Introduction to American Government (#10872)

Fullerton College
Fall 2019

Instructor: Charlotte Samuels Class time: ONLINE ONLY

E-mail: CSamuels@fullcoll.edu Classroom: no classroom
Office Hours: by appointment only Office number: no office

Course objectives
This course is an introductory course to the American Political System. This course covers the political
theories and practices of American Government at national, state, and local levels. More specifically,
we’ll take a closer look at how the system works and what affect they have on political parties, elections,
and our public policies and government. This class is only online

Required Texts
• American Government [aka "AG”] https://openstax.org/details/books/american-government

• You have the right to remain Innocent by James Duane. ISBN: 978-1503933392 [aka "R2RI"]

• Governing California [referred to as “GC”] (available on Canvas)

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
ASSIGNMENT NAME Maximum length Point value
Due date
Exam1 N/A 60 points October 11 & 12th by 9pm
th

Exam 2 N/A 80 points November 8th & 9th by 9pm

Final Exam N/A 100 points December 13th- 14th by 9pm
6 Discussion Board Posts ## 2 paragraphs 60 points Due by 9pm
(specific dates on calendar)

When They took my son “Analysis 1 page single spaced 40 points October 19th by 9pm
Supreme Court Oral Argument 1 page single spaced 40 points November 27th by 9pm
Analysis
R2RI Q & A 1.5 pages single spaced 60 points December 7th by 9pm
R2RI Video Presentation 2-4-minute video 60 points December 7th by 9pm
The (##) demonstrates that if these assignments are done correctly, the student will get full credit. However,
if the instructions were not followed the students will get a 20% deduction on the assignment.

All assignments must be submitted on Canvas in PDF or Word document

Grading
A= 90%-100% B= 80%-89% C=70%-79% D= 60%-69% F= 59% & below
Student Learning Objectives

Students who complete this course will be able to:

1. Appraise and explain the working of American political institutions at the national, state (especially
California), and local levels, and how various linkage groups and voting behavior influence policy-
making at these levels.
2. Compare the systems of government (unitary, confederate, federal) and understand why the Framers
of the Constitution chose a federal system.
3. Distinguish between local, state, and national policies and priorities in a complex federal system of
government.
4. Differentiate among the major political ideologies (e.g., liberalism, conservatism, libertarianism,
populism) and apply that knowledge to current political issues.
5. Explain the process of policy-making and important issues regarding that process.
6. Evaluate criticisms, supporting arguments, and proposed reforms in the operation of specific areas
and behavioral patterns in the American and California political systems.
7. Summarize the dynamics and powers of governmental decision-making within the federal system
(branches of government, bureaucracy, interest groups) and the interaction among other major
components of governance (e.g., national, California state and local governments).

COURSE POLICIES

Attendance
Students who do not login and do the assignment within the first two days WILL be dropped from the class.

Exams
• Exam One= 30 multiple choice& true/false questions. 60-minute time limit
• Exam Two= 40 multiple choice & true/ false questions. 80-minute time limit
• Final Exam= 50 multiple choice & true/false questions. 100-minute time limit
The exams are purely online. It is open book/notes. You may not take the test past the due date.
Do not procrastinate! Sometimes students who wait until the very last minute might end up
having computer issues. That is not a valid excuse.

The exams will only appear as visible on the two days that they are scheduled to be taken. It is also
timed and must be finished all in one sitting. If you try to save it for later, the computer will force you to
complete it. The test is normally shown one page at a time. Once you answer the question you cannot go
back to answer previous questions. You also may not change the answer to a question that has already been
submitted. However, you may take the exam a total of three times if it done BEFORE the deadline (9pm).
The highest attempt is your final test score. You have two days to take the test. Pay close attention to test
dates because once the due date passes, the test will become unavailable. Students cannot make up test
unless they have a verified emergency. make up exams must be arranged one week from the date and it will
be person or over the phone. Not fulfilling a makeup exam means getting a zero on the exam.

