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UNIT 1: Foundations of American Democracy 

Main Questions

How are democratic ideals reflected in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution? 

How do separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism limit government power? 

How do different models of democracy explain participation and representation? 

Key Concepts & Explanations 

• Enlightenment Ideas - 

  • Natural Rights: Life, liberty, property (Locke) 

  • Social Contract: Government exists to protect rights 

  • Popular Sovereignty: Power comes from the people 

  • Consent of the Governed: Citizens authorize government power 

• Articles of Confederation - 

  • Weak national government, strong states 

  •  No taxing power, no standing army 

  • Shays’ Rebellion exposed weaknesses 

• Constitutional Convention Compromises - 

  • Virginia Plan: Population-based representation 

  • - New Jersey Plan: Equal state representation 

  • - Great Compromise: Bicameral legislature 

  • - 3/5 Compromise: Counted enslaved people for representation/taxation 

  • - Electoral College: Indirect election of president 

• Federalism & Power 

  • - Enumerated Powers: Explicit federal powers -

  •  Reserved Powers: State powers (10th Amendment) - 

  • Concurrent Powers: Shared powers - 

  • Elastic Clause: Allows implied powers 

• Separation of Powers & Checks and Balances - 

  • Legislative: Makes laws

  •  - Executive: Enforces laws 

  • - Judicial: Interprets laws 

  • - Prevents tyranny by dividing authority 

• Judicial Review 

  • - Marbury v. Madison: Courts can declare laws unconstitutional 

• Factions & Federalist Papers - 

  • Federalist 10: Controls factions through a large republic -

  •  Federalist 51: Ambition counteracts ambition - 

  • Brutus 1: Warned strong national government threatens liberty 

• Models of Democracy - 

  • Participatory -

  •  Pluralist - 

  • Elite - 

  • Hyperpluralism 

UNIT 2: Political Culture, Ideology & Media 

Core Questions:

How do political beliefs and ideologies shape public policy? 

How does political socialization influence political behavior? 

How does the media influence public opinion, campaigns, and policy? 

Political Culture 

• Core American Values

  • Liberty

  •  - Equality of opportunity -

  •  Individualism - 

  • Rule of law

• Political Socialization -

  •  How beliefs are formed over time - 

  • Agents: family, school, peers, religion, media 

• Demographic Influences -

  •  Gender gap - 

  • Race, religion, age, region 

Political Ideologies 

•  Liberal: Supports government action for equality 

•  Conservative: Prefers limited government, free markets 

•  Libertarian: Minimal government 

•  Populist: Power to the people, distrust elites 

• Public Opinion & Polling 

•  Scientific Poll: Random sampling, neutral wording 

•  Margin of Error: Expected range of accuracy 

•  Sampling Error: Problems in who is surveyed 

•  Random Digit Dialing: Increases randomness 

Limitations of Polling -

•  Nonresponse bias - 

• Question wording - 

• Timing 

Media 

• Roles of the Media - 

  • Watchdog -

  •  Agenda-setter - 

  • Scorekeeper 

• Media & Campaigns - 

  • Campaign spin - 

  • Horse-race coverage - 

  • Impact of polling on strategy 

• Regulation & the Constitution - 

  • FCC regulates airwaves -

  •  NY Times v. Sullivan: Actual malice standard - 

  • NY Times v. US: Prior restraint unconstitutional 

UNIT 3: Political Parties, Elections & Interest Groups 

Core Questions 

•  How do political parties shape elections and policy?

•  Why does the U.S. have a two-party system? 

•  How do interest groups and money influence politics? 

Political Parties 

• Three Parts of a Party - 

  • Party Organization - 

  • Party in Government - 

  • Party in the Electorate 

• Party Identification - 

  • Strongest predictor of voting behavior - 

  • Psychological attachment formed early 

• Party Systems & Realignment - 

  • Party system: Era of party dominance - 

  • Realignment: Major shift in coalitions (e.g. 1932, 1968) 

• Coalitions & Negative Partisanship - 

  • Coalitions shift over time - 

  • Voting against the other party rather than for one’s own 

• Elections & Nominations
  

• Winner-take-all elections 

• Primaries

• Caucasus

• Convention

• Electoral Systems 

  • Single-Member Districts + Plurality Voting - 

  • Creates two-party system - 

• Government Control 

  • Unified Government: Easier to pass laws 

  • Divided Government: 

  • Gridlock, compromise 

Interest Groups & Campaign Finance 

•  PACs: Limited contributions 

•  527s: Unlimited issue advocacy 

•  Issue ownership

• Linkage Institution