Sections 1-6,
MWF 10–10:50
Professor Mikel Wyckoff
Office: Zulauf 403
Hours: M&F 12-1:00 & By Appointment
753-7056 mwyckoff@niu.edu
I. INTRODUCTION
This
course provides a college level introduction to the American political system
and serves as a prerequisite for many upper level courses in American
Government. Three general topics will
be covered during the semester: (1) politics and the democratic process in the
United States; (2) basic principles of the Constitution and Bill of Rights; and
(3) the national policy making institutions of the United States. In addition to the standard textbook topics,
we will also keep an eye on this President as he attempts to effect policy
change in Washington and maintain support for the War in Iraq.
II. REQUIRED READINGS
The
following textbook is required and should be available at either of the campus
bookstores:
·
Janda, Berry and Goldman, The Challenge of Democracy(8th
edition, 2005).
Additional
required reading assignments are to be located at various Internet web
sites. Consult the outline below for
specific assignments. Occasionally this may involve using a computer at an NIU
computing lab to gain access to sites for which NIU has paid subscription fees
(for example, www.jstor.org ).
Cell
Phones. With rare
exceptions, cell phones should be turned off upon entering the auditorium. Your fellow students and I will greatly
appreciate your voluntary compliance with this general policy. If you have a special need to keep your
phone turned on during class, please discuss your situation with me.
General
Advice. Your best strategy for doing well in the course is to
keep up with the assigned readings, attend class regularly, take good notes, focus
on issues presented in the lecture, and then study(!)for the
exams. If you find you’re having trouble
please seek help early in the semester.
We will be glad to provide assistance.
Exams. Three hourly exams will be given. All will be multiple choice in format and
each will contribute 22.5% to your final grade. Even though it is not a comprehensive final, Exam III will be
administered during finals week. Barring extraordinary circumstances everyone
must take Exam III at that time.
Written
Assignments. About every
other week you will prepare a brief essay (1-2 pages of text, typed and double-spaced)
reacting to one of the lecture topics for that week. The course outline (see below) will tell you exactly when papers
are due. Papers not submitted in person during your Friday
morning discussion session will normally receive a grade reduction of at
least one letter. Exceptions will be made for persons experiencing
extraordinary circumstances as defined below under “makeup exams.” My TAs and I regard these papers as a
serious part of the course, so spelling, grammar, and sentence structure will
be taken into account when assigning grades.
Together, your short essays will contribute an additional 22.5% to your
final grade.
Participation in Discussion Sections. Students are strongly encouraged to attend
our Friday morning discussion sections because: (1) participation in these
meetings will contribute 10% to your final course grade; (2) your discussion
leaders are the ones who will be grading your written assignments (worth 22.5%
of your course grade) and who will be there for help when you need it; (3) this
is a great chance to discuss issues of government and politics in a small group
setting. Those who take the course
seriously will want to attend.
Makeup exams and grades of
incomplete will be provided cheerfully when needed, but only for reasons of
significant illness, personal tragedy, or other similarly extraordinary
circumstances. Furthermore, evidence of
the extraordinary circumstance must be documented by the student. Should makeup exams be necessary, I reserve
the right to switch to an essay format.
Extra
Credit. Sorry, none is
available. No exceptions. If you find
you’re having trouble, seek help early in the semester. We will be glad to provide assistance if you
request it in a timely fashion.
Students
with Disabilities.
NIU abides by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which mandates reasonable
accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. If you have a disability and may require
some type of instructional and/or examination accommodation, please contact me
early in the semester so that I can help you obtain needed assistance. If you
have not already done so, you will need to register with the Center for
Access-Ability Resources (CAAR), the designated office on campus to provide
services for students with disabilities.
The CAAR office is located on the 4th floor of the University Health
Services building (753-1303). I look forward to working with you to enhance
your academic success in this course.
COURSE
OUTLINE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS
I will do my best to
adhere to the following schedule, but I reserve the right to delay a particular
exam or modify a reading assignment if I find it necessary or useful to do so.
PART
I: POLITICS AND THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS
IN THE U.S.
A. Organizational Issues and Basics of Government
and Politics (Week of January 18 & 23)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 1, pp. 1-24 and bar graphs on pages. 411,
418,& 595.
