Learning Objectives
GOVT 2305, U.S. GOVERNMENT

This course is an introduction to United States national government. The course includes an introduction to a framework for understanding United States government and politics, the constitutional basis for United States government and politics, the processes of United States government and politics, the institutions of United States government and politics, and the policies of United States government and politics.

I. Introduction to Government and Politics (Introduction and Chapters 1, 2, 4)
Learning Outcome: The student will understand the foundations, development, and features of the government, politics and U.S. Constitution.

Learning Objectives: After completing this section of the course, the student should be able to:

1. define autocracy, oligarchy, and democracy.
2. distinguish between a Locke and Hobbes’ political theories.
3. define politics.
4. define government and forms it takes (authoritarian, totalitarian, and constitutional).
5. distinguish among direct, representative, pluralist, and elitist democracy.
6. summarize the basic principles (values) of the American democracy.
7. describe the American political culture.
8. define political ideology.
9. describe what is meant by radical, liberal, moderate, conservative and reactionary in an ideological context.
10. summarize the major political ideologies in America and indicate where they fit into the political spectrum.
11. describe why there is an ongoing tension between two core political values – individual liberty and equality.
12. describe some of the influences of the American/British political tradition and the socio-economic environment after the French and Indian War on the colonies.
13. describe the importance of the Declaration of Independence.
14. describe the nature, impact, strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
15. describe the location, factions and operation of the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
16. describe the plans presented and compromises reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
17. describe the factional debate during the ratification process of the U.S. Constitution.
18. describe the basic structure of and limits placed on the government by the U.S. Constitution.
19. describe the process for amending the U.S. Constitution.
20. describe the Constitutional makeup of the Legislative Branch of the federal government.
21. describe the basic functions of a constitution.
22. define judicial review.
23. describe Marbury v. Madison (1803) and its impact.
24. describe separation of powers.
25. describe checks and balances.
26. define federal, confederal, and unitary forms of government.
27. describe the evolution of federalism.
28. distinguish among enumerated(delegated and expressed), inherent, implied, concurrent, and reserved powers.
29. describe McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) and Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) and their impact.
30. describe the obligation of the national government to the states and the “supremacy clause”.
31. describe the obligations of the states to each other.
32. distinguish between a category and a block grant and a federal mandate.
33. define the key terms at the end of the textbook chapters.

II. Civil Liberties, Civil Rights, Public Policy, Public Opinion and Electioneering (Chapters 3, 5, 8, 13, 18)
Learning Outcome: The student will understand: how civil liberties and rights protect both the individual and categories of people, the basics of public policy and public opinion, and how people campaign and participate in electoral activities.

Learning Objectives: After completing this section of the course, the student should be able to:

1. describe the nature of the Bill of Rights.
2. distinguish between civil liberties and civil rights.

3. describe habeas corpus, ex post facto laws and bills of attainder.

4. describe the process of "the nationalization" (selective incorporation) of the Bill of Rights.

5. describe the First Amendment freedoms.

6. distinguish between the establishment and free exercise clause of the first amendment.

7. describe the landmark Supreme Court decisions in First Amendment cases and their impact.

8. summarize how the Constitution and the Bill of Rights protect the rights of accused persons.

9. describe the development of the right to privacy.

10. describe the 14th Amendment's equal protection and due process clauses and their significance.
11. describe Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and its impact.
12. describe Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and its impact.
13. describe the Civil Rights movement and its impact.
14. describe the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its impact.
15. describe the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and its impact.
16. define affirmative action.
17. describe the landmark Supreme Court cases in the area of affirmative action and their impact.
18. describe the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its impact.
19. define public policy.
20. distinguish between the elite and pluralistic models of policymaking.
21. describe the stages in the policy process.
22. define domestic policy.
23. describe the development of Federal Social Welfare from the Progressive Era to the Great Society.
24. describe the Social security program.
25. describe the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
26. describe the food stamp and TANF programs.
27. define public opinion.
28. describe the methods for measuring public opinion.
29. describe the process of political socialization.
30. describe the agents of political socialization and their impact.
31. define political efficacy.
32. describe the various form of political participation.
33. describe the rational actor model of political participation.
34. define suffrage and the various efforts to limit it..
35. describe the expansion of the right to vote in the United States.
36. define voter turnout.
37. describe the factors that influence voter turnout.
38. describe the factors that influence vote choice.
39. distinguish between primary elections and general elections.
40. distinguish among the types of primaries.
41. describe the factors that affect elections.
42. describe current campaign finance regulations and their impact.
43. define the key terms at the end of the textbook chapters.

