1. Foundations of American Democracy1.1 Ideals of Democracy0/01.1.1 Natural Rights and the Social Contract1.1.2 Popular Sovereignty and Consent of the Governed1.1.3 Limited Government and the Constitution’s Safeguards1.1.4 Founding Documents as Expressions of Democratic Ideals1.2 Types of Democracy0/01.2.1 Participatory Democracy in the United States1.2.2 Pluralist Democracy and Group-Based Activism1.2.3 Elite Democracy and Limited Participation1.2.4 Federalist No. 10 vs. Brutus No. 1: Tensions Among Models1.2.5 Democracy Models in Contemporary Institutions and Behavior1.3 Government Power and Individual Rights0/01.3.1 Federalists: Strong National Government and Ratification1.3.2 Federalist No. 10: Factions and the Large Republic1.3.3 Anti-Federalists: Liberty Concerns and State Power1.3.4 Federalist–Anti-Federalist Debate and Rights Protections1.4 Challenges of the Articles of Confederation0/01.4.1 Shays’ Rebellion and the Lack of Centralized Military Power1.4.2 No Executive Branch: Enforcing Laws and Taxation1.4.3 No National Judiciary: Resolving Disputes1.4.4 Commerce and Currency Problems Under the Articles1.4.5 From Weak Confederation to Stronger Federal Power1.5 Ratification of the U.S. Constitution0/01.5.1 Why Compromise Was Necessary at the Constitutional Convention1.5.2 The Great (Connecticut) Compromise and Bicameral Congress1.5.3 The Electoral College: Choosing the President1.5.4 Slavery-Related Compromises and Representation1.5.5 The Bill of Rights as a Condition for Ratification1.5.6 Article V and the Constitutional Amendment Process1.5.7 Unresolved Constitutional Debates Then and Now1.6 Principles of American Government0/01.6.1 Separation of Powers: Distinct Roles of the Branches1.6.2 Checks and Balances: How Branches Restrain One Another1.6.3 Federalist No. 51: Preventing Abuse by Majorities1.6.4 Multiple Access Points for Policymaking1.6.5 Impeachment and Removal as Constitutional Remedies1.7 Relationship Between the States and National Government0/01.7.1 Federalism and the Ongoing Balance-of-Power Debate1.7.2 Exclusive National Powers: Enumerated Authority1.7.3 Implied Powers and the Necessary and Proper Clause1.7.4 Reserved Powers and the Tenth Amendment1.7.5 Concurrent Powers: Shared Authority in Practice1.7.6 Intergovernmental Grants: Revenue Sharing, Block, and Categorical1.7.7 Mandates and Federal–State Responsibilities1.8 Constitutional Interpretations of Federalism0/01.8.1 How Supreme Court Interpretation Shifts Federalism Over Time1.8.2 Fourteenth Amendment: Due Process and Equal Protection1.8.3 Commerce Clause: Federal Power to Regulate Interstate Commerce1.8.4 Necessary and Proper Clause: Expanding Enumerated Powers1.8.5 Supremacy Clause and When Federal Power Exceeds Limits1.9 Federalism in Action0/01.9.1 Federalism’s Access Points in Policymaking1.9.2 How Concurrent Powers Constrain National Policymaking1.9.3 Intergovernmental Bargaining and Policy Outcomes1. Foundations of American Democracy1.1 Ideals of Democracy0/01.1.1 Natural Rights and the Social Contract1.1.2 Popular Sovereignty and Consent of the Governed1.1.3 Limited Government and the Constitution’s Safeguards1.1.4 Founding Documents as Expressions of Democratic Ideals1.2 Types of Democracy0/01.2.1 Participatory Democracy in the United States1.2.2 Pluralist Democracy and Group-Based Activism1.2.3 Elite Democracy and Limited Participation1.2.4 Federalist No. 10 vs. Brutus No. 1: Tensions Among Models1.2.5 Democracy Models in Contemporary Institutions and Behavior1.3 Government Power and Individual Rights0/01.3.1 Federalists: Strong National Government and Ratification1.3.2 Federalist No. 10: Factions and the Large Republic1.3.3 Anti-Federalists: Liberty Concerns and State Power1.3.4 Federalist–Anti-Federalist Debate and Rights Protections1.4 Challenges of the Articles of Confederation0/01.4.1 Shays’ Rebellion and the Lack of Centralized Military Power1.4.2 No Executive Branch: Enforcing Laws and