POL 1560 - American Government
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 04, CRN 42027,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Magdalen Weiss-Vopat
Email: mlweissvopat@ysu.edu
Course Description
1560. American Government. The foundations of American democratic government with an emphasis on the responsibilities of citizenship, civil rights, and civil liberties, parties and elections, and American political institutions. Students are encouraged to understand and discuss issues of social justice, equality and freedom, and majoritarianism. Topics include the civil rights movement, campaign finance reform, federalism, and affirmative action. 3 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | We The People: Essentials Edition | Ginsburg, Benjamin, Tolbert, and Campbell | 9781324085454 |
| Required | Miranda v. Arizona | ||
| Required | Furman v. Georgia | ||
| Required | Examining Social Contract Theory | Weber, Timothy M. | |
| Required | Federalist No. 10 | Madison, James | |
| Required | Federalist No. 51 | Madison, James | |
| Required | Reading the Constitution | History.com Editors |
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Course Assignment Schedule
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | Chapter 1 (We The People: Essentials Edition) | Americans and Their Political Values | Week 1 Quiz due Sunday 8/30 @ 11:59pm |
| 8/31 | Chapter 2 (We The People: Essentials Edition) | The Founding and the Constitution | Week 2 Quiz due Sunday 9/6 @ 11:59pm |
| 9/7 | Chapter 10 (We The People: Essentials Edition) | Congress | Week 3 Quiz due Sunday 9/13 @ 11:59pm |
| 9/14 | Chapter 4 (We The People: Essentials Edition) Miranda v. Arizona Furman v. Georgia |
Civil Liberties | Week 4 Quiz due Sunday 9/20 @ 11:59pm Discussion Post 1 due Sunday 9/20 @ 11:59pm |
| 9/21 | Chapter 6 (We The People: Essentials Edition) | Public Opinion | Week 5 Quiz due Sunday 9/27 @ 11:59pm Exam 1 due Sunday 9/27 @ 11:59pm |
| 9/28 | Chapter 7 (We The People: Essentials Edition) | The Media & Political Information | Week 6 Quiz due Sunday 10/4 @ 11:59pm |
| 10/5 | Chapter 9 (We The People: Essentials Edition) | Participation, Campaigns, and Elections | Week 7 Quiz due Sunday 10/11 @ 11:59pm Discussion Post 2 due Sunday 10/11 @ 11:59pm |
| 10/12 | Chapter 3 (We The People: Essentials Edition) | Federalism | Week 8 Quiz due Sunday 10/18 @ 11:59pm |
| 10/19 | Chapter 12 (We The People: Essentials Edition) | Bureaucracy | Week 9 Quiz due Sunday 10/25 @ 11:59pm |
| 10/26 | Examining Social Contract Theory by Timothy M. Weber | The Social Contract | Week 10 Quiz due Sunday 11/1 @ 11:59pm Discussion Post 3 due Sunday 11/1 @ 11:59pm |
| 11/2 | Chapter 8 (We The People: Essentials Edition) | Political Parties and Interest Groups | Week 11 Quiz due Sunday 11/8 @ 11:59pm Exam 2 due Sunday 11/8 @ 11:59pm |
| 11/9 | Chapter 13 (We The People: Essentials Edition) | The Federal Courts | Week 12 Quiz due Sunday 11/15 @ 11:59pm |
| 11/16 | Chapter 5 (We The People: Essentials Edition) | Civil Rights | Week 13 Quiz due Sunday 11/22 @ 11:59pm |
| 11/23 | Federalist No. 10 Federalist No. 51 |
Dangers of Factions & Checks and Balances | Week 14 Quiz due Sunday 11/29 @ 11:59pm Discussion Post 4 due Sunday 11/29 @ 11:59pm |
| 11/30 | Reading the Constitution Constitution U.S.A. |
Constitution Recap | Week 15 Quiz due Sunday 12/6 @ 11:59pm Discussion Post 5 due Sunday 12/6 @ 11:59pm |
| 12/7 | Finals Week | Exam 3 due Wednesday 12/9 @ 11:59pm |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.