Sample Syllabus: American Government

Dr. Morris

American Government:
Political Science 100-02
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 12:30-1:50
Dr. Joseph M. Morris

Prerequisites: None Credit Hours: 3.0

Office/Phone: Preston 112
(814) 824-2154
jmorris@mercyhurst.edu

Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 11:00 - 12:00, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.; Thursday, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.; or by appointment.

These are my official office hours, but my door is always open. I enjoy teaching, and
I enjoy talking to you, so if you have questions that we did not answer in class, or if
you want to explore an idea, come by. The best time to catch me is in the morning. If I am not in my office, leave a note on/under my door and I will get back to you.

Course Description

Catalogue Description:

Introductory course in Political Science stressing how policy-making is done at the national level. Beginning with the Constitution, an introduction is given to the three main branches of the U.S. Government. Attention is also given to elections, economics, political parties, interest groups, and the federal system.

Course Objectives:

Political Science 100 is a survey course. This means that we will not explore any particular aspect of American Government in depth. Instead, we will endeavor to acquire only a basic understanding of how it operates, its fundamental institutions and procedures, and the concepts, ideas and theories that inform contemporary governance. For some, this course will be your only opportunity to study American government in a classroom setting. As such, the objective of this course is to provide you with a working understanding government and your place within the political process. In addition to knowing the basic terms and concepts associated with American government, at the end of this term you will be able to engage in an informed discussion about the following questions:

Basic Questions
Why is having knowledge about government important? How much government is necessary? Should we consent to be governed? Who has power in the American political system? Can we have democracy and effective government at the same time?
The U.S. Constitution: Its Framing and Content
Who wrote the U.S. Constitution and what does it say? What are the costs and benefits of a strong central government?
The Federal Court System: Interpreting the Law
What do federal courts do? What does the Supreme Court do? How does it do it? How do we justify judicial review in a more or less democratic system?
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights: Interpreting the Constitution
What does it mean to have freedom of speech and religion? What does it mean to have a right to privacy? What does it mean to be protected from unreasonable searches and seizures? Do people have a right to slaughter animals during religious ceremonies? Should women and ethnic/racial minorities have special rights?
The Congress: Making Law
Who is in Congress? How do they get there? What does a Congressperson do?
The President: Leading the Nation
Who has held the office of the presidency? How did they get their job? What does a president do? What makes an effective president?
Political Parties and Interest Groups
What are the virtues and vices of political parties? Of interest groups? Of the American political system as a whole?

Teaching Methods:

This course is an interesting mixture–a lecture course in which participation and discussion is not only encouraged but is expected. I look forward to intelligent questions and lively debates. Be sure to complete the assigned reading before each class; otherwise, you will be unable to take effective notes and to enter into the discussions. While lectures will cover the general topics, lectures and reading material are meant to complement each other rather than repeat each other; thus, attendance is critical. Preparation and attendance is especially critical during the planned simulations.

Required Course Materials

Textbook: B.A. Bardes, M.C. Shelley and S.W. Schmidt. American Government and Politics Today: The Essentials. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning. 2001. This textbook may be purchased at the college bookstore.

Supplemental Readings:

Over the course of the term you will be required to read a number of short academic articles, selections from books and commentaries relevant to the course. These readings are listed below and have been placed on traditional and/or electronic reserve in the library.

John Mueller. "Democracy's Romantic Myths" Debating Democracy. Bruce
Miroff, ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. 2001. pp. 34-41.
Martin Luther King, Jr. "Letter from Birmingham Jail."
Richard Hofstadter. The American Political Tradition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf,
Inc. 1948.
John D. Donahue. "The Devil in Devolution." Debating Democracy. Bruce Miroff, ed.
New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. 2001. pp. 60-65.
Edwin Meese III. "A Jurisprudence of Original Intention." Debating Democracy. Bruce
Miroff, ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. 2001. pp. 328-334.
William J. Brennan, Jr. "Reading the Constitution as Twentieth Century Americans."
Debating Democracy. Bruce Miroff, ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin
Company.
2001. pp. 334-341.
Richard E. Neustadt. "The Power to Persuade." American Politics. Alan J. Cigler and
Burdett A. Loomis, eds. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1999. pp. 376-382.

Expectations, Assignments and Grading

Attendance:

Class attendance is required. Learning is an active process, and it is simply impossible for you to participate if you are not here. I am not sympathetic to those who complain that the class is too early or that the parking lots were full. You are allowed two absences this semester. Your third absence will result in a 1% deduction from your final grade.

