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CIA CR IN 3

Central Ideas in American Government

  1. Primary Documents and U.S. Government (click to expand)
    1. Introduction
    2. A Process for Reading Primary-Source Documents
  2. The Founding and the Constitution
    1. Introduction
    2. The Constitution: A Product of Conflict and Compromise
    3. Declaring Independence
    4. The Articles of Confederation
    5. Negotiating the Constitution
    6. Constitutional Compromises
    7. A New Government
    8. Constitutional Principles
    9. The Constitution Defines and Limits the Government
    10. The Articles of the Constitution
    11. Amending the Constitution
    12. The 27 Amendments to the Constitution
    13. The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Amendment Process
    14. The Constitution Leaves Room for Interpretation
    15. The Full Faith and Credit Clause vs. the Supremacy Clause
    16. Chapter Quiz: The Founding and the Constitution
  3. The Declaration of Independence
    1. Reading the Declaration
    2. Read for Details: Introduction and Preamble
    3. Read for Details: The List of Grievances
    4. Read for Details: The Assertion of Independence
    5. Reflect on the Declaration
  4. Data Investigation: The Land of the Free
    1. Through measures of civil and political freedom over time, students consider the shifting landscape of individual liberties in the U.S. and abroad.
  5. Federalism
    1. Introduction
    2. The Constitution Establishes a Federal System
    3. The National and State Governments Compete for Power
    4. Dual Federalism
    5. Cooperative Federalism
    6. Coercive Federalism
    7. New Federalism
    8. Power Shifts Between National and State Governments
    9. Developments in Transportation
    10. Developments in Communications, Science, and Technology
    11. Differing Political Ideas
    12. Federalism Has Strengths and Weaknesses
    13. COVID-19 and Federalism
    14. Chapter Quiz: Federalism
  6. Federalist No. 39
    1. Reading Federalist No. 39
    2. Read for Details: Defining a Republic
    3. Read for Details: A National or Federal System
    4. Read for Details: Constitutional Power
    5. Reflect on Federalist No. 39
  7. Supreme Court Story Investigation: McCulloch v. Maryland
    1. Part I: An original video features political science professors explaining chartered banks and discussing the battle between state and federal power in McCulloch v. Maryland.
    2. Part II: Students explore Oregon v. Mitchell, a different case involving state and federal powers, and consider how the Supreme Court’s decision was influenced by McCulloch v. Maryland.
  8. Civil Liberties
    1. Introduction
    2. Civil Liberties Protect Individuals
    3. Core Protections and Limits
    4. Amendment I: Freedom of Religion—The Establishment Clause
    5. Amendment I: Freedom of Religion—The Free Exercise Clause
    6. Amendment I: Freedom of Speech
    7. Amendment I: Symbolic and Student Speech
    8. Amendment I: Limits to Free Speech
    9. Amendment I: Freedom of Assembly and the Press
    10. Amendment II: The Right to Bear Arms
    11. Amendment IV: Searches and Seizures
    12. Amendment V: Due Process
    13. Amendment VI: The Right to a Fair Trial
    14. Amendment VIII: Cruel and Unusual Punishment
    15. Extending Civil Liberties to the States
    16. Religious Freedom, Gun Rights, and Incorporation
    17. Selective Incorporation
    18. The Interpretation of Civil Liberties Evolves
    19. Privacy Rights and Abortion
    20. Privacy Rights and Sexuality
    21. The Right to Die
    22. Chapter Quiz: Civil Liberties
  9. Investigation: Free Speech for Students
    1. Through the example of Mahoney Area School District vs. B.L., students investigate debates over free speech.
  10. Investigation: The Meaning of the Right to Privacy
    1. Students first read about the groundwork laid for a right to privacy in Griswold v. Connecticut. They then consider the evolution of the Court’s thinking as they read excerpts from majority and dissenting opinions in Dobbs v. Jackson.
