AP U.S.

Government and Politics: Syllabus 1

Syllabus 1058797v1

Scoring Components Page(s)

SC1 The course provides instruction in constitutional underpinnings of United States Government. 2
SC2 The course provides instruction in Political Beliefs, Political Behaviors, and Elections. 3
SC3 The course provides instruction in Interest Groups. 4
SC4 The course provides instruction in Political Parties. 4
SC5 The course provides instruction in Mass Media. 4
SC6 The course provides instruction in Institutions of National Government. 5
SC7 The course provides instruction in Public Policy and Public Policy Areas. 7
SC8 The course provides instruction in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. 8
SC9 The course provides students with practice analyzing and interpreting data. 23
SC10 The course provides students with practice analyzing information relevant to US government 2, 45
and politics.
SC11 The course includes supplemental readings, including primary source materials (such as the 2, 4
Federalist Papers).
SC12 The course includes supplemental readings, including contemporary news analyses that strengthen 5
student understanding of the curriculum.
SC13 The course requires students to answer analytical and interpretive free response questions on a 23, 58
frequent basis.

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AP U.S. Government and Politics Syllabus 1 Syllabus 1058797v1

Course Plan
Text
Burns, James M., J. W. Peltason, David B. Magleby, and Thomas E. Cronin. Government
by the People, 18th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2000.
Numerous current news reports and commentary from major newspapers, television,
and the Internet are utilized in daily coursework.

Constitutional Underpinnings [SC1]

Day Lesson Articles/Charts/ Homework SC1The course
Tables (pages in text) provides instruction
1 Syllabus 18 in constitutional
Read through the U.S. Constitution underpinnings of United
States Government.
2 Democracy in the United States: 919
Constitutional Underpinnings
3 Ch. 1 Vocabulary Quiz 2328 SC11The course includes
Begin Origins of the American Republic supplemental readings,
4 Finish Origins of American Republic 2834 including primary source
Principles of the Constitution: I, II only materials (such as the
(separation of powers, checks and balances) Federalist Papers).
5 Continue Principles of the Constitution: III, IV Federalist #51 3442
only (limited government, judicial review) SC9The course provides
6 Ch. 2 Vocabulary Quiz Federalist #51 [SC11] 5357 students with practice
7 Origins of American Federalism Chart: Downside of 5763 analyzing and interpreting
Federalism [SC9] & data.
Continue discussing Federalist #51: Small-group [SC10]
analysis of data sources about policies/programs Chart: Monthly
SC10The course provides
that engender conflict among different levels of Welfare Benefits
students with practice
government (e.g., welfare benefits)
analyzing information
8 Structure of American Federalism 6367 relevant to US government
(use printed notes) and politics.

In three-person teams, develop a free-

response question based on the Free-Response SC13The course requires
Writing Guide students to answer
9 American Federalism: States Rights vs. Chart: Tennessee 6769 analytical and interpretive
Nationalism List of Mandates Cost of Mandates free-response questions on
a frequent basis.
10 Federalism and Federal Grants Chart: Fiscal 6972
Federal Mandates Dependency [SC9]
Chart: Federal
Grants in Aid
11 Ch. 3 Vocabulary Quiz
Politics of American Federalism
Review Free-Response Writing Guide
12 Unit Exam: 50 multiple choice, one free 155162
response [SC13]

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AP U.S. Government and Politics Syllabus 1 Syllabus 1058797v1

Political Beliefs/Political Behaviors [SC2]

SC2The course provides
Day Lesson Articles/Charts/ Homework instruction in Political
Tables (pages in text) Beliefs, Political Behaviors,
13 Political Culture Chart: Trust in 162171 and Elections.
Government
News Analysis: Political
SC9The course provides
Participation
students with practice
14 Ch. 7 Vocabulary Quiz 253256 analyzing and interpreting
Ideology and the American People data.
(use highlighted text)
Group grading of free-response question
15 Public Opinion 256261 SC13The course requires
16 Political Socialization 261269 students to answer
17 Voter Turnout: Derive a generalization Chart: Voter Turnout 269272 analytical and interpretive
supported by voting behavior data Federal Election free response questions on
Chart: Voter Turnout a frequent basis.
by Groups
18 Ch. 11 Vocabulary Quiz Midterm Election 275278
Losses 279283

