Topics, Themes, and Suggested Terms
US Government and Politics
Unit 1: Foundations of the American Democracy
1.1 Ideals of Declaration, Constitution Enlightenment, Declaration of
Democracy (Madisonian Principles) Independence, limited government,
natural rights, social contract, popular
sovereignty, republicanism, separations
of powers, checks and balances,
inalienable rights
1.2 Types of Representative participatory democracy, pluralist
Democracy Democracy/Republic democracy, elite democracy, hyper-
pluralism
1.3 Government Articles versus the Constitution, Articles of Confederation, The
Power and Federalists versus Anti-Federalists Constitution, Federalist 10, Brutus 1
Individual Rights
1.4 Challenges of the National powers versus regional Shay’s Rebellion
Articles powers
1.5 Ratification The Convention and compromises Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan,
Connecticut (Great) Compromise,
Electoral College, Three-fifths
Compromise, importation of slaves
compromise, amendment process
1.6 Principle of the US Separations and checks and legislative powers, executive powers,
Government balances judicial powers, majority rule/power,
minority protections, impeachment and
removal process, Federalist 51, Writs
of Habeas Corpus, Bills of Attainder,
Ex Post Facto
1.7 States and the Distribution of powers delegated, enumerated, expressed,
Federal implied, reserved, concurrent, denied,
Government horizontal federalism, dual/layer cake
federalism, vertical federalism,
cooperative/marble-cake federalism,
revenue-sharing, unfunded mandates,
categorical grants, block grants, formula
grants, fiscal federalism, devolution
1.8 Constitutional Changes in national and state commerce clause (Gibbons v Ogden –
Interpretations of powers 1824), necessary & proper clause (elastic
Federalism clause), full faith and credit, privileges
and immunities, extradition, public
policy exceptions, supremacy clause
McCulloch v Maryland 1819
US v Lopez 1995
1.9 Federalism in Powers and policy making grassroots, linkage institutions, access
Action points, gridlock
US Government and Politics
Unit 1: Foundations of the American Democracy
1.1 Ideals of Declaration, Constitution Enlightenment, Declaration of
Democracy (Madisonian Principles) Independence, limited government,
natural rights, social contract, popular
sovereignty, republicanism, separations
of powers, checks and balances,
inalienable rights
1.2 Types of Representative participatory democracy, pluralist
Democracy Democracy/Republic democracy, elite democracy, hyper-
pluralism
1.3 Government Articles versus the Constitution, Articles of Confederation, The
Power and Federalists versus Anti-Federalists Constitution, Federalist 10, Brutus 1
Individual Rights
1.4 Challenges of the National powers versus regional Shay’s Rebellion
Articles powers
1.5 Ratification The Convention and compromises Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan,
Connecticut (Great) Compromise,
Electoral College, Three-fifths
Compromise, importation of slaves
compromise, amendment process
1.6 Principle of the US Separations and checks and legislative powers, executive powers,
Government balances judicial powers, majority rule/power,
minority protections, impeachment and
removal process, Federalist 51, Writs
of Habeas Corpus, Bills of Attainder,
Ex Post Facto
1.7 States and the Distribution of powers delegated, enumerated, expressed,
Federal implied, reserved, concurrent, denied,
Government horizontal federalism, dual/layer cake
federalism, vertical federalism,
cooperative/marble-cake federalism,
revenue-sharing, unfunded mandates,
categorical grants, block grants, formula
grants, fiscal federalism, devolution
1.8 Constitutional Changes in national and state commerce clause (Gibbons v Ogden –
Interpretations of powers 1824), necessary & proper clause (elastic
Federalism clause), full faith and credit, privileges
and immunities, extradition, public
policy exceptions, supremacy clause
McCulloch v Maryland 1819
US v Lopez 1995
1.9 Federalism in Powers and policy making grassroots, linkage institutions, access
Action points, gridlock