III. The Shadow Government of the Unelected (Chapters 6, 7, 14, 16)
Learning Outcome: The student will understand how media, interest groups, and political parties serve as institutions to connect people to government.

Learning Objectives: After completing this section of the course, the student should be able to:

1. describe the different types of media and how the government regulates the media.
2. describe what is meant by the "nationalizing of the news".
3. discuss the political role of the media and its influence on the political system today..
4. distinguish between objective and interpretive reporting.
5. describe the symbiotic/adversarial relationship between the media and politicians.
6. describe the factors shaping the news.
7. define interest group.
8. describe the benefits of joining an interest group.
9. define the free rider problem.
10. describe the types of interest groups in the United States today and their goals.
11. describe the resources and tactics used by interest groups to influence public policy.
12. describe the impact of interest groups on politics and government in the United States.
13. distinguish between a special interest group and political action committees (PACs) and their significance.
14. distinguish between iron triangles and issue networks.
15. define political party.
16. describe the functions of the two major parties today.
17. describe the evolution of the U.S. political party system.
18. compare and contrast the issue positions of the two major parties today.
19. describe the reasons for the two-party system in the United States.
20. describe minor parties and their impact.
21. describe the components and organization of the two major parties.
22. define party identification and its significance.
23. describe the changes in the distribution of partisan attachments in the United States over the last fifty years.
24. distinguish between realignment and dealignment.
25. describe economic policy
26. distinguish between fiscal and monetary policy.
27. describe Keynesian Economics, Monetarism and Supply Side Economics.
28. describe the major components of the national budget.
29. describe the stages of budgeting.
30. describe foreign policy.
31. distinguish between isolationism and internationalism.
32. describe the agencies involved in foreign policy decision making.
33. describe the processes by which foreign and defense policies are made.
34. define the key terms at the end of the textbook chapters.

IV. Institutions of Government (Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12)
Learning Outcome: The student will understand the structure, functions, and operations of the institutions of U.S. government.

Learning Objectives: After completing this section of the course, the student should be able to:

1. describe the bicameral structure of Congress and its impact.
2. describe the organization of Congress, including the leadership structure and the committee system.
3. describe the powers and functions of Congress.
4. describe the impact of incumbency.
5. distinguish between reapportionment and redistricting.
6. describe gerrymandering and its impact.
7. describe the legislative process.
8. describe the influences on the voting behavior of members of Congress.
9. describe the process by which the parties nominate their presidential candidates.
10. describe the process by which a president is elected.
11. describe the constitutional powers of the president.
12. describe the formal and informal roles of the president today (Chief of State, Chief Executive, CinC, Chief Legislator, Chief Diplomat, Head of Party).
13. describe the organization of the executive branch.
14. describe the executive bureaucracy.
15. distinguish between fiscal and monetary policy and which agencies control them.
16. describe the use of executive orders and agreements by the president.
17. give an example of the traditional “iron triangle” in government relations.
18. describe the processes by which foreign and defense policies are made.
19. describe the types of jurisdictions of the federal courts.
20. describe the structure and operations of the federal courts.
21. describe the process by which federal judges are selected.
22. distinguish between judicial activism and judicial restraint.
23. define the key terms at the end of the textbook chapters.

Updated Aug 25, 2006

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