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A.P. US Government and Comparative PoliticsMr. P. Matthew HenryPaul.Henry@Course DescriptionToday’s increasingly interdependent world has made it become necessary for students to think globally. We need to understand more than how our own country operates and deals with other countries. To gain understanding of international events we must examine political structures and perspectives of other nations and how they compare, affect, and interact with one another. Comparisons assist both in identifying problems and in analyzing policymaking. Advanced Placement American Government and Politics along with Advanced Placement Comparative Government provides a yearlong course on government. Our course prepares students by developing the skills necessary to gain insight and understanding regarding the structures and functions of a diversity of governments. We focus on the United States in the first semester and turn to six core comparative countries (Great Britain, Russia, China, Mexico, Nigeria, and Iran) in the second semester.RigorWe will cover two distinct AP College Board courses, AP US Government and AP Comparative Government. To ensure adequate AP exam preparation, a corresponding level of rigor and pacing will be adopted in this course. Students will be expected to complete assigned readings on time and participate in class. Additionally, students are expected to follow current events as real world examples greatly enrich the course and improve student performance. Furthermore, students are advised to avoid more than one absence from class a month. Please see the Expectations and Procedures sections of the syllabus for more information. The ExamThe AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam is 2 hours and 25 minutes long. It includes a45-minute multiple-choice section consisting of 60 questions and a 100-minute free response section consisting of 4 questions.The AP Comparative Politics Exam is 2 hours and 25 minutes long. It includes a 45 minute multiple choice section consisting of 55 questions and a 100 minute free response section consisting of 5 short answer concept questions, 1 conceptual analysis question, and 2 country context questions.ObjectivesStudents successfully completing this course will:be introduced to the basics of American national governmentdevelop an analytical perspective toward the conduct of politics in the United Statesbe encouraged to get involved in the political process and our governmentbe able to analyze and interpret basic data relevant to U.S. government andpoliticsbe able to describe and be able to use for analytical purposes the majorcomparative political concepts, themes, and generalizationsbe able to describe and analyze the government and politics of China, Great Britain, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, and RussiaText Materials and ResourcesPrimary TextJames Wilson, John Dilulio Jr. American Government: Institutions and Policies. Boston:Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.Mark Kesselman, Joel Krieger. Introduction to Comparative Politics. Boston: Wadsworth.Cengage Learning, 2010.Other ResourcesPeter Woll’s American Government: Reading and CasesThe Lanahan Readings in the American Polity Expectations Students will:Be Respectful – Students will respect the instructor, their peers, and themselves. We will engage with controversial issues in class. Students will understand that respect is a vital tool of citizenship and an expectation of this class. Be Prepared for Class – By completing assigned readings on time, students will be better prepared to support their peers during in class activities and discussions. Failure to complete readings is a detriment to both individual and group performance and will not be tolerated. Be Positive – AP US and Comparative Government is a rigorous course. While the content and skills are accessible, determination and a positive attitude are necessary ingredients for success. ProceduresMissing Work – If you are absent, a copy of the day’s course handouts will be posted in Phoenix/other system. Students are expected to review these materials before the next class and receive any missing notes from a classmate. If a student misses a test or quiz they must made up in the Student Support Center. Students are advised to minimize their absences to no more than one per month. ALL MISSING ASSIGNMENTS ARE TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE START OF THE LAST WEEK OF THE QUARTER. Retakes – The student initiates the retake process. No retakes will be permitted until the student has returned all missing work. Retakes will be limited to one unit summative assessments per quarter and the final score will be averaged with the original score on the assessment. Retakes will be conducted in the Student Support Center. NO RETAKES ARE PERMITTED AFTER THE START OF THE LAST WEEK OF THE QUARTER. Supplemental Readings – students are strongly encouraged but not required to complete supplemental readings that will be periodically posted on Phoenix. TopicsI. Constitutional Underpinnings of the United States GovernmentConsiderations that influenced the formulation and adoption of theConstitutionSeparation of powersFederalismTheories of democratic government. II. Political Beliefs and BehaviorsBeliefs that citizens hold about their government and its leadersProcesses by which citizens learn about politicsThe nature, sources, and consequences of public opinionThe ways in which citizens vote and otherwise participate in political lifeFactors that influence citizens to differ from one another in terms of political beliefs and