POS1041 0I2 - American Government - Spring 2025 - Online 0I2

Oct 4, 2026

Course POS1041 0I2 examines how the U.S. national government is structured and how the American constitutional republic functions. Students study the philosophical and historical foundations of American government, including the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and amendments, and the Federalist Papers, along with the branches of government, laws, policies, and civic participation. Coursework includes quizzes and substantial discipline-based writing tied to Florida Civic Literacy requirements and outcomes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Instructor Information

Course Information

Course Description

Required Texts/Learning Resources

Course Learning Outcomes

Civic Literacy

Critical Dates – Fall 2025

Student Expectations

Attendance

Gordon Rule Requirement

Grading Policies (Student Performance Measures)

POS1041 0I2–American Government Spring 2025 – A16 ONLINE 0I2 Instructor Information Name: Dr. John Eaton Email: [john.eaton@fgc.edu](john.eaton@fgc.edu) [Office:](Office: Building 002)[ Building 002](Office: Building 002) – Room 019 Office Hours*: TBD *Also available by appointment Course Information Credits: 3 Requirements Met: AATR, GE, GEC, GR General Education Area: Group 1 Social Science Prerequisites: Completion of ENC0025 and REA0017 with a grade of C or better, or ENC0027C with a grade of C or better, or score out on an appropriate placement test. Course Description In this course, students will investigate how the national government is structured and how the American constitutional republic operates. It covers the philosophical and historical foundations of American government, including but not limited to the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and all its amendments, and the Federalist Papers. The course examines the branches of government and the government's laws, policies, and programs. It also examines the ways in which citizens participate in their government and ways their government responds to citizens. Required Texts/Learning Resources Lowi, T.J., Ginsberg, B., Shepsle, K.A., Ansolabehere, S, & Han, H. (2025) . American government: A brief introduction (18th ed.) . Norton. ISBN-13: 978-1324088295. Course Learning Outcomes By the end of the course: • Students will demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles and practices of America’s constitutional republic. • Students will demonstrate knowledge of the nation’s founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and its amendments, and the Federalist Papers. • Students will demonstrate knowledge of landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases, landmark legislation, and landmark executive actions. • Students will demonstrate knowledge of the history and development of the American federal government and its impact on law and society. • Students will demonstrate an ability to apply course material to contemporary political issues and debates. • Students will demonstrate the ability to engage in discussion and civil debate on American politics that are associated with multiple points of view. Civic Literacy This course will satisfy part of the Florida Civic Literacy credit that is needed for graduation. New college students as ofFall 2021 will also need to pass the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) sometime before graduation. Dual enrollment students will need to take this exam at their school. Civic literacy competencies and outcomes include: • An understanding of the basic principles of American democracy and how they are applied in our republican form of government. • An understanding of the United States Constitution. • Knowledge of the founding documents and how they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of self-governance. • An understanding of landmark Supreme Court cases and their impact on law and society. Critical Dates – Fall 2025 | Date | Event | | --- | --- | | Monday, August 18 | Fall A16 and A8 classes start | | Monday – Wednesday, August 18-20 | Add/Drop period for Fall A8 | | Monday – Friday, August 18-22 | Add/Drop period for Fall A16 | | Monday, September 1 | Labor Day – No Classes | | Monday, September 15 | Fall B12 classes start | | Monday – Wednesday, September 15-17 | Add/Drop period for Fall B12 | | Friday, September 26 | Deadline for student-initiated withdrawals – A8 | | Monday, September 29 | Fall B10 classes start | | Mon.– Wed., Sep. 29 – Oct. 1 | Add/Drop period for Fall B10 | | Friday, October 10 | Fall A8 classes end | | Monday, October 13 | Fall B8 classes start | | Monday – Wednesday, October 13-15 | Add/Drop period for Fall B8 | | Tuesday, November 7 | Deadline for student-initiated withdrawals – A16 | | Tuesday, November 11 | Veteran’s Day – No Classes | | Monday, November 14 | Deadline

FAQs

What topics does the course cover in American government?

The course investigates how the national government is structured and how the American constitutional republic operates, including founding documents, constitutional principles, branches of government, laws and public policies, and civic participation.

Which learning outcomes will students demonstrate by the end of the course?

Students demonstrate understanding of constitutional republic principles, knowledge of founding documents and landmark Supreme Court cases, understanding of the history of the federal government, application of course material to contemporary political issues, and participation in civil debate with multiple viewpoints.

What writing and grading expectations apply in this Gordon Rule course?

The course requires at least 3,500 words of college-level, discipline-based writing as part of graded activities (40%). Student performance is also assessed through open-note lecture quizzes and chapter study quizzes, with stated percentage weights.

Oct 4, 2026

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