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Archbishop John Carroll High School

Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics

Course Description

(260) 1.00cr.   Tr. 5   Gr. 12                 

This course is designed to give students a critical perspective on politics and government in the United States.  The course involves the study of general concepts and analysis of specific case studies, such as Supreme Court cases or elections.  At the end of the course the student is expected to demonstrate a fairly detailed understanding of American political institutions.  Topics include the Constitution (development and application), political beliefs and practices, political parties and interest groups, institutions and policy practice, civil rights and civil liberties.  All students are required to take the Advanced Placement test, administered on the morning of May 3, 2010

(Academic Course Catalog , 2009-2010)

Textbook: Edwards, George C., Wattenberg, Martin P., & Lineberry, Robert L. Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy (Eighth Edition) New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. (2004)        

Handouts: Throughout the course.  Six to eight essays will be assigned throughout the year.

Articles to Read:  Posted throughout the course.  Students are required to complete that AP Government Article Report Form for each article or political cartoon.

AP US Government and Politics  2010 Summer Assignments. (Go to current assignments page for 2010 assignments)

2009 summer assignments

AP US Government and Politics Summer 2010 summer assignments will be posted here	Read Chapter 17 Economic Policymaking  and complete the Study Guide	Read Chapter 18 Social Welfare Policymaking  and complete the Study Guide	Read Chapter 19 Policymaking for Health, Energy, & the Environment and complete the Study Guide	Read Chapter 20 Foreign and Defense Policymaking and complete the Study Guide
Study Guides graded first week of school	Articles will be added for your reading throughout the summer.	Court Role is still evolving (5/28/09)	Obama Pushes Financial Regulatory Overhaul (6/21/09	A narrow ruling on voting rights (6/23/09)
Justices back parents on special-ed payments (6/23/09)	Court Strikes Down D.C Ban on Handguns (6/27/08)	Supreme Court Asserts Broad Gun Rights (6/27/08)	Supreme Court Says Childs Rights Violated by Strip Search (6/26/09)	Justices Rule for White Firefighters in Bias Case (6/29/09)
Roberts Shifts Court to the Right with the Help from Kennedy (7/1/09)	Al Franken declared winner after 8 month battle (7/1/09)	Obama's visit to Russia stirs hope for a renewed partnership (7/6/09)	Time: Top10 Supreme Court Nomination Battles	Time: Four Enduring Myths About Justices
Lessons for future (Justices) nominees (7/19/09)	Polls can effect Presidents hold on Party. (7/21/09)			Yes, Judges Do Legislate (7/27/09)
Blue Dogs flex their muscle on health care (7/23/09)	Under Pa. death penalty, why so few executions? (7/27/09	2010 House Outlook: S(8/5/09ecure for Democrats (7/27/09)		House Seems To Bet Set on Pork-Padded Defense Bill (7/30/09)
Health Bill Clears Hurdle, and Hints At Consensus (8/1/09	Will High Court Resist Judicial Activism on Campaign Finance (8/1/09)	csm(8/01/09)	More Stars for the American Flag? (8/1/09)	The Agracats: Farm State Democrats are on the Rise in Congress (8/2/09)
wp8/3/09	wp8/4/09	What Hilary Clinton seeks to achieve in Africa (8/5/09)	Here is How Sestak Can Beat Specter (8/5/09)	wp8/6/09
What Do Members of Congress Do in August? (8/6/09)	Sotomayor Faces Heavy Workload of Complex Cases (8/7/09)	Opinion: On Military Earmarks (8/8/09)	Look at what Congress has done so far this  year (8/9/09)	Sargent 8.12.09
Auth 8.20.09	Anderson 8.21.09	Obama's Team is Lacking Most of its Top Players (8/24/09)	Obama to nominate Bernancke to 2nd Term at the Fed(8/25/09)	Auth (/01/09)
		Speculation Grows Over Another Supreme Court Nomination (9/4/09)	Utah uses eminent domain to seize land of federal government.(5/1/10)

