Syllabus – U.S. and Virginia Government
Instructor Mr. MacGuinness
Magruder’s American Government , William A. McClenaghan - Prentice Hall,
Inc.
Description:
This course offers a historical and cultural study
of U.S. and Virginia Government. An emphasis will be placed on social and
economic influences , with an increased attention on the development and
evolution of the government and the republic. The theme of change with regard
to scientific and technological advancements will also be highlighted. Attention
will also be focused upon the connections between the people and events
of the twentieth century. Students will have the opportunity to work with
a variety of artifacts and primary and secondary sources to uncover and understand
specific historic events and issues.
Course Objectives:
- to instruct and expose students to the widest panorama
of U.S. and Virginia Government, from early Discovery to the present.
- to provide examples of how economic and geography relates
to the study of U.S. and Virginia Government.
- to assist students in passing the class and Final Exam.
First Semester - First Quarter
I. Introduction to Classroom rules and a brief review
of U.S. and Virginia Government
II. Foundations of American Government – Chapters 1
- 7
A. Principles of Government
B. Origins of American Government
C. The Constitution
D. Federalism
E. Political Parties
F. Voters and Voter Behavior
G. The Electoral Process
Second Quarter
III. Political Behavior – The Legislative Branch
Chapters 8 – 12
A. Mass Media and Public Opinion
B. Interest Groups
C. Congress
D. Powers of Congress
E. Congress in Action
F. Mid Term Exam
Third Quarter
IV. The Executive and Judicial Branches - Chapters 13 - 21
A. The Presidency
B. The Presidency in Action
C. Government at Work: The Bureaucracy
D. Financing Government
E. Foreign Policy and National Defense
F. The Federal Court System
G. Civil Liberties: First Amendment and Individual Freedoms
H. Civil Rights; Equal Justice Under the Law
Fourth Quarter
V. Comparative Political and Economic Systems - Chapters
22 - 25
A. Comparative Political Systems
B. Comparative Economic Systems
C. State and Local Government
D. Final Exam