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Course Calendar
Week 0: January 16, 2006
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
There are no classes for you today. I will see you next week! Enjoy the extra time off.
Week 1: January 23, 2006
Political Socialization in the World.
Topics to Discuss Today:
- Introduction to the class
- Political Socialization
- What does it mean to be American?
Writing Due Today:
Reading Assignment to Read for Next Week:
- According to the philosophers selected for you, what is the purpose of government?
You will have to find out this information on the Internet yourself. There are several
good websites. Make sure that you only use appropriate websites. In other words, research
the answer using your ingenuity.
- Last Names A–D: Plato
- Last Names C–H: Aristotle
- Last Names E–L: Machiavelli
- Last Names I–O: Hobbes
- Last Names M–R: Locke
- Last Names P–S: Burke
- Last Names S–V: Montesquieu
- Last Names T–Z: Mill
- Last Names W–B: Nietzsche and Vonnegut
Week 2: January 30, 2006
Purpose of Government.
Topics to Discuss Today:
- What is the purpose of government?
- The purpose of government is to support justice (Plato)
- The purpose of government is to ensure equality (Aristotle, Locke, Nietzsche, Vonnegut)
- The purpose of government is to organize for strength (Machiavelli, Montesquieu)
- The purpose of government is to protect (Hobbes, Locke, Burke, Mill)
Writing Due Today:
- What is the purpose of government? Answer this in two pages or less using your readings for support. Follow the style sheet.
Reading Assignment to Read for Next Week:
Week 3: February 6, 2006
How we got there: Before the Constitution.
Topics to Discuss Today:
- The Constitutional tradition: The Purpose of a Constitution
- Historical roots of the Constitution
- The Constitutions of Clarendon
- The Magna Carta
- The English Bill of Rights
- The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
- The Virginia Declaration of Rights
- The Articles of Confederation
Writing Due Today:
- One page comparing and contrasting the four outside readings (marked with a * ) you had for this week. Make sure you follow the class style sheet.
Reading Assignment to Read for Next Week:
Week 4: February 13, 2006
The Constitution of the United States of America.
Topics to Discuss Today:
- The Constitution
- Constitution Activity
- The purpose of the Constitution
Writing Due Today:
- Thinking back to the philosophers we discussed earlier, which one had a great influence on the Constitution. Support your contentions with evidence. Cite and reference appropriately. Do this in three to four pages. Follow the style sheet.
Reading Assignment to Read for Next Week:
Week 5: February 20, 2006
Federalism: A Hobbled Government.
Topics to Discuss Today:
- Federalism
- Machiavelli
- Montesquieu (Separation of Powers)
- Madison (Checks and Balances)
- Divided power
Writing Due Today:
- One page analyzing the argument put forth by Kantrowitz (marked with a * ) you had for this week. Make sure you follow the class style sheet.
Reading Assignment to Read for Next Week:
Week 6: February 27, 2006
The Lawmaking Process.
Topics to Discuss Today:
- How a bill becomes a law
- Bill discussions focusing on issue addressed and how it ties in to the purpose of government, the philosophers, etc.
Writing Due Today:
- One page analyzing the need for the bridge in Alaska (article marked with a * ), looking at both sides of the issue. Make sure you follow the class style sheet.
- Bill History: Find a bill in Congress that has reached the president. Provide the specific path it took to get to the president. Include any riders, amendments, sponsors, how it did in both chambers, and anything else you think is interesting. Follow the style sheet and make it as long as it needs to be. Bullets are acceptable here.
Reading Assignment to Read for Next Week:
Week 7: March 6, 2006
Spring Break
No Classes for you. Enjoy yourself!
Week 8: March 13, 2006
The Judicial Branch.
Topics to Discuss Today:
- Original Intent
- The Constitution and the Third Branch
- How the Court quickly changed
Writing Due Today:
- Write a one page analyzing Marshall's argument in Marbury v. Madison.
- Brief one of the three cases you read for today (marked with a * ). Make sure you follow the class style sheet on both.
Reading Assignment to Read for Next Week:
Week 9: March 20, 2006
Conference Week
No Class for us. Enjoy yourself!
Week 10: March 27, 2006
The Legal System.
Topics to Discuss Today:
- Structure of the courts in the US
- What the police can and cannot do
- Civil liberties in the Courts
- The jury system
Writing Due Today:
- Brief one of the four cases you read for today (marked with a * ). Make sure you follow the class style sheet.
- Presentations: Court Cases
Reading Assignment to Read for Next Week:
Week 11: April 3, 2006
The Court Cases.
Topics to Discuss Today:
- Civil Rights in the Courts
- Habeas Corpus
Writing Due Today:
- Brief one of the four cases you read for today (marked with a * ). Make sure you follow the class style sheet.
- Presentations: Court Cases
Reading Assignment to Read for Next Week:
- Find the websites for the four major parties (Democrat, Green, libertarian, and Republican).
- Find the websites for your US Senators and your US Representative.
Week 12: April 10, 2006
Political Parties and Interest Groups.
Topics to Discuss Today:
- Structure Functionalism
- Political Parties
- Interest Groups
- Purposes of each
Writing Due Today:
- What are your impressions of O'Connor's book? One page maximum. Follow the style sheet. This should be an easy grade.
- What are the positions of the four main parties on the major issues? What are the positions of your US Senators and US Representatives on the major issues? What are your positions on the major issues? This should be as long as it needs to be. Bullets are acceptable here, as well, but there does need to be enough prose to hold things together. Give a good introduction to the whole thing, and a good conclusion. Follow the style sheet. You will define the major issues as you see fit, not as I.
Reading Assignment to Read for Next Week:
Week 13: April 17, 2006
Public Policy.
Topics to Discuss Today:
- The policy process
- Domestic policy
- Monetary policy
- Foreign policy
Writing Due Today:
- Marx said, “Men make history, but they do not make it under circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances directly encountered, given and transmitted from the past.” Is this true? Write a page. Make sure you follow the class style sheet.
Reading Assignment to Read for Next Week:
- Read: The Communist Manifesto, pages 49–91.
Week 14: April 24, 2006
The Spectre of Communism.
Topics to Discuss Today:
- The Communist Manifesto
- The "C" Word (and the "L" word, and the "T" word, and the "A" word) and Its Effects
- The Effects of a Loss of Dialogue
- The Power of Public Opinion
- The Effects of Blindness
- The Effects of Socialization
Writing Due Today:
- What does The Communist Manifesto have to say about today? Answer this in less than two pages. Of course, follow the style sheet.
Reading Assignment to Read for Next Week:
Week 15: May 1, 2006
Final Exams
Topics to Discuss Today:
- Monday, May 1, 2006, from 6:00pm until 8:00pm.
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