Voter Behavior Chart: Presidential

Vote by Groups
Chart: Changing
Patterns in Voter
Behavior Chart:
Gains/Losses by
Presidential Party
19 Congressional Elections Chart: Congressional 283289
Incumbency
Reelection 60
Percent Plus
Chart: Congressional
Incumbency
Reelection Rates
20 Path to the Presidency Front Loading 278279
21 Electoral College (use handout) Map: 2000 Electoral 289301
Begin Campaign Finance College Map [SC9]
22 Ch. 12 Vocabulary Quiz Chart: Spending
Congressional
Election

Finish Campaign Finance Chart: Sources of

Campaign Funding
23 Unit Exam: 50 multiple choice, 203212
one free response [SC13]

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AP U.S. Government and Politics Syllabus 1 Syllabus 1058797v1

Interest Groups/Political Parties/Media [SC3, SC4 & SC5]

SC3The course provides
Day Lesson Articles/Charts/ Homework instruction in Interest
Tables (pages in text) Groups.
24 Interest Groups: Reasons for Growth 212216
SC4The course provides
Begin Types of Interest Groups instruction in Political
25 Finish Types of Interest Groups 216218 Parties.

Tactics of Interest Groups Federalist #10

SC5The course provides
Reasons for Joining Interest Groups instruction in Mass Media.

Factors Influencing Interest Group Strength SC11The course includes

26 Lobbying Federalist #10 218224 supplemental readings,
Discuss Federalist #10 [SC11] including primary source
27 Ch. 9 Vocabulary Quiz Chart: Top Ten PACs 227232 materials (such as the
Federalist Papers).
PACs Chart: PAC
Contributions to SC10The course provides
Congressional students with practice
Candidates analyzing information
relevant to US government
Continue discussing Federalist #10 Chart: PAC and politics.
Contributions
to Win House
News analysis:
PAC Money
28 Functions of Political Parties Map: Split District 232236
Outcomes
29 Rise of Political Parties Chart: Partisan ID 236245
30 Party Weakness and Impact of Parties 245249
on Government: Assignment of research essay
on the future role of political parties as
related to elections and institutions
31 Ch. 10 Vocabulary Quiz Chart: Party Votes in 305317
Realignment or Dealignment? House
Party Reform
32 Who Are the Mass Media? News Analysis: 317323
National Nominating
Convention TV
Coverage [SC10]

Media and Public Opinion More Convention

Coverage

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AP U.S. Government and Politics Syllabus 1 Syllabus 1058797v1

33 Ch. 13 Vocabulary Quiz Chart: Number of SC12The course includes

Presidential Press supplemental readings,
Conferences including contemporary
Effect of Media on Politics news analyses that
Coverage of strengthen student
Conventions on understanding of the
Network TV [SC12] curriculum.
34 Unit Exam: 50 multiple choice, one free
response [SC13]
SC13The course requires
students to answer
Institutions [SC6] analytical and interpretive
free response questions on
Day Lesson Articles/Charts/ Homework a frequent basis.
Tables (pages in text)
35 Evolution of Congress
SC6The course provides
36 Overview of Congress 327329 instruction in Institutions
37 Incumbency Advantage Constituent Contact 329332 of National Government.
w/ Incumbency
Map: Turnover in
House SC10The course provides
Map: 2000 students with practice
Congressional analyzing information
Reapportionment relevant to US government
and politics.
38 Powers of Congress 333337
39 Leadership in Congress 338344
40 Influences on Congress 344349
Begin How a Bill Becomes Law
41 Finish How a Bill Becomes Law 349353
Committee System (use handout to compare
rules and roles in each chamber)
42 Ch. 14 Vocabulary Quiz Approval of 357361
Representatives
Finish Committee System

Case Against Congress [SC10]: Use David

Mayhews article to debate whether Congress is
the broken branch
43 Overview of Presidency (use Chart: Presidential 361367
handout) Approval

Growth of Presidential Power Chart: Presidential

Success in Congress
44 Finish Growth of Presidential Power Chart: Presidential 367370
Vetoes 379380
Roles of President
45 Begin Presidential Support Staff 376379