  11. Civil Rights
    1. Introduction
    2. Civil Rights Require Equal Protection
    3. Affirmative Action
    4. Slavery and the Fight for Abolition
    5. The Reconstruction Amendments
    6. Jim Crow Laws
    7. The First Feminists: Women Fight for the Vote
    8. Desegregating Public Higher Education
    9. Desegregating Elementary and Secondary Education
    10. Desegregating Transportation and Public Spaces
    11. The Civil Rights Act of 1964
    12. The Voting Rights Act of 1965
    13. Government Expands Women’s Civil Rights
    14. Women’s Rights Today
    15. Judicial Standards of Review in Civil Rights Cases
    16. Rights for Different Groups
    17. LGBTQ+ Rights
    18. Chapter Quiz: Civil Rights
  12. Letter from Birmingham Jail
    1. Reading “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
    2. Read for Details: The Birmingham Campaign
    3. Read for Details: The Power of Direct Action
    4. Read for Details: The Nature of Extremism
    5. Read for Details: Integration as a Moral Right
    6. Reflect on “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
  13. Supreme Court Story Investigation: Brown v. Board
    1. Part I: An original video features political science professors explaining the background and legal issues involved in the struggle for school desegregation.
    2. Part II: Students read about more recent cases involving school integration as they consider the lasting effects of the decision in Brown v. Board of Education.
  14. Congress
    1. Introduction
    2. Congress According to the Constitution
    3. Apportionment and Redistricting
    4. The Process of Making Laws
    5. Parties in the House and Senate
    6. Party Influence and Control
    7. Unified vs. Divided Government
    8. Types of Congressional Committees
    9. Committees Help Make Congress More Productive
    10. Congress Members Consider Multiple Influences
    11. Influences on Legislators
    12. Descriptive Representation
    13. Delegate vs. Trustee Models of Representation
    14. Chapter Quiz: Congress
  15. Federalist No. 10
    1. Reading Federalist No. 10
    2. Read for Details: Defining Faction
    3. Read for Details: Causes of Faction
    4. Read for Details: Pure Democracy or Republic?
    5. Reflect on Federalist No. 10
  16. Data Investigation: Congress Divided
    1. Students use DW-NOMINATE scores and Pew survey data about party ideology to investigate party polarization and its potential effects.
  17. The Presidency
    1. Introduction
    2. The President Has Many Roles
    3. Executive Powers
    4. Executive Orders and Privilege
    5. Legislative Powers
    6. Judicial Powers
    7. Diplomatic Powers
    8. Military Powers
    9. Presidential Power Has Grown
    10. Policies and Programs
    11. The President and Parties
    12. The President and Mass Media
    13. Implied and Delegated Power
    14. Executive Power Is Limited
    15. Impeachment
    16. Presidential Performance Matters
    17. Assessing Performance
    18. Chapter Quiz: The Presidency
  18. Federalist No. 70
    1. Reading Federalist No. 70
    2. Read for Details: An Energetic Executive
    3. Read for Details: Problems of Plurality
    4. Read for Details: Security in the Executive
    5. Reflect on Federalist No. 70
  19. Data Investigation: Executive Orders and Power
    1. As they examine data on executive orders in three different ways (total, average, and first 100 days), students consider how the practice of executive orders relates to the principle of checks and balances.
  20. Bureaucracy
    1. Introduction
    2. The Federal Bureaucracy Implements Laws
    3. Executive Branch Organization
    4. Presidential Power
    5. Legislative Oversight
    6. Issue Networks and Iron Triangles
    7. The Federal Bureaucracy Has Grown
    8. The Progressive Era
    9. The Great Depression and the New Deal
    10. The Great Society
    11. The Reagan Revolution
    12. The Bureaucracy Today
    13. The Federal Bureaucracy Has Considerable Power
    14. Limitations on Bureaucratic Power
    15. Americans Seek to Reform the Bureaucracy
    16. Devolution and Privatization
    17. Chapter Quiz: The Bureaucracy
  21. Investigation: The USDA: An Agency for Farmers
    1. By examining USDA materials about the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, students get a window into how the federal bureaucracy implements legislation.
  22. Investigation: Implementing the ACA
    1. By examining documents meant to inform the public about the Affordable Care Act, students consider the bureaucratic process of implementing new legislation.
  23. The Judiciary
    1. Introduction
    2. Article III Establishes the Supreme Court
    3. Jurisdiction
    4. The Court Has Expanded Its Influence
    5. Judicial Review
    6. The Impact of Judicial Review
    7. The Supreme Court Chooses Cases
    8. Access to the Supreme Court
    9. The Supreme Court’s Decision-Making Process
    10. Appointments Influence the Judiciary
    11. The Supreme Court Undergoes a Political Shift
    12. Many Factors Influence Judicial Decisions
    13. Judicial Philosophy
    14. Political Ideology
    15. Political Context
    16. Chapter Quiz: The Judiciary
  24. Federalist No. 78
    1. Reading Federalist No. 78
    2. Read for Details: The Least Dangerous Branch
    3. Read for Details: Judicial Review
    4. Read for Details: Good Behavior
    5. Reflect on Federalist No. 78
  25. Supreme Court Story Investigation: Marbury v. Madison
    1. Part I: An original video features political science professors describing the events leading to Marbury v. Madison and the legal legacy of the case.