Taxation1.4.3 No National Judiciary: Resolving Disputes1.4.4 Commerce and Currency Problems Under the Articles1.4.5 From Weak Confederation to Stronger Federal Power1.5 Ratification of the U.S. Constitution0/01.5.1 Why Compromise Was Necessary at the Constitutional Convention1.5.2 The Great (Connecticut) Compromise and Bicameral Congress1.5.3 The Electoral College: Choosing the President1.5.4 Slavery-Related Compromises and Representation1.5.5 The Bill of Rights as a Condition for Ratification1.5.6 Article V and the Constitutional Amendment Process1.5.7 Unresolved Constitutional Debates Then and Now1.6 Principles of American Government0/01.6.1 Separation of Powers: Distinct Roles of the Branches1.6.2 Checks and Balances: How Branches Restrain One Another1.6.3 Federalist No. 51: Preventing Abuse by Majorities1.6.4 Multiple Access Points for Policymaking1.6.5 Impeachment and Removal as Constitutional Remedies1.7 Relationship Between the States and National Government0/01.7.1 Federalism and the Ongoing Balance-of-Power Debate1.7.2 Exclusive National Powers: Enumerated Authority1.7.3 Implied Powers and the Necessary and Proper Clause1.7.4 Reserved Powers and the Tenth Amendment1.7.5 Concurrent Powers: Shared Authority in Practice1.7.6 Intergovernmental Grants: Revenue Sharing, Block, and Categorical1.7.7 Mandates and Federal–State Responsibilities1.8 Constitutional Interpretations of Federalism0/01.8.1 How Supreme Court Interpretation Shifts Federalism Over Time1.8.2 Fourteenth Amendment: Due Process and Equal Protection1.8.3 Commerce Clause: Federal Power to Regulate Interstate Commerce1.8.4 Necessary and Proper Clause: Expanding Enumerated Powers1.8.5 Supremacy Clause and When Federal Power Exceeds Limits1.9 Federalism in Action0/01.9.1 Federalism’s Access Points in Policymaking1.9.2 How Concurrent Powers Constrain National Policymaking1.9.3 Intergovernmental Bargaining and Policy Outcomes2. Interactions Among Branches of Government2.1 Congress: The Senate and the House of Representatives0/02.1.1 Why Congress Is Bicameral: Senate vs. House Representation2.1.2 Size and Debate: Why the House Feels Different from the Senate2.1.3 Elections, Terms, and Party Dynamics in Each Chamber2.1.4 Fiscal Powers: Budgeting, Taxes, Borrowing, and Coinage2.1.5 War and National Security Powers of Congress2.1.6 Other Key Powers: Commerce, Courts, Necessary and Proper, and Oversight2.2 Structures, Powers, and Functions of Congress0/02.2.1 Why the House and Senate Operate Differently2.2.2 Committees and Markup: Where Bills Get Shaped2.2.3 House Rules: Speaker, Revenue Bills, and Structured Debate2.2.4 House Workarounds: Discharge Petitions2.2.5 Senate Procedures: Unanimous Consent, Holds, Filibusters, and Cloture2.2.6 Conference Committees: Reconciling Two Versions of a Bill2.2.7 The Federal Budget: Mandatory vs. Discretionary Spending2.2.8 Legislative Deal-Making: Pork-Barrel Spending and Logrolling2.3 Congressional Behavior0/02.3.1 Partisanship, Polarization, and Gridlock2.3.2 Redistricting and Gerrymandering in Congressional Politics2.3.3 Divided Government and Confrontation with the President2.3.4 Representing Constituents: Trustee, Delegate, and Politico Roles2.4 Roles and Powers of the President0/02.4.1 Building a Presidential Agenda: VP, Cabinet, and the EOP2.4.2 Veto Power: Regular Vetoes vs. Pocket Vetoes2.4.3 Foreign Policy Powers: Treaties, Command, and Executive Agreements2.4.4 Bargaining and Persuasion as Informal Presidential Power2.4.5 Executive Orders: Managing the Federal Government2.4.6 Signing Statements and Presidential Interpretation of Laws2.5 Checks on the Presidency0/02.5.1 Senate Confirmation as a Check on Presidential Appointments2.5.2 Judicial Appointments: The President’s Longest-Lasting Influence2.5.3 When Congress Disagrees: Orders and Directives to the Bureaucracy2.6 Expansion of Presidential Power0/02.6.1 Federalist No. 70 and the Case for an Energetic Executive2.6.2 The