Confirm
Are you sure you want to delete your annotation? You cannot undo this action.
Fredex8 / getty images
Teacher notes
4.1 Democracy in America
4.2 Government of the USA
4.3 Participation and democracy in US politics
4.1 Democracy in America
Equality, liberty and republicanism.
Aspect: The origins of and the principles underpinning the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.
Main document
Worksheets
Worksheet 1 - American Revolution Timeline
Worksheet 2b - Philosophers and Founding Fathers
Worksheet 4 – The Constitution - key Concepts or Principles
Interactive activities
American Revolution Timeline
Philosophers and Founding Fathers
The Constitution - key Concepts or Principles
Other resources
Time Line
Declaration of Independence
Constitution
Equality, liberty and republicanism.
Aspect: How the US Constitution upholds the fundamental principles it was designed to protect.
Main document
Worksheets
Worksheet 1 - Features of the Constitution
Worksheet 2a - Branches of Government, Personnel and Functions
Worksheet 2b - Constructive Purpose of Separation of Powers and Partial Agency
Worksheet 3a - Checks and Balances
Worksheet 3b – Checks and Balances Rank
Worksheet 4 - The Constitution and Federalism
Worksheet 5 - Fundamental Principles
Interactive activities
Features of the Constitution
Branches of Government, Personnel and Functions
Checks and Balances
The Constitution and Federalism
Fundamental Principles
Other resources
Constitution
Equality, liberty and republicanism.
Aspect: The importance of the Constitution.
Light unit 1
The Main Defects
The Bill of Rights.
Aspect: The importance of the Bill of Rights.
Main document
Worksheets
Worksheet 1 – First Amendment – Protected or Not Protected
Worksheet 2 – The Main Rights Protected in Amendments 2 to 8
Worksheet 3 - The Significance of Amendments 9 and 10
Worksheet 4 – Analysing the Importance of Amendment 5
Worksheet 5 – For and Against the Bill of Rights
Interactive activities
First Amendment – Protected or Not Protected
The Main Rights Protected in Amendments 2 to 8
The Significance of Amendments 9 and 10
Analysing the Importance of Amendment 5
For and Against the Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights.
Aspect: Contemporary debates about gun ownership in the USA.
Light unit 2
True or False
Arguments
4.2 Government of the USA
US Congress.
Aspect: How Congress works.
Main document
Worksheets
Worksheet 1 – House of Representatives and the Senate
Worksheet 2 – House and Senate Committees
Worksheet 3 – Strengths and Weaknesses
Worksheet 4 – The Legislative Process
Worksheet 5 – Causes of Gridlock
Worksheet 6 – Congressional Oversight True or False
Worksheet 7 – Impeachment Questions and Answers
Worksheet 8 – Evaluating Statements and Discussion
Interactive activities
House of Representatives and the Senate
House and Senate Committees
Strengths and Weaknesses
The Legislative Process
Causes of Gridlock
US Congress.
Aspect: Debates about the relationship of Congress with the executive and judicial branches of government.
Light unit 3
The US President home and abroad.
Aspect: Debates about the effectiveness and power of the US President.
Main document
Worksheets
Worksheet 1 – The Executive - Key Terms and Definitions
Worksheet 2a – Categorising Powers
Worksheet 2b – Cabinet and Executive Office True or False
Worksheet 3 – Presidential Power Diamond Rank
Worksheet 4 – Successful or Unsuccessful Outcomes
Worksheet 5 – Presidential and Congressional Power Graph
Worksheet 6 – Watergate and Irangate Characteristics
Worksheet 7 – Unitary Executive Questions
Worksheet 8 – Evaluating Statements and Discussion
Interactive activities
Key Terms and Definitions
Categorising Powers
Cabinet and Executive Office
Presidential Power - Diamond Rank
Watergate and Irangate Characteristics
Other resources
The Constitutional Context
The US Supreme Court.
Aspect: Debates and controversies surrounding the nomination, appointment and tenure of Supreme Court Justices.
Light unit 4
The US Supreme Court.
Aspect: Approaches to legal reasoning: precedents and analogies; judicial restraint and strict constructionism v. judicial activism.
Light unit 5
The US Supreme Court.
Aspect: Debates over Key Decisions in Historical and Contemporary Cases.
Main document
Worksheets
Worksheet 1 – Ordering Key Supreme Court Decisions
Worksheet 3a – Key Decisions 3 Questions and Answers
Worksheet 3b – Key Decisions 4 Questions and Answers
Worksheet 3c – Key Decisions 5 Questions and Answers
Worksheet 4 – Key Decision 6 For and Against
Worksheet 5 – Key Decision 7 True or False
Worksheet 6a – Key Decisions 8 Questions and Answers
Worksheet 6b – Key Decisions 9 Questions and Answers
Worksheet 7 – Key Decision 10 Evaluation and Discussion
Interactive activities
Key Supreme Court Decisions
Key Decision 6 For and Against
Key Decision 7 True or False
4.3 Participation and democracy in US politics
Elections in the US.
Aspect: The process of presidential elections: the invisible primary; primary and caucus systems; the national nominating conventions.
Main document
Worksheets
Worksheet 2 – Ordering of Events
Worksheet 3 - What is a Primary?
Worksheet 4a - What is a Caucus?
Worksheet 4b - Selecting Presidential Delegates
Worksheet 5 - For and Against the Primaries
Worksheet 6 - National Party Convention Statements Ranking
Worksheet 7 - Elections Key Terms
Interactive activities
Ordering of Events
For and Against the Primaries
National Party Convention Statements Ranking
Elections Key Terms
Elections in the US.
Aspect: The influence of money in US elections.
Main document
Worksheets
Worksheet 1 - Success Factors Diamond
Worksheet 4a – Financial True or False
Worksheet 4b – What do candidates need to spend their campaign money on?
Worksheet 6 - Financial Ordering
Worksheet 7 – Definitions of Hard Money and Soft Money
Worksheet 9 – Beat the Teacher
Interactive activities
Success Factors Diamond
Key Terms Test Yourself
Financial True or False
Financial Ordering
Beat the Teacher
Other resources
Expenditure Spreadsheet
Memory Test
Voting behaviour.
Aspect: Long-term determinants of voting behaviour in the US, including: socio-economic status; race and ethnicity; region.
Main document
Worksheets
Worksheet 1 - What shapes me and what shapes our voting?
Worksheet 2 - Democratic and Republican Partisanship
Worksheet 4a - Age Cohorts, Key Terms
Worksheet 4b - Who is most likely to vote for whom?
Worksheet 5 - Religious Groups Voting for Trump
Worksheet 6 - Match the Statements
Interactive activities
Democratic and Republican Partisanship
Age Cohorts, Key Terms
Who is most likely to vote for whom?
Religious Groups Voting for Trump
Match the Statements
Other resources
Voting Regions in the USA
Voting behaviour.
Aspect: Short-term and recency determinants of voting behaviour; including: campaign factors such as candidates, issues and incumbency; swing states and independent voters.
Light unit 6
Political parties in the US.
Aspect: The US political spectrum. Democrats and Republicans: their differing ideologies, values and policies. Reasons for two-party dominance.
Light unit 7
Political parties in the US.
Aspect: The significance of third parties and independent candidates.
Light unit 8