Upon doing an analysis of my students, I have found that those with the absolute best scores study regularly and
often formally begin studying for the test at least one full week in advance. My advice to you is for you to allot time
to study before and/or after every class and for you to contact me via Remind if you have any questions.
Reading Assignments
ALL reading assignments must be completed prior to the week when the material will be mentioned via
podcast and/or transcript.

Tutoring
Go to http://academicsupport.fullcoll.edu. Select tutoring subject. Select online tutoring and follow
instructions. Enter student ID and MyGateway password.

Remind app
The instructor has created a section for the class (10872). This helps students readily communicate with
the instructor and allows the instructor to send reminders. Students can send message via email or
phone. To get started, download the app on your phone and find: remind.com/join/Fullertoncollege and
enter in the class code which is fconline. If that does not work, look up Fullerton College & C. Samuels
and look for PS 100-16wkOL (10872)-FC. You can also go to www. remind.com to login.

General Notes
• Throughout the class, I post your exam grades online. It is your responsibility to keep track of these
points. Contact me immediately if these grades have not been posted via Remind
• Students have one week from the time the grade is posted online to dispute or correct it.
After this point, the grade is set.
• Please communicate with me if you are experiencing difficulties so I can work with you to help you
be successful. The sooner you contact me, the better. Otherwise, it might be too late.
• The lecture notes/ audio lectures have been set so that students will not be able to access the
material far in advance. Not every subject has an audio lecture.
• Because the exams are open book/open notes, there are no extra credit opportunities in this class
other than earning five points by regularly commenting (at least 70%) on other student’s posts.

Growth mindset
1) when we learn, our brains literally growth as we learn (neural plasticity)

2) Effort +good strategies+ help from others= intelligent practice

People are not born knowing things; they meet with tutors and ask questions and study a lot to become great
students.
3) We can improve our memory by learning good memory strategies. To improve, process information
actively, deliberately and with multiple pathways (intelligent practice).
4) Using a Growth Mindset can make you a more successful student. You can respond to challenge as a
learning opportunity and Use Intelligent Practice to create new neural pathways.
5)With a new growth mindset, you know that “everything is hard before it is easy.” You know that you can
learn and grow your brain. Challenges are an opportunity to learn.
Course Schedule
Week One: Introduction (Aug 26th – 31st)
• Listen to the welcome podcast
• Discussion Board (DB) Topic #1 due Aug 26th at 9pm
NOT SUBMITTING by August 28th AT 11:59pm WILL RESULT IN BEING DROPPED)
Normally late posts receive 20% fewer points, but there is an exception for (only) this assignment

Week Two: Founding documents(Sept 3rd – 7th)

• Read AG Ch.2 & follow the Founding documents lecture*
• Read R2RI pgs. 1-16
NO CLASS SEPTEMBER 2ND (LABOR DAY)

Week Three: Federalism(Sept 9th – 14th)

• Read AG Ch.3; the Constitution (Art I Sec 8-10) & follow the Federalism lecture*
• Read R2RI pgs 17-29

Week Four: Social movements (Sept 16th-21st)

• Submit DB #2 Sept 17th at 9pm
• Follow Social Movements lecture*
• Read R2RI pgs. 30-43;

Week Five: Civil Rights(Sept 23rd -28th)

• Read AG ch. 5 & follow the Civil Rights lecture*
• Read R2RI pgs. 44-58

Week Six: Public Opinion(Sept 30th – Oct 5th)

• Read AG Ch.6 & follow the Public Opinion lecture*
• Read R2RI pgs. 59-72

Week Seven: ***EXAM ONE / (Mass Media)(Oct 7th – 12th)

