Mr. Davey's Class Pages : AP US Government & Politics

These are the sections for US Government. If you would like to watch and extra credit film, the document for the movie review is available here.

Foundations of American Democracy

Our initial unit discussed the historical and philosophical ideas regarding popular sovereignty, limited government and how it impacted the development of the constitution. We will trace how the creation of the Constitution and how it shaped the ongoing battles over a proper balance between individual freedom, social order, and equality of opportunity.

American Political Ideologies & Participation

This unit will teach two fundamental concepts. First, it will go over how American citizens political beliefs are developed and shaped and what common core values unite us. Secondly, we will examine at how citizen participation is effected indirectly through institutions such as political parties, interest groups, and the mass media which helps lead to venues for citizen influence on policy making. We will look at a variety of current political parties through the CHEESIE project.

The Role of the Judicial Branch: Civil Liberties & Civil Rights

This unit will examine how the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and amendments have effected personal liberties in relation to the government's desire to maintain order. For civil liberties we will examine how the due process clause iprevent states from unduly restricting fundamental freedoms and questions about where the government rights to protect clash with individual freedoms. We will also focus on civil rights and how the government can protect individuals from discrimination or harassment based on the following nine protected classes.

The Legislative Branch

Congress was meant to be a powerful law making body with its powers set forth in Article I of the Constitution. The bicameral institution passes laws that cover a wide range of policy areas, and each chamber has different responsibilities and rules. Compromise is an essential feature of the legislative branch but the Congress is currently facing a number of issues and is historically unpopular. We will discuss the role of Congress in law making and oversight along with its problems and some potential reforms. You will learn first hand how the Congress passes a law by a detailed senate simulation which will focus on ideological and practical issues facing the nation currently.

The Executive Branch & The Bureaucracy

Article II of the Constitution gives the president his power but he has gained a significant degree of informal power over time. This unit will examine the power of the presidency and the roles he completes on his own and those which interrelate with Congress. We will debate the power of the presidency during the unit as well. The president also oversees most of the bureaucracy but it also can play a check on his power. A core part of this unit will be the presidential simulation, in which you will play a role in the electoral process of electing a president.