AP Gov Midyear

UNIT 1:

Foundations of

American Democracy

The U.S. Constitution arose out of important historical and

philosophical ideas and preferences regarding popular sovereignty

and limited government. Compromises were made during the

Constitutional Convention and ratification debates, and these

compromises have frequently been the source of conflict

in U.S. politics over the proper balance between individual

freedom, social order, and equality of opportunity.

Content Outline

Enduring Understanding

Students will understand

that …

LOR-1: A balance between

governmental power and

individual rights has been

a hallmark of American

political development.

BIG IDEA:

Liberty and Order

Learning Objective

Essential Knowledge

Students will be able to … Students will know that …

LOR-1.A: Explain how

democratic ideals are

reflected in the Declaration

of Independence and the

U.S. Constitution.

LOR-1.A.1: The U.S. government is based on ideas of limited

government, including natural rights, popular sovereignty,

republicanism, and social contract.

LOR-1.A.2: The Declaration of Independence, drafted by Jefferson

with help from Adams and Franklin, provides a foundation for popular

sovereignty, while the U.S. Constitution drafted at the Philadelphia

convention led by George Washington, with important contributions from

Madison, Hamilton, and members of the “grand committee,” provides the

blueprint for a unique form of political democracy in the U.S.

LOR-1.B: Explain how

models of representative

democracy are visible in

major institutions, policies,

events, or debates in the

U.S.

LOR-1.B.1: Representative democracies can take several forms along this

scale:

w Participatory democracy, which emphasizes broad participation in politics

and civil society

w Pluralist democracy, which recognizes group-based activism by

nongovernmental interests striving for impact on political decision making

w Elite democracy, which emphasizes limited participation in politics and civil

society

LOR-1.B.2: Different aspects of the U.S. Constitution, as well as the

debate between the Federalist No. 10 and Brutus No. 1, reflect the

tension between the broad participatory model and the more filtered

participation of the pluralist and elite models.

LOR-1.B.3: The three models of representative democracy continue to be

reflected in contemporary institutions and political behavior.

CON-1: The Constitution

emerged from the debate

about the weaknesses in the

Articles of Confederation

as a blueprint for limited

government.

BIG IDEA:

Constitutionalism

CON-1.B: Explain the

relationship between key

provisions of the Articles

of Confederation and the

debate over granting the

federal government greater

power formerly reserved to

the states.

CON-1.A: Explain how

Federalist and Anti-

Federalist views on central

government and democracy

are reflected in U.S.

foundational documents.

CON-1.A.1: Madison’s arguments in Federalist No. 10 focused on the

superiority of a large republic in controlling the “mischiefs of faction,”

delegating authority to elected representatives and dispersing power

between the states and national government.

CON-1.A.2: Anti-Federalist writings, including Brutus No. 1, adhered

to popular democratic theory that emphasized the benefits of a small

decentralized republic while warning of the dangers to personal liberty

from a large, centralized government.

CON-1.B.1: Specific incidents and legal challenges that highlighted key

weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation are represented by the:

w Lack of centralized military power to address Shays’ Rebellion

w Lack of tax-law enforcement power

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Content Outline

Enduring Understanding

Students will understand

that …

CON-1: The Constitution

emerged from the debate

about the weaknesses in the

Articles of Confederation

as a blueprint for limited

government.

BIG IDEA:

Constitutionalism

(continued)

Learning Objective

Essential Knowledge

Students will be able to … Students will know that …

CON-1.C: Explain the

ongoing impact of

political negotiation

and compromise at the

Constitutional Convention

on the development of the

constitutional system.

CON-1.C.1: Compromises deemed necessary for adoption and ratification

of the Constitution are represented by the:

w Great (Connecticut) Compromise

w Electoral College

w Three-Fifths Compromise

w Compromise on the importation of slaves

CON-1.C.2: Debates about self-government during the drafting of the

Constitution necessitated the drafting of an amendment process in

Article V that entailed either a two-thirds vote in both houses or a

proposal from two-thirds of the state legislatures, with final ratification

determined by three-fourths of the states.

CON-1.C.3: The compromises necessary to secure ratification of the

Constitution left some matters unresolved that continue to generate

discussion and debate today.

