AP U.S. Government & Politics is assembled from UC-approved college preparatory courses. Upon completion of this course, student will be able to: express ideas clearly in writing; work individually and with classmates to research political issues; interpret and apply data from original documents such as court cases and bills; write to persuade with evidence; develop essay responses that include a clear, defensible thesis statement and supporting evidence; raise and explore questions about policies, institutions, beliefs, and actions in a political science context; evaluate secondary materials, such as scholarly works or statistical analyses; explain the foundations and underpinnings of democratic government; demonstrate comprehension of documents essential to American government and politics; evaluate the importance of federalism in the political operation of the nation; describe the nature of American political parties and their role in the election process; analyze the patterns of voter behavior; describe the functions and workings of policy making institutions (Congress, the Presidency, the Courts, and the Bureaucracy); analyze the major developments in civil rights and civil liberties in America.

This site consists of 59 sound recordings of speeches by American leaders at the turn of the century. Speakers include Warren G. Harding, James Cox, Calvin Coolidge, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Samuel Gompers, Henry Cabot Lodge, and John J. Pershing.

Helps K-12 students learn how our government works. Students can learn about the branches of government, the election process, and how laws are made. This includes debate topics, word puzzles, historical documents, and resources for parents and teachers.

In this course, the student will explore campaigns and elections, learning their purpose and significance and observing the impact that they have on the American political system. The course will focus on the history and evolution of elections and voting laws in the United States, as well as what compels individuals to run for office and how campaigns are structured. Also, the course will teach the student the role that political parties, interest groups, voters, and the media play in elections. Lastly, the student will take a closer look at electoral outcomes and the impact that elections have on public policy after votes are counted, as well as what types of proposals could be implemented to improve our electoral system. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: explain the importance of elections, voting, democracy, and citizenship in the United States; describe the various types of elections that exist within the American political system; identify the legal and constitutional bases of campaigns and elections in the United States; explain the types of individuals that run for political office and why; analyze the influence of incumbency in elections; explain how candidates develop campaigns and financing; discuss the role of money in political campaigns; discuss the influence of political parties on campaigns and elections; describe the characteristics of the U.S. party system; explain the role of interest groups in influence campaigns and election outcomes; explain the various influences and motivations of the American voter; describe the factors associated with both nonvoter and voter disenfranchisement in contemporary elections; analyze and explain the critical role of the media in campaigns and elections; explain how election outcomes impact government actions and public policy; analyze both historical and contemporary election reforms. (POLSC333)

In this lesson, students will work in cooperative groups to compare and contrast the following presidential elections: 1876, 1896, 1948, 1964, 1972, 1980, and 2008 through the creation of political maps. In addition, each group will provide explanations of campaign platforms for different political parties, voting patterns, and why the election is important for understanding changes in Southern Politics. Students will then present their map and detailed explanations to the class.

This course analyzes the development of the United States Congress by focusing on the competing theoretical lenses through which legislatures have been studied. In particular, it compares sociological and economic models of legislative behavior, applying those models to floor decision-making, committee behavior, political parties, relations with other branches of the Federal government, and elections. Graduate students are expected to pursue the subject in greater depth through reading and individual research. This course analyzes the development of the United States Congress by focusing on the competing theoretical lenses through which legislatures have been studied. In particular, it compares sociological and economic models of legislative behavior, applying those models to floor decision-making, committee behavior, political parties, relations with other branches of the Federal government, and elections. Graduate students are expected to pursue the subject in greater depth through reading and individual research.

After studying about the Election Process of the United States, you all will have to do a small research project that will answer the question: Do we need to have the Electoral College in voting?

This site looks at political campaigns by exploring the history and roles of candidates and voters, the structure of the party system and election process, and tough issues that politicians have faced over the years.

