The Preamble to the Constitution

 

 

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 Access our open online companion book, Critical Media Literacy and Civic Learning (2021) 

 

 

AP Government and Politics Course Description (2023)

 

 

Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy

 

1.1  Ideals of Democracy

 

• Theories of democratic government

 

• Government of Ancient Athens

 

• Government of the Roman Republic 

 

• British Influences on American Government

 

• Medieval English Legal and Constitutional History   

 

• Enlightenment Philosophers and Their Works

  

 

1.2  Types of Democracy

 

• Philosophies and Forms of Government

 

• Main Ideas of Enlightenment Thinkers

 

• Native American Influences on American Government

 

 

1.3  Government Power and Individual Rights

 

• The Enlightenment, Principles of Democratic Government and Women's Political Empowerment

 

• Olympe de Gouges and the Rights of Women 

 

 

1.4  Challenges of the Articles of Confederation

 

• Articles of Confederation

 

• Failure of the Articles of Confederation

 

• Shays' Rebellion 

 

 

1.5  Ratification of the United States Constitution

 

• Formulation and Adoption of the Constitution

 

• Constitutional Convention and the Founders

 

• Major Issues at the Constitutional Convention  

 

• Federalists and Anti-Federalists

 

 

1.6  Principles of American Government

 

• Political Principles in the Constitution

 

• Branches of American Government and the Separation of Powers

 

• The Bill of Rights

 

 

1.7  Relationship Between States and the Federal Government

 

• The American Political System

 

• Building Democracy for All e-Book:   Topic 6:  The Structure of Massachusetts State and Local Government 

 

1.8  Constitutional Interpretations of Federalism

 

• Federalism

 

1.9  Federalism in Action

 

 

Unit 2:  Interactions Among Branches of Government

 

2.1 Congress:  The Senate and the House of Representatives

 

• The Legislative Branch

 

2.2 Structures, Powers and Functions of Congress

 

• Separation of Powers

 

• Supreme Court Decisions on the Separation of Powers 

 

• Government institutions and Checks and Balances of Power
  

 

2.3 Congressional Behavior

 

2.4 Roles and Powers of the President

 

• Roles of the President of the United States

 

• Presidencies of Washington, Adams and Jefferson

 

• Abraham Lincoln's Presidency

 

• Presidencies of Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Carter

 

• Presidency of Ronald Reagan

 

• Presidency of Bill Clinton

 

• Presidency of Barack Obama

 

2.5 Checks on the Presidency

 

• Checks and Balances in United States Government

 

2.6 Expansion of Presidential Power

 

• Foreign Policy Powers of the President and the Congress

 

• The Barbary Pirates and Early American Foreign Policy

 

• The Annexation of Hawaii

 

• The Building on the Panama Canal

 

• The Great White Fleet

 

• A Vietnam War Wikiquest

 

 

2.7 Presidential Communication

 

• The Presidency of Barack Obama

 

• The Presidency of Bill Clinton 

 

2.8 The Judicial Branch

 

• The Supreme Court and Other Courts in American Government

 

2.9 Legitimacy of the Judicial Branch

 

• John Marshall and Marbury v. Madison

 

2.10 The Court in Action

 

• LGBTQ Rights Court Cases

 

• Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Notorious RBG 

 

2.11 Checks on the Judicial Branch

 

• The Judicial Branch

 

2.12 The Bureaucracy

 

• Congress, the President, the Bureaucracy and the Courts 

 

2.13 Discretionary and Rule-Making Authority

 

2.14 Holding the Bureaucracy Accountable

 

2.15 Policy and the Branches of Government

 

• Formation of Policy Agendas

 

• Institutions and the Enactment of Policy

 

 

 

12th entry on Mississippi Freedom Trail. Photo by Ron Cogswell

 

 

 

Unit 3:  Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

 

3.1. The Bill of Rights

 

• The Bill of Rights

 

• Substantive Rights and Liberties

 

3.2. First Amendment:  Freedom of Religion

 

• Prayer in Schools Court Cases

 

3.3. First Amendment:  Freedom of Speech

 

• Supreme Court Decisions on First Amendment Individual Rights

 

3.4. First Amendment:  Freedom of the Press

 

 Building Democracy for All e-Book:  Topic 7.1 Freedom of the Press

 

• Freedom of the Press

 

3.5.  Second Amendment:  Right to Bear Arms

 

• Second Amendment and Gun Control Cases

 

3.6.  Amendments Balancing Individual Freedom with Public Safety and Order

 

 

3.7. Selective Incorporation

 

 

3.8. Amendments:  Due Process and the Rights of the Accused

 

• The 14th Amendment

 

 

3.9. Amendments:  Due Process and the Right to Privacy

 

• Right of Privacy

 

3.10  Social Movements and Equal Protection

 

• Accomplishments of the Civil Rights Movement

 

• Women's Rights Movement

 

• Latino Civil Rights Movement

 

• Native American Rights Movement

 

• LGBTQIA Civil Rights Movement

 

• Disability Rights and Justice Movement 

 

 

3.11. Government Responses to Social Movements

 

• Civil Rights and Equal Protection for Race, Gender and Disability

 

 

3.12  Balancing Minority and Majority Rights

 

• The Development of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights by Judicial Interpretation

 

 

3.13  Affirmative Action

 

• Affirmative Action Laws and Policies

 

 

Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs

 

4.1 American Attitudes About Government and Politics

 

• Citizens Beliefs about Government

 

• Differing Political Beliefs Among Citizens

 

4.2 Political Socialization

 

• How Citizens Learn about Politics

 

• The Mass Media

 

4.3 Changes in Ideology

 

4.4 Influences of Political Events on Ideology

 

4.5 Measuring Public Opinion

 

• The Nature and Sources of Public Opinion

 

4.6 Evaluating Public Opinion Data

 

4.7 Ideologies of Political Parties

 

4.8 Ideology and Policy Making

 

• Policy making in the federal system

 

4.9 Ideology and Economic Policy

 

4.10 Ideology and Social Policy

 

Parade of suffragettes in New York in 1912

Unit 5: Political Participation

 

5.1 Voting Rights and Models of Voting Behavior

 

• Who Votes and Who Does Not in Vote in the United States 

 

5.2 Voter Turnout

 

• Voting and Citizen Participation in Politics

 

5.3 Political Parties

 

• Political Parties and Elections

 

• Disputed Elections in American Politics

 

5.4 How and Why Political Parties Change and Adapt

 

5.5 Third Party Politics

 

• Third Parties in American Politics

 

5.6 Interest Groups Influencing Policy Making

 

• Interest groups and Political Action Committees (PACs)

 

5.7 Groups Influencing Policy Outcomes

 

• Evaluating Information Related to Elections

 

5.8 Electing a President

 

• Disputed Elections in American Politics

 

• 2000 Presidential Election

 

• The Electoral College and Ranked Choice Voting

 

5.9 Congressional Elections

 

• Congressional Elections

 

5.10 Modern Campaigns

 

5.11 Campaign Finance

 

• Money in American Politics

 

5.12 The Media

 

• The Mass Media

 

5.13 Changing Media

 

• Digital News and Social Media

 

• Democracy e-Book Modules:  Digital News and Social Media

 

 

 

Teaching and Learning Resources

University of Nebraska-Omaha, GovEdWeb Lesson Plans

Interactive Look at President Obama's 2013 Budget

THOMAS. This resource tracks legislation as it is proposed and passed through Congress

Presidential Job Approval Ratings from Truman to Present. Gallup Polls.

Practice Tests and Quizzes for the AP Exam

 

 

 

 
C. Linkages between institutions