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TWELFTH GRADE
U.S. Government United States Government is a one-semester required course for Grade 12. Its goal is to foster the development of civic competence and civic participation for all students. In this course, students use the knowledge and analytical thinking skills learned in the Grades 10-11 United States History courses to focus on the origins, structure, and functions of government at all levels in the nation. Emphasis is placed on intellectual factors that influenced the development of a republic based on the rule of law, freedom of opportunity, individual liberty, and representative democracy. The course also includes a detailed study of the Constitution of the United States and its provisions. Students go beyond the acquisition of facts to develop skills for collection, in-depth analysis, and interpretation of information important to the study of government. Students in the Grade 12 United States Government course engage in analysis of primary sources, including those specific to the founding of the United States, speeches, landmark Supreme Court cases, and relevant political commentaries. Twelfth-grade students have achieved developmental maturity sufficient for in-depth analysis of societal issues, problems, and solutions. These students have the potential to become participating citizens in the fullest sense—voting, jury duty, and political office. Therefore, twelfth graders benefit from an instructional environment that promotes critical thinking and research and provides opportunities for civic participation. Social science research using technological resources and presentation with computer technology is encouraged. Simulation and debate offer vital interaction with peers that also aids in social development, fosters long-term learning of content, and encourages all students to reach their potential.
TWELFTH GRADE United States Government
Students will:
Examples:
origins—evolution of law
from divine law, natural
law, common law, ancient
Greek and Roman law, and
British Common Law; Comparing essential characteristics of limited and unlimited governments throughout the world, including constitutional, authoritarian, and totalitarian governments
Comparing government structure under the Articles of Confederation with government structure under the Constitution of the United States Comparing arguments for establishing a government with three separate branches, including views presented in the Federalist Papers regarding the branches of government Explaining the necessity for and inclusion of a system of checks and balances Example: Federalist argument in favor of checks and balances Explaining the necessity for including a Bill of Rights in the Constitution of the United States Examples: differences in the Federalist/Anti-Federalist arguments, George Mason’s views on the Bill of Rights Outlining the process of amending the Constitution of the United States
Examples: categorical and block grants, funded and unfunded mandates, revenue sharing
Examples: functions—providing educational funding, ensuring personal security, regulating transportation Analyzing the 1901 Constitution of Alabama to determine its impact on local funding and campaign reform Describing the influence of special interest groups on state government
Example: suffrage for nonproperty owners, women, African Americans, and persons 18 years of age Describing implications of participation of large numbers of minorities and women in parties and campaigns Describing the impact of the Selma-to-Montgomery march on the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Identifying the impact of campaign contributions by political action committees on the election processes at the state and national levels Analyzing rulings by the Supreme Court of the United States regarding campaign financing to determine their effect on the election process Examples: Buckley versus Valeo, legislation regarding campaign reform
Examples: party press, penny press, print media, yellow journalism, radio, television, Internet, 2000 presidential election Explaining the effect of media consolidation on public opinion and access to various viewpoints Describing regional differences in public opinion in the United States Analyzing the impact of television on the election process and campaign spending Examples: John F.
Kennedy-Richard M.
Nixon debate, Explaining the effect of attack advertisements on voter selection of candidates
Describing the role of third-party candidates in political elections in the United States Explaining major characteristics of contemporary political parties in the United States, including the role of conventions, party leadership, formal and informal memberships, and regional strongholds Describing the changing influence of political parties on individuals and elected officials Examples: development of party machines, rise of independent voters, disillusionment with party system
Example: checks by the legislative branch on other branches of government Comparing rules of operation and hierarchies of the House and Senate Example: roles of the Speaker of the House, Senate pro tem, majority and minority leaders, and party whips Tracing the legislative process, including types of votes and committee action, from a bill’s presentation to presidential action Identifying committee structure and types of committees Discussing problems concerning redistricting as populations shift Example: gerrymandering
Examples: checks by the executive branch on other branches of government, powers and duties as head of state and head of government Identifying constitutional provisions regarding the office of President of the United States Examples: term of office, qualifications, electoral college, impeachment and removal, Amendment 25 (line of succession and disability), formal powers Identifying informal powers of the President of the United States Examples: press conferences, State of the Union address, total media access, head of party, symbolic power of the Oval Office Identifying the influence of White House staff on the President of the United States Identifying powers held by the President’s Cabinet Examples: roles of Cabinet secretaries, appropriations by Congress, appointment and confirmation, operation of organization Comparing characteristics of the President of the United States with characteristics of the electorate Examples: socioeconomic status, level of education Identifying factors that influence voters’ choices of presidential candidates Example: characteristics of candidates in relation to the electorate
Examples: checks by the judicial branch on other branches of government, limits on judicial powers Describing the structure of the court system of the United States Examples: lower courts, appellate courts Tracing the process by which a case goes to the Supreme Court of the United States Example: Gideon versus Wainwright Identifying the impact of landmark Supreme Court cases on constitutional interpretation Examples: Marbury versus Madison, Miranda versus Arizona, Tinker versus Des Moines Identifying landmark decisions arising from Supreme Court cases originating in Alabama Examples: Wallace versus Jaffree, Wyatt versus Stickney, Powell versus Alabama (Scottsboro boys) Explaining politics involved in the appointment process Describing the shifting political balance of the court system Example: justices’ ideologies Identifying influences on court decisions Examples: public opinion, executive and legislative opinion, justices’ ideologies, desire for impartiality Contrasting the strict and loose constructionist views of the Constitution Tracing the nationalization of the Bill of Rights from Gitlow versus New York to the present
Examples: right to trial by jury compared to responsibility of jury duty, right to freedom of speech compared to responsibility to avoid slander
Discussing the changing role of the foreign policy of the United States Examples: economic, scientific, humanitarian, cultural, technological, political Identifying positive and/or negative consequences of foreign policy decisions Examples: shifting alliances as a result of foreign policy decisions, financial costs, terrorism, foreign stability Identifying traditional foreign policy allies of the United States and potential areas of current and future intervention
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