AMERICAN GOVERNMENT:
Constitutional Foundations and Political Behavior
GOVERNMENT 2301-CV Honors
Fall 2004
e-mail: harpham@utdallas.edu 
Dr. Harpham's Home Page
Phone: 972-883-2044 or 972-883-6729
Class Time: TR 12:30-1:45
Classroom: CN 3.104
Office: Gr 3.520 and MP 3.206
Office Hours: TR 1:45-3:00pm in Gr 3.520 or MP 3.206
and by appointment
This course examines the constitutional foundations to American and Texas government and
the changing nature of politics and political behavior at the national, state, and
local levels. Among the topics to be considered are the idea of constitutional
government, the American founding, the idea of citizenship, elections, political parties,
interest groups, public opinion, and the media's role in politics. We also will
explore these topics through an examination of seven critically acclaimed movies on
political topics.
There are two goals to the
course: (1) to deepen a student's appreciation of the nature of government and politics in
early 21st century America; and (2) to enable a student to clarify and critically assess
his/her own political values in light of contemporary affairs.
Required Texts:
Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, Champagne, Forsche and Harpham We the People. Texas Edition. 4th edition (W.W. Norton: 2003)
Peter Woll American Government: Readings and Cases 15th edition
Requirements:
Students are expected to have read the assigned material prior to coming to class..
Students are expected to have kept up with current events by reading the Dallas
Morning News, as well as Time, Newsweek, or The Economist. Other
sources worth consulting periodically are the New York Times, The New
Republic, and The Weekly Standard. Tune in to the Newshour on
Channel
13 as well as National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM
or "All Things Considered" from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM. They are useful sources for
news and commentary on contemporary affairs.
The Internet Connection: The Internet has become an important source for news and
information about politics and government in the United States. Students will be
required to know how to use the internet to obtain additional classroom readings on
current affairs. The following are excellent general news sources that should be visited
occasionally on the internet:
Dallas Morning News
CNN
C-Span
Washington Post
NBC News
ABC News
Fox News
USA Today
Christian Science Monitor
US News and World Reports
New York Times
Reuters
Political Science and Public
Policies Resources
Townhall
Federal
Government Sites
Drudge Report
Grading:
Mid-term exam: 35%
Second exam: 35%
Movie Discussion Papers: 10%
Lecture Quizzes: 10%
In-class participation: 10%
The Exams and Quizzes: Both exams will be composed of identification and short answer questions. Ten minute quizzes will be given periodically during the lecture. Be sure to be to class on time. The lowest 2 quizzes will be dropped if 10 quizzes are given. The lowest 3 will be dropped if 12 quizzes are given. There will be no make-ups for missed quizzes.
Movie Discussion Papers: Students are expected to watch all the assigned movies. Exam and quiz questions will be drawn from the movies. Students will write two short essays (3-4 pages) analyzing questions raised by 2 of the movies viewed during the semester. Papers will be graded on along two dimensions: first, the quality of the answer to the question; second, the author's willingness to draw examples from the movie to support his/;her arguments. Students will summarize their essays in class and lead a discussion about the movie under consideration for that week. Specific movie assignments will take place during the first week of the semester.
Movies: Students are expected to have watched the following movies for the appropriate class during the semester. Movies are available in the lounge for viewing the in lounge. They also are available at most Blockbuster Videos for viewing at home. Do not remove the CV copy from the lounge. Quiz questions may be drawn from the movies.
- The Weather Underground (2003) directed by Sam Green and Bill Siegel (available in DVD)
- George Wallace (1997) directed by John Frankenheimer (available in VHS)
- Macolm X (1993) directed by Spike Lee (available in DVD)
- All The President's Men (1976) directed by Alan J. Pakula (available in DVD)
- The War Room (1998) directed by Chris Hegedus
- The Last Hurrah (1956) directed by John Ford (available in DVD)
- All the Kings Men (1949) directed by Robert Rossen (available in DVD)
Other political movies that we will discuss in class, but you are not required to view are
- 7 Days in May (1964) directed by John Frankenheimer
- Dr. Strangelove (1963) directed by Stanley Kubrick
- Citizen Kane (1941) directed by Orson Wells
- JFK (1991) directed by Oliver Stone
- Nixon (1995) directed by Oliver Stone
- The Crossing (1999) directed by Robert Harmon
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) directed by Frank Capra
- The Candidate (1972) directed by Michael Ritchie
- The Manchurian Candidate (1962) directed by John Frankenheimer
- Truman (1996) directed by Frank Pierson
OVERVIEW OF COURSE
August 19:
Introduction
Website:
Avalon Project
The Foundations to American Government
August 24
American Political Culture
Read: We The People (WTP): Chapter 1
August 26 and 31:
The Founding and the Declaration of Independence
READ:
WTP Chapter 2
WTP pp. A3-9
Woll: Reading 1
Movie Viewing in CV Lounge: The Weather
Underground
View movie by August 26.
