Foundations of American GovernmentThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Describe key British influences on American political thought. Identify actions by the British government which created the conditions for the Declaration of Independence.Explain why Americans initially adopted a confederation as their form of government.Understand the structure and functions of the U.S. ConstitutionCompare and contrast the views and characteristics of the Federalists and Antifederalists.Explain why Antifederalists wanted a Bill of Rights.Describe the basic mechanics of the Article V Amendment Process.

Interest GroupsThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Define what an interest group is, its main purpose and how it functionsCompare and contrast the role of political parties and interest groupsClassify the different types of interest groupsDescribe the tactics employed by interest groups to achieve their political goalsExplain the various theories of power that attempt to explain the advantages and disadvantages of interest groupsAddress the inherent conflict of individuals in a free society pursuing their own interests and the "public good"Explain Federalist No. 10 and how it relates to role of interest groups in a democratic political system

Define political science as a disciplineDescribe qualitative and quantitative methods in political scienceDescribe political science as an interdisciplinary endeavorCompare the different types of government.Explain how civic engagement can lead to political and social change.

Introduction to Political Science as an Academic DisciplineThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Define political science as an academic disciplineRecognize the links to many disciplinesIdentify its sub-disciplines of political scienceDefine American National GovernmentDefine politicsDefine power in the context of politicsIdentify models of powerDefine civic engagement

Political PartiesExplain the role political parties play in a democratic political systemDescribe the reasons for the two-party system in American politicsDiscuss the contributions of third parties in American politicsCompare and contrast a two-party system and a multiparty systemExplain the decentralized structure of political parties in American federalismDescribe the tactics employed by political parties to achieve their political goalsExplain how American political parties have evolved over time including the transition of party-centered politics to candidate-centered politics

Political Socialization and Public OpinionThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Identify institutions that socialize voters and teach democratic norms.Describe how affective group identities (e.g. race, partisanship) drive opinions and behaviorCritique polling methodologyUnderstand how a poll is conducted and the limits of public opinion polling.Identify the factors that influence voter turnout.Discuss how political campaigns affect votersCompare and contrast how campaigns design their message versus how voters receive those messagesUnderstand campaign messagingDiscuss how individual bias limits what people know about politics.Describe how social networks influence opinions and engagement.Discuss becoming involved in the political processExamine barriers to political involvement

Public Policy (Economic, Environmental, Welfare, Education)The resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Identify different forms of taxation and how they affect different economic classes.Investigate the trade-offs in various public policy decisions (e.g. Affordable Care Act vs. free market healthcare vs. socialized medicine.)Define budget deficits and differentiate it from the national debt, and identify how government debt is different from debts held by individuals.Discuss the basics of the federal budget process and major spending items.Be able to differentiate between fiscal and monetary policy and identify the key actors for both.Explain the outlines of immigration policy and be able to define key terms like: DREAMers, DACA, chain immigration, etc.

The Federal BureaucracyThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Explain the major functions of the American federal bureaucracyClassify the types of federal agencies within the federal bureaucracyExplain the policymaking process and power of the federal bureaucracyIdentify the different internal and external actors of the federal bureaucracyDescribe how other institutions exert control and enforce accountability over the federal bureaucracyExplain how the American federal bureaucracy has evolved over time

The Federal Judicial SystemThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Explain how the power of the federal courts has grown over time.Compare and contrast the structure of federal and state courts, as well as the types of cases they hear.Describe the judicial selection processes.Identify the factors that influence Supreme Court justices when they decide cases.Describe the ways in which the federal courts shape legal policy and decide the scope of individual rights.Summarize the structure, features, and processes of the Supreme Court.

The News MediaThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Develop strategies to differentiate between real and fake news.Describe various forms of media bias and why they might occur.Investigate how news affects public opinion and the limits of media effects.Investigate how the evolution of cable news and social media has changed news production and consumption.

Learning ObjectivesThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Discuss the theoretical ideas that shaped the structure of the presidency.Identify the constitutional powers of the executive branch.Explain how the presidency has grown and evolved over time.Describe some of the institutional advantages that the president has over other branches of government.Discuss the role of cabinet and other presidential staff in setting public policy.Explain the nature of the relationship the presidency has with Congress and the courts.Explain the factors that affect presidential success and failure.Describe the presidential election process and strategies pursued by presidential candidates.