Course Description and Syllabus

United States Government

Textbook: American Government. Magruders, 2014 ed.
Course Description:
United States Government and Politics is an involved study of the formal and informal structures of government
and the processes of the American political system, with an emphasis on the origins and mechanics of the
system and how it affects the American people. The course will focus on the Common Core State Standards
which expect students to:

Construct knowledge about the sources they read, hear, or see

Communicate what they learn with well supported arguments
Connect what they read and write to the world around them

Course Overview: In United State Government, we will read the traditional historical sources. At the same time
we will study a variety of ways to write, and will explore methods of argument and persuasion. Students will
write a minimum of one writing assessment per unit that will be graded using the Social Studies department
writing rubric. The course aims to help you become a skilled reader and writer by incorporating concepts from
the TennCore program. All students will take a common mid-term and final. The mid-term will count as a
major test grade. The final will count as twenty-five percent of the students final average. In a rigorous United
States Government course, student will gain skills needed to become successful in college or the workplace.
Course Content: Course Outline
Ch. 1/2-Origins of American Government
These chapters will deal with the pre-Constitutional period of the United States, focusing
on the
theoretical bases behind our current system of government. Topics
examined in these chapters will include: influential documents; theories of govt; creation
of U.S.; Articles of Confederation
Ch. 3- The Constitution
This chapter examines the Constitution, its creation, characteristics, abilities & limitations,
& the intent behind the document compared to the current application of its ideology. An
in-depth look at the main articles will lay the foundation for most of the remaining
chapters & will be referenced often. We will also learn the amendments, most of which will
come back up in later chapters.
Ch. 4- Federalism
This chapter examines the relationship between the national, state, & local levels of
government.
We will discuss the various powers exclusive to each level as well as

those that are shared between them. The chapter will also examine how federalism has evolved
over time & the role played by the three
branches in that evolution.
Ch. 5/7- Political Parties & Elections
This will be a short look at the functions, goals, & impact (positive & negative) of political
parties coupled
with an examination of the election process start to finish.
Ch. 10/11- The Legislative Branch
These chapters examine the rationale behind the characteristics of Congress & the
Constitutional
expectations of the legislative branch. These chapters will deal with
historical & contemporary influences on the features of the representative body of the federal
government.
Ch. 12- Congress in Action
This chapter takes the information from the previous chapters & applies it to the current
operation of Congress. Administrative functions & structures, along with the role &
procedures of Congress in lawmaking are the focus as well as the key players in the
current Congress, their roles in government, &
how the Congress interacts with the
other branches.
Ch. 13/14- The Executive Branch
These chapters do for the presidency what the previous three did for Congress. The
historical basis,
evolution of, & current application of the presidency as the leader of our
nation are covered. We will also
look at specific presidents & how they altered the function
& perception of the office of president. There
will also be a short examination of the
bureaucracy & its role in the American political system.
Ch. 18- The Judicial Branch
This chapter will deal with the judicial branch, primarily focusing on its structure &
function. The majority
of attention will be paid to the Supreme Court & its role/impact in our
political system.
Ch. 19- 1st Amendment
This chapter will focus only on the 1st Amendment, but will cover all protections found
there. The freedoms of speech, religion, the press, assembly, & petition are considered our
most fundamental freedoms & we will take a close look at how the protections, definitions, &
applications of these freedoms have evolved over our history. This chapter will involve several
Supreme Court decisions that will be necessary to illustrate the concepts discussed within the
chapter. This chapter will include a project.
Ch. 20- Civil Liberties
This chapter will deal with the guaranteed protections from the government as found in
the Constitution & amendments. A close focus will be paid to criminal rights & due
process as defined by the courts & applied by law enforcement & the government. This

chapter will involve several Supreme Court decisions

illustrate the concepts discussed within the chapter.

that will be necessary to

Ch. 21- Civil Rights

This chapter involves the positive acts of government that are promise to all citizens.
Discussions on the Civil Rights era, the evolution of discrimination, & the attempts to remedy the
effects of racial, gender, &
other social discriminations will be central to this chapter. This
chapter will involve several Supreme Court decisions that will be necessary to illustrate the
concepts discussed within the chapter.

Course Materials:
Notebook / Folder
#2 pencils and ink pens
loose leaf paper
Course Policies:

Door is shut at the bell. If you are late, you are tardy. Frequent tardies will result in disciplinary action as stated
in the DB Student Handbook:

If you are absent you are responsible for making up your work. Work must be completed within three
days of returning. All late assignments will receive a ten percent letter deduction each day that it is
late.

Bathroom requests will not be granted in the first or last 20 minutes of class as per school policy. The time in
between is at my discretion.
No cheating! Repercussions will be according to the schools academic integrity policy in your handbook.
Respect me, others, and yourself. No talking while others are talking.

Grading Policy:
Grades are based on a total point scale. Test will typically count as a one hundred grade and quizzes will vary.
Quizzes normally will be worth two points per question. The total points of other assignments will be at the top
of each assignment. Students will take a mid-term and a final for this course. The final will count twenty-five
percent towards the students final average.
DB Grade Scale
93-100: A
85-92: B
75-84: C
74-70: D
70 or Below: F
Contact Information:

If you have any questions feel free to contact me anytime via email husary@k12k.com. You may also view
missed assignments by visiting my class website. My website can be located by visiting http:www.
http://dbhs.k12k.com , clicking on the academics tab, followed by clicking on the Edvanced 360 tab.