Questions: To what degree (if at all) did members of the weather underground resemble participants in the American Revolution? What factors account for the revolutionary activity of the weather underground? What factors explain the failure of the weather underground?
Websites:
Magna Carta
English Bill of Rights
Virginia Declaration of Rights
Declaration of Independence
Drafting the Declaration
Center for the American Founding
Cicero's Home
Page
September 2, 7,
9, 14 and 16
The Constitution
READ:
WTP: Chapter 2,3
WTP: pp. A10-A29
Woll: Readings 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,
Websites:
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
State Constitutions in 1776
Articles of Confederation
Hamilton's Proposals
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
Documentary History of the First Federal Congress
Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution
and the Bill of Rights
Madison's Notes on the
Constitutional Convention
Constitution
Federalist 10
Federalist 39
Federalist
51
Constitutional Convention
Federalist Papers
Antifederalist Papers
Constitution Society
Freedom Forum on
First Amendment
September 21, 23, 28, 30, October 5
Citizenship
Read:
WTP: Chapters 4,5
Woll: Readings 13,14,15,16,17,18,20,21,22,23,24,25
Movie Viewing by September 21: George Wallace and Malcolm
X
Explain how the theme
of redemption in both politics and one's personal life lies at the heart of
either movie. Do you find this theme a satisfactory one for capturing the
significance of either Wallace or X to American political life?
Websites:
US Immigration and
Naturalization Service
Plessy v.
Ferguson (1896)
Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Griswald v. Connecticut (1973)
Roe v. Wade (1974)
October 7: First Exam
October 12:
The Political Economy of Texas
Read
WTP: Chapter 19
Websites:
Texas Declaration of Independence
Texas Constitution
New Handbook of Texas
Resolution to Annex Texas.
March 1, 1845
Texas Ordinance of Succession
About Texas
October 14
Texas Constitution
Read
WTP: Chapter 20, 26
Websites
Texas Declaration of Independence
Texas Constitution
New Handbook of Texas
October 19 and 21: Congressman Frost and Congressman Sessions UTD Town Hall Meetings
October 26:
Public Opinion and the Media
Movie Viewing by March October 21: All the President's Men
According to the movie, did the traditional checks and balances of the
Constitution work during the Nixon Administration? What alternative does
the movie offer to these traditional checks and balances? What are the
problems with this alternative?
Read:
WTP: Chapters 6,7
Website:
Gallup Poll
Harris Poll
Roper Poll
Pew Research Center
Drudge Report
Polling Report
Mason-Dixon Poll
October 28 and November 4
Participation and Political
Parties
READ:
WTP Chapter 8,9,21
Woll: Readings 28,29,30,31,33,34
Movie Viewing by October
28: The War Room
Compare the roles that Carville and Stephanopoulos played in the Clinton
campaign. What role is left for political parties in the face of such
campaigns?
Websites:
Republican National Committee
National Democratic Party
National Republican Congressional
Committee
Major and Minor Party Sites
Texas Democratic Party
Texas Republican Party
November 11 and 16
Elections
READ:
WTP: Chapter 10
Woll: Readings 32,35,36,37,38,39,40
Movie Viewing by November 11:
The Last Hurrah, All the King's Men
What are the
strengths and weaknesses of the two styles of campaigning depicted in the
Last Hurrah? Which is more democratic?
Which is more corrupt?
According to All the King's Men, what are the
dangers facing a democratic society in an age of mass politics? Do you
agree that this is a real danger that we may face?
Websites:
Campaign Finance Institute
Political
Money Line
Open Secrets.Org
Federal Elections Commission
National Elections Study
Politics1.com
Presidential Polls
Dirksen
Center's Campaign 2004
November 18 and 23
Groups and Interests
Read:
WTP: Chapters 11,22
Woll: Readings 41,42,43,44,45
Websites:
National Rifle Association
United Auto Workers
Sierra Club
National Association of Manufacturers
Texas Trial Lawyers Association
Thursday December 2 at 11:00am: Second Exam
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E-mail Dr. Harpham at harpham@utdallas.edu