This course will provide the student with an overview of the role that ethical, cultural, religious, and moral principles play in public policy. The course will introduce the student to common themes found in the foundational theories of ethics and morality in politics such as justice, equality, fairness, individual liberty, free enterprise, charity, fundamental human rights, and minimizing harm to others. These themes are integrated into various decision-making models that you will learn about. Students will examine five types of decision frameworks used to make and implement public policy, as well as rationales used to justify inequitable impact and outcomes of policies. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: explain how personal morality and ethics impact the policymaking process; discuss various ethical frameworks used to resolve policy dilemmas; identify statutes, ethical codes, and legal opinions that define the normative parameters of key domestic and international policy issues; assess the impact that public interest groups have on policymaking and execution of policies. (Political Science 401)

This course serves as an introduction to American government and politics. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: Explain the major purposes of government; Distinguish between different forms of government and democracy, underscoring the American political system.; Differentiate between American political ideologies, particularly conservative and liberal, and attitudes about the scope of government; Analyze the roots of the American political system, the failure of the Articles of Confederation, and the adoption of the Constitution; Discuss the fundamental principles of the American political system, such as separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism; Define the term 'public opinion' and explain how it is measured in American politics; Define the major factors of political socialization in American society; Describe American political culture and values and discuss their connection to social and demographic characteristics; Describe how the media influences the American public and political behavior; Evaluate the role of the media in the American political system; Discuss the various modes of participation available to individuals in the American political system; Outline the evolution of suffrage in American political history; Compare political participation rates in different types of American elections (i.e. presidential vs. congressional) and in relation to participation rates in other democratic countries; Explain the role of political parties in the American political system; Trace the evolution of political parties in the United States; Compare the major ideological differences between the modern Republican and Democratic parties today; Distinguish between different types of campaigns and elections; Explain the process of electing a president; Evaluate the role and strategies of interest groups in American politics; Account for the increase in and importance of interest groups in the American political system; Outline the history and structure of the Congress (House of Representatives and Senate); Analyze the factors that influence the outcomes of Congressional elections; Explain the legislative process and how a bill becomes a law; Describe the importance and role of the committees in Congress; Compare procedural and organizational differences between the House and Senate; Analyze the sources of presidential power and how the powers of the president have evolved overtime; Assess the role of public opinion polls and approval ratings and their impact on presidential power; Define the executive branch and the bureaucracy; Trace the evolution of the bureaucracy and bureaucratic reform; Assess the impact of the bureaucracy on public policy making; Outline the history and structure of the judicial branch; Explain the origins and importance of judicial review; Describe the nomination process for federal and Supreme Court judges and how it has changed overtime; Evaluate the role and impact of the Supreme Court in American society; Distinguish between civil rights and civil liberties; Explain the history and importance of the Bill of Rights; Examine the rights protected under the First Amendment and key Supreme Court cases that have defined these First Amendment rights; Discuss the various viewpoints on the Second Amendment; Analyze the 'right to privacy' and its origins and discuss Supreme Court rulings on privacy; Explain the process of incorporation and extending the Bill of Rights to the states; Trace the history and outcome of the Civil Rights Movement; Differentiate between de jure and de facto segregation; Discuss the process of expanding civil rights to other minorities and women; Evaluate the history and impact of affirmative action; Distinguish between different types of public policy; Describe the four main steps of the policymaking process; Explain theories of economic policy and their implementation in American politics throughout history; Discuss the budget process and key components included in the budget; Examine the major objectives and outcomes of United States tax policy; Trace the history and development of social public policy in the United States; Assess the creation, evolution and future of Social Security; Evaluate welfare reform and its impact on society; Evaluate federal education reform and the role of the federal government in creating education policy; Outline the key players and institutions in the foreign policy-making process; Discuss the history and current goals of United States foreign policy. (Political Science 231)

Comparative politics is the systematic study and comparison of the world's political systems. The course begins by discussing the factors and categories of analysis that political scientists and important international institutions like the World Bank, NATO, and the United Nations use regularly; it ends by comparing and contrasting governments from five different regions of the world: the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: Define the chief characteristics of a nation state; Identify and explain various comparative methodologies used to compare various political systems; Distinguish between unitary, federal, and confederal governmental models; Compare and contrast political cultures in selected countries; Compare and contrast political socialization in selected countries; Describe and explain patterns of representation and participation in selected countries; Compare and contrast the roles and functions of political parties in selected countries; Compare and contrast the role of interest groups in selected countries; Identify and explain governance and policy-making in selected countries; Compare and contrast the role of the executive in selected countries; Compare and contrast the role of the judicial branch in selected countries; Compare and contrast the role of the bureaucracy and the policy process in selected countries; Describe and explain the political economy and development in selected countries; Identify and explain political challenges and changing agendas in selected countries. (Political Science 221)

