Conservapedia:American Government Fall 2007

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Current enrollment: 46 students, 3 teachers

"American Government 101" is a 14-week course that teaches the basics of government, both federal and state. It reviews the U.S. Constitution, including concepts like the separation of powers among the branches of government.

Students seeking to earn college credit can take the CLEP or AP exams upon successful completion of this course.

This course begins in September and already 24 students have enrolled. Please add your user id. (use the signature button above) if you would like to participate in this course in any way, either as a student or as a teacher on this site, and your name will be transferred to a roster. As an enrolled participant, you will have special access to a protected area established for this course.

Teenagers are welcome as students, and advanced college students and adults are welcome as teachers. The primary instructor is Andy Schlafly, who has taught over 10 courses, including one as an adjunct professor at a major law school.

Homework and Contest

This course will have weekly homework that will use the following point system. To earn credit, the entries should relate to government in some way.

  • Add new entries for the Category:United States Government
    • Examples include terms found in lectures, brightly colored links, government agencies or departments, clauses in the U.S. Constitution and special laws.
    • Quality new entry: 10 points
      • A "quality new entry" includes at least two full-length paragraphs, three relevant citations, several links to other entries, some in-depth content and designations of category. Partial credit is awarded.
    • Any new entry: 6 points
    • An additional bonus of 3 points is awarded for adding a new entry on the "most-wanted" list, Special:Wantedpages
  • Improvements of existing entries in the Category:United States Government
    • Quality edit of an existing entry: 4 points
      • A "quality edit" to an existing article includes at least two extra sentences, an additional reference, and the inclusion of an important or relevant fact.
    • Minor edit, such as a correction, of an existing entry: 2 points
  • An additional bonus of 1 point is awarded for adding a link to an entry on the Special:Deadendpages, and thereby removing that entry from that list

Each week each student must achieve a total score of at least 25 points. Top-scoring students will be recognized each week.

During the course we will also have several weekly team contests, with recognition for teams and individuals scoring the most points.

Syllabus

  1. Constitution
  2. Bill of Rights and Federalism
  3. Congress
  4. President and Bureaucracy
  5. Judiciary
  6. Public Opinion
  7. The Media
  8. Political Parties and Voting and Elections
  9. Interest Groups
  10. Civil Rights and Liberties
  11. Public and Economic Policy
  12. Foreign Policy
  13. Review

CLEP

The CLEP exam on American Government tests these topics with these weightings:

  1. 30-40%: legal aspects of government, including the U.S. Constitution, federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, majority v. minority, theories of democracy, the courts, the Bill of Rights, applying the Bill of Rights against the states, equal protection and due process
  2. 30-35%: Three branches of government and how they relate with each other and with interest groups, the media, public opinion and political parties
  3. 15-20%: Political parties and interest groups and elections
  4. 10-15%: Political beliefs and behavior, including how opinions are formed and how opinion influences political leaders. BEWARE: THIS SECTION IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO LIBERAL BIAS

AP

The AP exam on American Government tests these topics with these weightings:[1]

  1. Institutions of National Government: The Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Federal Courts (35-45%)
  2. Constitutional Underpinnings of United States Government (5-15%)
  3. Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (5-15%)
  4. Political Beliefs and Behaviors (10-20%)
  5. Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media (10-20%)
  6. Public Policy (5-15%)

Note that roughly the bottom half of the above topics are highly susceptible to liberal bias.

Interesting Issues in Government

  1. a liberal proposed that the next Democratic President add Justices to the Supreme Court. Lawful?
  2. should Congress limit judicial review, as in ending judicial review of the Pledge of Allegiance?
  3. the rule against interstate sales tax -- interference with state power?
  4. free 50 guilty defendants rather than convict one innocent one?
  5. Electoral college – scrap it?
  6. postal monopoly – end exclusivity for regular mail?
  7. line-item veto – constitutional?
  8. conditional declarations of war by Congress – constitutional?
  9. immigration - build a wall?
  10. excluding homeschoolers from public school activities – constitutional? Fair?
  11. are limits on campaign contributions constitutional?
  12. should we allow free trade with China? With countries that suppress religion?
  13. full free speech for corporations? In advertising? In denying wrongdoing?
  14. should corporations be able to donate directly to political campaigns?
  15. random drug testing of students in school activities – constitutional?
  16. equal protection clause – should it protect non-citizens? apply to gender?
  17. state discounts for residents – violate Privileges and Immunities Clause?
  18. non-delegation doctrine – can Congress delegate lawmaking to agencies?
  19. substantive due process – distinguish between economic and social rights?
  20. English-only laws for basic public school courses – constitutional?
  21. Title IX: athletes’ gender must be proportional to enrollment – constitutional?
  22. should the Bill of Rights be applied against the States?
  23. heat-seeking sensors to detect marijuana plants growing within homes - legal?

Enroll here:

Hello, I am (danielherrera) and I would LOVE to sign up for the next American Government class. It is my DREAM to become a Senator, Congressman or even Governor one day! I want to be in this class but I do not know how. Please help me. Thank you very much in advance! - December 24th 2009

Hi, im (jamer5718) and i am a current 9th grader in US Gov't, but i would still like to enroll in this course

Hello, I'm (fatro) seeking admission. I heard about this site on the Colbert Report. Was wondering when the next class was being offered, Dec. 14th.

