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.

Abraham Lincoln’s Crossroads is an educational game based on the traveling exhibition Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War, which debuted at the National Constitution Center in June 2005. The online game is intended for advanced middle- and high-school students. It invites them to learn about Lincoln’s leadership by exploring the political choices he made. An animated Lincoln introduces a situation, asks for advice and prompts players to decide the issue for themselves, before learning the actual outcome. At the end of the game, players discover how frequently they predicted Lincoln’s actions. A Resources Page keyed to each chapter provides links to relevant Websites on Lincoln and the Civil War, permitting students to explore issues in more depth

This course will provide the student with a broad overview of African politics placed within the context of Africa's recent history, taking into account Africa's colonial relationships and then the post-colonial period. This course will analyze on the internal workings and challenges of African states, including their movements towards democratization, their economic statuses, the connections between their governmental and non-governmental institutions/organizations, and the various ways in which their societies and cultures impact their politics. This course also asks questions about the nature of Africa's conflicts, reviewing larger trends within Africa's political economy, and inquiring about the promise of continental and sub-continental political integration efforts. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: explain how colonialism and independence movements contributed to and shaped contemporary African statehood; identify the main causes of state and political failure in Africa; define underdevelopment and explain the causes of economic failure in Africa; discuss the causes of civil and interstate conflict in Africa; apply knowledge of Africa's history to explain current causes of crisis and the roles of different actors within the state and international community; compare and contrast economically and politically stable states with those that are unstable and identify the main features of stability; identify and explain some of the major social, cultural, and economic challenges (such as HIV/AIDS) that contemporary African states face, as well as the role international actors play in addressing these challenges. (Political Science 325)

This course will cover American political thought from the nation's founding through the 1960s, exploring the political theories that have shaped its governance. As there is no one philosopher or idea that represents the totality of American political thought, the student will survey the writings and speeches of those who have had the greatest impact over this period of time. Much of the study required in this course is based on the original texts and speeches of those who influenced political thought throughout American history. The student will learn and understand the impact that their views and actions have had on the modern American state. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: describe the religious and political origins of the American political system; explain how Enlightenment thinkers, such as John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Baron de Montesquieu, influenced the political philosophies of American founding fathers; analyze how the colonial American experience shaped many of the core values represented in American government and expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution; compare and contrast the differing opinions on the role of the government that the founders expressed; trace the development and evolution of the concepts of 'states rights' and 'federal (national) supremacy'; connect the observations of De Tocqueville in Democracy in America to the concepts of equality, individuality, and civic engagement in American political discourse; examine the evolution of race in the American political system (from slavery to the 2008 election of Barack Obama); discuss the changes in the political role of women in America from its colonial days to the present; connect the concept of 'American Exceptionalism' to the industrial revolution, capitalism, and imperialism; analyze the roots of reform in the Progressive Era and their impact on modern political discourse; explain major principles of American foreign relations over time; assess the purpose and impact of ŇAmerican war rhetoricÓ over time; differentiate between 'liberal' and 'conservative' political beliefs in modern American government; illustrate how the political turmoil in the 1960s greatly shaped contemporary American political discourse; evaluate the current political discourse as represented in the 2008 and 2010 elections. (Political Science 301)

Apartheid protesters gather in front of the South African Consulate at 100 Charles River Plaza in Boston. Mel King (political activist), Charles Yancey (Boston City Council) and Willard Johnson (Head, TransAfrica) demand to see Richard Blankstein (honorary consul to South Africa). Police officers bar entry to the building. Johnson announces that the protestors will ask for Blankstein's resignation from his post. He adds that they will ask Blankstein's law firm to sever ties with South Africa. Johnson and the others are eventually allowed to enter the building. Tug Yourgrau does several takes of his reportage for a news story about the protest. Police, protesters and the media wait outside of the building.Themba Vilakazi (member, African National Congress) exits the building to announce the resignation of Blankstein. Johnson, King and Yancey exit the building. Johnson reads a statement of resignation from Blankstein. The statement reads that Blankstein is not a supporter of apartheid. Johnson announces a victory for the protesters. Johnson, King and Yancey walk over to a group of protesters on the street. Charles Stith (Union United Methodist Church) leads the protesters in a chant. Johnson announces the resignation of Blankstein. The crowd cheers.

A panel of students addresses an audience of faculty members, students and other at Tufts University. A student speaks about the university's policy on divestiture from South Africa. The student calls on the Board of Trustees to divest completely from South Africa. Another student talks about the protesters' efforts to contact and negotiate with the university administration and Board of Trustees. A group of students hold a small meeting at a shantytown set up on the Tufts University campus. A large banner reads, 'Divest now.' Protesters talks about their efforts to communicate with the university administration and Board of Trustees on the issue of divestment from South Africa. The protesters accuse Jean Mayer (President, Tufts University) of not cooperating with the students. One protester promises radical action on campus if the university does not divest. The protesters say that the Board of Trustees is ducking the issue. They accuse the Board of ignoring the voices of students and faculty. The tape features shots of the shantytown on the Tufts campus.

