Course Outcomes (1)
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Articulate the foundations of American government, including its history, critical concepts, and important documents and achievements.
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American Political Culture / Analyze current issues in American political culture, including the role of immigration, the identification of central American values, and widening partisan divides.
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Define the institution of government.
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Describe political ideologies including socialism, liberalism, conservatism, and libertarianism.
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Identify the shared ideas, values, and ways of thinking that define the United States as a country and a culture.
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Evaluate the U.S. political culture and the competing narratives that drive partisan divisions in American politics, including those related to domestic policy, immigration, and international relations.
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Discuss the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship.
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Analyze whether the U.S. system of government upholds American political values.
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The Founding of the United States / Summarize the forces, events, and individuals that shaped the founding of the United States.
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Describe the power relationships among different groups in colonial America.
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Outline the events and political motivations that led to the colonies’ separation from England.
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Describe the philosophical and historical roots of the Declaration of Independence.
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Critique the Articles of Confederation to account for the failure of the confederation.
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The Constitution / Examine the Constitution in terms of its intent, its flexibility over time, and its impact on the lives of individuals.
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Explain the theoretical and historical factors that influenced the writers of the U.S. Constitution.
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Identify the compromises the delegates made to come to an agreement on the U.S. Constitution.
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Debate the rationale for the separation of powers and checks and balances using examples.
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Describe the rationale for amending the Constitution and the processes that are involved.
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Federalism / Defend federalism using illustrations from its practice in the United States.
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Debate the merits and drawbacks of federalism and of the unitary and confederal systems.
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Explain the roots of federalism in the Constitution and the evolution of federalism over time.
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Describe the structure and roles of each branch of government.
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Identify the rules and interests that may lead to tense relations between state and national governments.
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Civil Liberties / Examine the rights and liberties accorded Americans by the Bill of Rights.
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Define rights and liberties and their role in a democratic society.
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Identify the roles and responsibilities of state and federal governments in protecting individual rights.
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Locate the important protections of individual rights within the Bill of Rights.
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Debate interpretations of the protections afforded by the Bill Rights, including those relating to individual religious freedom, freedom of expression and political dissent, privacy rights, the rights afforded criminal defendants, and the right to bear arms.
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Civil Rights / Debate the methods and outcomes of the civil rights movements associated with race, ethnicity, sex, and other categorizations.
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Define civil rights as they are addressed in the Bill of Rights.
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Summarize key events and outcomes in the struggles for civil rights for African Americans and other racial and ethnic groups, women, sexual minorities, persons with disabilities, and other groups.
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Explain the role of the Supreme Court of the United States in ensuring the protection of civil rights, using examples of landmark decisions.
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Identify tools used by citizens and by the government to expand the promise of civil rights.
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