behaviorsIII. Political parties, Interest Groups and Mass MediaPolitical parties and electionsi. Functionsii. Organizationiii. Developmentiv. Effects of the political processv. Electoral laws and systemsInterest groups, including political action committees (PAC’s)i. The range of interests representedii. The activities on interest groupsiii. The effects of interest groups on the political processiv. The unique characteristics and roles of PAC’s in the political processThe mass mediai. The functions and structures of the mediaii. The impacts of media on politicsIV. Institutions of National Government: The Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Federal CourtsThe major formal and informal institutional arrangements of powerRelationships among these four institutions and varying balances of powerLinkages between institutions and the following:i. Public opinion and votersii. Interest groupsiii. Political partiesiv. The mediav. Subnational governmentsV. Public PolicyPolicymaking in a federal systemThe formation of policy agendasThe role of institutions in the enactment of policyThe role of the bureaucracy and the courts in policy implementation andinterpretationLinkages between policy processes and the following:i. Political institutions and federalismii. Political partiesiii. Interest groupsiv. Public opinionv. Electionsvi. Policy networksVI. Civil Rights and Civil LibertiesThe development of civil liberties and civil rights by judicial interpretationKnowledge of substantive rights and libertiesThe impact of the Fourteenth Amendment on the constitutional developmentRights and libertiesCourse Timeline/AssignmentsDisclaimer: This schedule is a living document. Quests and reading quiz dates will not change. However, specific non-textbook readings may be adjusted as we move through the course. Fair notice will be given if any changes occur. Snow Day Policy: Due to the pace of the course, we will not push back the schedule because of snow days. Students will be expected to check Phoenix for an alternative assignment. Any assessments missed will be made up the following class. Unit I – Founding and ConstitutionBlock 1 IntroductionBlock 2 Founding/ConstitutionChapter 2 pgs 17-27 Reading QuizBlock 3 Founding/ConstitutionSummer Assignment DueFederalist 10Chapter 2 pgs 28-44 Reading QuizBlock 4Founding/Constitution Quest (w/Vocab) (first half)Federalism (second half) Unit II - FederalismBlock 5Federalism Chapter 3 pgs 50-58 Reading QuizBlock 6Federalism“The Merits of the Federal System” (Bryce) Chapter 3 pgs 59-72 Reading QuizBlock 7Federalism Quest (w/ Vocab) (first half)Political Beliefs, Ideologies, and Voter TurnoutPolitical Ideology “Quiz” online for homework. Unit III - Political Beliefs Ideologies Voter TurnoutBlock 8 Political Beliefs Ideologies Voter TurnoutChapter 4 Reading QuizBlock 9 Political Beliefs Ideologies Voter TurnoutChapter 5 Reading QuizPolling Project DueBlock 10Political Beliefs Ideologies Voter Turnout Quest (w/ Vocab) (first half) Elections CampaignsSupplemental: Why We Vote (Campbell)Unit IV - Elections/CampaignsBlock 11Elections and Campaigns TBD: Contemporary Campaign ReadingChapter 6 Reading QuizBlock 12Elections and CampaignsTBD: Contemporary Campaign Finance ReadingChapter 8 Reading QuizBlock 13Elections/Campaigns/Campaign Finance Quest (w/ Vocab) (first half) Linkage InstitutionsFederalist 10Unit V - Linkage InstitutionsBlock 14Linkage Institutions “Party Government” (E.E. Schattscheider)Chapter 7 Reading QuizBlock 15Linkage Institutions “Interest Groups and the American Political System” (Rozell/Wilcox)Chapter 9 Reading QuizBlock 16Linkage Institutions “How the Mass Media Divide Us” (Diana Mutz) Chapter 10 Reading Quiz Block 17Linkage Institutions Quest (first half) CongressSupplemental: The Misplaced Obsession with PACs (Sabato) Supplemental: Democracy in America (Alexis Tocqueville) Unit VI - CongressBlock 18CongressChapter 11 pgs 274-298“Hey There SenJohnMcCain is on Twitter” John McCainBlock 19CongressTBD: Contemporary Congress ReadingChapter 11 pgs 298-324Block 20Congress“Congress: The Electoral Connection” (Mayhew)Block 21Congress Quest (Last Grade for Q1) (first half)PresidentUnit VII – President and BureaucracyBlock 22PresidentChapter 12 pgs 332-350 Reading Quiz“The Imperial Presidency” (Arthur Schlesinger) Block 23President “President and the Modern Presidency” (Richard Neustandt) Chapter 12 pgs 350-371 Reading QuizBlock 24Presidency/Bureaucracy Chapter 13 pgs 374-397 Reading QuizBlock 25 Presidency/Bureaucracy Quest (first half)JudiciaryUnit VIII - JudiciaryBlock 26Supreme CourtChapter 14 pgs 402-414 Reading Quiz Block 27Supreme Court “The Democratic Character of Judicial Review” (Eugene Rostow) Chapter 14 pgs 414-429 Reading Quiz Block 28Supreme Court “The Dynamic Constitution” (Fallon)Block 29Supreme Court Quest (first half)Civil Rights/Liberties ThanksgivingUnit IX - Civil Rights/Liberties (know the difference)Block 30Civil Liberties “You Can’t Say That!” (David Bernstein)Chapter 18 Reading QuizBlock 31Civil RightsTBD: Contemporary Civil Rights Reading Chapter 19 Reading QuizBlock 32Civil Rights/Liberties Court Cases QuestPublic PolicyUnit X - Public Policy Block 33Public Policy“Public Opinion and American Democracy” (Key)Chapter 15 Reading QuizBlock 34Public Policy (Economic Policy)Chapter 16 Reading Quiz“Bad Money” (Kevin Philips)Block 35Public Policy (Foreign Policy) Choose One“Soft Power” (Joseph Nye)“Blowback” (Chalmers Johnson)“The Post American World” (Fareed Zakaria)Block 36Full AP US Government Exam Block 37A – Day OnlyWinter Break Comparative Government when we return. ................
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