Introduction to AP U.S. Government and Politics

AP U.S. Government and Politics is a college-level semester course that not only seeks to prepare students for success on the AP Exam in May, but also provide students with the political knowledge and reasoning processes to participate in meaningful and thoughtful discussions and debates that are currently shaping American politics and society. It is important to note that this course is not a history course; it is a political science course that studies the interconnectedness of the different parts of the American political system and the behaviors and attitudes that shape this system and are the by product of this system.

AP U.S. Government and Politics accomplishes these goals by framing the acquisition of political knowledge around enduring understandings and big ideas about American government and politics that can be applied to a set of disciplinary practices and resoning processes, by the end of the course, students will be able to anlyze current and historical political events like a politcal scientist and develop factually accurate, well-reasoned, thoughtful arguments and opinions that acknoelege and grapple with alternative perspectives.

This is a year long course that will be taught in a semester block. The course will meet Monday- Friday in a block fashion. The course will be organized around the following units of study:

Course Outline:

Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy (10 Days)

Unit 2: Interactions Among the Branches of Government (17 days)

Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (9 days)

Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs (7 days)

Unit 5: Political Participation (13 days)

Ongoing civic engagement project that is imbedded in every unit