US American Government

In this course, students will develop a rich understanding of American democracy by reading and discussing philosophical writings that influenced America’s Founding Fathers, the foundational documents of the United States, essays from prominent American thinkers, and Supreme Court decisions. Students will learn about the “nuts and bolts” of how our government works (e.g., the three branches of government and how a bill becomes a law). However, this course will additionally expect students to dig deeper and interact with the philosophical ideals that inspired our Founding Fathers. Students will also grapple with the different political ideologies that have shaped and changed the American political system throughout our history. By the end of the course, students can expect to know how our government works, articulate the major camps in American political thought, and understand the crucial role that they, as citizens, play in the democratic system.

This course also integrates with and makes parallels to American literature, helping students to see and enjoy the integration of history and literature. It is therefore paired with our upper-school American literature course and scheduled back-to-back with that course in a “block.” Students who take both courses receive a discount. This course may also be taken as a standalone history study.

Important Skills and Behaviors Needed to Achieve Mastery

• Even the most avid readers will find some of the texts read in this course challenging. To achieve mastery, students must be willing to grapple with these texts and come to class prepared with questions about sections they do not understand.
• Debate is a central part of this course—students should be capable of preparing and articulating an argument, avoiding basic fallacies. The instructor will help students develop these skills throughout the course.
• Students must be able to type and understand basic English grammar rules and punctuation (e.g., recognize a noun, verb, adjective, subject, etc.).
• Students must be familiar with MLA writing conventions and familiar with the basics of formatting a paper and citing texts. The instructor will help students develop these skills throughout the course.

The target grades for this course are 9th–10th grade. Students must have successfully completed an 8th-grade-level writing course; they will be expected to have a basic grasp of grammar and know how to write a summary and reflect on a text (though the instructor will work to develop these skills throughout the course). Students are expected to have strong reading and writing skills as well as the interest and capacity for engaging in discussion about literature and history. Students well suited for this course will continue refining the following scholarship skills as they approach mastery:

• Actively and independently engage in note-taking
• Apply teacher critiques
• Adhere to deadlines
• Be responsible for class and project preparedness
• Take initiative to ask questions for understanding and comprehension

High School Credit: This course is the equivalent of one high school credit in history or government.

**How much time will students spend on homework? **
This varies by student according to his or her pace. However, the average reader can expect to spend approximately one hour per week reading course materials and approximately 30 minutes to an hour working on the questions.

**How is faith integrated with these courses? **
These seminar-style discussions unfold organically. One could approach the texts with a focus on defensive critiques of classical authors. By contrast, we seek to read charitably. We treat classic authors as if they were friends, gleaning every available truth while also examining them from a robustly Christian perspective.

At Scholé Academy, we have carefully considered how we should engage our contemporary culture as those who believe that Christ is the Truth (John 14:6), and that all truth has its source in him. We think it is important to provide our upper school students (in grades 7–12) with tools and opportunities for critically examining various cultural trends, issues, and mores through the lens of orthodox, Christian beliefs. Being confident in the truth revealed to us in creation, the Scriptures, and the tradition of the Church, we are not afraid to follow the truth and its implications nor to address error and falsehood. Read more about our Faith & Culture.