Civics Scope and Sequence

Newnan High School

Civics 2008 Pacing Guide

Unit I – Connecting Themes                                                            (3 Days)

1. Beliefs and Ideals
2. Conflict Resolution
3. Distribution of Power
4. Individuals, Groups and Institutions
5. Rule of Law

Unit II – Immigration and Citizenship                                (3 Days)

1. Immigration
2. Emigration
3. Push/Pull Factors
4. Demographics of the United States
5. Roles and Responsibilities of a Citizen
6. Process to become a citizen
7. Angel/Ellis Island
8. Effects of immigration on the United States (Time period Examples)
9. Effects of immigration from Europe on urban areas

Unit III – US and its role in the world                                 (3 Days)

1. Status of US in world – Definition of Superpower
2. Current Foreign policy
3. Global Economy and its effect on the government
4. United Nations
5. US interests abroad
6. Tools used to carry out foreign policy – diplomacy, aid of all forms, treaties, sanctions, military interventions

Unit IV – Voting and Elections                                            (10 Days)

1. Political Parties – Description and Roles
2. 2-Party System
3. History and Organization of Parties
4. Minor Parties
5. Voting
6. Campaigns and Elections
7. Campaign Finance and Reform
8. Conventions
9. Effects of the Media
10. Extension of Suffrage through Amendments
11. Electoral College
12. Voter Behavior
13. Interests Groups
14. PAC’s
15. Public Opinion and effects on policy
16. 2000 Election – Bush vs. Gore (role of electoral college), 1960 election Kennedy vs. Nixon (effect of TV)

Unit V – Law/Legal System/Judicial Branch                                 (10 Days)

1. Supreme Court
2. Landmark decisions of the court
1. Brown v Board
2. Marbury v Madison
3. Plessy v Ferguson
4. Miranda v Arizona
5. Roe v Ward
6. Bakke
3. John Marshall and establishment of judicial review
4. Warren Court and its effect on history
5. Process for the Supreme Court deciding a case
6. Definitions of judicial activism and judicial restraint
7. Role of Federal Courts
8. Appellate Courts
9. Organization of Federal Court System
10. Criminal Law
11. Levels of Crimes
12. Civil Law
13. Court Procedure
14. Punishments for crime

Unit VI – Legislative Branch                                                           (7 Days)

1. Organization of Congress
2. 2 House System
3. Powers of Congress
4. Legislative Process
5. Leadership of the House and Senate
6. Current issues in Congress
7. Function of Lobbyists
8. Special Interest Groups and their effect on Congress

Unit VII – Executive Branch                                                           (7 Days)

1. President and Vice President
2. Executive office of the President
3. Roles of the President
4. Written and Unwritten Qualifications of the President
5. Presidential Powers
6. Cabinet
7. Executive Departments
8. Independent Agencies
9. Federal Bureaucracy
10. Washington and precedent
11. Jefferson – Louisiana Purchase
12. Jacksonian Democracy
13. Lincoln and Civil War – expansion of power, Gettysburg Address, Emancipation Proclamation
14. Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
15. Theodore Roosevelt and Panama Canal, Roosevelt Corollary, Monroe Doctrine
16. Wilson – League of Nations and 14 Points
17. FDR – TVA, New Deal, Court Packing
18. Truman – Integration of US Military
19. JFK – impact of death
20. Lyndon Johnson – Great Society
21. Nixon – Resignation, rise of conservatism, opening of China
22. Carter – Role in the Middle East, Camp David Accords, Iran Hostage
23. Reagan – Economic Situation, Reaganonimics, Collapse of Soviet Union
24. Clinton – relationship with Congress, NAFTA, Impeachment
25. GW Bush – Role after Sept. 11^th, War on Terror (Iraq, Afghanistan)

Midterm Review                                                                    2 Days       

45 Total Days

Unit VIII – Federalism                                                         (8 Days)

1. Relationship between state and Local government with federal government
2. State Government
3. Governor/Lt. Governor – What is their duties and roles?
4. Georgia Constitution
5. Role and setup of the Georgia General Assembly
6. Services provided by the state
7. Local Government – structure
8. Services provided by a town, county etc.

Unit IX – Ideas and Events Leading to Constitution                     (13 Days)

1. Colonial America
2. Magna Carta, Petition of Rights, English Bill of Rights
3. Ben Franklin as a symbol of social mobility and individualism
4. Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Act, Intolerable Acts
5. Sons and Daughters of Liberty
6. Committees of Correspondence
7. John Locke – Social Contract (Second Treatise on Government)
8. Thomas Paine – Common Sense
9. Montesquieu – Separation of powers (Spirit of Laws)
10. Hobbes - Leviathan
11. Theorists that contributed to idea of independence
12. Declaration of Independence
13. Role of Thomas Jefferson in writing of Declaration
14. Articles of Confederation – weakness was a reason for change
15. Shays Rebellion
16. Constitutional Convention

Unit X – Constitution                                                                        (13 Days)

1. Structure of the Constitution
2. Basic principles
3. Federal System
4. Checks and Balances
5. Flexible Framework
6. Great Compromise
7. Separation of Powers
8. Limited government
9. Slavery issue
10. Struggle for Ratification
11. Federalist Papers – Arguments for or against: form of government, factions, checks and balances, power of the executive.
12. Anti-Federalist Papers
13. Role of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison

Unit XI – Bill of Rights and Amendments                          (9 Days)

1. Bill of Rights – Emphasis on First Amendment Rights
2. Amendment Process
3. Selective Incorporation of the Bill of Rights
4. How the Bill of Rights is a protector of individual and states rights
5. 5^th Amendment – Due Process
6. Significance of the 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th Amendments
7. 17^th Amendment
8. 18^th Amendment
9. 19^th Amendment
10. How the government maintains a balance between individual liberties and public interest
11. Equal Protection under the law

Final Exam Review                                                               2 Days                                          

45 Total Days

"Bringing our subjects to life..."