    2. Part II: Students continue their consideration of jurisdiction and judicial review as they read Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution as well as the Court’s majority opinion in the case.
  26. Public Opinion
    1. Introduction
    2. Many Factors Influence Public Opinion
    3. Political Socialization
    4. Additional Factors of Socialization
    5. Properly Conducted Polls Express Public Opinion
    6. The Basics of Scientific Polling
    7. Should Elected Leaders Listen to Public Opinion?
    8. Paying Attention to the Public
    9. Trends in Presidential Approval Ratings
    10. Trends in Congressional Approval Ratings
    11. Chapter Quiz: Public Opinion
  27. Investigation: Am I Blue, Purple, or Red?
    1. Using the Pew Research Center’s Political Typology Quiz, students consider their own political typology as they investigate U.S. political ideology.
  28. Investigation: The Ins and Outs of Exit Polls
    1. Students first dig into details of exit polling and then consider exit poll issues from the 2012 Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election.
  29. The Media
    1. Introduction
    2. Content and Journalistic Standards Have Evolved
    3. The Partisan Press and Sensationalism
    4. The Evolution of Journalistic Ethics
    5. The Decline of Traditional Media
    6. Agenda Setting and Priming
    7. Framing
    8. Persuasion
    9. Online Media Presents Challenges
    10. Ethical Standards in Journalism
    11. Selective Exposure
    12. Civil Discourse
    13. Chapter Quiz: The Media
  30. Investigation: Making the News
    1. An original documentary takes students behind the scenes with reporters to learn how news stories are developed.
  31. Investigation: #Divide
    1. Using findings from a Pew Research Center report and excerpts from a news article, students consider political polarization and its connection to selective exposure to media.
  32. Voting and Political Participation
    1. Introduction
    2. Direct vs. Indirect Democracy and Conventional Political Participation
    3. Unconventional Participation
    4. Why People Participate in Politics
    5. Demographics Behind Participation
    6. Partisan Loyalty
    7. Policy Issues
    8. Candidate Characteristics
    9. The Economy Affects Voting
    10. Voter Turnout Remains Low
    11. Low Turnout Compared to Other Democratic Industrialized Nations
    12. The Mandatory Voting Debate
    13. Chapter Quiz: Voting and Political Participation
  33. Investigation: License to Vote
    1. Students compare voter registration by state and then take a closer look at the prospect of automatic voter registration.
  34. Data Investigation: We, the People Who Participate
    1. Students use voter turnout data to consider whether the practice of voting aligns with the principle of popular sovereignty.
  35. Elections and Campaigns
    1. Introduction
    2. Elections Ensure Political Legitimacy
    3. Congressional Elections
    4. Congressional Incumbents vs. Challengers
    5. Presidential Elections
    6. The Primary Season
    7. National Conventions
    8. The Electoral College
    9. The Positives of the Electoral College
    10. The Negatives of the Electoral College
    11. Campaign Strategies Vary
    12. Campaign Tactics
    13. Campaign Finance
    14. Campaigns Have Evolved
    15. Candidate-Centered Campaigns
    16. Chapter Quiz: Elections and Campaigns
  36. Investigation: The Ins and Outs of the Electoral College
    1. Students watch an original video features interviews with electors from the 2016 presidential election and also examine an interactive map showing electoral votes and partisan consistency.
  37. Investigation: The Year of the Woman
    1. Through a video news series, students meet four women who ran for different levels of office and consider the hurdles they faced in the political arena.
  38. Political Parties
    1. Introduction
    2. Parties Have Three Components
    3. The Party Organization
    4. The Party in Government
    5. The Party in the Electorate
    6. The Role of Parties in Democratic Governance
    7. The United States Has a Two-Party System
    8. Implications of the Two-Party System
    9. Origins of the American Two-Party System
    10. 1796–1859: The First Political Parties
    11. The Critical Election of 1860
    12. The Critical Election of 1896 and Republican Party Dominance
    13. The Critical Election of 1932 and Democratic Party Dominance
    14. The 1960s to Today: Partisan Realignments
    15. Chapter Quiz: Political Parties
  39. Investigation: Party Platforms
    1. Students take a comparative look at Democratic and Republican party platforms from the 2024 presidential election.
  40. Investigation: What Can Third Parties Do?
    1. Students first learn more about the role of third parties in American politics and then consider the performance of third parties in both the 2016 and 2024 elections.