Twenty-Second Amendment and Concerns about Power2.6.3 How Far Should Presidential Power Reach?2.7 Presidential Communication0/02.7.1 How Technology Changed the Presidency’s Relationship with the Public2.7.2 Social Media and Rapid Presidential Response2.7.3 Agenda Setting: The Bully Pulpit and State of the Union2.8 The Judicial Branch0/02.8.1 Article III: Constitutional Foundations of the Federal Judiciary2.8.2 Federalist No. 78: Why Judicial Independence Matters2.8.3 Judicial Review as a Check on the Political Branches2.9 The Role of the Judicial Branch0/02.9.1 Stare Decisis and the Power of Precedent2.9.2 Changing the Court, Changing the Law2.10 The Court in Action0/02.10.1 Life Tenure and Judicial Independence2.10.2 Why Controversial Decisions Trigger Legitimacy Debates2.11 Checks on the Judicial Branch0/02.11.1 Judicial Activism vs. Judicial Restraint2.11.2 Congressional Checks: Laws, Amendments, and Jurisdiction Limits2.11.3 Appointments and Confirmations as a Long-Term Check2.11.4 Implementation and Resistance: The Role of Presidents and States2.12 The Bureaucracy0/02.12.1 What the Federal Bureaucracy Does2.12.2 Bureaucracy and Congress: Testimony and Accountability2.12.3 Iron Triangles and Issue Networks2.12.4 Civil Service: Merit System vs. Patronage2.13 Discretionary and Rulemaking Authority0/02.13.1 Delegated Discretion: How Agencies Interpret Laws2.13.2 Rulemaking: Turning Broad Laws into Regulations2.13.3 Key Rulemaking Agencies and Policy Areas2.14 Holding the Bureaucracy Accountable0/02.14.1 Congressional Oversight Tools2.14.2 Power of the Purse: Funding as Oversight2.14.3 Presidential Control of Agencies2.14.4 Compliance Monitoring and Implementation Challenges2.15 Policy and the Branches of Government0/02.15.1 Keeping the Bureaucracy Accountable: Tools of All Three Branches2.15.2 Multiple Access Points for Influencing Policy2.15.3 Why Shared Powers Can Slow Policymaking2. Interactions Among Branches of Government2.1 Congress: The Senate and the House of Representatives0/02.1.1 Why Congress Is Bicameral: Senate vs. House Representation2.1.2 Size and Debate: Why the House Feels Different from the Senate2.1.3 Elections, Terms, and Party Dynamics in Each Chamber2.1.4 Fiscal Powers: Budgeting, Taxes, Borrowing, and Coinage2.1.5 War and National Security Powers of Congress2.1.6 Other Key Powers: Commerce, Courts, Necessary and Proper, and Oversight2.2 Structures, Powers, and Functions of Congress0/02.2.1 Why the House and Senate Operate Differently2.2.2 Committees and Markup: Where Bills Get Shaped2.2.3 House Rules: Speaker, Revenue Bills, and Structured Debate2.2.4 House Workarounds: Discharge Petitions2.2.5 Senate Procedures: Unanimous Consent, Holds, Filibusters, and Cloture2.2.6 Conference Committees: Reconciling Two Versions of a Bill2.2.7 The Federal Budget: Mandatory vs. Discretionary Spending2.2.8 Legislative Deal-Making: Pork-Barrel Spending and Logrolling2.3 Congressional Behavior0/02.3.1 Partisanship, Polarization, and Gridlock2.3.2 Redistricting and Gerrymandering in Congressional Politics2.3.3 Divided Government and Confrontation with the President2.3.4 Representing Constituents: Trustee, Delegate, and Politico Roles2.4 Roles and Powers of the President0/02.4.1 Building a Presidential Agenda: VP, Cabinet, and the EOP2.4.2 Veto Power: Regular Vetoes vs. Pocket Vetoes2.4.3 Foreign Policy Powers: Treaties, Command, and Executive Agreements2.4.4 Bargaining and Persuasion as Informal Presidential Power2.4.5 Executive Orders: Managing the Federal Government2.4.6 Signing Statements and Presidential Interpretation of Laws2.5 Checks on the Presidency0/02.5.1 Senate Confirmation as a Check on Presidential Appointments2.5.2 Judicial Appointments: The President’s Longest-Lasting Influence2.5.3 When Congress Disagrees: Orders and Directives to the Bureaucracy2.6 Expansion of Presidential Power0/02.6.1 Federalist No. 70 and the Case for an Energetic Executive2.6.2 The Twenty-Second