Tardiness:

When you make an appointment with a friend, you expect him or her to be on time. Your employer, too, depends on you to arrive promptly each day. Likewise, I plan to start class on time and expect that you will be there. Occasionally you may find it necessary to be late. In that case, I would certainly prefer that you come to class late rather than miss the entire hour. However, tardiness should never develop into a pattern.

Exams:

This semester you will be required to take three examinations. The exams will be comprised of an in-class (multiple-choice, short answer and essay questions) and take-home (essay) component that will be explained in class. The exams will be administered on the dates specified in the "schedule" section of the syllabus. There will be no make-up examinations given and no late take-home examinations will be graded except under extraordinary, documented circumstances.

Quizzes:

I do not expect that attendance will be a problem. Nor do I expect that students will fail to complete their assigned readings. However, should these problems arise I reserve the right to administer ten-point "pop-quizzes" over the assigned reading without warning. There will be no make-up quizzes under any circumstances. You will be allowed to drop your single lowest quiz score.

Grading:

There are 300 points possible in this class. Each of the 3 exams is worth 100 points. In other words, each of the 3 exams (take-home and in-class portions combined) is worth 1/3 of your course grade. For each take-home portion of an exam, 50 points are possible. For each in-class portion of an exam, 50 points are possible.

A: 100-90% B+: 89-87% B: 86-80% C+: 79-77%
C: 76-70% D+: 69-67% D: 66-60% F: 59 and below.

Academic Honesty:

Page 19 of the 2002-03 catalog states: "Students are expected to contribute actively to the development of an atmosphere of academic integrity. Mercyhurst College assumes, therefore, that students will not resort to plagiarism or any other form of academic dishonesty. Students found guilty of willful academic dishonesty will automatically receive a grade of F in the course. Students may be referred to the Dean and are subject to possible disciplinary action in unusually serious cases. Any Student found to be in collaboration with another student involved in academic dishonesty is also subject to disciplinary action. Disciplinary action may be appealed to the Academic Policies Committee for final disposition." This policy will be strictly enforced.

Schedule*

Section 1: American Government and Politics: The Basic Questions.
Bardes, Shelly and Schmidt, Chapters 1 and 6.

Week of March 10:

Why is having knowledge about government important?
How much government is necessary?
Should we consent to be governed?
• Martin Luther King, Jr. "Letter from Birmingham Jail"

Week of March 17:

Who has power in the American political system?
Can we have democracy and effective government at the same time?
• John Mueller. "Democracy's Romantic Myths"

Section 2: The Constitution: Its Framing and Content.
Bardes, Shelly and Schmidt, Chapters 2 and 3.

Week of March 24:

Who wrote the U.S. Constitution and what does it say?
• Richard Hofstadter. The American Political Tradition.
The U.S. Constitution: Effective government, democracy or both?
What are the costs and benefits of a strong central government?
• John D. Donahue. "The Devil in Devolution."

MONDAY, MARCH 31: EXAMINATION NO. 1

Section 3: The Federal Court System: Interpreting the Law.
Bardes, Shelly and Schmidt, Chapter 13

Week of March 31:

What do federal courts do?
What does the Supreme Court do? How does it do it?
How do we justify judicial review in a more or less democratic system?
• Edwin Meese III. "A Jurisprudence of Original Intention."
• William J. Brennan, Jr. "Reading the Constitution as Twentieth Century Americans."

Section 4: Civil Liberties and Rights: Interpreting the Constitution.
Bardes, Shelly and Schmidt, Chapters 4 and 5.

Week of April 7:

What does it mean to have freedom of speech?
Does having a right to privacy mean that a women has a right to have an abortion?
What keeps the police out of our homes?

Week of April 14:

Do people have a right to slaughter animals during religious ceremonies?
Should women and ethnic/racial minorities have special rights?

MONDAY, APRIL 21: EXAMINATION 2

Section 6: The Congress: Making Law.
Bardes, Shelly and Schmidt, Chapters 9 and 10.

Week of April 21:

Who is in Congress? How do they get there?
What does a Congressperson do?
Are there differences between the House and Senate?

Section 7: The President: Leading the Nation.
Bardes, Shelly and Schmidt, Chapters 11 and 12.

Week of April 28:

Who has held the office of the presidency? How did they get their job? What does a president do?
What makes an effective president?
• Richard E. Neustadt. "The Power to Persuade."

Section 8: Political Parties and Interest Groups.
Bardes, Shelly and Schmidt, Chapters 7 and 8.

Week of May 5:

Political parties–A virtue or vice?
Interest groups–A virtue or vice?

Week of May 12:

The American political system–Its virtues and vices.

FINAL EXAMINATION

*This syllabus/schedule is not written in stone. In other words, assignments may be added, deleted or otherwise modified and the dates of exams and lectures will undoubtedly change. If such changes occur you will be advised in class.