·
W. Saletan, "What Reagan Got Wrong," at www.slate.com/id/2101835
·
S. Chapman, “Scrutinizing the Wrong People,” at www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists
B. Public Opinion and Ideology in America (January 25 and 30)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 19, pp. 611-620 (the Great Depression and its
legacy).
·
JBG, Ch. 1, pp. 24-27; Ch. 5, pp. 143-160; Ch. 6,
pp.183-191.
·
S. Chapman, "Punishing Success in the Oil
Business," and "Going to Extremes for the Death Penalty," locate
both at
www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists
Write:
·
First, run IDEALOG at www.uspolitics.org (do the readings
and the survey you find there).
·
Then write a 1-2 page essay briefly summarizing the
value preferences and policy views of each ideological type (liberal,
conservative, libertarian or communitarian). If possible cite examples of politicians and or political parties that provide
illustrations of each type. Due January 27.
C. Thinking about Democracy (Wednesday, February 1)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 2 and p. 265.
·
Federalist 10, in JBG, pp.A15-A18. In Federalist 10,founding father
James Madison is worried about self-interested
groups(factions) and how to design a democratic system to protect the nation from them. Where do factions come from?
Can they be eliminated? In dealing with factions does he favor: (1) direct or indirect democracy? (2) majority rule or
pluralistic democracy? (3) a large nation or a small nation?
D. Political Parties (Week of February 6)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 8.
·
V.O. Key, “A Theory of Critical Elections,” Journal
of Politics (1955), pp. 3-11. (Find at www.jstor.org using an NIU
Internet connection).
Write:
·
In this article, Key argues that some Presidential
elections are much more important than others.
What are the essential
characteristics of a critical election? In his examination of Massachusetts, why did Key choose the particular communities
that appear in his analysis (Figure
A)? What do the trends for those two
communities reveal? Explain in a 1-2 page paper
due Friday, February 10.
E. Interest Group Politics (Week of February 13)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 10.
·
Review Ch. 2, pp. 42-45 (pluralistic democracy).
EXAMI: Friday, February 17 (administered in your
regular Friday morning discussion section)
(Note:
review questions for exams 1-3 can be found at the end of this online
syllabus.)
A. Constitutional Origins (Week of February 20)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 3, pp. 56-72, 79-86.
·
The Declaration of Independence, in JBG, pp.
A1-A2.
·
Skim the Articles of Confederation, pp. A2-A5.
·
John Roche, “The Founding Fathers: A Reform Caucus in
Action,” American Political Science Review (1961), Intro and
Parts 2-4, pp. 799-800 and 803-811 (www.jstor.org) (Save pp. 810-811. You will need them for Part III.B below.)
B. Principles of the Constitution I (Week of February 27)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 3, pp. 73-78, 86-end; Federalist 51,in
JBG, pp. A18-A19.
·
You may also want to review Federalist 10.
Write:
·
Still concerned about the dangers of factions, in Federalist51
Madison hopes to use the very structure and organization of
government to create a system of checks and balances. How will his scheme of checks and balances work? One
requirement is that every branch should
have a “will” of its own. How does the
Constitution encourage that? Also,
certain
branches deserve special attention. Comment and explain in a 1-2 page paper (due
March 3).
C. Principles of the Constitution II: Federalism
(Monday, March 6)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 4, pp. 98-112, 121-end.
·
U.S. v. Lopez,1995 (locate at www.findlaw.com). Read the first 3-4 pages of Justice
Rehnquist's opinion for the Court and the first 3-4 pages of Justice Breyer's dissent (scroll down some
30 pages to find it). Compare and
contrast these opposing interpretations of Congress' authority stemming from
the commerce clause.
D. Civil Liberties and the Bill of Rights (March 8, 20 & 22)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 15, pp. 472-497 and Amendment 1-3 & 14,
p.A11-A12.
·
Engel v. Vitale (locate at www.findlaw.com)
·
C. Krauthammer, “Phony Theory, False Conflict,” locate
at
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/17/AR2005111701304.html
Write:
·
Read Justice Black’s opinion of the Court in Engel v.
