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American Government

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Course Contents

Course Contents at a Glance
Preface

Module 1: American Government and Civic Engagement

Introduction
What is Government?
Who Governs? Elitism, Pluralism, and Tradeoffs
Engagement in a Democracy
Glossary

Module 2: The Constitution and Its Origins

Introduction
The Pre-Revolutionary Period and the Roots of the American Political Tradition
The Articles of Confederation
The Development of the Constitution
The Ratification of the Constitution
Constitutional Change
Glossary

Module 3: American Federalism

Introduction
The Division of Powers
The Evolution of American Federalism
Intergovernmental Relationships
Competitive Federalism Today
Advantages and Disadvantages of Federalism
Glossary

Module 4: The Politics of Public Opinion

Introduction
The Nature of Public Opinion
How Is Public Opinion Measured?
What Does the Public Think?
The Effects of Public Opinion
Glossary

Module 5: Voting and Elections

Introduction
Voter Registration
Voter Turnout
Elections
Campaigns and Voting
Direct Democracy
Glossary

Module 6: The Media

Introduction
What Is the Media?
The Evolution of the Media
Regulating the Media
The Impact of the Media
Glossary

Module 7: Political Parties

Introduction
What Are Parties and How Did They Form?
The Two-Party System
The Shape of Modern Political Parties
Divided Government and Partisan Polarization
Glossary

Module 8: Interest Groups and Lobbying

Introduction
Interest Groups Defined
Collective Action and Interest Group Formation
Interest Groups as Political Participation
Pathways of Interest Group Influence
Free Speech and the Regulation of Interest Groups
Glossary

Module 9: Congress

Introduction
The Institutional Design of Congress
Congressional Elections
Congressional Representation
House and Senate Organizations
The Legislative Process
Glossary

Module 10: The Presidency

Introduction
The Design and Evolution of the Presidency
The Presidential Election Process
Organizing to Govern
The Public Presidency
Presidential Governance: Direct Presidential Action
Glossary

Module 11: The Courts

Introduction
Guardians of the Constitution and Individual Rights
The Dual Court System
The Federal Court System
The Supreme Court
Judicial Decision-Making and Implementation by the Supreme Court
Glossary

Module 12: Civil Rights

Introduction
What Are Civil Rights and How Do We Identify Them?
The African American Struggle for Equality
The Fight for Women's Rights
Civil Rights for Indigenous Groups: Native Americans, Alaskans, and Hawaiians
Equal Protection for Other Groups
Glossary

Module 13: Civil Liberties

Introduction
What Are Civil Liberties?
Securing Basic Freedoms
The Rights of Suspects
Interpreting the Bill of Rights
Glossary

Appendix

Declaration of Independence
The Constitution of the United States
Federalist Papers #10 and #51
Electoral College Votes by State, 2012-2020
Selected Supreme Court Cases