Week of 9/21/09	Read Chapter 2  The Constitution and complete the Study Guide	Quiz - Chapter 1( 9/22)	.		Faculty In-service day NO CLASSES
Week of 9/28/09	Finish reading chapter 2 and complete the Study Guide	Chapter 2 Take Home Test Distributed	Big Week for Obama on World Stage. How did he do?	Kennedy ally wins appointment and plunges in	Voter Registration deadline = Oct. 5 No deadline set for decision on troops
Week of 10/5/09	Read Chapter 3 Federalism and complete the Study Guide AP Essay  1 distributed	Chapter 2 Take Home Test due 10/6/09 Quiz on Chapter 2	Questions Surround Start of New Supreme Court Term.	Key Democrats Still on Fence About Reform	Five Supreme Court Cases to Watch This Term
Week of 10/12/09	AP Essay # 1 due 10/12	Finish Chapter 3 Study Guide Take Home Test Ch 3 distributed	PSAT Test - No Senior Classes (10/14)		Europeans press the US to end the death penalty.
Week of 10/19/09	Take Home Test Ch 3 due(10/23/09) & Ch 3 Quiz in class		Freshmen Retreat - No Classes (10/21)	House, Senate Dems at odds about Health Care	Judicial nominations moving at slow pace
Week of 10/26/09	In-class quarterly examination (Chapters 1,2,& 3) 11/02	Read Chapter 4 Civil Liberties and complete the Study Guide
Week of 11/02/09	Portfolios collected for grading  (Chapters 1-3)11/02	Read Chapter 4 Civil Liberties and complete the Study Guide			First Quarter Ends
Week of 11/09/09	Second Quarter Begins Read Chapter 4 Civil Liberties and complete the Study Guide	Video: Gideon's Trumpet	The power of independent voters	House Passes Historic Health Care Bill	How They Did It: On Obama's 2008 Victory
Week of 11/16/09	FINISH Chapter 4 Civil Liberties and complete the Study Guide	AP/Honors Essay Assigned (11/18/09)	Quiz Chapter 4	Seven Tests for 9/11 Suspects	Catholic bishops use their clout to influence the health-care bill.
Week of 11/23/09	Read Chapter 5 Civil Rights and complete the Study Guide	Court Won't Hear Redskins Case Quiz Chapter 4 (11/24/09)	AP/Honors Essay Due (11/25/09) Update on baby doe cases	Thanksgiving No Classes	Holiday No  Classes
Week of 11/30/09	Finish Chapter 5 Civil Rights and complete the Study Guide	Take Home test for Chapters 4 & 5 assigned.		Sex-bias complaint lingers
Week of 12/07/09	Read Chapter 6 Public Opinion and Political Action	Holyday Feast of The Immaculate Conception - No Classes	Take home test for Chapters 4 & 5 due 12/09/09 Justices debate clarity of Miranda warning	Supreme Court to Rule on Life Imprisonment for Juveniles
Week of 12/14/09	Complete Chapter 6 Public Opinion and Political Action Quiz Chapter 5	Washington Post ABC Poll White majority a bit longer	US-Born Latinos Gain in Education, Income Senate passes $1.1 trillion spending bill	Giving nod to war: Obama accepts Nobel FYI - 10 reasons you shouldn't retire (ok Aimee?)
Week of 12/21/09	Finish Chapter 6 & Start on Chapter 7	For Democrats, health care debate exposes deep wounds		Christmas Eve Ch. 6 TH test distributed 12/2309	CHRISTMAS DAY
Week of 1/04/10	Ch. 6 TH test due 1/08/10 & Ch 6 quiz	Read Chapter 7  The  Mass Media and Political Action and complete the Study Guide.	FYI- Super Bowl Commercial Ads	Change you can count on: 5 key districts	Don't write their obituaries
Week of 1/11/10	Read Chapter 8 Political Parties and complete the Study Guide	Ch 7 Vocabulary Quiz Ch.7 1/13/10
Week of 1/18/10	MLK               Day of Service	AP Gov. Semester Exam Chapters 1-8 (1/19/10)	Portfolios Collected for Grading (1/21/10)	March for Life (1/22/10)
Week of  1/25/10	Semester Exams			Second Semester Begins	Read Chapter 9  Nominations and Elections and complete the Study Guide
Week of 2/1/10	Read Chapter 9  Nominations and Elections and complete the Study Guide			Democrats seek to shorten primaries	Philly GOP shaking up party rules
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)		Head strong: a good ruling on election money	Roberts issues a jolt in overturning precedents Supreme Court Ruling: Do We Really Trust Corporations More Than Elected Officials	Supreme Court Ruling: A Bad Day for Democracy	Court Ruling Invites a Boom in Political Ads
	The 10 Worst Presidents	Roberts issues a jolt	Tougher cases await justices in second half	Abortion Debate Shows the Catholic Bishops Growing Influence	$12.1 trillion debt
Week of 2/8/10	Read Chapter 10   Elections and  Voting Behavior and complete the Study Guide	Essay distributed Vocabulary Quiz Ch. 9	FYI: Federal Election Commission (FEC) The Brookings Institution's Campaign Finance Reform Home Page	Tea Party Advocates Open National Convention	Some Democrats Seek Change in Filibuster Rules but Others Wary
Week of 2/15/10	Read Chapter 11  Interest Groups and complete the Study Guide Take Home Test on Ch. 11	Campaign Finance Essay Due: 2.16.10	Success of President Obama's crackdown on lobbying questioned		In Black Caucus, A Fund Raising Powerhouse
	FYI- Sorry for me but the party is over		Book Review: Gary Wills & the Modern Presidency	Obama Making Plans to Use Executive Power	Rush in Retirements Push Social Security to the Brink
Week of  2/22/10	Read Chapter 12 Congress and complete the Study Guide	Chapter 10 Vocabulary Quiz (2.23.10)	Sophomore Retreat - No classes	Chapter 11 - Take Home Test Due 2/25/10	The Budget Process
Pay and Perquisites of Members of Congress Congressional Pay Rates	Apportionment of the US House of Representatives 108th Congress  through the 114th Congress	Pa. US District 1 Robert Brady Senator Robert Casey, Jr.	Pa US District 2 Chakka Fattah Senator Arlen Specter	Pa US District 6 Jim Gerlach Pa. US District 13 Allyson Schwartz	Pa. US. District 7 Joe Sestak Pa. US District 16 Joseph Pitts
Week of 3/1/10	Finish Chapter 12	PA's Congressional Districts.		Chapter 11 Vocabulary  Quiz	High Court to define reach of gun control laws
Week of 3/8/10	In Class Objective Test Ch12 (3/9/10)	Read Chapter 13 The Presidency and Complete the Study Guide	Junior Retreat - No Classes AP Essay on Congress		FYI Obama's Inner Circle FYI Massa's exit helps health care.
Week of 3/15/10	Congress Essay due	Finish Chapter on the Presidency	Test on the Presidency	Read Chapter 14 - Congress and the President & The Budget	The Budget Process
Week of 3/22/10	Read Chapter 14 - Congress and the President & The Budget	Vocabulary Quiz - Chapters 13 Test on the Presidency	House Democratic Tactic Debated		Portfolios collected for grading 3.26.10 (Chapters 9-13)

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This page was last updated on Sunday, June 27, 2010