CON-1.C.4: The debate over the role of the central government, the

powers of state governments, and the rights of individuals remains at

the heart of present-day constitutional issues about democracy and

governmental power, as represented by:

w Debates about government surveillance resulting from the federal

government’s response to the 9/11 attacks

w The debate about the role of the federal government in public school

education

PMI-1: The Constitution

created a competitive

policy-making process to

ensure the people’s will

is represented and that

freedom is preserved.

BIG IDEA: Competing

Policy-Making Interests

PMI-1.A: Explain the

constitutional principles of

separation of powers and

checks and balances.

PMI-1.A.1: The powers allocated to Congress, the president, and the

courts demonstrate the separation of powers and checks and balances

features of the U.S. Constitution.

PMI-1.A.2: Federalist No. 51 explains how constitutional provisions

of separation of powers and checks and balances control abuses by

majorities.

PMI-1.B: Explain the

implications of separation

of powers and checks

and balances for the U.S.

political system.

CON-2: Federalism reflects

the dynamic distribution of

power between national and

state governments.

BIG IDEA: Constitutionalism

CON-2.A: Explain how

societal needs affect the

constitutional allocation of

power between the national

and state governments.

PMI-1.B.1: Multiple access points for stakeholders and institutions to

influence public policy flows from the separation of powers and checks

and balances.

PMI-1.B.2: Impeachment, removal, and other legal actions taken against

public officials deemed to have abused their power reflect the purpose of

checks and balances.

CON-2.A.1: The exclusive and concurrent powers of the national and

state governments help explain the negotiations over the balance of

power between the two levels.

CON-2.A.2: The distribution of power between federal and state

governments to meet the needs of society changes, as reflected by

grants, incentives, and aid programs, including federal revenue sharing,

mandates, categorical grants, and block grants.

AP U.S. Government and Politics Course Framework

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Content Outline

Enduring Understanding

Students will understand

that …

CON-2: Federalism reflects

the dynamic distribution of

power between national and

state governments.

BIG IDEA: Constitutionalism

(continued)

Learning Objective

Essential Knowledge

Students will be able to … Students will know that …

CON-2.B: Explain how

the appropriate balance of

power between national and

state governments has been

interpreted differently over

time.

CON-2.B.1: The interpretation of the Tenth and Fourteenth

Amendments, the commerce clause, the necessary and proper clause,

and other enumerated and implied powers is at the heart of the debate

over the balance of power between the national and state governments.

CON-2.B.2: The balance of power between the national and state

governments has changed over time based on U.S. Supreme Court

interpretation of such cases as:

w McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), which declared that Congress has implied

powers necessary to implement its enumerated powers and established

supremacy of the U.S. Constitution and federal laws over state laws

w United States v. Lopez (1995), which ruled that Congress may not use

the commerce clause to make possession of a gun in a school zone a

federal crime, introducing a new phase of federalism that recognized the

importance of state sovereignty and local control

CON-2.C: Explain how

the distribution of powers

among three federal

branches and between

national and state

governments impacts policy

making.

CON-2.C.1: Multiple access points for stakeholders and institutions

to influence public policy flows from the allocation of powers between

national and state governments.

CON-2.C.2: National policymaking is constrained by the sharing of power

between and among the three branches and state governments.

AP U.S. Government and Politics Course Framework

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Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

UNIT 3:

Civil Liberties and

Civil Rights

Through the U.S. Constitution, but primarily through the Bill of

Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment, citizens and groups

have attempted to restrict national and state governments

from unduly infringing upon individual rights essential to

ordered liberty and from denying equal protection under the

law. Likewise, it has sometimes been argued that these

legal protections have been used to block reforms and

restrict freedoms of others in the name of social order.

Content Outline

Enduring Understanding

Students will understand

that …

LOR-2: Provisions of the

U.S. Constitution’s Bill of

Rights are continually being

interpreted to balance the

power of government and the

civil liberties of individuals.

BIG IDEA:

Liberty and Order

Learning Objective

Essential Knowledge

Students will be able to … Students will know that …

LOR-2.A: Explain how the

U.S. Constitution protects

individual liberties and

rights.

LOR-2.A.1: The U.S. Constitution includes a Bill of Rights specifically

designed to protect individual liberties and rights.

