US NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT
US NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT
HOME Spring/09
PSC10002C
MWF. 8:00-9:00 Rm.355M
Instructor: christopher.drennan@clinton.edu
Office:534M, Tel: 562-4173.
Office Hrs.MWF 9:30-11:00 / TH 11:00-12:00.
Course Description:
A study of the political development, structure, governmental processes, and political parties of the United States.
Course Objectives:
a) To acquaint the student with the fundamental concepts, theories, practices and procedures which characterize the political structure of the American polity.
b) To encourage the development of the student's critical faculties in the conceptualization, interpretation and articulation of American political events.
c) To encourage supplemental readings in the field through assigned and suggested readings.
d) To motivate and challenge students to pursue further studies in the liberal arts.
Required Text:
Bardes, Barbara A., Shelly, Mack C., Schmidt, Steffen W., American Government and Politics Today. 2008-2009 Brief Edition, Thomson/Wadsworth, 2009.
Assignments:
a) Text readings are shown on the attached Topic/Activity schedule. The student is responsible for completing the readings prior to the class in which they'll be discussed.
b) There will be six (6) in-class Quizzes.
c) There will be five (5) DVD responses (1 full page double-spaced &
typewritten).*
d) There will be one (1) paper (4–5 pp. double-spaced &
typewritten).*
e) There will be one (1) Mid-Term
g) There will be one (1) Final exam.
Grading:
The final grade will be based on the following criteria;
Quizzes. 6 @ 5%
= 30%
DVD responses. 5 & 6% = 30%*
Web Exercise. 1 @ 7.5 = 7.5
Paper. 1 @ 10%
= 10%*
Mid-Term.1 @ 10% = 7.5%
Final. 1 @ 15% = 25%
*Late assignments will be accessed a 1% per day reduction to the assigned value of the work.
The percentage score will be translated into a letter grade at the end of the semester in accordance with the standards of the college as described in the college catalog.
Attendance:
Attendance at all scheduled sessions is mandatory. If you miss more than the equivalent of three classes without sufficient cause your grade will be lowered one step, i.e., B+ to C+. You must inform me in person, by phone or email at the contact information above in the event of your absence from class.
Plagiarism:
All writing needs to be your own unless properly cited: do not plagiarize! Take what you learn from your readings and research and put it into your own words. Plagiarism will result in a zero grade for the assignment.
The following is a Topic/Activity schedule for PSC10001C, US National Government. While every effort will be made to adhere to this schedule, it is subject to change. The TEXT READING stems from Bardes, Barbara A., Shelly, Mack C., Schmidt, Steffen W., American Government and Politics Today. 2008-2009 Brief Edition, Thomson/Wadsworth, 2009.
DATE/09 TOPIC/ACTIVITY TEXT READING
Jan 23 Introduction to Political Science, Course
Content and Requirements.
26 Politics & Government. Why is Govern- Chap.1, pp.1-7.
Necessary? Democracy & Other Forms
Of Government.
30 What Kind of Democracy Do We Have? Chap.1, pp.7-17.
Majoritarian, Elitism & Pluralism. Fun-
damental Values. Political Ideologies.
Feb. 2 The Constitution. The Colonial Period, the Chap.2, pp.18-32.
Articles of Confederation, Compromises,
Separation on Powers/Checks and Balances.
4 The Final Document. Ratification, the Bill of Rights Chap.2, pp.33-43.
and Amending the Constitution.
6 The Structure and Design of the Constitution. Appendix B, pp. 373-380.
9 The Structure and Design of the Constitution. Appendix B, pp. 380-390.
Quiz1 11 Federalism: Three Systems of Government and Chap.3, pp.44-51.
the Constitutional Basis of American Federalism.
13 Constitutional Powers, States’ Rights, the Civil Chap.3, pp.51-58.
War & the Division of Powers.
16 The Politics of Federalism and the Supreme Court. Chap.3, pp.58-65.
DVD1 18 Civil Liberties; The Bill of Rights, Freedom of Chap.4, pp.66-73.
Religion, Freedom of Expression.