Vitale and Justice Stewart’s dissenting opinion. Compare and contrast
these two conflicting interpretations of the establishment clause. Which is most convincing to you? Why? (1-2 page paper
due Friday, March 24)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 15, pp. 497-end and Amendments 4-10, p. A11.
E. Civil Rights (Week of March 27)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 7, pp. 214-217 and Ch. 16.
·
Loving v. Virginia (1967). Locate at www.findlaw.com.
·
S. Coontz, "The Heterosexual Revolution," (stephaniecoontz.com/articles/article21.htm)
EXAMII: Friday, March 31 (administered in your regular
Friday morning discussion section)
A. The Supreme Court and Judicial Review (Week of
April 3)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 14, pp. 442-end (organization of court system).
·
Article III of the Constitution, pp. A9-10.
·
JBG, Ch. 14, remainder (judicial review and judicial
decision making).
B. Presidential and Congressional
Elections (Week of April 10)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 9, pp. 268-293 and Ch. 11, pp. 341-349.
·
Federalist Paper #68 (locate at www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/federal/fed.htm).
·
John Roche, “The Founding Fathers: A Reform Caucus in
Action,” American Political Science Review(1961), Part V, pp.
810-811 (at www.jstor.org
).
Write:
·
Writing in Federalist 68,Alexander Hamilton
argues that the Electoral College is a sophisticated institution carefully
designed
by the great thinkers at the Constitutional Convention. Based on his reading of the debates that actually occurred at the
Convention, political scientist John Roche has a different analysis of the origins of this peculiar institution. Who is more
persuasive? Explain and discuss in a 1-2 page paper due Friday, April 14.
C. The U.S. Congress (April 17, 19 & 24)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 11.
·
Article I of the Constitution, pp. A6-A8, especially
sections 8 & 9.
Write:
·
Go
to thomas.loc.gov (not www.thomas).
·
Click
on “House Committees.” Investigate
several of these standing committees.
·
Then
write a paper explaining which committee you would like to work on if you were a
member of the House of Representatives.
Among the questions you should consider: (a) What kinds of bills would you be dealing with? (b) How would this committee help you
represent the district from which you were elected? (1-2 page paper due November
18)
D. The Presidency & the Executive
Branch (April 26, May 1 & May3)
Read:
·
JBG, Ch. 12, pp. 372-379, 384-end and Article II, pp. A8‑A9(presidential
powers).
·
S. Chapman, “Beyond the Imperial Presidency,” and “The Dubious
Honor of a Second Term,” locate both at:
www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists
·
JBG, Ch. 12, pp. 379-384 and Ch. 13, pp. 406-423
(Executive Branch organization).
EXAMIII: Monday, May 8 from 10:00-11:50 in Cole
Auditorium
Pols 100, Professor Wyckoff
Exam 1 Review Questions
1. Define:
government, politics, public policy.
What functions do governments perform for society?. What alternatives to government are
available to us?
2. Be familiar with basic terms: (1)
totalitarianism, libertarianism, anarchism;
(2) socialism, capitalism, laissez-faire.
3. Be familiar with the values of freedom,
order and equality as defined in the textbook and lecture.
4. In 20th Century America the most commonly
used ideological labels are “liberal” and “conservative.” Know what these terms mean in the context
of: (1) economic policy; and
(2)
social/moral issues. Furthermore, know
how economic liberalism emerged in the era of the Great Depression and how this
kind of liberalism relates to the policies of the New Deal. Be familiar with the historical
circumstances that led to a debate over social and moral issues instead of
economics in the 1960s.
5. By cross-classifying economic liberalism-conservatism
with social/moral liberalism-conservatism Janda generates four different
ideological classifications. Be
familiar with them (liberals, conservatives, libertarians, communitarians) and
the value tradeoffs that underlie them.
6. Define “political party.” What functions do political parties perform
for democratic political systems, according to the lecture? Be familiar with
“responsible party democracy" as one approach to majority rule democracy.
7. What is a
"critical" or "realigning" election and how did V.O. Key
demonstrate that critical realignment occurred in the New England region in the
late 1920s? Using the New Deal
realignment as an example, explain how critical elections have helped promote
democracy in America. What kind of party era do we find ourselves
in now and how did it come about?
8. How do interest groups differ from political
parties? How do interest groups try to
influence public policy? What type of
democracy do interest groups tend to promote?
