American Government - Harrison
Instructor: Brandon Harrison Phone: 803.699.2800 x. 79770
Email: brharrison@richland2.org Room: C-107
Tutoring: After school or during lunch
Course Description
This course explores the structure and dynamics of American national government, providing a broad-based introduction to the ideas and institutions that shape politics in the contemporary United States. We will focus our analysis on three major areas: the Constitution and the debates of the founding era, the institutions of modern American government, and the political behavior of the American mass public. Ultimately, the goal of this course is to help each member of the class arrive at a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of the forces that shape American government and politics, so that he or she may be both a more discerning student and critic of the system and a more informed and reflective participant in it. Students will apply higher order thinking skills as they consider content throughout the course. The curriculum for this course is guided by the SC Social Studies Academic Standards.
Course Goals and Objectives
Students will...
- Investigate the origins of American Constitutional Democracy.
- Analyze the creation, concepts, and components of the U. S. Constitution.
- Analyze and explain the role of national, state, and local government in American Constitutional democracy.
- Distinguish between the purposes, organization, responsibilities, and authority of the three branches of government.
- Evaluate American political climate and the traits/beliefs of American voters.
- Identify America’s major political parties, their core beliefs, and historical context..
- Synthesize the role of the media in impacting public opinion.
- Evaluate Civil Rights/Liberties and their impact on society.
- Explain the electoral process in the United States.
