American National Government- Instructor

Outline: American National Government- Instructor: Paula J. Turner
Week 1- Understanding the D2L User System and Introduction of Students
In the first week, please make yourself familiar with the online learning system and enter the
discussion board and introduce yourself. Why are you taking this course? Where you from are
and what are you most looking forward to learning about this semester in American National
Government?
Week 2 and 3- Understanding “Power and Democracy?”
(Synopsis of Political Philosophy)
Chapter 1: The Study of American Government, Handouts on Aristotle’s “City-State”

Meaning of Power and Democracy (Direct vs. Representative Democracy)

o Greek Ideals of the Concepts-“city-state” and Aristotle (PLEASE read
journal article. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy; Central Michigan
Univ. Aristotle: Politics. Go to the following link and enter Aristotle in
the weblink search box. www.iep.utm.edu
o PLEASE FOCUS on this SECTIONS 7 and 8 in regard to ETHICS
and POLITICS on the iep weblink on Aristotle

Majority vs. Elitism: Marxism, Mills, Weber and Pluralism

Assignment Due on: February 15th @ 11:59 pm: in aprox. 1500-2000 words;
please discuss what the difference is between Direct vs. Representative
Democracy and in addition; how did Aristotle’s early ideas on a “city-state”
influence the ideas on Democracy? Value 20%

Week 4, 5, 6 and 7- Creation of a New Nation-The American Revolution
Chapter 2: The Constitution, Chapter 3: Federalism; Revolutionaries: A History of the Invention
of America;

The Birthing of A Nation-Why? The American Revolution (The Stamp Act of 1765, Tea
Party, Shot Heard Round the World- Forward) (Additional Reader: Part I -The Crisis)
PLEASE GO TO History.com and watch all 12; 3 min videos at
http://www.history.com/topics/thomas-jefferson-and-the-drafting-of-the-declarationof-independence

Concept of “Natural Rights” (Declaration of the Rights of Man 1789) PLEASE
GO TO: Yale Law School’s The Avalon Project: Documents in Law, History

and Diplomacy and read Lafayette’s work:
http://www.avalaon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/rightso.fasap

The Influence of the French on the Success of the Revolution, Case Study: The
Marquis de Lafayette:
o Who was this Man and how did he help us to win the Revolution? His
deep convictions on the concept of Natural Rights and his influence upon
the creation of our Declaration of Independence and Washington D.C.
(PLEASE G TO The Foundation for Economic Education’s article, The
Freeman: Ideas on Liberty by; J. Powell and read article:
http://www.thefreemanonline.org/feature/lafayette-hero-of-two-worlds/

The Founders -Who Were They and Why? (Reader: Part II Challenges: The
First Constitutional Makers, Vain Liberators and The Diplomats-Adams,
Jefferson etc.)

Case Study: Pick a “Founder” Who Were They?
o i.e.: Jefferson the Statesman, the First Diplomat, the Writer, the
Farmer and Framer

The Constitution: The Virginia Plan, The New Jersey Plan

Federalists vs. AntiFederalists

Assignment Due on: March 15th by 11:59 pm- In addition; why was the
American Revolution considered a war of ideology and how did the early
colonist’s relationship with The Marquis de Lafayette influences this in finding
success for “the Cause?” cite examples. Why was this Frenchman so
influential? In addition, choose one early “Founder” (Man or Woman) and
discuss how their “personal” ideologies and/ or life circumstances influenced
their decision to become actively involved in the Revolution and cite 3
significant contributions they have made to the creation of the US Government.
Value: 20%

Week 8, 9 and 10 -The Three Branches of Government
Executive, Legislative and Judicial
Chapter 13: Congress, Chapter 14: The Presidency, Chapter 15: Bureaucracy, Chapter 16: The
Judiciary

The Legislative Branch

o The Evolution of Congress, Who is Congress and Why? The “First Branch
of Gov.”

o House vs. Senate: Creation, Representative Gov., Majority vs. Minority
Whip, Organization and Structure, Powers
o What is a Bill? Birth of a Bill, Life of a Bill and Death of a Bill
The Executive

o The Presidency-Evolution of the Presidency, Concerns of the Founders,
The Electoral College, –The First President: Who was Washington and
Why Him?(Additional Reader: p91,119-120,141-49,150,269-272) 1778
Campaign, Valley Forge, Yorktown, Mount Vernon
o Presidential Power-Bills,/Veto Bills, Relationship with Congress,
Persuasion and Influence, Terms of Office, Impeachment, Role of the Vice
President
o The Bureaucracy- Presidents CABINET, Creation of a Bureaucracy,
Government Departments ex: Dept of Agriculture, Dept of Defense,
Department of the Treasury
The Judiciary

o Development of the Courts-The Civil War and It’s Influence on the Court
System-A Nation Divided
o State vs. Federal Courts –McCulloh v. ; Dred Scott v. Sanford;
1930s
o The Supreme Court
Constitutional vs. Legislative Courts (2 Types of Courts)
Federal Court’s Powers
Creation of Supreme Court, Apt. to the Court, Supreme Court and
the Protection of the US Constitution
Test to be completed and uploaded by April 5th @ 11:59pm: Instructor provided
exam. Short answer, multiple choice and short essays in regard to the three
branches of government. Value 20%

Week 11 and 12- Political Parties-Creation, Strength and Influence (Federal vs. State Gov.)
Chapter 9: Political Parties, Chapter 10: Elections and Campaigns and Chapter 11: Interest
Groups

Founding of the Party System: Why different from Europe 1800s and Birth of the
Republican Party vs. Federalist Party

o Jacksonians and the Civil War
o Reform-Mugwumps, Progressives and Reformers
o Party Realignment

2 Party System of Today

Republicans v Democrats Is it REALLY still a 2 party system? Discussion of
new Parties such as Tea Party etc. Who are they? Why?

