American Civics and Government.
American Civics and Government is a nine week survey course that begins with an exploration of the different types of world governments. Students will develop an understanding of these different types of governments and how they work. As the course progresses, students will understand why our country is a Democratic Republic rather than a Democracy. Students will also learn about the many political philosophies that shaped U.S. political development as well as the structure and functions of the U.S. government. Attention will also shift to the many duties and responsibilities of a U.S. citizen. The course will briefly explore state government as it relates to Federalism.
Unit One – Introduction to Government
Topics covered:
- Topic one: Forms of Government.
- Topic two: Why is the United States a Republic?
- Topic Three: Introduction to American Government.
Unit Two – Legal Codes and Political Philosophies that Influenced the United States.
Topics covered:
- Topic one: Legal codes from the past that influenced the United States.
- Topic two: Political Philosophers and their ideas that influenced the United States.
Unit Three – Key Ideas behind the creation of the United States.
Topics covered:
- Topic one: Constitutional debates and compromises
- Topic two: Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
- Topic three: Fundamental principles of the United States Constitution
- Topic four: Ratification debates between the Federalists and the Anti Federalists.
Unit Four – Structure and Powers of the U.S. Federal government.
Topics covered:
- Topic one: Interpreting the U.S. Constitution
- Topic two: Express v Implied Powers
- Topic three: Congressional powers
- Topic four: Presidential powers
- Topic five: Judicial powers
- Topic six: Checks and Balances
- Topic seven: Separation of Powers
Unit Five – A Survey of the Federal System of the United States Government.
Topics covered:
- Topic one: Federalism.
- Topic two: Relationships between Federal and state governments.
- Topic three: Enumerated, Implied, Reserved, Denied, and Concurrent Powers.
- Topic four: Balance of powers between state and federal governments.
- Topic five: The Supremacy Clause and the U.S. Constitution.
- Topic six: State and Congressional roles in amending the U.S. Constitution.
Unit Six – The Bill of Rights: The Ultimate Protector of our Civil Rights.
Topics covered:
- Topic one: Amendments 1-10 of the U.S. Constitution
- Topic two: Origin of the U.S. Bill of Rights
Unit Seven – Civil Rights and Civil Liberties: What is the difference and why do these rights matter?
Topics covered:
- Topic one: Civil Rights.
- Topic two: Civil Liberties.
- Topic three: Due Process.
- Topic four: The Civil Rights Act of 1964.
- Topic five: Extension of voting rights.
Unit Eight – The Legislative Branch of the U.S. Government.
Topics covered:
- Topic one: Qualifications to become a member of the U.S. House ofRepresentatives.
- Topic two: Qualifications to become a member of the U.S. Senate.
- Topic three: How House and Senate members are elected.
- Topic four: The impact of the 17th Amendment on Senate elections.
- Topic five: The terms of office for House and Senate members.
- Topic six: The powers of the House.
- Topic seven: The powers of the Senate.
- Topic eight: How a bill becomes law.
- Topic nine: House and Senate leadership positions and their responsibilities.
Unit Nine – Presidential Impeachment: Conflict between the branches of the U.S. government.
Topics covered:
- Topic one: The impeachment process.
- Topic two: The impeachment of Andrew Johnson.
- Topic three: The impeachment of Bill Clinton.
- Topic four: The impeachment of Donald Trump
Unit Ten – The Executive Branch of the U.S. government.
Topics covered:
- Topic one: Formal and Informal qualifications to be President of the United States.
- Topic two: The President’s term of office and the line of Presidential succession as these topics pertain to the 20th, 22nd and 25th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
- Topic three: The Electoral College and the election of the U.S. President
- Topic four: (The 12th Amendment).
- Topic five: The roles of the U.S. President.
- Topic six: The federal bureaucracy and the President’s cabinet.
- Topic seven: The assets available to carry out the will of the U.S. President.
Unit Eleven – The Judicial Branch of the U.S. government.
Topics covered:
- Topic one: The selection and approval process for federal judges.
- Topic two: Jurisdiction for the Supreme Court, federal courts and state courts.
- Topic three: The impact of John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison, and the principle of Judicial Review.
- Topic four: How cases are heard and decided before the Supreme Court of the U.S. (SCOTUS).
- Topic five: Legal philosophies: Judicial Restraint v. Judicial Activism.
Unit Twelve – The Criminal Justice Process.
Topics covered:
- Topic one: Due process rights as they relate to the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 14th amendments.
- Topic two: Different types of crimes.
- Topic three: Procedures in the criminal justice process.
- Topic four: The different types of sentences a convicted person can receive.
- Topic five: Legal procedures related to civil suits with criminal proceedings.
Unit Thirteen – U.S. Public Opinion: What is it and why does it matter?
Topics covered:
- Topic one: What is Public Opinion?
- Topic two: Measuring public opinion.
- Topic three: Scientific polls v straw polls.
- Topic four: Elements of a scientific poll.
- Topic five: The “Universe” and scientific polling.
- Topic six: Random sampling.
- Topic seven: What makes scientific polling valid?
- Topic eight: Manipulating public opinion.
- Topic nine: Television, public opinion, and the U.S. Presidency.
- Topic ten: Factors that influence public opinion.
- Topic eleven: Mass media and public opinion.
Unit Fourteen – Duties of American Citizens.
Topics covered:
- Topic one: Voter registration
- Topic two: Registering for Selective Service.
Unit Fifteen – Local, State, and National Elections.
Topics covered:
- Topic one: U.S. Political parties: Origins and development
- Topic two: The nomination and election process.
- Topic three: Campaign funding.
- Topic four: The influence of special interest groups on the election process.
- Topic five: Policy changes and Supreme Court rulings that have impacted the campaign finance process.
- Topic six: The influence of media coverage, campaign advertising, and public opinion polls on our election process.
Unit Sixteen – American Ideals versus Totalitarian Ideology.
Topics covered:
- Topic one: The role of government in Totalitarian Systems.
- Topic two: Comparison of the structures, power-base, and decision-making processes of American democracy to those of totalitarian governments.
- Topic three: Comparison of the rights and responsibilities of citizens in American democracy to those in totalitarian governments.
- Topic four: Conflict of ideals between American democracy and those of totalitarianism.
- Topic five: An explanation for the causes for the growth and decline of totalitarian forms of government.
- Topic six: American policies designed to resist the spread of Totalitarianism.