Amendment and Concerns about Power2.6.3 How Far Should Presidential Power Reach?2.7 Presidential Communication0/02.7.1 How Technology Changed the Presidency’s Relationship with the Public2.7.2 Social Media and Rapid Presidential Response2.7.3 Agenda Setting: The Bully Pulpit and State of the Union2.8 The Judicial Branch0/02.8.1 Article III: Constitutional Foundations of the Federal Judiciary2.8.2 Federalist No. 78: Why Judicial Independence Matters2.8.3 Judicial Review as a Check on the Political Branches2.9 The Role of the Judicial Branch0/02.9.1 Stare Decisis and the Power of Precedent2.9.2 Changing the Court, Changing the Law2.10 The Court in Action0/02.10.1 Life Tenure and Judicial Independence2.10.2 Why Controversial Decisions Trigger Legitimacy Debates2.11 Checks on the Judicial Branch0/02.11.1 Judicial Activism vs. Judicial Restraint2.11.2 Congressional Checks: Laws, Amendments, and Jurisdiction Limits2.11.3 Appointments and Confirmations as a Long-Term Check2.11.4 Implementation and Resistance: The Role of Presidents and States2.12 The Bureaucracy0/02.12.1 What the Federal Bureaucracy Does2.12.2 Bureaucracy and Congress: Testimony and Accountability2.12.3 Iron Triangles and Issue Networks2.12.4 Civil Service: Merit System vs. Patronage2.13 Discretionary and Rulemaking Authority0/02.13.1 Delegated Discretion: How Agencies Interpret Laws2.13.2 Rulemaking: Turning Broad Laws into Regulations2.13.3 Key Rulemaking Agencies and Policy Areas2.14 Holding the Bureaucracy Accountable0/02.14.1 Congressional Oversight Tools2.14.2 Power of the Purse: Funding as Oversight2.14.3 Presidential Control of Agencies2.14.4 Compliance Monitoring and Implementation Challenges2.15 Policy and the Branches of Government0/02.15.1 Keeping the Bureaucracy Accountable: Tools of All Three Branches2.15.2 Multiple Access Points for Influencing Policy2.15.3 Why Shared Powers Can Slow Policymaking3. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights3.1 The Bill of Rights0/03.1.1 Why the Bill of Rights Exists (Purpose & Design)3.1.2 What ‘Civil Liberties’ Means3.1.3 The First Ten Amendments: What They Do3.1.4 How Courts Shape the Bill of Rights Over Time3.2 First Amendment: Freedom of Religion0/03.2.1 The Religion Clauses and an Ongoing Tension3.2.2 Establishment Clause: Limits on Government and Religion3.2.3 Free Exercise Clause: Protecting Religious Practice (and Its Limits)3.3 First Amendment: Freedom of Speech0/03.3.1 Protected Speech and Symbolic Speech3.3.2 Time, Place, and Manner Rules3.3.3 Obscenity and Offensive Speech3.3.4 Defamation: Libel and Slander3.3.5 Clear and Present Danger (and Later Refinements)3.3.6 How the Court Balances Liberty and Social Order3.4 First Amendment: Freedom of the Press0/03.4.1 Freedom of the Press and Prior Restraint3.4.2 National Security Claims vs. Press Freedom3.5 Second Amendment: Right to Bear Arms0/03.5.1 Interpreting the Second Amendment’s Text3.5.2 Individual vs. Collective Rights Debates3.5.3 Regulation and Individual Liberty3.6 Amendments: Balancing Individual Freedom with Public Order and Safety0/03.6.1 Balancing Liberty and Public Safety3.6.2 Eighth Amendment: Cruel and Unusual Punishment3.6.3 Second Amendment and Public Safety Debates3.6.4 Fourth Amendment, Surveillance, and Digital Metadata3.7 Selective Incorporation0/03.7.1 What Selective Incorporation Is3.7.2 How Incorporation Limits State Power3.7.3 Why Incorporation Matters in Practice3.8 Amendments: Due Process and the Rights of the Accused0/03.8.1 Due Process Basics: Fifth vs. Fourteenth Amendment3.8.2 When Government Interests Can Limit Rights3.8.3 Procedural Due Process: Fair, Non‑Arbitrary Procedures3.8.4 Miranda Warnings and the Public Safety Exception3.8.5 Trial Rights: Counsel, Speedy/Public Trial, and Jury3.8.6 Searches and Seizures: Cell Phones and Metadata3.8.7 The Exclusionary Rule in Criminal Trials3.9 Amendments: Due Process and the Right to Privacy0/03.9.1 Unenumerated Rights and