InstantCREDIT Course
American Government
This course takes a close look at how our American government works. It reviews our history from the moment the first colonists set foot on American soil to the present day, studying the role of each branch of government as well as other factors involved in government, from interest groups to media.
At a Glance
Course Value: 3 Credit Hours
Course Level: Lower-Level Undergraduate
Course Length: 72 lessons
🗎 Download Syllabus in Word Format
Course Level: Lower-Level Undergraduate
Course Length: 72 lessons
🗎 Download Syllabus in Word Format
Course Outline
Click on a chapter name below to expand and see the lessons contained in that chapter.
Ch. 1: The Democratic Republic- 2: Democracy and Other Forms of Government
- 3: What Kind of Democracy Do We Have?
- 4: Fundamental Values
- 5: Political Ideologies
- 7: An Independent Confederation
- 8: The Constitutional Convention
- 9: The Difficult Road to Ratification
- 10: Altering the Constitution
- 12: The Constitutional Basis for American Federalism
- 13: Defining Constitutional Powers -- The Early Years
- 14: The Continuing Dispute over the Division of Power
- 15: Federalism and Today’s Supreme Court
- 17: Freedom of Religion
- 18: Freedom of Expression
- 19: The Right to Privacy
- 20: The Great Balancing Act: The Rights of the Accused versus the Rights of Society
- 22: Civil Rights and the Courts
- 23: Experiences of Other Minority Groups
- 24: Women’s Struggle for Equal Rights
- 25: The Rights and Status of Gay Males and Lesbians
- 27: The Influence of Demographic Factors
- 28: Measuring Public Opinion
- 29: Public Opinion and the Political Process
- 30: The Media in the United States
- 31: The Media and Political Campaigns
- 33: Types of Interest Groups
- 34: Interest Group Strategies
- 35: Political Parties in the United States
- 36: A History of Political Parties in the United States
- 37: Why Has the Two-Party System Endured?
- 39: Financing the Campaign
- 40: Running for President: The Longest Campaign
- 41: How Are Elections Conducted?
- 42: How Do Voters Decide?
- 44: House-Senate Differences and Congressional Perks
- 45: Congressional Elections and Apportionment
- 46: How Congress Is Organized
- 47: Law Making and Budgeting
- 49: The Many Roles of the President
- 50: Presidential Powers
- 51: The Executive Organization
- 52: The Vice Presidency
- 54: The Organization of the Federal Bureaucracy
- 55: Staffing the Bureaucracy
- 56: Modern Attempts at Bureaucratic Reform
- 57: Bureaucrats as Politicians and Policymakers
- 59: The Federal Court System
- 60: The Supreme Court at Work
- 61: The Selection of Federal Judges
- 62: Policymaking and the Courts
- 64: Immigration
- 65: Energy and the Environment
- 66: The Politics of Economic Decision Making
- 67: The Politics of Taxation
- 69: Terrorism and Warfare
- 70: U.S. Diplomatic Efforts
- 71: Who Makes Foreign Policy?
- 72: The Major Foreign Policy Themes
Course Requirements
All of our courses are scored on a 1,000 point scale. You must accumulate a total of 700 points in the course to pass the course. Below is the breakdown of how points are allocated:
| Study Questions | 300 points |
| Graded Exam #1 | 100 points |
| Midterm Exam | 200 points |
| Graded Exam #2 | 100 points |
| Final Exam | 300 points |
For additional details on the assignments, exams, and retake policies, check the syllabus for this course (link provided near the top of this page).
Exam Proctoring
The Final Exam for this course is administered in conjunction with a 3rd party online proctoring service, PSI Services' RPNow. RPNow proctoring allows you to take the exam on a desktop or laptop computer from anywhere you have internet access at any time, no scheduling required.
Proctoring costs $15 (paid directly to PSI Services at the time of the exam) and is ONLY required for the final exam.
Earning Credit for this Course
This course has been reviewed by ACE Credit and is recommended for 3 lower-level credit hours. Upon successful completion of this course, it will be added to your ACE transcript which is then sent to your school to be evaluated for transfer credit.
Getting Started
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