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AP U.S. Government and Politics Syllabus 1 Syllabus 1058797v1

46 Finish Presidential Support Staff 370376

Making the Presidency Safe and Effective

47 Ch. 15 Vocabulary Quiz

Congress vs. President: Case Study on the War

Powers Act
48 Imperial Presidency News Analysis:
Treaties/Executive
Agreements
49 Congress Responds to Imperial Presidency 385392
Imperial Congress
50 Introduction to Federal Courts Chart: Types of 392401
(use handout) Supreme
Court Cases
Federalist #78
51 Federal Attorneys and Judges Presidential 401406
Appointees to
Judiciary

Discuss Federalist #78 Federalist #78

52 The Supreme Court Supreme Court 406409
Continue discussing Federalist #78 Caseload
53 Ch. 16 Vocabulary Quiz 413421

Judicial Activism vs. Judicial

Restraint: Writing an accurate, well-reasoned
and organized argument using supporting case
evidence
54 Structure of the Bureaucracy Federal/State/Local 421427
Employees
Growth of the Bureaucracy
55 Influences on Bureaucratic Behavior Chart: Character of 427430
Federal
Employees
56 Controlling the Bureaucracy 430432
57 Ch. 17 Vocabulary Quiz Number of Pages in
Federal
Evaluation of the Bureaucracy Register SC13The course requires
58 Unit Exam: 100 students to answer
multiple choice analytical and interpretive
59 Unit Exam: two free Cost-Benefit 435444 free response questions on
response [SC13] a frequent basis.

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AP U.S. Government and Politics Syllabus 1 Syllabus 1058797v1

Public Policy [SC7]

SC7The course provides
Day Lesson Articles/Charts/ Homework instruction in Public Policy
Tables (pages in text) and Public Policy Areas.
60 (Public Policy Process handout) Types of Public 444450
Policies SC13The course requires
students to answer
Begin Taxing and Spending Chart: Sources of analytical and interpretive
Federal Revenue free response questions on
Chart: Federal a frequent basis.
Expenditures
Chart: Government
Spending
61 Finish Taxing and Spending Chart: Outlays as 450455
Percentage of GDP
Managing the Economy Chart: Surpluses and
Deficits
Chart: National Debt
Chart: Debt as
Percentage of GDP
62 Government Regulation of Business Chart: Labor and 455463
Management
63 Ch. 18 Vocabulary Quiz 467476

Environmental Policy

Deregulation
64 Government Subsidies Chart: Social 477487
Services
Spending

Chart: Entitlements/
Discretionary
Spending
65 Health Care and Education 498508
66 Makers of Foreign Policy
67 Unit Exam: free response only [SC13] 7577
Begin Principles of Civil Liberties
and Civil Rights

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AP U.S. Government and Politics Syllabus 1 Syllabus 1058797v1

Civil Liberties/Civil Rights [SC8]

SC8The course provides
Day Lesson Articles/Charts/ Homework instruction in Civil Rights
Tables (pages in text) and Civil Liberties.
68 Finish Principles of Civil Liberties and 7781
Civil Rights SC13The course requires
69 Freedom of Religion 8185 students to answer
70 Freedom of Speech 8593 analytical and interpretive
free response questions on
71 Freedom of the Press 9395 a frequent basis.
72 Ch. 4 Vocabulary Quiz

Freedom of Petition and Assembly

Begin the Struggle for Equal Rights 99110

73 Finish Struggle for Equal Rights 111117

Begin Equal Protection under the Law 119123

74 Finish Equal Protection under the Law

Barriers to Voting Chart: Black, 117119

Hispanic, Women
Legislators
75 Ch. 5 Vocabulary Quiz 127134

Private Discrimination and the Federal 134138

Response Cit. notes
76 Life, Liberty, Property, and Due Process
of Law

Right of Privacy 138144

77 Arrests, Questioning, and Imprisonment 144151
78 Ch. 6 Vocabulary Quiz

Rights of an Accused Person

79 Unit Exam: 50 multiple choice, one free
response [SC13]

Reviews and Final Exam

Day Lesson Articles/Charts/ Homework
Tables (pages in text)
80 Review for final exam
84
85 Final Exam: 60 multiple choice, three free
response [SC13]