• Submit DB #3 Oct 8th at 9pm
• Read AG Ch. 8 & follow the Media lecture*
• Read R2RI pgs. 73-85
• Take Exam One Oct 11th & 12th at 9pm
Week Eight: Interest Groups (Oct 14th – 19th)
• Read AG Ch. 10 & follow the Interest Group lecture *
• Read R2RI pgs. 86-104
• Submit “When They Took My Son” Analysis Oct 19th at 9pm

Week Nine: Campaigns & Elections/ Voting & Democracy(Oct 21st – 26th)
• Submit DB #4 Oct 22nd at 9pm
• Read AG Ch. 7 (pgs 241-255) & follow the Voting and Democracy lecture *
• Read R2RI pgs. 105-110

Week Ten: Political Parties (Oct 28th – Nov 2nd)

• Read AG Ch.9 & follow the Political Parties lecture*
• Read R2RI pgs. 111-119

Week Eleven: ***EXAM TWO /(Federal Bureaucracy)(Nov 4th - 9th)

• Read AG Ch. 15 & follow the Federal Bureaucracy lecture^^^
• Take Exam Two Nov 8th & 9th at 9pm

Week Twelve: Congress (Nov 12th – 16th)

• No class November 11th (Veteran’s Day)
• Submit DB #5 Nov 12th at 9pm
• Read AG Ch. 11; & GC Ch. 5 (pgs 122-9) & follow the Legislative Branch lecture*

Week Thirteen: The Presidency(Nov 18th – 23rd)

• Read AG Ch. 12; GC Ch. 6; & follow the Presidency lecture*

Week Fourteen: Supreme Court (Nov 25th – 27th )

• Read AG ch. 13 & GC ch. 7& follow the Supreme Court lecture*
• Submit the Supreme Court Analysis Nov 27th & 9pm
No class Nov 28th – Dec 1st (Thanksgiving)
Week Fifteen: Civil Liberties(Dec 2nd – 7th)
• Read AG Ch. 4 & follow the Civil Liberties lecture*
• Submit DB #6 Dec 3rd at 9pm
• Submit R2RI Q &A Dec 7th @ 9pm
• Submit R2RI Video Presentation Dec 7th @ 9pm
Post the video presentation under the content areas labeled "Post R2RI Video Presentation
Here." The video presentation will stay up for one week, afterwards, students have
permission to delete their posts. Removing a post early will result in a 10% deduction to
one’s grade.

Week Sixteen: Final Exam (Dec 9th – 14th)

• Take the final exam Dec 13th & 14th at 9pm

Key
* = Listen to the podcast/ read the transcript
^^^= Read the teacher version of the notes

Assignment Rubric
You are not allowed to post the assignment after the deadline. Plan accordingly. All the homework
assignments (except discussion board posts) should be posted in “homework assignments.” Each
assignment will appear three days before its due date (and it can be posted at that time).

Discussion Board Posts

All discussion board posts are worth 10 points. You are not required to read and respond to other students’
posts. However, I highly recommend looking at other students posts for three reasons: 1) doing so can help
you understand the material better; and 2) it will create a “"market place of ideas.” Students will also
appreciate if you respond to their posts. Plus, 3) students who routinely comment on other’s posts in 5
different discussion board posts by the original due date will get the chance to bump up their grade by five
points at the end of the semester. Posts musts be responded to within the specific time for each post. Late
replies will not count. Word of caution: Plagiarized discussion board posts will get a zero.

To receive full points for your discussion board post, you must do the following:
• Write about the topic given
• Be coherent, original, and specific
• (To receive credit for the posts, which require examples, make sure to include historical
examples/ statistics. This shows me that you are doing research on the topic instead of copying
somebody else’s post or making something up).
• Make accurate factual statements
• Make the post the appropriate length (1-2 paragraphs max)
• Submit early (1-3 days before) or on time (by 9pm on the due date)
• Be courteous when discussing taboo subjects.
These requirements are vague so that it will allow you to use your creativity. If you follow the guidelines above,
you will get all the points. Not following the guidelines, will result in a 20% deduction on the assignment.

