Civics and Government

Why governments exist, the forms they take, the ideas of natural rights and the social contract, models of democracy, and the rule of law. AP Unit 1.

1. Why We Have Government
2. Forms of Government
3. Natural Rights and the Social Contract
4. Models of Democracy
5. Limited Government and the Rule of Law

English roots, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Convention and its compromises, The Federalist and the Anti-Federalists, and the Bill of Rights. AP Unit 1.

1. English and Colonial Roots
2. The Ideas of the Declaration
3. The Articles of Confederation
4. The Convention and Its Compromises
5. The Federalist and the Anti-Federalists
6. Ratification and the Bill of Rights

The Preamble and the seven articles, separation of powers, checks and balances, and how the Constitution is amended. AP Unit 1.

1. The Preamble
2. Article I: The Legislative Branch
3. Article II: The Executive Branch
4. Article III: The Judicial Branch
5. Articles IV to VII
6. Separation of Powers
7. Checks and Balances
8. Amending the Constitution

How power is divided between the nation and the states: enumerated, reserved and concurrent powers, the Supremacy and Necessary and Proper Clauses, the commerce power, money and mandates, and relations among the states. AP Unit 1.

1. Dividing Power: Federal, State and Shared
2. Supremacy and Necessary and Proper
3. The Commerce Power
4. Grants and Mandates
5. Relations Among the States

The House and the Senate, apportionment and districts, the powers of Congress, its leaders and committees, how a bill becomes law, the filibuster, the budget and oversight, and how members represent. AP Unit 2.

1. The House and the Senate
2. Apportionment and Redistricting
3. The Powers of Congress
4. Leaders of Congress
5. Committees
6. How a Bill Becomes a Law
7. House Rules and the Senate Filibuster
8. The Budget and Oversight
9. How Members Represent

Who may be President and who succeeds, formal and informal powers, the bureaucracy, impeachment and war powers. AP Unit 2.

1. Qualifications, Terms and Succession
2. The President's Formal Powers
3. Informal Powers and Tools
4. The Federal Bureaucracy
5. Holding the Bureaucracy Accountable
6. Impeachment
7. War Powers

The federal court system, how the Supreme Court decides, judicial review, how judges are chosen, ways of reading the Constitution, and checks on the courts. AP Unit 2.

1. The Federal Court System
2. How the Supreme Court Decides
3. Judicial Review and Marbury v. Madison
4. Choosing Federal Judges
5. Ways of Reading the Constitution
6. Checks on the Courts

The Bill of Rights, incorporation, the freedoms of religion, speech and the press, the right to bear arms, the rights of the accused and privacy. AP Unit 3.

1. The Bill of Rights, One by One
2. Incorporation: Rights Against the States
3. Freedom of Religion
4. Freedom of Speech
5. Freedom of the Press
6. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms
7. Rights of the Accused
8. Privacy and Unenumerated Rights

Equal protection, the major civil rights laws, the amendments that widened the vote, and how courts protect minorities in a system of majority rule. AP Unit 3.

1. Equal Protection
2. Civil Rights Laws
3. Widening the Vote
4. Majority Rule and Minority Rights

How people become citizens, citizens' rights and duties, voting and turnout, how political views form, public opinion, interest groups and the media. AP Units 4 and 5.

1. Becoming a Citizen
2. Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens
3. Voting and Turnout
4. How Political Views Form
5. Public Opinion and Polls
6. Interest Groups and the Media

Political parties and the two-party system, primaries and conventions, the Electoral College, money in campaigns and congressional elections. AP Unit 5.

1. Political Parties
2. Primaries, Caucuses and Conventions
3. The Electoral College
4. Money in Campaigns
5. Congressional Elections

State governments and constitutions, counties, cities and school districts, direct democracy, and tribal nations.

1. State Government
2. Local Government
3. Initiative, Referendum and Recall
4. Tribal Nations

Mixed practice on the history and government questions of the U.S. naturalization civics test, built on the units of this course.

1. Citizenship Test: Government
2. Citizenship Test: History and Symbols