  41. Interest Groups
    1. Introduction
    2. Interest Groups Seek to Influence Policy
    3. Types of Interest Groups
    4. The Politics of Healthcare Reform
    5. Lobbying
    6. Election Activity
    7. Other Forms of Influence
    8. Interest Groups Have Grown Over Time
    9. Joining Interest Groups
    10. Forming Interest Groups
    11. Americans Aren’t Represented Equally
    12. The Value of Interest Groups
    13. Chapter Quiz: Interest Groups
  42. Investigation: What Lobbyists Do
    1. Students gain insight into the workings of Congress and interest groups through original videos that feature working lobbyists sharing their experiences.
  43. Investigation: The American Pizza Community
    1. Through news coverage and congressional testimony excerpts, students investigate the formation and strategies of a specific interest group, the American Pizza Community.
  44. Public Policy
    1. Introduction
    2. Each Branch of the Government Influences Public Policy
    3. Policymaking in a Separated System
    4. The Public Policy Cycle
    5. The Policymaking Process
    6. Agenda Setting
    7. Policy Formulation and Adoption
    8. Policy Implementation
    9. Policy Evaluation
    10. Public Policy Has General Categories
    11. Domestic Policy
    12. The Affordable Care Act
    13. Foreign Policy
    14. Diplomacy
    15. Trade
    16. National Security and the Evolution of American Foreign Policy
    17. Economic Policy
    18. The Federal Budget
    19. Monetary Policy
    20. Americans Are Divided over the Scope of Government
    21. Chapter Quiz: Public Policy
  45. Investigation: Healthcare: Quality
    1. An original documentary on health care reform guides students through debates on comparative effectiveness research and shows the role of the bureaucracy in implementing legislation.
  46. Investigation: Foreign Policy in Two Conflicts
    1. Students consider presidential decision-making and foreign policy as they learn about Nixon’s plan for peace in Vietnam and Obama’s strategy in Afghanistan.
  47. State and Local Government
    1. Introduction
    2. Political Culture Varies Among the States
    3. Engagement and Public Policy Differ Depending on Political Culture
    4. Similarities and Differences Between State and U.S. Constitutions
    5. The Long and Short of It: State Constitutions
    6. Amending State Constitutions
    7. States Manage from the Middle
    8. Issues of Funding on Education Policy
    9. Government Interaction Occurs Locally
    10. State and Local Politics at Work
    11. Chapter Quiz: State and Local Government
  48. Investigation: These Divided States
    1. By reading maps and historical analysis, students consider state-level political culture along with the idea that the United States should be understood as 11 distinct nations.
  49. Investigation: Managing Guns in America
    1. Students examine federalism as well as state and local government through the lens of gun legislation.
  50. Selections from The Wealth of Nations
    1. Reading Selections from The Wealth of Nations
    2. Read for Details: Division of Labor
    3. Read for Details: The Role of Government
    4. Read for Details: Government and Public Works
    5. Reflect on the Selections from The Wealth of Nations
  51. The Articles of Confederation
    1. Reading the Articles of Confederation
    2. Read for Details: Forming a League of States
    3. Read for Details: Establishing Limits on States
    4. Read for Details: Resolving Conflict Between States
    5. Read for Details: Making a Pledge
    6. Reflect on the Articles of Confederation
  52. The U.S. Constitution
    1. Reading the U.S. Constitution
    2. Read for Details: The Preamble
    3. Read for Details: Article I
    4. Read for Details: Article II
    5. Read for Details: Article III
    6. Read for Details: Article IV
    7. Read for Details: Articles V, VI, and VII
    8. Read for Details: The Bill of Rights (1–3)
    9. Read for Details: The Bill of Rights (4–10)
    10. Read for Details: Amendments 11–12
    11. Read for Details: Reconstruction Amendments (13–15)
    12. Read for Details: Progressive Era Amendments (16–17)
    13. Read for Details: Progressive Era Amendments (18–19)
    14. Read for Details: Modern Amendments (20–23)
    15. Read for Details: Modern Amendments (24–27)
    16. Reflect on the Constitution
  53. Brutus No. 1
    1. Reading Brutus No. 1
    2. Read for Details: A Confederacy or a Republic
    3. Read for Details: On Power
    4. Read for Details: Considering the Evidence
    5. Read for Details: Citizens in a Free Republic
    6. Reflect on Brutus No. 1
  54. Federalist No. 51
    1. Reading Federalist No. 51
    2. Read for Details: The Structure of Government
    3. Read for Details: The Strengths of Federalism