the Right to Privacy3.9.2 How the Court Justifies Unenumerated Rights3.9.3 Substantive Due Process: Checking Arbitrary Laws3.9.4 Griswold v. Connecticut and Privacy3.9.5 Roe v. Wade and Expansion to Abortion3.9.6 Dobbs and Ongoing Privacy Debates3.10 Social Movements and Equal Protection0/03.10.1 Civil Rights: What They Protect and Where They Come From3.10.2 Equal Protection as a Tool for Social Change3.10.3 The Civil Rights Movement and ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’3.10.4 The Women’s Rights Movement and NOW3.10.5 LGBTQ Rights Advocacy and Equal Protection3.10.6 Pro‑Life and Pro‑Choice Movements3.11 Government Responses to Social Movements0/03.11.1 How Government Responds: Courts and Policy3.11.2 Court Rulings Ending Race‑Based School Segregation3.11.3 Civil Rights Act of 19643.11.4 Voting Rights Act of 19653.11.5 Title IX (Education Amendments of 1972)3.12 Balancing Minority and Majority Rights0/03.12.1 When Minority Rights Are Restricted vs. Protected3.12.2 ‘Separate but Equal’ and Denial of Equal Access3.12.3 Segregation Declared Unconstitutional3.12.4 Redistricting: Majority Rights and Majority‑Minority Districts3.13 Affirmative Action0/03.13.1 What Affirmative Action Is (and What It Tries to Fix)3.13.2 Equal Protection Arguments in the Debate3.13.3 How the Supreme Court Evaluates Affirmative Action Policies3.13.4 Policy Trade‑offs and Ongoing Controversy3. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights3.1 The Bill of Rights0/03.1.1 Why the Bill of Rights Exists (Purpose & Design)3.1.2 What ‘Civil Liberties’ Means3.1.3 The First Ten Amendments: What They Do3.1.4 How Courts Shape the Bill of Rights Over Time3.2 First Amendment: Freedom of Religion0/03.2.1 The Religion Clauses and an Ongoing Tension3.2.2 Establishment Clause: Limits on Government and Religion3.2.3 Free Exercise Clause: Protecting Religious Practice (and Its Limits)3.3 First Amendment: Freedom of Speech0/03.3.1 Protected Speech and Symbolic Speech3.3.2 Time, Place, and Manner Rules3.3.3 Obscenity and Offensive Speech3.3.4 Defamation: Libel and Slander3.3.5 Clear and Present Danger (and Later Refinements)3.3.6 How the Court Balances Liberty and Social Order3.4 First Amendment: Freedom of the Press0/03.4.1 Freedom of the Press and Prior Restraint3.4.2 National Security Claims vs. Press Freedom3.5 Second Amendment: Right to Bear Arms0/03.5.1 Interpreting the Second Amendment’s Text3.5.2 Individual vs. Collective Rights Debates3.5.3 Regulation and Individual Liberty3.6 Amendments: Balancing Individual Freedom with Public Order and Safety0/03.6.1 Balancing Liberty and Public Safety3.6.2 Eighth Amendment: Cruel and Unusual Punishment3.6.3 Second Amendment and Public Safety Debates3.6.4 Fourth Amendment, Surveillance, and Digital Metadata3.7 Selective Incorporation0/03.7.1 What Selective Incorporation Is3.7.2 How Incorporation Limits State Power3.7.3 Why Incorporation Matters in Practice3.8 Amendments: Due Process and the Rights of the Accused0/03.8.1 Due Process Basics: Fifth vs. Fourteenth Amendment3.8.2 When Government Interests Can Limit Rights3.8.3 Procedural Due Process: Fair, Non‑Arbitrary Procedures3.8.4 Miranda Warnings and the Public Safety Exception3.8.5 Trial Rights: Counsel, Speedy/Public Trial, and Jury3.8.6 Searches and Seizures: Cell Phones and Metadata3.8.7 The Exclusionary Rule in Criminal Trials3.9 Amendments: Due Process and the Right to Privacy0/03.9.1 Unenumerated Rights and the Right to Privacy3.9.2 How the Court Justifies Unenumerated Rights3.9.3 Substantive Due Process: Checking Arbitrary Laws3.9.4 Griswold v. Connecticut and Privacy3.9.5 Roe v. Wade and Expansion to Abortion3.9.6 Dobbs and Ongoing Privacy Debates3.10 Social Movements and Equal Protection0/03.10.1 Civil Rights: What They Protect and Where They Come From3.10.2 Equal Protection as a Tool for Social Change3.10.3 The Civil Rights Movement and ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’3.10.4 