Course Description

Advanced Placement Government Course Description:

Officially the course description is that it "includes both the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. politics and the analysis of specific examples. It also requires familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute U.S. politics." Unofficially the course is about the process of governing and decsion making regarding our elected and appointed officials and what role we play in those decisions. While it is an AP class, we will have time to have a mock election, Senate session and Supreme Court simulation, in addition to making sure you are well prepared for the exam in May.

Generally, we will spend time on each unit in proprotion to the emphais placed on the topic on the AP exam:

• Constitutional Underpinnings 5-15%
• Political Beliefs and Behaviors 10-20%
• Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media 10-20%
• Institutions: Congress, Presidency Bureaucracy, Judiciary 35-45%
• Public Policy 5-15%
• Civil Rights and Civil Liberties 5-15%

Text book:
O’Conner, Karen & Sabato, Larry. American Government: Continuity and Change 2004 Edition. Pearson Longman, New York. 2004.

Extended Reading:

Monk, Linda. The Words We Live By Hyperion, New York 2003

Canon, David. The Enduring Debate. Norton & Company New York 2003

Reader- this includes articles from sources such as the Los Angles Times, the Atlantic Monthly, American Enterprise Institute, The Economist, etc. It is divided into sections for each unit and is approximately 120 pages.

Excerpts: You will read up to two chapters of the following

Mrs. Eulau, Room I109, cherie.eulau@venturausd.org