Introduction to AP Government

Ms. Powers
2016

Homework
1. Wilson Reading - Political Culture
Ch. 4 p. 77-86.
2. Students will complete this
google form where they create a
prompt question connected to their
analysis of the summer reading
book Game Change for the Socratic
Seminar which will be held next
Wednesday, 9/7. To be submitted
before class time 9/6.

Agenda
- Course Overview
- AP Central
- Chalk Talk

Course Overview
1. Syllabus
2. Class Expectations
3. Upcoming assignments/ summer
work

Resources:

AP Central Website
OWL Purdue

Chalk Talk Protocol

No one may talk, this is a silent activity
- You may add to the chalk talk as you please
- Comments, questions, drawings are all allowed
- Comment by simply drawing a connecting line
- Key is to write when you feel moved or you have evidence.
Add as much as you want to.
It is ok for the webs to develop slowlygreat ideas dont need to
be rushed.

Now
- Find a partner
- Share the addition that stands out to you and explain why it
resonates with you. Do you agree, disagreewhy?
- Discuss if these concept webs remind you of anything you
have read, seen, heard or experienced (current events,
historical connections, political exposure at home).
7 minutes

What does it mean to be

American?

Do Now 1. Define political culture.

2. List the five values that define American political culture.

Sources of Political Culture

Colonial Heritage

How does this shape our understanding of liberty and distrust of powerful
central government?

Religious Views

What are the basic Puritan beliefs that have shaped American political
culture?

Family Values

How does family shape and individuals belief system and political
socialization? (Suggested Video: Political Socialization )

Glorification of the
Middle Class

Why does the US lack a class consciousness? ** Hint: American Dream!

ex. NY Times (1:06-2:40): Paul Ryan 2012 RNC acceptance speech (what does it illustrate?)
Mitt Romney I Believe in America

Discussion questions
1) How does Romneys announcement show American political culture today?

2) How does the announcement illustration the core political values? Provide
examples.

3) In groups, visit the 2016 candidates websites and evaluate how they are invoking
American political culture in their campaigns.

Application
1. Go to you assigned candidate website.
2. Find an example of each value.
3. Assess how the website invokes each values, and rank their usage.

ex. NY Times (1:06-2:40): Paul Ryan 2012 RNC acceptance speech (what does it illustrate?)

Does American political culture

divide more than it unites?
Day 2

What is a culture war?

Progressive
personal freedom, with
rules based on
circumstances, more
important than tradition

vs.

Orthodox
morality, with rules
from God, more
important than
self-expression

According to Wilson, the chief cleavage in American society today is the battle over values: the culture war.

Where does conflict exist within the culture

war?
Can you think of any others?
Topics Wilson mentions:

Abortion
Homosexuality and Gay Marriage
School Prayer
Pornography

Why do these debates make people so

emotional?

Should the government police morality?

Why or why not?

How does culture war differ from political

disputes?
1.Money is not at stake
2.Compromises are almost impossible
3.Conflict is more profound animated by deep differences in peoples beliefs about
private and public morality

What do political scientists conclude about culture wars in America??

i.Fiorina war is myth, political leaders are polarize, but not the public
ii.Abramowitz war is real, issues matter more and more, political engagement more
common

Mistrust in government: Should we be

concerned?
With a partner/small
group: Do you trust your
government? Why or why
not?

Current Approval Ratings:

President: 52%
Congress: 17%
Supreme Court: 42%

Obama Approval Ratings

Political efficacy is a citizens capacity to understand and influence political events

Internal efficacythe ability to understand and take part in political affairs

External efficacythe ability to make the system respond to the citizenry

What is the
relationship
between
efficacy and
trust?

Pew: Trust in
Government

With a partner/small group: What are the roots of

American distrust in government? Is there any level of
government trusted by Americans?

Discussion Question 1. Has the government become too big to be sensitive to the
needs of the people?

2. Why does Wilson still believe there is little cause for alarm? Do
you agree or disagree?

What impact do you think the 2016 election

will have on trust and efficacy levels?

How does public opinion shape

government and politics?
Day 3

Public Opinion
1. How does public opinion reflect and inform political culture in
America today? Explain.

Application
Evaluate an election poll.
1. Choose a recent poll.
2. Determine whether this is a reliable poll:
a. sample size
b. random sample
c. margin of error
d. question wording etc.
3. Compare this poll to another recent poll to determine whether it
represents a trend. Regional? National? Defend your response with
data?