Elections and Campaigns
o Nomination of the Individual to Represent the Party-How and Why?
Difference from British Parliamentary System and other Systems and
Regimes
o Presidential v Congressional Races-Similarities and Differences
o Primary vs General Campaigns
o The Electoral College- How does the system work?
The Future Election of 2012- What are the Issues? Who is Running? (Putting
Understanding into Practice)
Interest Groups

o Their Evolution since the American Revolution-Personal Interests
o Cultural, Political, Social, Economic, Gender Influences etc.-Social
Movements
o Civil War, Vietnam – Vietnam (1960s and its Influence on Movements)
PLEASE Go to History.com and watch all 20 3 min short videos on the
Civil War at
http://www.history.com/topics/battle-of-gettysburg/videos#grant-or-lee
Kinds of Interest Groups
Interests
Funding (Grant Organizations, Federal Grants etc.)
No Assignment due at this time

Week 13 and 14- the US Military: It’s Role, Who Controls It, It’s Checks on Presidential Power
Attached Material to Course Content: Foreign and Military Policy

Washington The General

o Formation of the Army (additional reader pp 121-149)
How Washington’s early ideas help to create the idea of a military
branch
o Minuteman? Who was He? What did he believe? (Creation of the
First National Guard)
PLEASE go to HISTORY.com link
http://www.history.com/topics/george-washington and watch all 14
3min videos on George Washington
Role of the Military and the US Foreign Service
o Upholding US Foreign Policy, Protection of Enemies Foreign and
Domestic, Checks and Balances on the President PLEASE go to

HISTORY.com link http://www.history.com/videos/nixons-secret-planto-end-vietnam-war#nixons-secret-plan-to-end-vietnam-wa click on the
1st video and watch the following 10 on Foreign and Military Policy;
some discuss Vietnam; others WWII etc.
o WWII and Its Role in Changing our Idea of the US Military, US Influence
on Global Foreign Policy and the idea of “Isolationism” (Case Study: DDay: putting Foreign Policy into action and changing the relationship
between the US and the World).PLEASE go to HISTORY.com link
http://www.history.com/topics/d-day/videos#d-day-invasion Click on the
1st video and continue watching all 23: each aprox. 3 min. long. I
encourage you to also listen to the two speech and audio clips and the 1
Interactive. Also please go to: PBS. com’s video link: Secrets of the
Dead: Escape from Auschwitz htpp://video.pbs.org/video/1239472626
(This video is 53 min long.)
o The Role of the Military in the President’s Cabinet
o The Constitution’s Description of the Role of the Military: War Powers
Act of 1973
o National Security Act of 1947: Different Branches of Service, 1986 Joint
Reorganization
When Foreign Policy Leads to the Use of Military Force
o When Can Military Force be enacted?
o Humanitarianism and the Military
o Afghanistan and Iraq-Where are we today and how having these wars
changed the role of the modern US Military and how the US enacts its
foreign policy? Washington Post with Foreign Policy online. Please go to
link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/specials/iraq and also
view the same link’s articles and videos on Afghanistan. Read Articles and
news discussion videos.

Assignment Due on: May 3rd by 11:59pm : In 3000+ words one of the
following three topics to write about:
A.) Discuss how events during the Civil War and the Vietnam Era of the 1960s created
and altered the party systems of a Modern Era: creating a majority two party system?
How did the issues of the time cause political culture to change and in addition, how does
the Electoral College system keep elections fair?
B.)Discuss why the US Military is significant to the checks and balance system of the
United States and why it is important in upholding US Foreign Policy. Discuss how George
Washington’s ideals, person and challenges as a Military and National Leader; shaped
who the US Military is today and cite specifics from his military life prior to and during the
American Revolution. What do you think Washington would say today about the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan and America’s role in it?

C.) Discuss the role of the US Military history in WWII and discuss how the US Military
contributed to the successful or unsuccessful fulfillment of the US Foreign Policy upon a
specific nation or region involved in the conflict. How did the War Powers Act influence
this role? Cite at least two specific military and or foreign policy operations in which the
US Military was successful or unsuccessful and how this success or lack thereof; altered the
continued implementation or changed the policy the US was trying to bring forth to the
affected Foreign Nation. In your opinion; did the success of the US military (and allied
forces) during WWII influence the future of US military intervention in future global
conflicts? What can be learned from US history and political-military intervention when it
comes to modern conflicts? Value 20%
Please use the final week to turn in ANY assignments that have been pre-approved for
submission due to reasons already discussed with Instructor. Assignments without preapproval WILL NOT be accepted.

Explanation & Answer

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