This course will introduce the student to the international relations of the Asia-Pacific region. Globalization, economic ties, national security issues, and politico-military alliances with the U.S. make an understanding of this region important to any political science student or participant in American government. This course will examine the differences between Western political thought and the general philosophical outlooks of the Asian population, which have been molded by societal forces for thousands of years. It will also address politics in Asia by examining pre-colonial systems of government, Western imperialism, national liberation movements, and proxy wars fought by the Superpowers in the Cold War. This course is important because the Asia-Pacific has given rise to several of the U.S.'s major security concerns: financial support of the U.S. economy by China and Japan through the purchase of U.S. government debt securities, conflict with China over Taiwan, North Korea's nuclear weapons program, separatist movements in several of the smaller Pacific Rim nations, and the growth and support of transnational terrorism within the region. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: explain how religion and culture impact government and political systems in Eastern Asia; discuss philosophies of government in Eastern Asia from ancient times to the present; identify the ways in which Western imperialism has impacted Eastern Asia; demonstrate an understanding of systems of governance currently in existence in Eastern Asia; analyze contemporary political and security issues in Eastern Asia that may impact U.S. national interests; assess the relationship that exists between economic development, systems of governance, and political stability of a Third World nation. (Political Science 322)

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.

On 12 September 1787, during the final days of the Constitutional Convention, George Mason of Virginia expressed the desire that the Constitution be prefaced by a Bill of Rights. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts proposed a motion to form a committee to incorporate such a declaration of rights; however the motion was defeated. This lesson examines the First Congress's addition of a Bill of Rights as the first ten amendments to the Constitution.

In this lesson, students will examine a copy of twelve possible amendments to the United States Constitution as originally sent to the states for their ratification in September of 1789. Students will debate and vote on which of these amendments they would ratify and compare their resulting “Bill of Rights” to the ten amendments ratified by ten states that have since been known by this name.

Students already use many forms of internet communication in their personal and social lives, and incorporating that into the classroom can make their learning experience more relevant and meaningful. Blogs help students put their thoughts into words, express their ideas publicly, and allow them to interact with each other’s ideas with comments. Blogging is a powerful form of digital communication used by many people; the availability, ease, and flexibility of blogging make it particularly appealing for teachers. In this module I analyze the benefits of blogging for a classroom, highlight some pitfalls, then examine some current usage of blogs.

Christy George reports on the end of a two-week fast by chaplains at Brandeis University. George notes that the chaplains fasted to protest the university's investments in South Africa. George's report includes footage from a gathering of apartheid protesters on the Brandeis campus. Father Maurice Loiselle, Rabbi Albert Axelrad and Reverend Diane Moore discuss their fast and the university's policy regarding South Africa. The protesters sing and hold hands at the gathering. George reports that the chaplains' fast serves as the last phase of a community protest against apartheid. George notes that Brandeis trustees will review their investment policy at an upcoming meeting. George reviews the apartheid protest at Brandeis University since last year. George's report includes footage of Brandeis students at a shantytown on campus.

In Connexions, a course is both a course (what is offered in a school curriculum) and a collection of modules. This course as a collection of modules has been designed to pull together the modules published in Connexions by this author for the purpose of showing different aspects of the Ethics Bowl competition and how it can be used in a university course on practical and professional ethics. The Ethics Bowl concept comes from Robert Ladenson of the Illinois Institute of Technology. Through the Association of Practical and Professional Ethics, the Ethics Bowl competition has been carried out nationally for thirteen years now. (More on the history of this competition can be found in Ladenson's article which is referenced in this course's first module.) Thanks to Robert Ladenson and Michael Davis for suggesting using the ethics bowl in engineering ethics classes at UPRM during a visit by the author to IIT in 2001. Special thanks to Vivian Weil who has served as a mentor for those at UPRM committed to implementing ethics instruction and institutionalizing ethics across the curruciculum. This course and its modules have been developed as a part of the EAC Toolkit funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, NSF SES 0551779.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today (May 7, 2009) launched an initiative to make California the first state in the nation to offer schools free, open-source digital textbooks for high school students. The Governor directed his Secretary of Education Glen Thomas to ensure these resources are available for use in high school math and science classes by fall 2009, a critical first step in helping ensure digital textbooks are widely available to all California students.

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)

This site features primary documents that shaped U.S. history. See images of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Learn about the Articles of Confederation, Constitutional Convention, Marbury v. Madison, Louisiana Purchase, slavery, Civil War, 13th Amendment, immigration, and woman suffrage.

A brief biography of Christopher Clavius (1537-1612).

In recent years both scholars and policymakers have expressed a remarkable amount of interest in the concepts of social capital and civil society. A growing body of research suggests that the social networks, community norms, and associational activities signified by these concepts can have important effects on social welfare, political stability, economic development, and governmental performance. This discussion based course examines the roles played by these networks, norms, and organizations in outcomes ranging from local public goods provision and the performance of democracies to ethnic conflict and funding for terrorism.

This graduate seminar examines the roles that civil society actors play in international, national, and local environmental governance. We will consider theories pertaining to civil society development, social movement mobilization, and relations between state and non-state actors. During the course of the semester, particular attention will be given to the legitimacy and accountability of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Case studies of civil society response to specific environmental issues will be used to illustrate theoretical issues and assess the impacts that these actors have on environmental policy and planning.