American Government is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of the single-semester American government course. This title includes innovative features designed to enhance student learning, including Insider Perspective features and a Get Connected Module that shows students how they can get engaged in the political process. The book provides an important opportunity for students to learn the core concepts of American government and understand how those concepts apply to their lives and the world around them. American Government includes updated information on the 2016 presidential election.

This text is a comprehensive introduction to the vital subject of American government and politics. Governments decide who gets what, when, how (See Harold D. Lasswell, Politics: Who Gets What, When, How, [New York: McGraw-Hill, 1936]); they make policies and pass laws that are binding on all a society’s members; they decide about taxation and spending, benefits and costs, even life and death.Governments possess power—the ability to gain compliance and to get people under their jurisdiction to obey them—and they may exercise their power by using the police and military to enforce their decisions. However, power need not involve the exercise of force or compulsion; people often obey because they think it is in their interest to do so, they have no reason to disobey, or they fear punishment. Above all, people obey their government because it has authority; its power is seen by people as rightfully held, as legitimate. People can grant their government legitimacy because they have been socialized to do so; because there are processes, such as elections, that enable them to choose and change their rulers; and because they believe that their governing institutions operate justly.Politics is the process by which leaders are selected and policy decisions are made and executed. It involves people and groups, both inside and outside of government, engaged in deliberation and debate, disagreement and conflict, cooperation and consensus, and power struggles.In covering American government and politics, this text introduces the intricacies of the Constitution, the complexities of federalism, the meanings of civil liberties, and the conflicts over civil rights;explains how people are socialized to politics, acquire and express opinions, and participate in political life; describes interest groups, political parties, and elections—the intermediaries that link people to government and politics; details the branches of government and how they operate; and shows how policies are made and affect people’s lives.

The American Politics/Government course was developed through the Ohio Department of Higher Education OER Innovation Grant. This work was completed and the course was posted in September 2018. The course is part of the Ohio Transfer Assurance Guides (TAGs) as OSS 011. For more information about credit transfer between Ohio colleges and universities, please visit: www.ohiohighered.org/transfer.Team LeadTimothy Kinsella                                  Ursuline CollegeContent ContributorsSharon Deubreau                                Rhodes State CollegeJonathan Kreger                                  Columbus State Community CollegeNathaniel Swigger                               Ohio State University – NewarkLibrarianTimothy Sandusky                               Ohio Dominican UniversityReview TeamRobert Postic                                       University of Findlay

Citizen Participation in the Political SystemThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Examine how the presidential primary process works.Define gerrymandering and understand how Congressional districts are drawn.Compare and contrast different states’ rules for voting and voter registration and how these rules might influence election outcomes.Explain the Electoral College.

Civil LibertiesThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Define the concept of civil libertiesExplain the difference between civil liberties and civil rights including identifying issues that overlap both conceptsDiscuss those civil liberties considered essential to a constitutional democracyIdentify the civil liberties protected by the U.S. ConstitutionDescribe the constitutional rights of individuals accused of a crimeExplain the historical evolution of civil liberties in American societyDescribe the role of the federal courts in interpreting and applying civil liberties

Foreign Policy and SecurityThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Define the nuclear triad.Define the European Union.Explain free trade vs. protectionism and explain how free trade affects different kinds of workers.Question the role of the United Nations and NATO.Compare and contrast hard power and soft power and the tools of U.S. diplomacy.Identify current threats and challenges to national security and global stability.Web-Based MaterialsCouncil on Foreign RelationsTrade Deficit - Census.govMigration Policy Institute TextbooksMain Text: American Government - Lumen LearningIntroductionDefining Foreign PolicyForeign Policy InstrumentsInstitutional Relations in Foreign PolicyApproaches to Foreign PolicyGlossaryAlternative Text: American Politics and Government in the Information AgeChapter 17: Foreign and National Security PoliciesAlternative Text: Boundless Political ScienceForeign PolicyForeign PolicyWho Makes U.S. Foreign Policy?The History of American Foreign PolicyChallenges of Foreign PolicyModern Foreign Policy

Foundations of American GovernmentThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Describe key British influences on American political thought. Identify actions by the British government which created the conditions for the Declaration of Independence.Explain why Americans initially adopted a confederation as their form of government.Understand the structure and functions of the U.S. ConstitutionCompare and contrast the views and characteristics of the Federalists and Antifederalists.Explain why Antifederalists wanted a Bill of Rights.Describe the basic mechanics of the Article V Amendment Process.

Define political science as a disciplineDescribe qualitative and quantitative methods in political scienceDescribe political science as an interdisciplinary endeavorCompare the different types of government.Explain how civic engagement can lead to political and social change.

Political PartiesExplain the role political parties play in a democratic political systemDescribe the reasons for the two-party system in American politicsDiscuss the contributions of third parties in American politicsCompare and contrast a two-party system and a multiparty systemExplain the decentralized structure of political parties in American federalismDescribe the tactics employed by political parties to achieve their political goalsExplain how American political parties have evolved over time including the transition of party-centered politics to candidate-centered politics

Political Socialization and Public OpinionThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Identify institutions that socialize voters and teach democratic norms.Describe how affective group identities (e.g. race, partisanship) drive opinions and behaviorCritique polling methodologyUnderstand how a poll is conducted and the limits of public opinion polling.Identify the factors that influence voter turnout.Discuss how political campaigns affect votersCompare and contrast how campaigns design their message versus how voters receive those messagesUnderstand campaign messagingDiscuss how individual bias limits what people know about politics.Describe how social networks influence opinions and engagement.Discuss becoming involved in the political processExamine barriers to political involvement

The Federal Judicial SystemThe resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:Explain how the power of the federal courts has grown over time.Compare and contrast the structure of federal and state courts, as well as the types of cases they hear.Describe the judicial selection processes.Identify the factors that influence Supreme Court justices when they decide cases.Describe the ways in which the federal courts shape legal policy and decide the scope of individual rights.Summarize the structure, features, and processes of the Supreme Court.