Discussion Board Topic #1

Listen to the welcome podcast first. In the first paragraph, tell me why you are taking an
online class, and what you hope to get out of this class. In the second paragraph, tell me how
politics affects your life. You must give at least three examples, and it must all be specific.
Avoid generic topics like general elections, voting, and supporting/not supporting the
military. For ideas, refer to the welcome podcast. You also should put a picture of yourself.
This is only for the instructor to see the students.
This is the only discussion board that can be posted late without a penalty.

Discussion Board Topic #2

Based on the social movements lecture, which of the following social movements in the U.S.
have you seen which began in your lifetime that is the most successful (Civil Rights; Black
Lives Matter; March for our Lives)? Provide facts, including statistics, from one article to
make your point.

Discussion Board Topic #3

Analyze the front-page article from each of the following three sources: USA Today,
Washington Post, and LA Times (it must be from the same day). Skim the story and briefly
explain it. Are the stories mostly “watchdog” or “corporate”? What made you reach this
conclusion? Justify your position. Also, be sure to include the specific link to the article or
scan it if you have read it in an actual newspaper. Follow the 2 paragraph limit for this
post and all other DB posts.

Discussion Board Topic #4

How does a low voter turnout affect the legitimacy of a democratic country? Explain (provide
two specific examples based on research. It should have statistics and sources)

Discussion Board Topic #5

Read the following article about someone that tries to run for Congress:
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/10/mr-miller-doesnt-go-to-washington-112173.html

Answer the following questions: how much effort does it take to run for Congress (provide
examples); who usually gets left out of voter outreach (and why); and how has this article
changed your perception of Congress (if at all) and why?
Discussion Board Topic #6
Listen to the first episode of season one of serial podcast ( https://serialpodcast.org/season-
one). Do you think that Adnan Syed’s due process was violated? Why or why not? Provide
specific details.
“When They took my son” Analysis (1 page maximum- single spaced)
Listen the audio from the following URL: https://tinyurl.com/y44entfx
If listening to the audio poses a problem, then read the transcript which is located on the
same website page.
Answer the following questions (and post it as a Word or PDF document):
1. What it is an “icebox,” and who runs it?
2. How much are the government contracts worth for the transportation of immigrant
children?
3. How did ICE track where its contractor was keeping all those kids who were
separated from their families?
4. What is the real reason why so many kids like Wilson were separated from their
parents?
5. Why did hundreds of immigrants, usually via caravan, travel to the U.S.-Mexico
border to attempt to enter the United States?
6. What role did the “zero tolerance policy play in family separation?
7. What are your personal thoughts after listening to the entire podcast and/or reading
this transcript?
Language taken directly from the audio/transcript, will result in a zero for plagiarism.

Supreme Court Analysis

1.Make sure to do the required reading about the U.S. Supreme Court

2. Go to www.oyez.org, and type in one of the following Supreme Court cases (there are 2
options. Pick one):

-Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission (2015)

- Elonis v. United States (2015)

3. Read the facts of the case and then click on the portion that says “oral argument” (it’s
located in the middle of the page).

4. Listen to how the first lawyer argues the case (it’s about 30 minutes)

5. Answer the following questions/statements (in essay format- 1 page max):

1. Did the Supreme Court Justices let the lawyer speak?
2. Did they show bias in favor or against the lawyer’s argument?
3. Explain the parts of the argument that you did not understand (related to political
 terms and not basic vocabulary).
4. Explain the political terms that you could recognize based upon the readings/lecture.
You must find something that you can recognize. If not, go back to the transcript or the
audio and go through the lesson on the Supreme Court again.

R2RI Q & A
After reading the Right to Remain Innocent book, answer the following points (using your
own words):
• Mention two scenarios from the book about innocent people whose circumstances
changed once they spoke with the police.

• List all the reasons from the book why the author advises against speaking to the police.

• What does he advise people to do if they are asked to speak to the police
(Make sure to put the right answer).