LOR-2.A.2: Civil liberties are constitutionally established guarantees and

freedoms that protect citizens, opinions, and property against arbitrary

government interference.

LOR-2.A.3: The application of the Bill of Rights is continuously

interpreted by the courts.

LOR-2.B: Describe the rights

protected in the Bill of

Rights.

LOR-2.C: Explain the extent

to which the Supreme

Court’s interpretation

of the First and Second

Amendments reflects a

commitment to individual

liberty.

LOR-2.B.1: The Bill of Rights consists of the first ten Amendments to the

Constitution, which enumerate the liberties and rights of individuals.

LOR-2.C.1: The interpretation and application of the First Amendment’s

establishment and free exercise clauses reflect an ongoing debate over

balancing majoritarian religions practice and free exercise, as represented

by such cases as:

w Engel v. Vitale (1962), which declared school sponsorship of religious

activities violates the establishment clause

w Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972), which held that compelling Amish students to

attend school past the eighth grade violates the free exercise clause

LOR-2.C.2: The Supreme Court has held that symbolic speech is protected

by the First Amendment, demonstrated by Tinker v. Des Moines

Independent Community School District (1969), in which the court

ruled that public school students could wear black armbands in school to

protest the Vietnam War.

LOR-2.C.3: Efforts to balance social order and individual freedom are

reflected in interpretations of the First Amendment that limit speech,

including:

w Time, place, and manner regulations

w Defamatory, offensive, and obscene statements and gestures

w That which creates a “clear and present danger” based on the ruling in

Schenck v. United States (1919)

LOR-2.C.4: In New York Times Co. v. United States (1971), the Supreme

Court bolstered the freedom of the press, establishing a “heavy

presumption against prior restraint” even in cases involving national

security.

LOR-2.C.5: The Supreme Court’s decisions on the Second Amendment

rest upon its constitutional interpretation of individual liberty.

AP U.S. Government and Politics Course Framework

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Content Outline

Enduring Understanding

Students will understand

that …

LOR-2: Provisions of the

U.S. Constitution’s Bill of

Rights are continually being

interpreted to balance the

power of government and the

civil liberties of individuals.

BIG IDEA:

Liberty and Order

(continued)

LOR-3: Protections of the

Bill of Rights have been

selectively incorporated

by way of the Fourteenth

Amendment’s due process

clause to prevent state

infringement of basic

liberties.

BIG IDEA:

Liberty and Order

Learning Objective

Essential Knowledge

Students will be able to … Students will know that …

LOR-2.D: Explain how

the Supreme Court has

attempted to balance claims

of individual freedom with

laws and enforcement

procedures that promote

public order and safety.

LOR-2.D.1: Court decisions defining cruel and unusual punishment

involve interpretation of the Eighth Amendment and its application to

state death penalty statutes over time.

LOR-2.D.2: The debate about the Second and Fourth Amendments

involves concerns about public safety and whether or not the government

regulation of firearms or collection of digital metadata promotes or

interferes with public safety and individual rights.

LOR-3.A: Explain the

implications of the doctrine

of selective incorporation.

LOR-3.A.1: The doctrine of selective incorporation has imposed on state

regulation of civil rights and liberties as represented by:

w McDonald v. Chicago (2010), which ruled the Second Amendment’s right

to keep and bear arms for self-defense in one’s home is applicable to the

states through the Fourteenth Amendment

LOR-3.B: Explain the

extent to which states are

limited by the due process

clause from infringing upon

individual rights.

LOR-3.B.1: The Supreme Court has on occasion ruled in favor of states’

power to restrict individual liberty; for example, when speech can be

shown to increase the danger to public safety.

LOR-3.B.2: The Miranda rule involves the interpretation and application of

accused persons’ due process rights as protected by the Fifth and Sixth

Amendments, yet the Supreme Court has sanctioned a public safety

exception that allows unwarned interrogation to stand as direct evidence

in court.