What are the pitfalls of relying too much on interest groups to provide
democracy?
9.
There are many ways to think about democracy and how democratic
political systems work. Discuss and
evaluate democracy in America using the ideas encountered in this course (in
the lecture and in Chapter 2 of Janda, Berry and Goldman).
10.
In Federalist 10, founding
father James Madison is worried about self-interested groups (factions) and how
to design a democratic system to protect the nation from them. Where do factions come from? Can they be gotten rid of? In dealing with
factions does he prefer: (1) direct or indirect democracy? (2) majority rule or
pluralistic democracy? (3) a large nation or a small nation? Explain.
Pols 100, Professor Wyckoff
1. In the 1760s and 1770s, the British
government adopted a variety of policies that greatly offended the
colonists. Why, given their history, did the colonists react so negatively?
2. What body served as a national government
for the colonists during the Revolutionary War? What two significant founding documents were adopted by this body
(one with the help of Thomas Jefferson)?
3. What kind of national government operated in
the U.S. during most of the 1780s? What
factors led to its demise?
4. What kinds of people attended the
Constitutional Convention of 1787? What
major issues were debated and what major agreements were achieved there? According to Roche, what does all of this
tell us about the founders of the Constitution?
5. Still concerned about the dangers of
factions, in Federalist 51 Madison
hopes to use the very structure and organization of government to create a
system of checks and balances. Discuss the
logic of his separation of powers/checks and balances system. One requirement is that every branch have a
“will” of its own. How does the
Constitution encourage that? Also,
certain branches deserve special attention.
Explain.
6. Over the course of our history, the relative
powers of the national and state governments have varied with the outcomes of
presidential elections, wars, and Supreme Court decisions (e.g., McCulloch v.
Maryland). Be familiar with major
events and turning points discussed in the lecture on federalism.
7.
Be able to identify the basic contents of Articles I - VII (e.g., Article I
defines the legislative branch of government).
8. Why isn’t the Bill of Rights found in the
main body of the Constitution?
Identify: the federalists, the
anti-federalists, the Federalist Papers.
9. Know the opinion of the Supreme Court in
Barron v. Baltimore (1833). Why is
Amendment 14 such an important addition to the original Bill of Rights? Define: “selective incorporation of the Bill
of Rights.”
10. Know the
key provisions of Amendment I (discussed in class) and how those provisions
have been interpreted by the Supreme Court in Near v. Minnesota (1931), N.Y.
Times v. U.S. (1971), Miller v. California (1973), Schenck v. U.S. (1919),
Engel v. Vitale (1962) and Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971).
11.
Know the key provisions of Amendments IV- VIII (discussed in class) and how
those provisions have been interpreted by the Court in Mapp v. Ohio (1961),
Miranda v. Arizona (1966), and Gideon v. Wainwright (1963).
12. Know how
a Constitutional “right to privacy” was defined by the Supreme Court in
Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) and know how that right has a bearing on the
decision of Roe v. Wade (1973).
13. Be familiar with major events and turning
points in the struggle for racial equality (e.g., Dred Scott v. Sandford, 1857;
Civil Rights Cases, 1883; Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896; Brown v. Board of
Education, 1954; the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Voting Rights Act of 1965)
discussed in the lecture on civil rights in America.
14. Be familiar with major events and turning
points in the struggle for women’s equality.
Pols 100,
Professor Wyckoff
Study Questions for Exam III
1. The American court system: (1) in reality we have two different court
systems; why? (2) within each system
there are courts with different functions; what are those functions and what
names do the courts go by? (3) how do
judges in Illinois differ from federal court judges with regard to manner of
selection and terms of office? (4) what
conditions must be met to bring a case before the U.S. Supreme Court? (5) what happens when a case is heard by the
U.S. Supreme Court?
2. Judicial Interpretation: (1) what is the power of judicial review,
and what is the source of that power?
(2) There are two general schools of thought with regard to how judges
should go about interpreting the Constitution: “judicial activism” and
“judicial restraint.” Be familiar with
the basic tenets of each.
3. According to Madison, "In a republic
the legislative authority necessarily predominates." What did he mean by that and what evidence
do we have that the founders really believed in this principle?