The Women’s Rights Movement and NOW3.10.5 LGBTQ Rights Advocacy and Equal Protection3.10.6 Pro‑Life and Pro‑Choice Movements3.11 Government Responses to Social Movements0/03.11.1 How Government Responds: Courts and Policy3.11.2 Court Rulings Ending Race‑Based School Segregation3.11.3 Civil Rights Act of 19643.11.4 Voting Rights Act of 19653.11.5 Title IX (Education Amendments of 1972)3.12 Balancing Minority and Majority Rights0/03.12.1 When Minority Rights Are Restricted vs. Protected3.12.2 ‘Separate but Equal’ and Denial of Equal Access3.12.3 Segregation Declared Unconstitutional3.12.4 Redistricting: Majority Rights and Majority‑Minority Districts3.13 Affirmative Action0/03.13.1 What Affirmative Action Is (and What It Tries to Fix)3.13.2 Equal Protection Arguments in the Debate3.13.3 How the Supreme Court Evaluates Affirmative Action Policies3.13.4 Policy Trade‑offs and Ongoing Controversy4. American Political Ideologies and Beliefs4.1 American Attitudes About Government and Politics0/04.1.1 Core Values and Attitudes Toward Government4.1.2 Individualism and Equality of Opportunity4.1.3 Free Enterprise and the Rule of Law4.2 Political Socialization0/04.2.1 What Is Political Socialization?4.2.2 Agents of Political Socialization4.2.3 U.S. Political Culture and Globalization4.3 Changes in Ideology0/04.3.1 Generational Effects on Ideology4.3.2 Life Cycle Effects on Ideology4.4 Influence of Political Events on Ideology0/04.4.1 How Major Events Shape Political Attitudes4.4.2 From Political Socialization to Ideology4.5 Measuring Public Opinion0/04.5.1 Scientific Polls and Public Opinion Data4.5.2 Opinion Polls (Issue Preferences)4.5.3 Benchmark vs. Tracking Polls (Campaign Dynamics)4.5.4 Exit Polls (Voter Motivation)4.5.5 Polling Methodology: Sampling, Wording, Reporting4.6 Evaluating Public Opinion Data0/04.6.1 When Public Opinion Matters Most4.6.2 Reliability and Veracity of Polling Claims4.7 Ideologies of Political Parties0/04.7.1 Party Platforms and Ideological Alignment4.7.2 How Party Ideologies Shape Policy Debates4.8 Ideology and Policymaking0/04.8.1 Political Culture and Public Policy Over Time4.8.2 Participation, Diversity, and Policy Outcomes4.8.3 Balancing Liberty with Stability and Order4.9 Ideology and Economic Policy0/04.9.1 Ideology and Marketplace Regulation (Overview)4.9.2 Liberal vs. Conservative Views on Regulation4.9.3 Libertarian Economic Views4.9.4 Fiscal Policy: Congress and the President4.9.5 Monetary Policy: The Federal Reserve4.10 Ideology and Social Policy0/04.10.1 Liberal Views on Social Issues4.10.2 Conservative Views on Social Issues4.10.3 Libertarian Views on Social Issues4.10.4 Debating National vs. State Responsibility4.10.5 Policy Trends and Party Success4. American Political Ideologies and Beliefs4.1 American Attitudes About Government and Politics0/04.1.1 Core Values and Attitudes Toward Government4.1.2 Individualism and Equality of Opportunity4.1.3 Free Enterprise and the Rule of Law4.2 Political Socialization0/04.2.1 What Is Political Socialization?4.2.2 Agents of Political Socialization4.2.3 U.S. Political Culture and Globalization4.3 Changes in Ideology0/04.3.1 Generational Effects on Ideology4.3.2 Life Cycle Effects on Ideology4.4 Influence of Political Events on Ideology0/04.4.1 How Major Events Shape Political Attitudes4.4.2 From Political Socialization to Ideology4.5 Measuring Public Opinion0/04.5.1 Scientific Polls and Public Opinion Data4.5.2 Opinion Polls (Issue Preferences)4.5.3 Benchmark vs. Tracking Polls (Campaign Dynamics)4.5.4 Exit Polls (Voter Motivation)4.5.5 Polling Methodology: Sampling, Wording, Reporting4.6 Evaluating Public Opinion Data0/04.6.1 When Public Opinion Matters Most4.6.2 Reliability and Veracity of Polling Claims4.7 Ideologies of Political Parties0/04.7.1 Party Platforms and Ideological Alignment4.7.2 How Party Ideologies Shape Policy Debates4.8 Ideology and Policymaking0/04.8.1 Political Culture and Public Policy