American National Government
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Exam schedule
 
Study Guide Test 4 
Wednesday December 5th and Monday December 10th
 Chapters 16,18

Foreign Policy

1. Goals of foreign policy
2. Tools of foreign policy
3. How foreign policy differs from domestic policy
4. Role of the president, Congress, Supreme Court in making of foreign policy
5. Policy in the Cold War
6. Policy after 9/11

General Welfare
 1. Government regulation of business
2. Government promotion of business
3. How the government protects consumers
4. Social Security and Medicare
5. Role of the government in social welfare
6. History of Social Welfare in U.S.
7. 1996 Welfare Reform
8. Basic programs in welfare
9. Entitlement programs
10. Medicare and Medicaid

 








Wednesday September 21st and September 28th

Chapters 1, 2 and 3
 Chapter 1
Am National Government as a Political System:
inputs, outputs, feedback
Impact of government on people
Impact of people on the government
Concepts:  government, politics, etc.
Cultural changes such as population changes, and technology.
 
Chapter 2

Written Constitution
Unwritten Constitution
Historical influences on Constitution
Need to reform Constitution or write a new one

Chapter 3
Federalism:  theory and practice
Role of the national government in federal system
Role of state and local government in federal system
Advantages and disadvantages of federalism
Evolution of federalism
Need for reform of the federal system



Wednesday December 9th and Monday 14th at 1:30
Chapters 15, 16, 1

Courts
1. Functions of the Courts
2. Characteristics of the Courts
3. Structure of Courts
4. Criteria Used in Selection of Judges
5. Reforming the Nomination Process
6. Procedures used by Supreme Court
7. How Cases reach Supreme Court
8. Types of Opinions from Supreme Court
9. Proper role of Supreme Court
10. Limits on power of the Courts

Foreign Policy
1. Goals of foreign policy
2. Tools of foreign policy
3. How foreign policy differs from domestic policy
4. Role of the president, Congress, Supreme Court
5. Policy in the Cold War
6. Policy after 9/11

General Welfare
1. Government regulation of business
2. Government promotion of business
3. How the government protects consumers
4. Social Security and Medicare
5. Poverty programs including Medicaid

 

 

 

 

Study Guide Test 2 Monday Oct. 25th
Chapters: 6,7,8,9,10,11

Chapter 6 Public Opinion
1. Definition of Public Opinion
2. How Opinion is formed:  role of family, social class, schools,
 religion, sex and ethnic factors
3.  How polls are conducted
4. Roll of polls in a democracy

Chapter 7  Interest Groups
1. Definition of Interest Groups
2. Types of Interest Groups
3. Resources
4. Methods—elite and non-elite
5. Elite interest groups definition
6. Arguments for and against interest groups
7. Regulation of lobbying
8. Why we don’t have stronger laws

Chapter 8 Mass Media
1. Types of mass media
2. Political functions
3. Biases
4. Criticisms

Chapter 9 Political Parties

1. Definition of political parties
2. Three components--party organization, Party-in-the-electorate, Party in-the-government
Functions—primary and secondary
Reasons parties have weakened
 

Chapter 10 Campaigns
Page 290 appeal to the undecided
page 294 Incumbency
page 296 Negative campaigning
page 301 Television
page 306 Madison Avenue
page 308 Professional Campaign Managers
page 310 Polls

Chapter 11 Voting Behavior
1. The Michigan Model
2. What is most important in today's presidential elections-party, candidate image, issues
3. When issues are relevant
4. Retroactive voting
5. Rational voting

Study Guide Test 4
Friday December 6th Retest December 11th, 1:30
Chapters 14 and 20
Courts
1. Functions of the Courts
2. Characteristics of the Courts
3. Structure of Courts
4. Criteria Used in Selection of Judges
5. Reforming the Nomination Process
6. Procedures used by Supreme Court
7. How Cases reach Supreme Court
8. Types of Opinions from Supreme Court
9. Proper role of Supreme Court
10. Limits on power of the Courts

Social Welfare
1. Role of the government in Social Welfare--public vs. private
2. History of Social Welfare
   1930's
   1960's
   1996 Welfare Reform
3. Basic programs in welfare
4. Entitlement programs
5. Health Care and Government
    Private vs. public health
    Medicare
    Medicaid
6. Education
    Role of the Federal Government
    Educational Reform

Study Guide Test 2

Friday October 25th Retest 2 November 1
Chapters 6,7,8,10
Interest Groups Chapter 6
Definition of Interest Groups
Types of Interest Groups
Resources
Methods—elite and non-elite
Elite interest groups definition
Arguments for and against interest groups
Regulation of lobbying
Why we don’t have stronger laws
Political Parties Chapter 7
Definition of political parties
Three elements
Functions—primary and secondary
Reasons parties have weakened
Realignment, dealignment, maintaining


Public Opinion Chapter 8
Definition of political parties
Three elements
Functions—primary and secondary
Reasons parties have weakened
Realignment, dealignment, maintaining

Mass Media Chapter 10
Types of mass media
Political functions
Biases
Criticisms

 
 

Study Guide Test 3
Chapters 10,11,12

Mass media
Congress
President

Mass Media
Types of media
Functions of media:political and nonpolitical
Criticisms
Characteristics
Biases:ideological, locational, professional
Media and elections
Media and Governance 

Congress
Characteristics
Roles of Congress
How a Bill becomes a law
Leadership positions in Congress 

President
Roles of President
Limits on President
Why more powerful in foreign policy than domestic policy
Search for perfect president
Vice Presidency 

Topics for Test 2
Chapter 2,6, 7 8

Chapter 2 Federalism Definition,powers to the national and state governments and  advantages and disadvantages.
Types of powers found in the Constitution
expressed, implied,  inherent.
Dual federalism
Cooperative federalism
Chapter 6
Interest Groups		 Definition of Interest Groups
Types of interest groups
Free-rider problem
Functions of interest groups in political system
Techniques used by groups
Criticisms of groups
Resources
Elites and nonelites
Regulation of interest groups
Chapter 7
Political Parties		 Definition
Three components
Primary functions
Secondary functions
Realignment and Dealignment
Chapter 8
Public Opinion		 Definition
How public opinion is measured
Socialization
Agents of socialization
Characteristics of public opinion
Why people don't vote
Impact of voting on political system
Basis of how people vote--party, candidate, issues
     

 

 
 
  Questions: Joe Gaziano
Lewis University, Political Science Department, Route53, Romeoville, Il.,60446
         
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