High School Government, Semester (Live and Self-Paced options)

The WriteAtHome Government semester course is meant to provide an introduction to the United States system of government within the historical context of its formation and development and major influences from historical political theory. This 16-week class will examine

• Classical concepts of democracy, republic, and law, and their development in the Enlightenment context of early American history

• The framing of the Constitution and its contents, the three branches of government, the development of amendments, and governmental and legal issues throughout American history

• Special topics concerning citizen involvement in the government, like voting, media and politics, political parties, local and national politics

The class will provide a foundation for students to engage in political life with confidence, not simply armed with an introductory understanding of what the system of US government is but instead why it is this way and how it has developed over time.

This class meets on Thursdays at 3 pm, Eastern Standard Time.

Student Expectations:

• attend weekly live discussions; these are the heart of the course (recordings will available after each session)

• do weekly assigned readings

• complete weekly quizzes and discussion questions based on the live session

• one paper on a topic concerning US government (a politically significant concept, event, or political figure)

Required readings will be assembled from various articles, primary sources, and textbooks available for free online, with links provided in the weekly required reading section of Canvas. The reading will be mostly synchronous with the weekly lessons.

Suggested Booklist:

If you prefer a physical copy of a book to read along with rather than the online links, we will list some suggestions here (TBA).

Note: Space is limited. Be sure to enroll early to secure your spot.