    4. Reflect on Federalist No. 51
  55. Washington’s Farewell Address
    1. Reading Washington’s Farewell Address
    2. Read for Details: Opening Remarks
    3. Read for Details: A Call for Unity
    4. Read for Details: Views that Divide
    5. Read for Details: Political Prosperity
    6. Read for Details: International Relations
    7. Read for Details: Concluding Remarks
    8. Reflect on Washington’s Farewell Address
  56. The Emancipation Proclamation
    1. Reading the Emancipation Proclamation
    2. Read for Details: The Emancipation Proclamation
    3. Reflect on the Emancipation Proclamation
  57. The Gettysburg Address
    1. Reading the Gettysburg Address
    2. Read for Details: The Gettysburg Address
    3. Reflect on the Gettysburg Address
  58. North Carolina State Constitution
    1. Reading the North Carolina State Constitution
    2. Read for Details: Preamble and Article I
    3. Read for Details: Article II
    4. Read for Details: Article III
    5. Read for Details: Article IV
    6. Read for Details: Article V
    7. Read for Details: Articles VI and VII
    8. Read for Details: Articles VIII, IX, and X
    9. Read for Details: Articles XI and XII
    10. Read for Details: Articles XIII and XIV
    11. Reflect on the North Carolina State Constitution
  59. Georgia State Constitution
    1. Reading the Georgia State Constitution
    2. Read for Details: Preamble and Article I, Section 1
    3. Read for Details: Article I, Sections 2–4
    4. Read for Details: Article II
    5. Read for Details: Article III, Sections 1–5
    6. Read for Details: Article III, Sections 6–10
    7. Read for Details: Article IV
    8. Read for Details: Article V
    9. Read for Details: Article VI
    10. Read for Details: Article VII
    11. Read for Details: Article VIII
    12. Read for Details: Article IX
    13. Read for Details: Articles X and XI
    14. Reflect on the Georgia State Constitution
  60. Investigation: Federalist No. 10
    1. Students consider faction and democracy as they read one of the best-known Federalist Papers.
  61. Investigation: Comparing Constitutions
    1. Students compare the text of the U.S. and Russian constitutions as well as maps and excerpts from Freedom House’s “Freedom in the World” report.
  62. Investigation: Passing the 19th Amendment
    1. A Soomo original video is paired with a primary-source pamphlet and other materials to walk students through the two-stage amendment process as it played out with the 19th Amendment.
  63. Data Investigation: Framing and Funding Education
    1. Students compare the language used in state constitutions with state levels of educational funding. They then consider what the practice of education funding reveals about the principle of federalism.
  64. Investigation: Till We Have Suffrage: The Movement
    1. Students explore the tactics used by the women’s suffrage movement through an original video and a collection of primary sources from the period. These include photographs, newspaper excerpts, and the 1848 Declaration of Sentiments.
  65. Investigation: We the Protesters
    1. As they read a selection of news stories and analysis, students consider what factors make political demonstrations successful and how protests can affect policymaking.
  66. Investigation: Drawing Political Lines
    1. Students first learn more about gerrymandering, with a focus on what it is and why it happens. Then they consider an argument from FiveThirtyEight about whether gerrymandering is to blame for problems in the U.S. political system.
  67. Investigation: Setting the Legislative Agenda
    1. An original documentary features representatives from North Carolina and California, as well as the former House Judiciary Committee chief of staff, as they discuss past legislative attempts at immigration reform.
  68. Investigation: The Broken Presidency
    1. In this investigation, students consider journalist John Dickerson’s ideas about the evolution of the modern presidency.
  69. Investigation: Eavesdropping on the Oval Office: LBJ’s First Days
    1. Students listen to recorded phone calls from Lyndon B. Johnson’s first month in office as they consider presidential personality and the challenges faced by an unexpected president.
  70. Investigation: The Path to Marriage Equality
    1. Through public opinion data, an interactive timeline, and excerpts from court decisions, students evaluate how public opinion and political context influenced the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges.
  71. Investigation: The Business of Weed
    1. In this investigation, students explore how differences among state marijuana laws illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of a federal system.

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