This survey course can be used by students who are looking to take just one general overview course or by those who want to go on to more advanced study in any of the subfields that comprise the political science discipline, such as American politics, comparative politics, international politics, or political theory. The goal of this course is to introduce the student to the discipline's concepts, terminology, and methods and to explore instances of applied political science through real world examples. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: Describe and evaluate the concepts of power, legitimacy, and authority; Discuss the origins and developments of the nation-state; Distinguish between traditional and behavioral approaches to the study of politics; Discuss general approaches to the study of politics, such as political philosophy, political systems theory, and political economy; Describe and discuss the political socialization process; Examine the nature of political participation from a comparative perspective; Discuss the nature of public opinion from a comparative perspective; Identify the different types of electoral systems and be able to assess the implications of those systems; Identify the role and functions of political parties; Identify the different types of party systems from a comparative perspective; Describe and evaluate the general principles of presidential and parliamentary political systems; Describe and compare the essential features of at least three governments of Western Europe; Identify and evaluate the principles of authoritarian and totalitarian governments; Discuss the concepts of political development and problems facing developing nations; Discuss and explain the origins and principles of democratic capitalism, democratic socialism, Marxist socialism, national socialism, fascism, and third world ideologies; Describe the origins, development, and principles of international law; Identify and assess the influence of major international organizations; Describe and analyze the causes of international conflict; Analyze current critical issues in international relationships. (Political Science 101)

This class introduces students to innovative as well as classic approaches to studying U.S. government. The writing assignments will help you explore, through a variety of lenses, statis and change in the American political system over the last three decades. In the end each student will have a solid grounding in our national political institutions and processes, sharper reading and writing skills, and insight into approaching politics critically and analytically.

In this lesson, students analyze the stump speeches of presidential candidates, then write the stump speech they would use if they were running for president. Analyzing campaign stump speeches and preparing original versions.

This site offers teaching activities, four political cartoons, and a narrative about reforms proposed by three major presidential candidates in 1912: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson.

This is the first in a series of three lessons. Beginning with an introduction to political ideology, these ELP modules proceed to a study of the American political process and elections.

This is the second in a series of three lessons. Beginning with an introduction to political ideology, the modules proceed to a study of the American political process and elections.

Students will work in groups to organize a political campaign that they present in class. This is the third in a series of three lessons. Beginning with an introduction to political ideology, the modules proceed to a study of the American political process and elections.

This course examines various topics related to the American presidency and the executive branch. The course focuses on the origins of the office, the components of the Constitution that pertain to presidential power, learning about several important Supreme Court cases regarding these powers and the limits thereof. Next, the course will examine presidential elections, different models of White House organization, the president's interactions with the other branches of government, the office of the vice presidency, and the evolution of the presidency over the years since its founding. The course will also focus on the president's relationship with government bureaucracy and his cabinet, including nominations and oversight. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: discuss the constitutional foundations of the presidency and the executive branch; explain the concept of separation of powers; discuss the legal history of expanded presidential power; explain how the Electoral College works; debate various reform proposals for the Electoral College; analyze the role of the party system in presidential elections; explain the presidential nomination process; discuss the role of primaries and caucuses in nominating presidential candidates; analyze proposed and enacted reforms to the presidential nominating system; compare and contrast primary and general elections; discuss the evolution of the modern presidency; analyze the managerial tools and models utilized by presidents; explain the concept of checks and balances; assess the political and policy interactions between the president and Congress; explain the role of the president and Congress in the Supreme Court nomination process; describe the role and function of the office of the vice president; describe the role and function of the presidential Cabinet; analyze the role of the Executive Office of the president in the political and policymaking process; explain how the president utilizes the Office of Management and Budget in shaping fiscal policy; discuss the political and policy challenges within the presidential appointment process; describe the organization of the federal bureaucracy; discuss the role and function of regulatory agencies and government corporations within the federal bureaucracy; describe the internal and external constraints on the bureaucratic process; analyze scholarly interpretations of presidential power; discuss the various leadership strategies utilized by various presidents; analyze the psychological dynamics of the presidential personality. (Political Science 332)