AP US Government & Politics

The advanced placement course in government parallels an introductory college course in political science. The course is designed to give students a thorough understanding of and critical perspective on the system of US government politics, policy, and practices. Instruction emphasizes understanding course content by way of in-­‐depth research and analysis. Furthermore, students will apply their understanding of the subject matter to both historical and current political events and analyze their impact on American society. AP US Government and Politics is a tightly structured, highly demanding, fast-­‐paced college-­‐level course in which students study a year’s amount of curriculum in only one semester. Students will be required to read the college-­‐level textbook and supplemental readings. Expository writing will be required. Ideally, this course is really for those students who are specifically interested in government and politics.

Students successfully completing this course will:

• Know important facts, concepts, and theories pertaining to U.S. government and politics.
• Understand typical patterns of political processes and behavior and their consequences.
• Be able to analyze and interpret basic data relevant to U.S. government and politics.
• Be able to critically analyze relevant theories and concepts, apply them appropriately, and develop their connections across the curriculum.
• Learn today to lead tomorrow.