Over Time4.8.2 Participation, Diversity, and Policy Outcomes4.8.3 Balancing Liberty with Stability and Order4.9 Ideology and Economic Policy0/04.9.1 Ideology and Marketplace Regulation (Overview)4.9.2 Liberal vs. Conservative Views on Regulation4.9.3 Libertarian Economic Views4.9.4 Fiscal Policy: Congress and the President4.9.5 Monetary Policy: The Federal Reserve4.10 Ideology and Social Policy0/04.10.1 Liberal Views on Social Issues4.10.2 Conservative Views on Social Issues4.10.3 Libertarian Views on Social Issues4.10.4 Debating National vs. State Responsibility4.10.5 Policy Trends and Party Success5. Political Participation5.1 Voting Rights and Models of Voting Behavior0/05.1.1 Voting rights in the Constitution: the role of amendments5.1.2 The 14th Amendment and voting rights expansion5.1.3 The 15th Amendment and racial voting rights protections5.1.4 The 17th Amendment and direct election of senators5.1.5 The 19th, 24th, and 26th Amendments: inclusion and barriers5.1.6 Rational choice and retrospective voting models5.1.7 Prospective and straight-ticket voting models5.2 Voter Turnout0/05.2.1 Structural barriers and their effects on turnout5.2.2 Political efficacy and participation decisions5.2.3 How state election rules shape turnout5.2.4 Registration laws and procedures5.2.5 Election type and turnout: presidential vs. midterm5.2.6 Demographics, engagement, and predicting who votes5.2.7 Factors influencing voter choice5.3 Political Parties0/05.3.1 Linkage institutions: connecting citizens and policymakers5.3.2 Political parties as a linkage institution5.3.3 Mobilizing and educating voters5.3.4 Party platforms and issue positions5.3.5 Recruiting candidates and managing campaigns5.3.6 Parties in government: committees and leadership systems5.4 How and Why Political Parties Change and Adapt0/05.4.1 Candidate-centered campaigns and weakening party control5.4.2 Building demographic coalitions through policy and messaging5.4.3 Critical elections and realignment5.4.4 Campaign finance law and party adaptation5.4.5 Communication technology and voter data management5.5 Third-Party Politics0/05.5.1 Winner-take-all elections and the two-party advantage5.5.2 Co-optation of third-party agendas by major parties5.5.3 Why proportional systems change third-party prospects5.6 Interest Groups Influencing Policymaking0/05.6.1 What interest groups do: representation and advocacy5.6.2 Lobbying, drafting legislation, and mobilizing members5.6.3 Amicus curiae briefs and the courts5.6.4 Iron triangles and issue networks5.6.5 Resources and inequality among interest groups5.6.6 Access and the policy process5.6.7 Collective action: free riders and selective benefits5.7 Groups Influencing Policy Outcomes0/05.7.1 Single-issue groups and social/ideological movements5.7.2 Protest movements and policy change5.7.3 Competing actors at key stages of policymaking5.7.4 Elections, parties, and major policy shifts5.8 Electing a President0/05.8.1 Incumbency advantage in presidential elections5.8.2 Open vs. closed primaries5.8.3 Caucuses and party decision-making5.8.4 National party conventions5.8.5 The general election campaign5.8.6 How the Electoral College works5.8.7 Allocating electors and debates over reform5.9 Congressional Elections0/05.9.1 Incumbency advantage in congressional elections5.9.2 Primaries in congressional elections5.9.3 Caucuses and candidate selection5.9.4 General elections and midterms5.10 Modern Campaigns0/05.10.1 Professional consultants and campaign organization5.10.2 Rising costs and intensive fundraising5.10.3 Lengthening election cycles5.10.4 Social media and digital campaigning5.11 Campaign Finance0/05.11.1 The debate over money, elections, and free speech5.11.2 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act and “Stand by Your Ad”5.11.3 Supreme Court rulings on independent political spending5.11.4 Funding sources and PACs5.12 The Media0/05.12.1 Agenda setting and how citizens learn about