Online Class: American Government

Do you need to brush-up your knowledge of the American political system?  Have you forgotten or feel slightly 'hazy' about the structure of the American government, the details of the Constitution or the exact division of the three branches of government? Are you interested in discovering how our current political parties were formed or the impact of public opinion, mass media and special interests groups on today's American policies?  If you answered "yes" to these questions, this online course can be your ideal learning resource.

Rather than focusing on the history of the American federal government, this course is a comprehensive evaluation of how the government is set up and how it works. We will start with a look at how the American government is organized, and then we will focus on American culture and how it forms the environment in which the government functions, and the influences that the citizenry exerts on the policy-making process. Public opinion plays an important role in any republic so we will examine how public opinion is measured and how it contributes to the democratic process.

The citizens of United States enjoy many freedoms and liberties, but, as in all republics, they also live according to a Constitution and an established set of laws. We will examine the balance between freedom and law, and discuss the development of civil liberties. The political participation of Americans, both as individuals and as a part of interest groups influences nearly all functions of the government. We will also take a look at the media's increasingly important role in politics, and how the political parties of the United States work together to create legislation.

The social welfare and safety of Americans is a significant part of the priorities of the federal government. This course will outline the development of important programs that have served as model to other governments throughout the world. In the process, we will also evaluate how public policy is made from several important perspectives: economic, foreign relations, and environmental. 

Created with the belief that understanding the foundations of the America system of government is necessary to fully comprehend America's current political system, this self-paced course is appropriate for learners of any age (homeschoolers, high schoolers, college students or just inquisitive people). Our easy-to-understand online format is perfect for those seeking review, extra tutoring, test prep or general educational enhancement.

Courses Frequently Bought Together:

American Civil War

American Revolutionary War

American History Review

Course Motivation

The foundations of the American government are radical and unlike any of its predecessors. Seeking freedom in every sense of the word, political, economic, and religious (in particular), the American colonists had embarked from their homelands in northern Europe and on the continent of Europe to secure their liberties. Incredibly well read and versatile, the imagination and longings of these first settlers were fueled by the passionate writings of seventeenth century authors such as Milton, Neville, Locke, and the Social Contract (1762) by French Revolutionary writer Jean Jacques Rousseau, through whom they gained a greater understanding of the rights and lack of rights of citizens under monarchial rule. As the philosopher John Locke warned, a country without government would result in lawlessness and anarchy where the absolute liberty of an individual could infringe upon and destroy the freedom of another. Cognizant of the importance of having a government that would protect the civil liberties of the individual through power if necessary, the colonists were also well aware of the restrictions upon their own freedom imposed by the British crown. This balance between liberty and order has long been the focus of governments all over the world, regardless of their makeup, being a monarchy, dictatorship, democracy, republic, or other. Hence, the colonists were fully aware of the need for a government that would protect and secure their rights as individual citizens while maintaining law and order and preventing lawlessness among the colonists themselves. Yet, the government in effect under the British crown did not secure their rights but instead imposed upon them its own idiosyncrasies and treated the colonists as inferior citizens. This was more than the colonists could bear.  

In this course, we will discuss in further detail the Constitution, the roles of the individual citizen, the President, Congress, and the judiciary, the elective process, public interest groups and media, as well as public and economic policies.

In addition to applications in business, those who know American government can find themselves filling important roles in their local communities.  We live in a world where it’s important to understand the American government and see where it came from and how it has changed throughout the years.

Many of us have forgotten the details of how the American government works.  We learned it in high school and then promptly forgot about it.  However, this course is designed to provide you with an in-depth understanding of the government – learning about such things as the impact of mass media upon government, as well as how special interest groups can actually cause a policy change.

As yet another election cycle comes around, it’s perfect for you to brush up on your knowledge of the American government and apply that to your life.  While others might be reluctant to enter a conversation dealing with politics because of their lack of understanding of the subject, you’ll be able to voice your opinions in an intelligent, thoughtful, and historically correct manner – all of which will affect the way that you are viewed by those around you.

This course has been designed for those who wish to understand America’s current political system by exploring the foundation of the government.  The course is self-paced and is appropriate for all ages – whether you are a student being home schooled or you’re in college or you just want to enrich your own understanding of politics. 

Gone are the days when learning about government was dull and boring.  In this course, you will learn aspects of the American government that were never covered in your learning.  It is specifically designed to give you a broad understanding of how government works and to assist you in understanding the importance of each individual within the scope of the American government.

In this course, you’ll be exposed to the following:

·        The origins of the American government:  You’ll find out how this present government evolved from the original English colonies.

·        The structure of the Constitution:  In which you’ll see the care and understanding that the founding fathers put into this document, which has provided such an incredible foundation for today’s society.

·        How the Constitution applies to the individual:  You will understand what the Constitution means to the average citizen and learn how each of the various amendments works in our everyday lives.

·        The structure of the House of Representatives and the Senate:  Students will learn the differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate, and see how both are composed. 

·        The three branches of government:  You will learn the structures of the Legislative Branch, the Judicial Branch, and the Executive Branch – gaining an understanding of the three branches and how they interact with each other, working with a series of “checks and balances.”

·        The role in the political process of public opinion:  Students will understand how public opinion can be used within the political process.  You will see how mass media can be used to sway public opinion and how that can then influence the various branches of the government.

·        The role of special interest groups:  You will understand what special interest groups are, what functions they serve, and how they are a part of the governmental process. 

·        Understanding political parties:  Students will understand just what it is that makes up a political party and what the role of the individual is in the workings of the entire governmental process.

·        The voting process:  Students will examine the voting process and discover how it applies to their lives.  In addition, you will see the importance of each individual having and using their vote.

·        An introduction to American economic, foreign, and public policies:  Students will see how the role of American government affects things on a global level.