Assessment:
Teaching Methods:
 Lecture with student note-taking.
 Student note-taking from assigned readings
 Chart/Graph reading and analysis
 Construction and interpretation of graphic organizers
 Comprehension and discussion of video clip presentations
 Questioning based on assigned readings
 Current events presentations and discussion
 Research projects (including online research)
 Evaluation & analysis of political cartoons
 Analysis and evaluation of political arguments
 WebQuests
Assessment:
 Chapter and Unit Tests
 Quizzes
 Evaluation of individual and group assignments
 Rubric based evaluation of projects and written analysis
 Class participation and discussion
IV.
Resources:
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Textbook
 McClenaghan, William A., Magruder’s American Government,
Needham, MA:
Pearson Prentice Hall, Inc., 2005
Other Print Resources
 Woll, Peter, American Government, Readings and Cases. 16th Ed.
New York,
NY:
Pearson Longman, Inc., 2006
 Killoran, James, Zimmer, Stuart, Fischer, Joel, Government and You, New
York, NY: Amsco School Publications, 1995
Web Based Resources
 Welcome to the Political Compss." The Political Compass. Pace News
Limited, 15/10/2010. Web. 26 Oct 2010.
<http://www.politicalcompass.org/>
 "World's Smallest Political Quiz." Advocates for Self-Government.
Advocates for Self-Government, 10/25/2010. Web. 26 Oct 2010.
<http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz>.

"Alabama.Gov." The Official State of Alabama Portal. State of Alabama,
26/10/2010. Web. 27 Oct 2010.
<http://www.alabama.gov/portal/index.jsp>
 Scott Hale, Judyth Parish