American Government Grades 9-12

Foundations of the American Political System

Citizenship and Civic Participation

Political Economy

Function and Structure of the United States Political System

The American Electoral System

The United States and the International System

Examine the influences of leading European thinkers such as Locke and Montesquieu, as well as the influence of historical institutions such as Greek democracy, Roman republicanism, and the English legal tradition on the American Founding.

Examine the Declaration of Independence and American grievances against British rule.

Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

Analyze the Constitutional Convention of 1787, including the Great Compromise and the ensuing debate over ratification between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists.

Evaluate the arguments presented in the Federalist Papers, particularly Essay 10 and Essay 51, and evaluate the arguments in the Anti-Federalist Papers.

Describe the purposes and functions of government as outlined in the Preamble of the Constitution.

Describe limited government within the Constitution, including:

Describe the structure of the Constitution and the process to amend it.

Analyze how the Bill of Rights limits the powers of the government and ensures individual rights.

Define the concepts of democracy and republic and examine the relationship between the two.

Understand the shared values and aspirations of Americans including liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, and laissez-faire government.

Evaluate the arguments within the Declaration of Independence and its definition of an ideal government.

Describe, at the national, state, and local level, what should be reasonably expected from any citizen or resident of the U.S. and explain why it is important for the well-being of the nation, including being informed on civic issues, serving in the military or alternative service, obeying the law, paying taxes, volunteering, and performing public service, respecting the rights of others, serving as a juror, and voting.

Compare and contrast major American political ideologies.

Evaluate the roles of the federal and state governments in the Civil Rights Movement.

Explain the role and evolution of political parties in governing and in the recruitment/election of political candidates and the importance of and difference between primaries, caucuses, and general elections.

Evaluate the role of the media/social media as a means of communicating information/misinformation and how it influences the importance of issues and public opinion.

Describe the means that citizens use to responsibly participate in the political process, including campaigning, petitioning, demonstrating, running for office, lobbying, and voting.

Explain the requirements to be considered a natural-born U.S. citizen, and describe the process of naturalization, including the knowledge required by the Naturalization Test.

Explain the history and significance of dual citizenship regarding American Indians.

Identify and be able to engage with key officials, both elected and appointed, in the legislative, executive, and judicial branches at the federal, state, and local levels.

Distinguish between civil rights and civil liberties and how they are put into practice in our daily lives.

Evaluate the Supreme Court’s interpretations of the freedoms articulated in the First Amendment, including Schenck v. United States, New York Times v. United States, Engel v. Vitale, Miller v. California, Tinker v. Des Moines, Texas v. Johnson, and Kennedy v. Bremerton.

Evaluate the Supreme Court’s interpretations of freedoms in the Fourth through Eighth Amendments, including Mapp v. Ohio, Gideon v. Wainwright, and Miranda v. Arizona.

Evaluate the Supreme Court’s interpretations of the freedoms in the 14th Amendment, equal protection, and due process clauses including Plessy v. Ferguson, Roe v. Wade, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Gitlow v. New York, Loving v. Virginia, Obergefell v. Hodges, and Brown v. Board of Education, 1954.

Explain the government’s limited role in free enterprise and how that affects individual economic freedoms.

Evaluate the government’s establishment and maintenance of the rules and institutions in which markets operate, including the establishment and enforcement of property rights, contracts, consumer rights, labormanagement relations, environmental protection, and competition in the marketplace.

Compare the types and purposes of taxation that are used by local, state, and federal governments to pay for services provided by the government.

Describe how the Federal Reserve can use monetary policy to pursue price stability, full employment, and economic growth with the goal of stabilizing the economy.

Analyze Article I and the 17th Amendment of the Constitution as they relate to the legislative branch, including eligibility for office, roles, duties, casework, length of terms, and election to office for representatives and senators.

Describe the census and its role in redistricting and reapportionment, including the role of Baker v. Carr.

Identify leadership positions of the legislative branch, including majority and minority leaders, the president pro tempore, the role of the Vice president, and the Speaker of the House.

Describe the process of how a bill becomes law.

Describe the powers of United States’ Congress, including appropriations, declaration of war, commerce, implied powers, confirmations, necessary and proper clauses, and powers of impeachment and oversight.

Analyze Article II of the Constitution as it relates to the executive branch, including appointments, oath of office, Commander-in-chief of the military, powers of the president, eligibility for office, succession (25th Amendment), executive orders, treaties, length of term (20th and 22nd Amendments).

Identify major departments of the executive branch, including cabinet and non-cabinet level departments and agencies.

Explain the Electoral College system, and how it has evolved over time, and compare arguments for and against it.

Analyze Article III of the Constitution as it relates to judicial power, including the length of terms and the jurisdiction of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Analyze the origin and evolution of the modern federal court structure including the Judiciary Act of 1789.

Explain the processes of selection and confirmation of Supreme Court justices.

Describe the Supreme Court’s role, established by Marbury vs. Madison, in determining the constitutionality of laws and acts of the legislative and executive branches.

Compare and contrast different judicial philosophies including activism vs. conservatism, originalism vs. living constitution, and textualism.

Explain the functions, powers, interactions, and dynamic relationships among federal, state, local, and tribal governments including the roles of the 10th Amendment, McCulloch vs Maryland, Gibbons vs. Ogden, and evolution from dual federalism to cooperative federalism.

Analyze and discuss sovereignty and the federal responsibility the United States has with federally recognized American Indian tribes with emphasis on Idaho, such as hunting and fishing rights, and land leasing.

Explain the organization and powers of state and local government as described in the Constitution of the State of Idaho by analyzing legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Compare the lawmaking process at the national, state, and local level.

Understand the structure, powers, and lawmaking process of local government (county, city, special district) by analyzing the relationships between state and local governments and the roles of regional authorities, governing boards, and commissions.

Compare partisan and non-partisan offices and elections.

Describe the evolution of voting (methods and process) and enfranchisement including key amendments (15th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, 26th) and laws (1965 Voting Rights Act) that have extended the right to vote to previously disenfranchised Americans.

Examine campaign finance laws and campaign funding and spending, including the impact of Supreme Court decisions, the nationalization of campaign financing, and the role of interest groups.

Describe the nomination and election process in American national and state elections, including the Electoral College.

Analyze the influence of political parties, media coverage, campaign advertising, interest groups, public opinion polls, social media, and digital communications on elections.

Explain the impact of reapportionment and redistricting on elections and governance.

Explain the role of state governments in administering elections and compare different state’s voting rules and elections laws.

Evaluate the challenges of the election process.

Compare the different forms of domestic and foreign political systems, electoral systems, economic systems, and civil societies including presidential vs parliamentary, unitary vs federal, and autocracy vs democracy.

Describe the characteristics of United States foreign policy and how it has been created and implemented over time.

Identify and evaluate the role of the United States in international organizations, agreements, treaties, and humanitarian relief efforts.

Evaluate the changing role of the United States in supporting democratic principles and institutions in the international system.

Checks and balances

Popular sovereignty

Rule of law

Federalism

Separation of powers

Judicial review

Majority rule and protection of minority rights