- The student is enrolled in a 3 credit course on American Politics through Touro College. The course will cover the historical foundations and development of the US government and political system, including the constitution, federalism, civil rights, and the branches of government. - Over the course of 5 modules, the student will read assigned chapters and complete written assignments responding to discussion questions. They will meet with their mentor 5 times to discuss the materials and turn in their written work. Their grade will be based on their module assignments and responses, along with a final exam.

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Touro College
School for Lifelong Education
4421 13th
Avenue  Brooklyn, New York 11219
Phone: (718) 871-6187  Fax: (718) 437-6638
LEARNING CONTRACT
Semester: Fall ________, Spring ________, Summer ________
Status: Part Time ___ Full Time ___
Name of Student ______________________________________________________________
Social Security Number _______-_____-_________ Center _______________________
Address _____________________________________________________________________
City ______________________________________ State _________ Zip____________
Telephone No. Home (_____)________________ Business (_____)_____________________
Cell Phone No. ___________________________ E-mail _____________________________
Catalog No.: LPL 101 ` Course Title: American Politics
Mentor: Jonathan M. Meyer, JD Level: Introductory Credits: 3
Telephone No.: (646) 591-9312 Email : jonathanesq@optonline.net
Enterprise7027@optonline.net
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will examine the historical foundations of the American government and political
system, the strengths and weaknesses of the two-party system, as well as the constitutional basis
and development of the state and federal systems, the separation of powers & delineated
functions of the different branches of government, as well as substantive and procedural due
process rights attaching to the individual.
Signatures
Student_______________________________________________Date_____________________
Mentor_______________________________________________Date_____________________
Dean/Representative ____________________________________Date_____________________
Semester Ends ____________________
Name of Student__________________________________________________

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Catalog No.: LPL 101 Course Title: American Politics
1. LEARNING OBJECTIVES 2. OUTCOMES
At the conclusion of this course,
the student will demonstrate that he understands, can outline, discuss and explain:
 The meaning of the terms “Constitutional’,
“Republican,” and “Democratic” as these terms
apply to the American political system.
 The development of the US Government,
particularly in relation to the United States
Constitution.
 The respective rights and responsibilities of the
state and federal governments as set forth in the
Constitution.
 The history and development of civil rights, the
general development of both substantive due
process & procedural due process. (Application
to the federal structure to remedy local
parochialism, i.e. the federal judicial system).
 The law-making process within the Federal
System, (the functions of a bicameral legislature
and the role of the executive in the lawmaking
process).
 The powers, rights, responsibilities and
limitations on the executive branch, both
express and implied.
 The role of the party in the American electoral
system. The two-party system.
Final Grade
COMMENTS (Including commendations and recommendations for improvement):
Mentor’s Signature Date

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3. COURSE INSTITUTIONAL GOALS
1. To foster an appreciation of scholarship and enhance research skills in social sciences and
government.
2. To further professional and pre-professional career interests of students in the fields of
law and government.
3. (a) To develop critical reading and listening skills;
(b) To develop students’ critical reasoning skills.
4. (a) To foster analytical and qualitative thinking;
(b) To develop students’ abilities to solve problems and interpret data.
5. To promote a sensitivity to ethical issues and to promote moral reasoning.
6. To prepare students to communicate clearly and effectively in written form.
7. To prepare students to communicate clearly and effectively in spoken form.
8. To foster students’ abilities to access and evaluate information objectively and
effectively.
4. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
The student will
1. Meet with the mentor a minimum of five times as per schedule.
2. Complete all reading and written assignments as directed by mentor.
3. Orally report to the mentor on materials assigned to the student, based upon a
"memo" organizational outline which the instructor shall teach to the student.
4. Seek assistance from the mentor whenever necessary.
Students should expect approximately nine hours of work per week for a three credit course. This
includes, face-to-face meetings with the mentor, consulting with same over the telephone, time
spent reading the text and briefing the materials, time engaged in researching and completing the
required essays.
The professor will keep a record of assignments and post-students progress accordingly in the
student record forms.

