Primary Global Focus: Encourage citizenship through the appreciation of democratic responsible processes.

1. Students explain the fundamental principles and moral values of American democracy as expressed in the U.S. Constitution and other essential documents of American democracy, in terms of

• the influence of ancient Greek, Roman, English, and leading European political thinkers such as John Locke, Charles-Louis Montesquieu, Nicolo Machiavelli and William Blackstone on the development of American government
  
• how the Founders' realistic view of human nature led directly to a constitutional system that limited the power of the governors and the governed as articulated in The Federalist
  
• the systems of separated and shared powers; the role of organized interests (The Federalist Number 10); checks and balances (The Federalist Number 51); the importance of an independent judiciary (The Federalist Number 78); enumerated powers; rule of law; federalism; and civilian control of the military
  
• the Bill of Rights as a document limiting the power of the federal government and state governments.

2. All students will, in the pursuit of civic literacy, demonstrate the understanding and abilities required for successful and informed citizenship

• identify the levels of government in the United States and describe how our government is the prime responsibility of the governed
  
• understand the democratic process of government and describe how it functions at the local, state and federal level through partisan and nonpartisan systems
  
• explain public policy, how it is formed, implemented and influenced by citizens
  
• naturalization.

3. All students will demonstrate an understanding of key American documents such as the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights

• in accordance with CA. Assembly Bill 3086, Chapter 778,1996, have an understanding of the following documents: Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution including its Bill of Rights, Federalist Papers, George Washington's Farewell Address, Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address
  
• demonstrate an understanding of the Constitution's principles and concepts
  
• examine selections from the Federalist Papers for information, discussion, and essay writing
  
• explain the Constitution framer's ideas on human nature and the political process
  
• describe key constitutional terms and concepts such as, separation of powers, checks and balances, and enumerated power
  
• explain how the U.S. Constitution secures rights.

4. Students summarize landmark U.S. Supreme Court interpretations of the U. S. Constitution and its amendments, in terms of

• the changing interpretations of the Bill of Rights over time, including the basic freedoms (religion, speech, press, petition, and assembly) articulated in the First Amendment, and the due process and equal protection of the law clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment
  
• judicial activism and judicial restraint and the effects of each policy over the decades (e.g., Warren vs. Rehnquist courts)
  
• the effect of the interpretations of the U.S. Constitution, including Marbury v. Madison, McCulloch v. Maryland, and U.S. v. Nixon, with emphasis on the arguments espoused by each side in these cases
  
• the controversies that have resulted over changing interpretations of civil rights, including Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, Miranda v. Arizona, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, Ada and Constructors, Inc. v. Pena and United States v. Virginia (VMI).

5. All students will demonstrate an understanding of the role of United States Courts as a major element in the Governmental Process

• know a citizen's right to due process
  
• know how the court system has changed the meaning of various laws and how court cases have affected our lives, especially Marbury v. Madison, U.S. v. Nixon, Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, Miranda v. Arizona, Bakke
  
• explore the consequences of Supreme Court decisions regarding major First Amendment cases
  
• analyze the Fourteenth Amendment and its long range impact
  
• Bill of Rights.

6. All students will demonstrate an understanding of the U.S. Government today within the respective powers, roles and workings of the legislative and the Executive branches

• explain the reasons for separated powers and checks and balances
  
• analyze case studies and other resources to explain the process and issues of lawmaking (e.g., the committee system, lobbying, media, special interests, and the influence of the media)
  
• analyze and explain the scope of Presidential power and decision-making
  
• analyze conflicts between the legislative and executive branches.

7. Students analyze the unique roles and responsibilities of the three branches of government as established by the U. S. Constitution, in terms of

• Article I of the U. S. Constitution as it relates to the legislative branch, including eligibility for office and lengths of terms of Representatives and Senators, election to office, the role of the House and the Senate in impeachment proceedings, the role of the Vice President, the enumerated legislative powers, and the process by which a bill becomes a law
  
• the process through which the U. S. Constitution is amended
  
• the student's current representatives in the legislative branch of the national government
  
• Article II of the U. S. Constitution as it relates to the executive branch including eligibility for office and length of term, election to and removal from office, the Oath of office, and the enumerated executive powers
  
• Article III of the U. S. Constitution as it relates to judicial power including the length of terms of judges and the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
  
• the selection of Supreme Court judges.

8. All students will demonstrate an understanding of Federalism; the division of power among federal, state and local governments, and the key issues related to them

• explain the purposes of local governing bodies, such as City Council, Planning Commission, Board of Supervisors, Grand Jury, etc.
  
• analyze and explain significant issues related to Federalism (e.g., a school policy issue) in light of local control, finance, school board and state law
  
• be versed in citizenship functions including voting, jury service, volunteerism and community involvement.

9. Students evaluate issues regarding campaigns for national, state, and local elective office, in terms of

• the origin, development, and role of political parties noting those occasional periods in which there was only one major party or were more than two major parties
  
• the history of the presidential candidate nomination process and increasing importance of primaries in general elections
  
• the role of polls, campaign advertising and the controversies over campaign funding
  
• the means that citizens use to participate in the political process (e.g., voting, campaigning, lobbying, filing a legal challenge, demonstrating, petitioning, picketing, running for political office)
  
• the features of direct democracy in numerous states such as the process of referendums and recall elections
  
• trends in voter turnout, the causes and effects of reapportionment and redistricting, with special attention to spatial districting and the rights of minorities, and the function of the Electoral College.

10. Students analyze and compare the powers and procedures of the national, state, tribal, and local governments, in terms of

• how conflicts between levels of government and branches of government are resolved
  
• the major responsibilities and sources of revenue for state and local governments
  
• reserved powers and concurrent powers of state governments
  
• the Ninth and Tenth Amendments and interpretations of the extent of the federal government's power
  
• the process of lawmaking at each of the three levels of government, including the role of lobbying and the media
  
• the scope of presidential power and decision-making through the examination of case studies such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, passage of Great Society legislation, War Powers Act, Gulf War, and Bosnia
  
• the various ways power is distributed, shared and limited in systems of shared powers and in parliamentary systems, including the influence and role of parliamentary leaders (e.g., William Gladstone, Margaret Thatcher)
  
• the advantages and disadvantages of federal, confederal and unitary systems of government.