LOR-3.B.3: Pretrial rights of the accused and the prohibition of unreasonable

searches and seizures are intended to ensure that citizen liberties are not

eclipsed by the need for social order and security, including:

w The right to legal counsel, a speedy and public trial, and an impartial jury

w Protection against warrantless searches of cell phone data under the Fourth

Amendment

w Limitations placed on bulk collection of telecommunication metadata

(Patriot and USA Freedom Acts)

LOR-3.B.4: The due process clause has been applied to guarantee the

right to an attorney and protection from unreasonable searches and

seizures, as represented by:

w Gideon v. Wainwright (1963), which guaranteed the right to an attorney for

the poor or indigent in a state felony case

w The exclusionary rule, which stipulates that evidence illegally seized by law

enforcement officers in violation of the suspect’s Fourth Amendment right

to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures cannot be used against

that suspect in criminal prosecution

AP U.S. Government and Politics Course Framework

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Content Outline

Enduring Understanding

Students will understand

that …

LOR-3: Protections of the

Bill of Rights have been

selectively incorporated

by way of the Fourteenth

Amendment’s due process

clause to prevent state

infringement of basic

liberties.

BIG IDEA:

Liberty and Order

(continued)

PRD-1: The Fourteenth

Amendment’s equal

protection clause as well

as other constitutional

provisions have often

been used to support the

advancement of equality.

BIG IDEA:

Civic Participation in a

Representative Democracy

PMI-3: Public policy

promoting civil rights is

influenced by citizen–state

interactions and constitutional

interpretation over time.

BIG IDEA:

Competing Policy-Making

Interests

CON-6: The Supreme

Court’s interpretation

of the U.S. Constitution

is influenced by the

composition of the

Court and citizen–state

interactions. At times, it has

restricted minority rights

and, at others, protected

them.

BIG IDEA:

Constitutionalism

Learning Objective

Essential Knowledge

Students will be able to … Students will know that …

LOR-3.B: Explain the

extent to which states are

limited by the due process

clause from infringing upon

individual rights.

(continued)

LOR-3.B.5: While a right to privacy is not explicitly named in the Constitution,

the Supreme Court has interpreted the due process clause to protect the right

of privacy from state infringement. This interpretation of the due process

clause has been the subject of controversy, such as has resulted from:

w Roe v. Wade (1973), which extended the right of privacy to a woman’s

decision to have an abortion while recognizing compelling state interests in

potential life and maternal health

PRD-1.A: Explain how

constitutional provisions

have supported and

motivated social movements.

PRD-1.A.1: Civil rights protect individuals from discrimination based

on characteristics such as race, national origin, religion, and sex; these

rights are guaranteed to all citizens under the due process and equal

protection clauses of the U.S. Constitution, as well as acts of Congress.

PRD-1.A.2: The leadership and events associated with civil, women’s,

and LGBTQ rights are evidence of how the equal protection clause can

support and motivate social movements, as represented by:

w Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and the civil

rights movement of the 1960s

w The National Organization for Women and the women’s rights movement

w The pro-life (anti-abortion) movement

PMI-3.A: Explain how the

government has responded

to social movements.

PMI-3.A.1: The government can respond to social movements through

court rulings and/or policies, as in:

w Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which declared that race-based school

segregation violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause

w The Civil Rights Act of 1964

w Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972

w The Voting Rights Act of 1965

CON-6.A: Explain how the

Supreme Court has at times

allowed the restriction of

the civil rights of minority

groups and at other times

has protected those rights.

CON-6.A.1: Decisions demonstrating that minority rights have been

restricted at times and protected at other times include:

w State laws and Supreme Court holdings restricting African American

access to the same restaurants, hotels, schools, etc., as the majority white

population based on the “separate but equal” doctrine

w Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which declared that race-based school

segregation violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause

w The Supreme Court upholding the rights of the majority in cases that limit

and prohibit majority-minority districting

CON-6.A.2: The debate on affirmative action includes justices who insist

that the Constitution is colorblind and those who maintain that it forbids

only racial classifications designed to harm minorities, not help them.

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Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

UNIT 4:

American Political

Ideologies and Beliefs

American political beliefs are shaped by founding ideals,

core values, linkage institutions (e.g., elections, political

parties, interest groups, and the media in all its forms),

and the changing demographics of citizens. These beliefs

about government, politics, and the individual’s role in the

political system influence the creation of public policies.

Content Outline

Enduring Understanding

Students will understand

that …

MPA-1: Citizen beliefs

about government are

shaped by the intersection

of demographics, political

culture, and dynamic social

change.