Political
socialization

Key Terms
Political cleavage - a critical division in political opinion
Coinciding cleavage - divisions which strengthen feelings of
difference thus weakening the state (tend to be explosive)
Crosscutting cleavage - a division that includes people with
differences and therefore strengthens society

Political Participation
Do now - Look at the 2012 election (and previous elections if the
wifi is finally working, ugh.)

a. How did groups vote in the 2012 election?

* Education *Age

* Gender

*Income

* Race & ethnicity

b. Why? Explain with evidence.
c. Good research identifies cross-cutting cleavages.
Can you think of a good example?

Sample Quiz Question

1.

Which of the following statements about economic equality applies most

accurately to Americans?
1.

2.

Most Americans believe that everyone should be paid on the basis of their economic needs .
equality of results
Most Americans believe everyone has the right to get ahead equality of opportunity

3.

Most Americans believe in preferential treatment of women and minorities in hiring equality of
access

4.

Most Americans believe in the idea of having a top limit on what people can earn equality of
wealth

5.

Most Americans believe citizens who participate in politics should have guaranteed income
equality of participants

How does ideology divide us?

Day 4

Political ideology - "Refers to more or less consistent views concerning

the policies government ought to pursue."
What do liberals believe?

What do conservatives believe?

What choices do voters have beyond the traditional liberal or

conservative labels?

Mass Ideologies: A typology

Where do the elites belong?

Big Government

Populist

Pure/true
Liberal

Conservative
Social Issues

Pure/true
Conservative

Progressive
Social Issues

Libertarian

Small Government

http://www.gallup.com/poll/180452/liberals-record-trail-conservatives.aspx

7 Things to Know
About Polarization
in America

Discussion Questions
1. How have the changing ideologies within the United States
impacted the political discourse in this country?
2. According to Wilson, "The great majority of Americans do not
think about politics in an ideological or even in a very coherent
manner." Do you agree or disagree? Why?
3. Do you find the increasing polarization in this country
concerning? Why or why not?

Should Americans be concerned with the

decline in political participation?

Political Participation

One Nation, Slightly Divisible

With your neighbor 1 - Determine Brooks thesis.
2 - Reach consensus on whether it still is true today.
3 - How does this article connect to political culture? Connect to our
values?
4 - Tie to the 2016 election. What does this reveal about the nature of
politics in America today and polarization?

With a partner: Should the American public

be concerned with the apparent decline in
voter turnout? What about government
officials?

With a partner/small group:

1. Who votes? Describe the typical voter (who is likely to vote). How did the 2008
election shift voting patterns (refer to Game Change)?
2. What changes would you suggest the government adopt to improve citizen
participation in government? What have they tried previously?
3. Should the description of political participation be expanded to include activity on
the internet - blogs, social media?

The rise of the American electorate

EQ: To what extent do voter ID Laws

support or inhibit voter participation
and turnout in the United States?

Political Participation
NYT Voter ID
Laws

Test Overview
Format:
- Part 1: 35 multiple choice
- Part 2: 1 previously released FRQ, 1 teacher created FRQ
FRQ hints/length:
- list/identify: one sentence
- Explain/define/describe: 2-3 sentences
- Compare/contrast: 2-3 sentences

Format
1. Power Trio Devise an augmentative claim in response to the question.
Review articles and both sides of the augment to find evidence to support
your claim.
2. Socratic Seminar discussion
Pilots are the only ones allowed to speak, copilots may write notes and pass
them to the pilot to share.
After your speak, allow 3 others to speak before you speak again.
3. Reflections

Grading Rationale
Number of Comments - How often did you speak? Did you interrupt people? Don't talk to the
teacher, talk to the class. You will lose points if you are talking while others are trying to score
points.
Quality of Comments - A quality comment offers a new idea, not yet expressed, or the comment
takes a new approach to previously stated ideas and the comment applies the habits of mind.
Connection to the Constitution, historical documents, constitutional principles of economic
principles; cited.
Uses text- Examples/ evidence from videos, notes, and textbook. Use them during the Socratic
Seminar. Refer to them for evidence. Evidence and examples are essential to your grade and are a
habit of mind you should have. Use the texts for your evidence
Use habits of mind- Repeat the question in the answer, give evidence, state connections to other
topics, state the significance of what you are saying, "what if", and state the other side. Be obvious
in the use.

Socratic Debate
Pilot/Co-pilot

Room Layout

North Carolina Rally

Discussion Questions
1) Who supports voter ID laws? Who opposes them? Why?
2) To what extent do voter ID Laws support or inhibit voter participation and turnout
in the United States?
3) Do voter ID laws threaten or protect democracy?

Closure - exit slip

Do voter ID laws threaten or protect democracy? Support your
response with evidence.