• What do you personally think of the author's advice? (If you or someone you know has
experience speaking the to the police, please share). What has this book taught you?

The R2RI Video Presentation:

For the presentation make sure to rehearse answering the following questions from the
book R2RI Q& A (which is listed above)
Then record a video (2 - 4 minutes long). You must present the material without reading
anything. I recommend that you start and pause as many times as you need. Post the video
on YouTube and send the link in the content area labeled “R2RI Video Presentation.” Half
of the points for the video are based on speaking clearly, not reading from the script and
making an interesting presentation and the other half are based on the information.
This is a nice way to see the class and learn from each other. If you know someone in the
class, you can post one video together. Or you can be brave and reach out to some of your
peers in the class. Remember that for each extra person in the video, two minutes must be
added. ENJOY!
Do not wait to the last minute to post because there may be technical difficulties with the
computer. Late assignments will not be accepted.
The video presentation will be available for everyone to see and will stay there for one week.
Afterwards, students have permission to delete their posts. Removing a post early will result
in a 10% deduction to one’s presentation grade.

Academic Honesty
Students are expected to abide by ethical standards in preparing and presenting material which
demonstrates their level of knowledge and which is used to determine grades. Such standards
are founded on basic concepts of integrity and honesty. These include, but are not limited to, the
following areas:
1. Students shall not plagiarize, which is defined as:
A. stealing or passing off as one’s own the ideas or words of another,
B. using a creative production without crediting the source.
The following cases constitute plagiarism:
* paraphrasing published material without acknowledging the source,
* making significant use of an idea or a particular arrangement of ideas, e.g., outlines,
* writing a paper after consultation with persons who provide suitable ideas and incorporating
these ideas into the paper without acknowledgment,
* submitting under one’s own name term papers or other reports which have been prepared by
others.
2. Students shall not cheat, which is defined as:
A. using notes, aids, or the help of other students on tests or quizzes in ways other than those
expressly permitted by the instructor.
B. misreporting or altering the data in laboratory or research projects involving the collection of
data.
3. Students shall not furnish materials or information in order to enable another student to
plagiarize or cheat.
Instructors may deal with academic dishonesty in one or more of the following ways:
1. Assign an appropriate academic penalty such as an oral reprimand (as in cases where there is
reasonable doubt that the student knew that the action violated the standards of honesty); assign
an “F” on all or part of a particular paper, project, or quiz; or assign an “F” in the course (as in
cases where the dishonesty was serious, premeditated, or part of an ongoing scheme).
2. Report to the appropriate administrators, with notification of same to the student(s), for
disciplinary action by the College. Such a report will be accompanied by supporting evidence
and documentation.
Source: Fullerton College Catalogue.

Deep learning
Students who truly wish to be successful in this course should…
Follow every podcast and/or read every transcript
Read every assignment carefully
Take notes by hand
Study later in the day, reorganize, and prioritize items in one’s notes

Fullerton College Food Bank

(http://fcfoodbank.fullcoll.edu/default.html) fcfoodbank@fullcoll.edu Location: Room 1955
Hours: Every Tuesday 12pm-2pm & 4-6pm. Students most provide photo ID and current
class schedule/bill showing a minimum of 3 units enrolled.
Quotes about Politics
“The United States’ failure to educate its students leaves them unprepared to compete and
threatens the country’s ability to thrive in a global economy and maintain its leadership
role” Council on Foreign Relations 2012

"An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people."- Thomas
Jefferson

“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.” – Edward R. Murrow

“If they come for me in the morning, they will come for you in the night.”
– Angela Davis

“A primary object should be the education of our youth in the science of government. In
a republic, what species of knowledge can be equally important? And what duty more
pressing than communicating it to those who are to be the future guardians of the liberties
of the country?” – George Washington

"The price of liberty is eternal vigilance."- Unknown author

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a
well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” Benjamin Franklin