Hi, I'm (dvickery) requesting to be added to the student enrollment.

Add me -Baruch 15:39, 17 August 2007 (EDT)

Welcome! You're student #38, and participant #41 including teachers.--Aschlafly 09:26, 18 August 2007 (EDT)

Hello, I would also like to enroll in this class, and am not sure if this is how to do so. Please let me know! User:Janewayne

Welcome! You are student #37. This will be fun and you'll learn immensely. Godspeed.--Aschlafly 13:36, 15 August 2007 (EDT)

What is this about, how can I enroll? User:Cyzward

You just did. Welcome! We start in mid-September, and lectures will be posted here along with assignments, discussion, etc. You will learn American Government better than you thought possible. You are student #36, I think.--Aschlafly 23:33, 14 August 2007 (EDT)

I would like to enroll in the American Government 101 class. I am a sophomore in high school.--Mcpannier 12:26, 5 August 2007 (EDT)

Fantastic! Welcome to the class, which will start in September. You are student #25 and you will have special access to a restricted area (namespace) for this course. In Christ,--Aschlafly 15:06, 5 August 2007 (EDT)

i would like to enroll also...as i always slept through AG classes when younger :) --Wally 22:35, 5 August 2007 (EDT)

Great, welcome! You're student #26 ... or teacher #2 depending on how much you really slept! Godspeed.--Aschlafly 22:38, 5 August 2007 (EDT)

--A303springfield 00:14, 7 August 2007 (EDT)

Fantastic!! You're most welcome! You're student #28, and we have another teacher in addition to myself. We start in September but please feel free to edit here before then.--Aschlafly 00:45, 7 August 2007 (EDT)

--Blu1001 19:16, 10 August 2007 (EDT) This sounds cool

  • 09:50, 11 August 2007 DanH (Talk | contribs | block) blocked "Blu1001 (contribs)" with an expiry time of infinite (sock of two blocked useres)

http://www.conservapedia.com/Special:Blockip/Blu1001

He's our first expelled student!--Aschlafly 15:10, 11 August 2007 (EDT)

Great, I would like to enroll please. I am 42 and am teaching my 10 year old about government. username: CDRobbins

Great, you count as a new teacher, and your child as a new student. Both of you are enrolled and I'll increment the totals above.--Aschlafly 19:42, 11 August 2007 (EDT)

ADD YOUR NAME HERE:

I have sent an email to Mr Schlafly explaining my desire to enrol. Even though I am a UK high school student, I hope you will still accept me. --TJ 09:26, 14 August 2007 (EDT)

Welcome! It's great having a student from the UK. You are student #35 to enroll. You'll enjoy this and learn a great deal.--Aschlafly 10:24, 14 August 2007 (EDT)


Name Sithlordsteven, or Steven, I wish to enroll! This course is one of the many courses I am looking forward to this semester. Is this how you enroll?

Ah, great!!! You're participant number 43: 40 students and 3 teachers. Welcome!

I think I will try out the class. I hope I have the time for it, do you know exactly when it starts, ends and about what the time commitments each week will be?SPierce 23:06, 18 August 2007 (EDT)

Welcome! This is a weekly class, probably starting Thursday, September 13th and running weekly thereafter, with a few breaks that will enable students to catch up if they have to. There won't be a lot of work. This is about understanding a few concepts well. Quality, not quantity, is key. You're participant #44. Godspeed.--Aschlafly 00:00, 19 August 2007 (EDT)

I am in 8th grade at a catholic school so I figure since we`re studying American history I may as well learn about the Government- Mr.Random-a different kind of random

Welcome! You're participant number 45. Godspeed.--Aschlafly 13:36, 20 August 2007 (EDT)

Add me too please.-ShanaTova 13:49, 25 August 2007 (EDT)

Add me please- --Draiocht 18:52, 28 August 2007 (EDT)

I would like to try this class. I'm not totally confident I can keep up with it. --Maxygolf 00:00, 29 August 2007 (EDT)

You're both in. Welcome!--Aschlafly 00:13, 29 August 2007 (EDT)

I still would like to help as a teacher in this and the Supreme Court class. DanH 22:43, 11 September 2007 (EDT)

Ah, great, Dan! You made my day. Please feel free to improve the point system and explanation on the first American Government Homework One and also American Government Lecture One. The class officially starts Thursday. The Supreme Court course will then begin a few days later, once we get on track with the American Government course.--Aschlafly 23:12, 11 September 2007 (EDT)

I'll take a look at it tonight; I haven't been on in a day or two because my mother had surgery and I went to visit her at home. DanH 21:13, 13 September 2007 (EDT)

Oh wow, Dan. We'll say some prayers for your mother. Class just started today and attention to the lecture one will increase now. In Christ,--Aschlafly 21:17, 13 September 2007 (EDT)
Hi my name is Shmuel Malov, i would like to enroll. User name: shmuelmalov
Hi my name is Yoseff Schwartz. i would like to sign up. my user name is YYRSchwartz.

Interesting oddities

One federal district court unconstitutionally extends into a different state.[2]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/usgov/topics.html?usgovpol
  2. ↑ http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2007/08/26/news/wyoming/d0a57f154e61c8068725734200604516.txt
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