syllabus+-+GOVT+2301+-+03



Government 2301--Alvin Community College Instructor: Kevin Jefferies--Office: D-225

Office Phone: 281-756-3736 e-mail: ** kjefferies@alvincollege.edu **GOVT 2301 - 03 Summer Eleven Week
 * Class Blog:** http://theweakerparty.blogspot.com/
 * Class Wiki:** http://theweakerparty.wikispaces.com/

Focus on the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers**


 * Course Description:** This is the first of two required courses designed to familiarize students with the nature of national, state, and local government. The class is designed to cover the basic principles associated with government and politics, with a special emphasis on those which are central to the founding of the United States and the design of the U.S. Constitution. Beyond that we cover the evolution of issues embedded within the Constitution such as federalism, the relationship between the individual and the state, the nature of the electoral process and the impact of political parties as well as the manner in which political forces develop and impact the governing system. The separate impact of Texas and local municipal governments are taken into consideration as we explore these issues.

In order to tie students with the concepts and principles central to the founding era, this class will pay special attention to the debate surrounding the ratification of the Constitution in the late 1780s. We Americans are accused of holding ourselves in too high esteem, but the level of public debate concerning the validity of the Constitution occurred at a level rarely if ever matched historically or currently. If we do not understand that debate, then we do not understand the United States of America. In order to come to grips with that debate we will spend each day reading through a set of papers, one Federalist one Anti-Federalist, that focuses on some aspect of the Constitution. Half of your grade in this class will be based on your written assessments of these debates. The other half will come from simple quizzes on the vocabulary terms in each the assigned textbook chapters.

Here are the details:

- The Federalist Papers can be accessed at [|the Avalon Project]. - The Anti-Federalist Papers can be accessed at [|WEPIN]. We will also use two textbooks, though in a secondary manner. These are the sources of the vocabulary terms you will be tested on daily.
 * Readings:** As mentioned above, we will spend the bulk of the class reading and discussing the Federalist and Anti Federalist Papers. Fortunately for you, these are available online free of charge.

- Lowi, Theodore, Benjamin Ginsberg and Kenneth Shepsle. American Government. 10th Edition. New York: W.W. Norton. - Brown, Lyle et al. Practicing Texas Politics. 13th Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Both are available in the campus bookstore. You will also be expected to augment your textbook reading by keeping abreast of current events with newspapers, magazines, and televised news shows.

Optional Extra Credit Opportunity: [|The Good Citizen] Congressional Quarterly Press has published a book that challenges the conventional wisdom regarding the detached attitudes many young people are argued to have about the greater community. The Good Citizens argues that younger generations are involved politically, but not in ways that we normally think one should participate. I have read through it, but am not sure that I am convinced by the argument it makes. For extra credit--the amount based on the quality of your work--I'd like you to critically review the book, that is the entire book. It is not in the bookstore. By ordering it from the publisher you'll save a few bucks.


 * Testing and Writing Assignments:** This class will feature weekly written assignments and quizzes. There will also be a comprehensive multiple choice final.

The written assignments are brief comparisons of the federalist and anti-federalist papers assigned below. Much of our class will be spent discussing these papers. They contain the principle ideas our republic was founded upon. You will be asked to compare, contrast and evaluate the papers we cover each day, give me at least 250 words for each set. I would like you to put these on the class wiki (http://theweakerparty.wikispaces.com/). This will provide you an opportunity to bounce ideas off each other. We will walk through this in class. Each federalist/anti federalist paper has its own page and you will be asked to insert your comments in the discussion box in each page. Note the due dates below.

Each Thursday at the end of class a combination vocabulary and multiple choice test will be administered over that week's reading.

Weekly Tests: 40% Written Work: 40% Final: 20%

** Grading ** : A= 89.5-100; B=79.5-89.5; C=69.5-79.5; D=59.5-69.5; F 0-59.5


 * Schedule**:

AG: American Government PTP: Practicing Texas Politics

- Intro, Federalist and Anti Federalist #1 (comparison due June 17) - Quiz #1 AG: Chapter 1, PTP: Chapter 1
 * Tuesday June 10:**
 * Thursday June 12:**

- Federalist and Anti Federalist #8 (comparison due June 24) - Quiz #2 AG: Chapter 2, PTP: Chapter 2
 * Tuesday June 17**
 * Thursday June 19:**

- Federalist and Anti Federalist #10 (comparison due July 1) - Quiz #3 AG: Chapter, 3 PTP: Chapter 3
 * Tuesday June 24:**
 * Thursday June 26:**

- Federalist and Anti Federalist #23 (comparison due July 8) - Quiz #4 AG: Chapter 4
 * Tuesday July 1:**
 * Thursday July 3:**

- Federalist and Anti Federalist #39 (comparison due July 15) - Quiz #5 AG: Chapter 4
 * Tuesday July 8:**
 * Thursday July 10:**

- Federalist and Anti Federalist #41 (comparison due July 22) - Quiz #6 AG: Chapter 10, PTP: Chapter 5
 * Tuesday July 15:**
 * Thursday July 17:**

- Federalist and Anti Federalist #44 (comparison due July 29) - Quiz #7 AG: Chapter 11, PTP: Chapter 4
 * Tuesday July 22:**
 * Thursday July 24:**

- Federalist and Anti Federalist #48 (comparison due August 5) - Quiz #8 AG: Chapter 12, PTP: Chapter 6
 * Tuesday July 29:**
 * Thursday July 31:**

- Federalist and Anti Federalist #51 (comparison due August 12) - Quiz #9 AG: Chapter 9
 * Tuesday August 5:**
 * Thursday August 7:**

- Federalist and Anti Federalist #84 (comparison due August 19) - Quiz #10 AG: Chapter 13
 * Tuesday August 12:**
 * Thursday August 14:**


 * Tuesday August 19: Final**

** Student Behavior ** : By choosing to attend class at ACC you will be expected to behave like a college student, which means that you are expected to take the material seriously. Your respect for me is inconsequential, but your respect for the material--which after all covers the principles and rules our country is based on--demand your respect. You will be expected to come to class prepared to discuss the material assigned that day and to pay attention. You will neither sleep nor engage in idle chatter. Both behaviors detract from the quality of the classroom environment. If you are disruptive you will be asked to leave. Please understand that the ACC administration takes these issues as seriously as I do and will back me up if you seek to be disruptive. Your choice to remain in this class is my indication that you agree with these conditions.
 * Attendance** will be taken before each class at the beginning of class.

Here's a good read from cyberspace: [|How to be a college student]. ** Regarding Individual Help ** : I am available for help if you need it. But do so as soon as possible. I do not accept extra credit work after the final exam. If you have any disabilities or other special needs that will affect your ability to learn in this class, please inform me of them. Appropriate steps will be taken to make reasonable accommodations and assist you with your needs. ** Scholastic Dishonesty ** : If you are caught cheating in any way you will fail the course. You are expected to do your own work. Do not download written work from the internet and try to pass it off as your own. [|What is plagiarism you ask]?