UNIT I: Constitutional Underpinnings
There are two important theme in this unit. The developing principles of the U.S. Constitution and the creation of Federalism which outlines the relationship between the Federal Government and State.
CONSTITUTION PrinciplesA constitution is a nation’s basic law. It creates political institutions, allocates power within government, and often provides guarantees to citizens. Constitutions thus establish who has power in society, and how that power is exercised. This unit examines the background of the Constitution, and shows that the main principle guiding the writing of the Constitution was a concern for limited government and self-determination.
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FederalismThe relationships among the federal, state, and local governments often confuse people, yet federalism is at the heart of critical battles over the nature and scope of public policy in the United States. Neighborhood schools are run by locally elected school boards but also receive state and national funds, and with those funds come state and national rules and regulations. Understanding the scope and nature of local, state, and national governments is thus critical to learning about the development of public policy in the United States
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PowerPoints and Class Essentials |
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Assignments and important links
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