politics5.12.2 Election coverage: polling and “horse race” narratives5.13 Changing Media0/05.13.1 Media coverage and political participation5.13.2 Media choice, bias, ownership, and partisan news5.13.3 Media fragmentation and democratic debate5.13.4 Technology, echo chambers, and credibility concerns5. Political Participation5.1 Voting Rights and Models of Voting Behavior0/05.1.1 Voting rights in the Constitution: the role of amendments5.1.2 The 14th Amendment and voting rights expansion5.1.3 The 15th Amendment and racial voting rights protections5.1.4 The 17th Amendment and direct election of senators5.1.5 The 19th, 24th, and 26th Amendments: inclusion and barriers5.1.6 Rational choice and retrospective voting models5.1.7 Prospective and straight-ticket voting models5.2 Voter Turnout0/05.2.1 Structural barriers and their effects on turnout5.2.2 Political efficacy and participation decisions5.2.3 How state election rules shape turnout5.2.4 Registration laws and procedures5.2.5 Election type and turnout: presidential vs. midterm5.2.6 Demographics, engagement, and predicting who votes5.2.7 Factors influencing voter choice5.3 Political Parties0/05.3.1 Linkage institutions: connecting citizens and policymakers5.3.2 Political parties as a linkage institution5.3.3 Mobilizing and educating voters5.3.4 Party platforms and issue positions5.3.5 Recruiting candidates and managing campaigns5.3.6 Parties in government: committees and leadership systems5.4 How and Why Political Parties Change and Adapt0/05.4.1 Candidate-centered campaigns and weakening party control5.4.2 Building demographic coalitions through policy and messaging5.4.3 Critical elections and realignment5.4.4 Campaign finance law and party adaptation5.4.5 Communication technology and voter data management5.5 Third-Party Politics0/05.5.1 Winner-take-all elections and the two-party advantage5.5.2 Co-optation of third-party agendas by major parties5.5.3 Why proportional systems change third-party prospects5.6 Interest Groups Influencing Policymaking0/05.6.1 What interest groups do: representation and advocacy5.6.2 Lobbying, drafting legislation, and mobilizing members5.6.3 Amicus curiae briefs and the courts5.6.4 Iron triangles and issue networks5.6.5 Resources and inequality among interest groups5.6.6 Access and the policy process5.6.7 Collective action: free riders and selective benefits5.7 Groups Influencing Policy Outcomes0/05.7.1 Single-issue groups and social/ideological movements5.7.2 Protest movements and policy change5.7.3 Competing actors at key stages of policymaking5.7.4 Elections, parties, and major policy shifts5.8 Electing a President0/05.8.1 Incumbency advantage in presidential elections5.8.2 Open vs. closed primaries5.8.3 Caucuses and party decision-making5.8.4 National party conventions5.8.5 The general election campaign5.8.6 How the Electoral College works5.8.7 Allocating electors and debates over reform5.9 Congressional Elections0/05.9.1 Incumbency advantage in congressional elections5.9.2 Primaries in congressional elections5.9.3 Caucuses and candidate selection5.9.4 General elections and midterms5.10 Modern Campaigns0/05.10.1 Professional consultants and campaign organization5.10.2 Rising costs and intensive fundraising5.10.3 Lengthening election cycles5.10.4 Social media and digital campaigning5.11 Campaign Finance0/05.11.1 The debate over money, elections, and free speech5.11.2 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act and “Stand by Your Ad”5.11.3 Supreme Court rulings on independent political spending5.11.4 Funding sources and PACs5.12 The Media0/05.12.1 Agenda setting and how citizens learn about politics5.12.2 Election coverage: polling and “horse race” narratives5.13 Changing Media0/05.13.1 Media coverage and political participation5.13.2 Media choice, bias, ownership, and partisan news5.13.3 Media fragmentation and democratic debate5.13.4 Technology, echo chambers, and credibility concerns
