Week 1: The History of Our Government
**Examine the origins, purposes, and impact of constitutions, laws, treaties, and international agreements.
**Explain the origins, functions, and structure of government with reference to the U.S. Constitution, state constitutions, and selected other systems of government.
**Analyze ideas and principles contained in the founding documents of the United States, and explain how they influence the social and political system.

Week 2: Dissecting Our Democracy
**Explain the powers and limits of the three branches of government, public officials, and bureaucracies at different levels in the United States and in other countries.
**Distinguish the powers and responsibilities of citizens, political parties, interest groups, and the media in a variety of governmental and nongovernmental contexts.
**Explain specific roles played by citizens (such as voters, jurors, taxpayers, members of the armed forces, petitioners, protesters, and office-holders).

Week 3: Beyond the Presidency 
***Describe the roles of political, civil, and economic organizations in shaping people’s lives.
***Differentiate among procedures for making decisions in the classroom, school, civil society, and local, state, and national government in terms of how civic purposes are intended.

Week 4: The Flip Side of the Law
***Assess specific rules and laws (both actual and proposed) as means of addressing public problems.
***Analyze the purposes, implementation, and consequences of public policies in multiple settings.
***Compare historical and contemporary means of changing societies, and promoting the common good.

Week 5: Deliberation and Debate
***Compare deliberative processes used by a wide variety of groups in various settings.
***Explain the relevance of personal interests and perspectives, civic virtues, and democratic principles when people address issues and problems in government and civil society.