AP US Government

This webpage is designed to help students with the assignments and reading. I may post special projects and other assignments as time permits.

The text for this portion of the course will be American Government by James Q. Wilson

 Unit 1: Read Chpt. 1-3
 Unit 2: Read Chpt. 4-6
Unit 3: Read Chpt. 7-10
Unit 4: Read Chpt. 12-13, 20
Unit 5: Read Chpt. 11, 15-17, 22
Unit 6: Read Chpt. 14, 18-19

Important Dates/Special Projects

 Hardball Due: March 2 Issues Project Due: April 6 Courage of Their Convictions Due: April 20

Assignments for the week of: May 14-18

 Monday:

review for AP Test

Tuesday:

AP test and finals for those not taking the test

Wednesday:

debriefing

Thursday:

bonus pt. assignment: "The American President"

Friday:

cont.

Assignments for the week of: May 7-11

 Monday:

Landmark cases

Tuesday:

Senior skip day

Wednesday:

Landmark cases with appropriate Constitutional underpinning

Thursday:

Study

Friday:

Cont. Wed.

Assignments for the week of: April 30-May 4

 Monday:

Congress: Term limits

Speaker of the House

flash cards for administration due after AP Test

Tuesday:

Guest Speaker:

Chief Justice Fabe

Wednesday:

Speaker cont.

Committee Chairs and the inner workings of Congress

Thursday:

The basis of law and Common Law in America

Friday:

Types of Law

History of the Court

 

Assignments for the week of: April 23-27

Please note that all make up work must be in by next Friday.

Also next Saturday at 10:00 am I will be at school for the first review. Have topics ready.

 Monday:

Congress: Class of '74, '92

Tuesday:

Bills, filibuster, intro to committees

Wednesday:

Seniority system

Thursday:

The Russians are coming!

Friday:

20 minute write, worksheets

Assignments for the week of: April 16-20

 Monday:

Quiz

Tuesday:

Executive Office/

Cabinet

Wednesday:

Presidential power/politics cont.

Thursday:

Roles of the President

Friday:

War Powers Act and Executive order

Assignments for the week of: April 9-13

 Monday:

Constitution That Delicate Balance:

Elections

Due: Issues Project

Tuesday:

Constitution that Delicate Balance: Campaign Finance

Essay due next Wed. See handout

Also read Political Parties Chapt. from the Woll

Wednesday:

Campaign Finance Reform

Nightline

Thursday:

Cost of elections + Media and the negative campaign

Friday:

No Class

Assignments for the week of: April 2-6

 Monday:

Political Parities

Tuesday:

Elections/w/primaries

Wednesday:

National Conventions

Thursday:

Electoral College

Friday:

RNC/DNC

analysis of speeches

Assignments for the week of: March 26-30

 Monday:

Suffrage

 Tuesday:

Formation of Political Parties

Begin History of Political Parties

 Wednesday: Read "Plunkitt at Tammany Hall" Discuss the machine and how this would possibly affect the power of the Exec/legisl. branches

 Thursday:

End History of Political parties

Friday:

Inservice

Assignments for the week of: March 19-23

 Monday:

Lecture: de Tocqueville and analysis of American Political Culture

Tuesday:

Continuation of American Political Culture

Chpts. 4-6

Wednesday:

Lots o' worksheets

Thursday:

Religion and the formation of American Political Culture

Friday:

Chart and Excellent discussion on American Political Culture thanks to Mr. Rood

Assignments for the week of: March 12-16

 Monday:

Lecture: Federalism

Tuesday:

Lecture Federalism

Turn in Constitution Worksheets

Wednesday:

Simulation Federalsim

Turn in Constitution Essay

Thursday:

Finish Federalsim Simulation

Begin watching: Constitution that Delecate Balance

Friday:

Finish watching: Constitution that Delecate Balance

Discuss Federalsim and what it means today.

Assignments for the week of: Feb. 26-Mar. 2

 Monday:

Lecture: Constitution

Tuesday:

State Testing

Wednesday:

State Testing

Thursday:

State Testing

Friday:

Lecture on types of powers in Constitution.

Article "Zinn"

Essay: Why was the Constitution written; Is it an economic, political, or subversive document?

Assignments for the week of: Feb. 19-23

 Monday:

President's day

Tuesday:

Video: A Perfect Union

Wednesday:

Worksheets on the Constitution and Continue Video

Thursday:

Cont. video

Friday:

End video

Discuss makeup of Articles of the Constitution and assign powers of each article

Assignments for the week of: Feb. 12-17

 Monday:

chpt. 1 from Wilson:

Mikhail Gorbachev question and Majoritarian and Elitist question.

Tuesday:

Discuss Will and also Declaration, end Revolutionary war

Wednesday:

Articles of Confederation; 2 successes, lead into Constitutional convention

Thursday:

Constitutional convention; Great Compromise, 3/5 slave rule, George Mason, James Madison

Friday: Quiz

Chapter 1 Wilson

Read: Beard and Roche from Woll

 

Assignments for the week of : Feb 5-9

 Monday: Give discussion questions for India, Read Chpt. 1-2 Wilson, One essay.  Tuesday: Lecture Early America

 Wednesday:

Declaration of Indipendence Part I

 Thursday: WACKO; shortened period,

St. Johns Church

Friday: Wills Article, Declaration, and Gettysburg address.

Assignments for the week of: Jan. 22-26

 Monday:

Inservice

 Tuesday:

Journals assigned

Lecture third world countries

 Wednesday:

Lecture: Third world countries cont.

 Thursday:

Lecture: Economics in third world countries

Friday: Field Trip: World Affairs Council Wei Jengshing

Assignments for the week of: Jan. 29-Feb. 2

 Monday: Discussion of Field Trip/ Democracy and third world countires  Tuesday: Basic India concepts

Wednesday: Chart Britain due

Read India

Lecture: Dharma/Karma/Caste

 Thursday:

Ethnic tensions in India

Readings on Third world countries

Friday: discuss readings.

Assign chart India, journal questions and essay

Grading Policies:

Return to Lair: