United States Government

Civics - Structure and Functions of the Government

Civics - Political Philosophy

Civics - Interpretation and Application of Constitutional Principles

Analyze the organization and structure of the United States Constitution and its role in defining the powers and functions of the federal government.

Understand the role of citizens in society, the ways the government protects the rights of citizens, the electoral process, and the role of political parties.

Understand the process of making and changing laws and the ways institutions work together in carrying out the laws.

Analyze the purpose, organization, powers, and function of the legislative branch of government, including the legislative process and the role of the Senate in giving states equal representation, using Article I of the Constitution and other primary and secondary sources.

Analyze the purpose, organization, powers, and function of the executive branch of government, including the electoral college process, duties of the President, and supporting executive branch agencies using Article II of the Constitution and other primary and secondary sources.

Analyze the purpose, organization, powers, and function of the judicial branch of government, including judicial review and the origin and duties of the court system and Supreme Court, as outlined by Article III of the Constitution, Marbury vs. Madison, and other primary and secondary sources.

Analyze the powers and responsibilities of the federal government:<ul><li>Enumerated</li><li>Implied</li><li>Delegated</li><li>Concurrent</li><li>Reserved</li></ul>

Analyze the reasons for and effectiveness of a system of checks and balances within the federal government.

Examine the continuity and change over time of the composition and roles of the Presidential Cabinet and federal agencies.

Evaluate the development and limitations of the federal bureaucracy as a "fourth branch" of the federal government.

Analyze the foundation and structure of federalism as prescribed in the Supremacy Clause of Article VI, the Tenth Amendment, and the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution.

Analyze the division of power and the relationships between federal and state government.

Analyze the relationships among the states as prescribed in the Full Faith and Credit Clause of Article IV.

Examine the reasons and processes for amending the U.S. Constitution, including the role of Congress, state legislatures, and convention of the states (Article V).

Analyze the impact of the federal government's fiscal policy on the economy and the citizens of the United States, including taxing, spending, regulation, and printing of currency.

Evaluate the roles and effectiveness various government agencies play in maintaining the nation's economic health.

Analyze the underlying causes and events that led the Founders to replace the Articles of Confederation with the U.S. Constitution, including Shays' Rebellion, the perceived weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, and disputes between states.

Analyze the purposes of government as explained in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution.

Evaluate the rationale for the organization of articles of the U.S. Constitution.

Analyze the purposes of the Bill of Rights.

Compare the arguments expressed in the debate over ratification of the U.S. Constitution, including Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers

Examine how the writings of John Locke, John Winthrop, Charles-Louis Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, William Blackstone, and other sources influenced the formation of the United States government. Other sources may include:<ul><li>Key documents (e.g., Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, Mayflower Compact)</li><li>Greek (e.g., Aristotle, Greek democracy)</li><li>Roman (e.g., separation of powers, representative democracy)</li><li>Judeo-Christian traditions</li></ul>

Analyze the influence of social, economic, religious, and political factors within the American colonies, including the concept of self-government, on the formation of the American government.

Analyze social, economic, religious, and political factors that influenced the American colonists to overthrow British monarchical rule, including acts of Parliament and King George III that disrupted the colonists' way of life and governance.

Analyze social, economic, religious, and political factors, including the Great Awakening, which influenced the Founders to limit the powers of government.

Evaluate the Declaration of Independence as a persuasive argument for justifying revolution.

Analyze the Constitutional Convention and Federalist Papers to explain the decision by the Founders to establish a democratic republic.

Analyze major U.S. Supreme Court decisions affecting our understanding of the U.S. Constitution, including Marbury vs. Madison and McCullah vs. Maryland.

Explain ways the U.S. Constitution and U.S. Supreme Court decisions have defined, recognized, and protected or not protected civil liberties, due process, and equal protection from governmental intrusion over time.

Define different judicial philosophies and evaluate how they have governed Supreme Court decisions over time:<ul><li>Judicial activism</li><li>Judicial restraint</li><li>Originalism</li><li>Textualism</li><li>Contextualism</li><li>Judicial pragmatism (i.e., "Living Constitution")</li></ul>

Analyze various federal laws, policies, and rulings concerning civil rights of individuals and groups.

Examine causes and effects of amendments to the U.S. Constitution after the Bill of Rights.

Apply constitutional principles, such as popular sovereignty and checks and balances, to a variety of current issues using landmark rulings.