American Government and Politics

Introduction to American Government and Politics
1
Overview of the course
2
The purpose of government
3
The different forms of government
The Constitution and Federalism
1
The origins of the Constitution
2
The principles of federalism
3
The powers and limitations of the federal government
The Legislative Branch
1
The structure of Congress
2
The law-making process
3
The role of committees
The Executive Branch
1
The structure of the presidency
2
The powers of the president
3
The role of the bureaucracy
The Judicial Branch
1
The structure of the federal court system
2
The role of the Supreme Court
3
The interpretation of the Constitution
Elections and Political Participation
1
The electoral system
2
The electoral system
3
Campaign finance
Political Parties and Interest Groups
1
The role of political parties
2
The different types of interest groups
3
Lobbying and advocacy
Review and Assessment
1
Review of the course material
2
Final assessment