Paper Due 20 Freedom of the Press & the Right of Assembly. Chap.4, pp.73-82
Paper Due 23 Matters of Privacy. Chap.4, pp.82-87.
25 The Rights of the Accused and the Rights of Chap.4, pp.87-93.
Society. The Death Penalty.
Quiz2 27 Civil Rights. African Americans and the Civil Chap.5, pp.94-104-159.
Rights Movement.
March 2 The Women’s Movement, Gender Discrimina- Chap.5, pp.104-112.
DVD2 tion and Affirmative Action.
3 Rights for those with Disabilities, Sexual Orienta- Chap.5, pp.112-120.
tion Rights and the Status of Juveniles.
6 Public Opinion and Political Socialization. How Chap.6, pp.121-129.
Public Opinion is Formed.
DVD3 8 Measuring Public Opinion, Opinion Polls and the Chap.6, pp.129-149.
Political Process.
Quiz3 10 Interest Groups. Why Interest Groups? Solidary, Chap.7, pp.150-159.
Material and Purposive Incentives. Types of Interest
Groups. Economic, Environmental and Public
Interest Groups.
13 College Closed (No Class)
15 Interest Group Strategies, Lobbyists and Repre- Chap.7, pp.159-163.
sentative Democracy.
17 Mid-Term
20 Political Parties. A Brief History of Political Chap.7, pp.164-171.
Parties in the US.
22 The Two Party System. The Two Major Parties Chap.8, pp.171-180.
Today, Their Organization and the Electoral
System in which they Compete and Minor Parties.
DVD4 24 Campaigns, Elections & Voting Behavior The 21st Chap. 8, pp.181-192.
Century Campaign and Campaign Financing.
Quiz4 27 The Primaries, the Electoral College and Turning Chap.8, pp.192-210.
out the Vote.
29 Congress. Functions and Powers of Congress. Chap.9, pp. 211-218.
31 Congressional Elections & Apportionment. Chap.9, pp. 218-224.
Perks and Privileges.
Nov. 3 Congress. The Committee Structure, Decision- Chap.9, pp.224-239.
making in Congress, Formal Leadership
& How a Bill Becomes Law.
Web Ex. 5 The Presidency. Roles of the of the President & Chap.10, pp.240-253.
the President as Party Chief.
Quiz5 7 Special Presidential Powers, Impeachment, Ex- Chap.10, pp.253-265.
ecutive Organization, the Vice Presidency and
Presidential Succession.
DVD5 10 The Bureaucracy. Function, Organization and Chap.11, pp. 264-277.
Staffing of the Federal Bureaucracy.
12 Bureaucratic Reform, Bureaucrats as Policy- Chap.11, pp. 278-289.
Makers and Congressional Oversight of the
Bureaucracy.
14 The Courts. Common Law Tradition, Sources of Chap.12, pp.290-298.
Law, the Federal Court System.
17 The Supreme Court at work. and the Selection of Chap.12, pp.298-306.
19 Judicial Policymaking and the Checks on the Chap.12, pp.306-315.
Judiciary.
Quiz6 21 Domestic and Economic Policy. The Policymak- Chap.13, pp.316-326.
ing Process. Health Care, Poverty and Welfare.
24 Crime and Environmental Policy Chap.13, pp.326-330.
26 Thanksgiving Break (No class)
28 Thanksgiving Break (No class)
Dec. 1 Economic Policy. Fiscal and Monetary Policy. Chap.13, pp.330-340.
Taxation, Social Security and Trade.
3 Foreign and Defense Policy. Morality versus Chap.14, pp.341-360.
Reality in Foreign Policy. World Politics and
Its Challenges.
5 Major Foreign Policy Themes. Internationalist, Chap.14, pp.360-369.
Isolationalist & the Superpowers.
10 Final Exam (12:40-3:10)
Due Dates.*
Paper: September 22/08.
DVD1: September 24/08.
DVD2: October 3/08..
DVD3: October 13/08.
DVD4: October 29/08.
Web Exercise: November 10/08.
DVD5: November 14/08.
*Late assignments will be assessed a 1% per day reduction to the assigned value of the work.
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