XHSC 0934A HS American Government

1. Identify the nature and the appeal of the essential principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and explain how they relate to individual rights.
2. Explain the structures, functions and dynamics of federalism and separation of powers in our government.
3. Give examples of the tension existing between the Constitution’s protection of individual rights and its promotion of equality and the common good.
4. Explain how the Constitution is a vehicle for change, for resolution of issues, for limitation of government, and for preservation of the values and principles of society.
5. Apply knowledge of U.S. government and its political system to 1) gather, analyze, and document information from various sources, 2) distinguish facts from opinions, inferences, biases, stereotypes, and persuasive appeals, 3) form opinions, and 4) take action as a citizen.
6. Diagram the U.S. political spectrum and explain an issue, problem, or phenomenon from varied or opposed perspectives or points of view.
7. Compare government and citizenship in the United States to that of other nation-states.
8. Illustrate ways that national governments cooperate on issues of global concern.
9. Using the Tribal History/Shared History resources and other primary and secondary source documents, identify and explain the development and mechanisms for the government-to-government relationship between Oregon and the nine federally recognized tribal governments.

• The Philosophical and Historical Foundation of the American Political System
  • Classic Republicanism…with an emphasis on equality….from Aristotle
  • Natural Rights…with an emphasis on individualism…from John Locke
  • Limited Government….with emphasis on government’s service to citizens From John Locke and the Magna Carta
  • Tribal Government Structures and its influence on early forms of government
  • Federalism: the division of power between two levels of government: from Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists
    • State government
    • Federal government
• Separation of Powers: the division of power among three branches of government with checks and balances for each…from James Madison
  • The Legislative Branch
  • The Executive Branch
  • The Judicial Branch
• The Bill of Rights: protection of the rights of citizens and the accused from governmental abuse: from the English Bill of Rights
• Historical Incentives for Incorporating These Values Into the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
• The Tension Rising Between the Expectations for Individual Rights and the Expectations for Equality and the Common Good
• The Expansion of the Bill of Rights to Protect More Citizens from Additional Types of   Government Encroachment Through:
  • Incorporation into the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment
  • Addition of amendments
• The Constitution as the Supreme Law of the Land: The Supremacy Clause
  • The Constitution, as a Living, Flexible Document, that Responds to and Accommodates Change
  • Is the standard for judicial review and, as such, is open to interpretation
  • Is amended as needed
  • Is made flexible by the Elastic Clause
• The US Political Spectrum
  • Its scope in comparison to those of other countries
  • Values and functions of the political parties
  • Costs and benefits of lobbies and political action groups
• Tasks for the Citizen in American Democracy in its Fourth Century
  • Comparing the nature of U.S. citizenship to that of other countries
  • Understanding the uses of citizenship and how to take action
  • Making informed choices: differentiating facts from opinion, analyzing sources
  • Recognizing changes and challenges ahead for citizens
• The United States Government’s Participation as a Global Partner in Attending to International Issues
  • Trade
  • Defense
  • Environment
  • Energy
  • Health
  • Human rights
• Tribal Government in Oregon 
  • 2001 Senate Bill 770
  • Executive Order 96-30
  • Legislative Commission on Indian Services
  • Specific Tribal Governments