A2 Teacher Resource Pack Governing the USA

Summary:
Key topics are addressed through a series of timed lessons, each lasting at least 1 hour. The teacher notes establish the aims and descirbe the process of the lesson. They also identlfy the materials for students, which take the form of photocopiable information sheets and extracts from Politics Review. The lessons conclude with extension work for developing knowledge and exam skills, together with answer notes.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
The US constitution
The writing of the US constitution
The US constitution and the political system
The US constitution and its principles: checks and balances
The US constitution and its principles: federalism
The US constitution and its principles: rights
Assessing the US constitution
The US Supreme Court
Introduction to the Supreme Court and its membership
The role of the Supreme Court
Judicial review and public policy
Judicial interpretation and freedom of speech
The Warren Court: race, rights and religion
The Burger Court: race, gender and punishment
The Rehnquist Court (1)
The Rehnquist Court (2)
Limits on the Supreme Court
Appointments to the Supreme Court
Factors influencing Supreme Court rulings
The Supreme Court: a judicial or political institution?
Congress
The role of Congress
Comparing the House and the Senate
The role of congressional committees
Power within Congress
Congress, the presidency and the executive branch
Evaluating the role of Congress
The role of the president
Powers and constraints
The growth of presidential power
The imperial presidency
The continuing powers of the presidency
The ‘imperilled presidency’
Appraising presidential power
The structure of the executive branch
Presidential resources and the executive branch
The cabinet and the Executive Office of the President
Federalism
The concept of federalism
The development of federalism
New federalism
The revival of the states
The call for states’ rights
Arguments against states’ rights

About the Author(s):
Edward Ashbee is an associate professor in the Center for the Study of the Americas at Copenhagen Business School. His publications inlcude studies of political parties and electoral trends as weel as US Politics Today (Manchester University Press). He is a regular contributor to Politics Review.