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5. MEMOS, COURSE CONTENT AND ASSIGNMENTS
Memos:
Each Memorandum shall consist of:
1. Conclusion
2. Issue (the questions presented)
3. Discussion and analysis which synthesizes the materials read which resolves the issue,
and is a basis for your conclusion.
4. Conclusion
In short, each Memorandum shall begin with your conclusion, as an opening statement, and
conclude with the identical statement.
Further, your writing should be clear and precise. You must define your terminology. There are
simple methods for doing this which I will show you during our meetings.
Course content:
During the semester you will complete five modules and a final examination. The
modules consist of reading assignments and written memoranda which you should be
prepared to discuss and report upon orally during your mentoring sessions.
Required Text: American Government, Power and Purpose (Brief 13th Ed.) Lowi,
Theodore, J. ; Ginsburg, Benjamin; Shepsle, Kenneth A; Ansolabehere,
Stephen, W. W. Norton & Company, 2014
ISBN:978-0-393-92246-2
Assignments:
Submission of modules:
Modules should be submitted online, electronically. Further, such briefings shall provide a basis
for oral presentations during meetings with the mentor.

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6. MODULES
Module 1:
Read Chapters 1-3 in the text; See, (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke-political/); See,
(http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa68.htm)
1a. Our Government System: our government is constitutional, republican and democratic.
Explain what each of these terms means within the structure of our government. In terms of
definition, are these terms mutually exclusive or inherently contradictory? Further, while
juxtaposing the concepts of participatory democracy and republicanism, have we resolved the
question of the dichotomy between freedom and order establishing the most effective form of
government while simultaneously insuring individual rights? See, generally,
(http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/fed/blfedindex)
1b. History of our government: provide a detailed explanation of the historical development of
our governmental system. Your answer should include:
 a description of the transition from the articles of Confederation to the U.S. Constitution
 An explanation of the underlying mechanisms by which the U.S. Constitution both
structures and limits the three branches of government (concentrate upon checks and
balances, separation of powers, and the courts as the ultimate arbitrators of the law).
Module 2.
Read chapters 3 and 4 in the text, The Youngstown Steel Case,
(http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=343&invol=579) and
McCulloch v. Maryland, (http://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/17/316).
2a.We have a federal form of government. Explain what that means, including the role of
separation of powers in our system and the tension between rights of the states versus federal
government.
2b. Civil Rights - what are our civil rights? What is the relationship between the development of
due process rights (both procedural and substantive) and the development of civil rights? Is the
unequal application of the law a violation of civil rights? Or, alternatively, is a statute which
discriminates on its face, (between suspect classifications of individuals), unconstitutional?
Please discuss current controversies involving civil rights and the key principles underlying the
development of civil rights in the United States.

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Module 3.
Read chapters 5 and 6 in the text.
3a. Enacting a law: what is the process by which a federal law is made? What are the respective
roles of our federal institutions in such process?
3b. The Presidency: What are the specific powers of the President, the implied and express, and
what are the limits of Presidential powers? As applied to the President's exercise of power both
domestically and in the conduct of U.S. foreign affairs, how, and by what means, have the
powers exercised by the President changed? What is the role of congressional delegation in
relation to Presidential power? How is Presidential power augmented by such delegation?
Module 4.
Read chapters 7 and 9 in the text, and See, Marbury v. Madison,
(http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0005_0137_ZO.html).
4a. The Executive Branch of Government: How are the powers of the executive branch structured
and what are the legitimate domains for the exercise of such powers?
4b. The Federal Courts: What is the function of judicial review within the United States?
Identify some early cases defining the roles of the various branches of government, as well as the
function of the judiciary).
Kindly discuss the relationship between the respective roles of the government and the judiciary
as the final arbitrator of the law.

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Module 5.
Read chapters 10, 11, 12 and 13 in the text.
5a. Elections in America: What are the respective roles of political parties, the media, and
interest groups in the electoral process?
5b. The public v. The private sector: What are the major differences between the public and
private sectors? Explain the function of public policy in articulating and achieving both domestic
and foreign objectives.
7. FINAL EVALUATION
The student will be evaluated on:
Each module and ensuing discussions with the mentor shall be evaluated as 15% of the total
grade. The remaining 25% of the final grade shall be determined by a final examination.
7. BIBLIOGRAPHY
In addition to the text, set forth above, the mentor reserves the right to supplement additional
reading materials at the start of the first module and continuing thereafter.