BIG IDEA:

Methods of Political

Analysis

Learning Objective

Essential Knowledge

Students will be able to … Students will know that …

MPA-1.A: Explain the

relationship between core

beliefs of U.S. citizens and

attitudes about the role of

government.

MPA-1.B: Explain how

cultural factors influence

political attitudes and

socialization.

MPA-1.A.1: Different interpretations of core values, including

individualism, equality of opportunity, free enterprise, rule of law, and

limited government, affect the relationship between citizens and the

federal government and the relationships citizens have with one another.

MPA-1.B.1: Family, schools, peers, media, and social environments

(including civic and religious organizations) contribute to the

development of an individual’s political attitudes and values through the

process of political socialization.

MPA-1.B.2: As a result of globalization, U.S. political culture has both

influenced and been influenced by the values of other countries.

MPA-1.B.3: Generational and lifecycle effects also contribute to the

political socialization that influences an individual’s political attitudes.

MPA-1.B.4: The relative importance of major political events to the

development of individual political attitudes is an example of political

socialization.

MPA-2: Public opinion is

measured through scientific

polling, and the results

of public opinion polls

influence public policies and

institutions.

BIG IDEA:

Methods of Political

Analysis

MPA-2.A: Describe the

elements of a scientific poll.

MPA-2.A.1: Public opinion data that can impact elections and policy

debates is affected by such scientific polling types and methods as:

w Type of poll (opinion polls, benchmark or tracking polls, entrance and exit

polls)

w Sampling techniques, identification of respondents, mass survey or focus

group, sampling error

w Type and format of questions

MPA-2.B: Explain the quality

and credibility of claims

based on public opinion

data.

PMI-4: Widely held political

ideologies shape policy

debates and choices in

American policies.

BIG IDEA:

Competing Policy-Making

Interests

PMI-4.A: Explain how

the ideologies of the two

major parties shape policy

debates.

PMI-4.B: Explain how U.S.

political culture (e.g., values

attitudes, and beliefs)

influences the formation,

goals, and implementation

of public policy over time.

PMI-4.C: Describe different

political ideologies

regarding the role of

government in regulating

the marketplace.

MPA-2.B.1: The relationship between scientific polling and elections and

policy debates is affected by the:

w Importance of public opinion as a source of political influence in a given

election or policy debate

w Reliability and veracity of public opinion data

PMI-4.A.1: The Democratic Party (D or DEM) platforms generally align

more closely to liberal ideological positions, and the Republican Party

(R or GOP) platforms generally align more closely to conservative

ideological positions.

PMI-4.B.1: Because the U.S. is a democracy with a diverse society, public

, policies generated at any given time reflect the attitudes and beliefs of

citizens who choose to participate in politics at that time.

PMI-4.B.2: The balancing dynamic of individual liberty and government

efforts to promote stability and order has been reflected in policy debates

and their outcomes over time.

PMI-4.C.1: Liberal ideologies favor more governmental regulation of

the marketplace, conservative ideologies favor fewer regulations, and

libertarian ideologies favor little or no regulation of the marketplace

beyond the protection of property rights and voluntary trade.

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Enduring Understanding

Students will understand

that …

ideologies shape policy

debates and choices in

American policies.

BIG IDEA:

Competing Policy-Making

Interests

(continued)

Learning Objective

Essential Knowledge

Students will be able to … Students will know that …

PMI-4: Widely held political PMI-4.D: Explain how

political ideologies vary on

the government’s role in

regulating the marketplace.

PMI-4.E: Explain how

political ideologies vary on

the role of the government

in addressing social issues.

PMI-4.D.1: Ideological differences on marketplace regulation are based

on different theoretical support, including Keynesian and supply-side

positions on monetary and fiscal policies promoted by the president,

Congress, and the Federal Reserve.

PMI-4.E.1: Liberal ideologies tend to think that personal privacy—areas

of behavior where government should not intrude—extends further than

conservative ideologies do (except in arenas involving religious and

educational freedom); conservative ideologies favor less government

involvement to ensure social and economic equality; and libertarian

ideologies disfavor any governmental intervention beyond the protection

of private property and individual liberty.

PMI-4.F: Explain how

different ideologies impact

policy on social issues.

PMI-4.F.1: Policy trends concerning the level of government involvement

in social issues reflect the success of conservative or liberal perspectives

in political parties.