University of Idaho
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Politics and Philosophy
American National Government
Instructor: Dr. Charles Dainoff
POLS 101-01
POLS 101-02
Spring 2024
Class:
THIS SYLLABUS APPLIES FOR BOTH SECTIONS
Section 01 will meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11:30 am to 12:20 pm in the
Ag Science building, room 204.
Section 02 will meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1:30 pm to 2:20 pm in the
Niccolls building, room 006.
My Office: Administration Building 205-J
My Office Hours: Thursdays, 10 to noon, or by appointment, both in person and on zoom (links
to be posted on Canvas).
Email: charlesdainoff@uidaho.edu
Course Description
This class functions as an introduction to the American system of politics and government. It is
meant to prepare you for further study rather than answer every question or address every issue
contained in these mammoth topics, so I guarantee you that some of the coverage of these topics
will feel inadequate; some of my colleagues spend their entire careers studying topics we will
cover in an hour. At the very least, I hope you will emerge from this class a more thoughtful,
politically engaged American citizen so that our country will be made even stronger.
Required Text
Barbour, Christine and Gerald C. Wright, Keeping the Republic (11th edition – Vantage
Digital Option), CQ Press, ISBN 9781071889282.
An electronic copy of this book is available for purchase at the Vandal Store. I will be using
Inclusive Access for this course, so you can complete the assignments on Canvas. If you are
unfamiliar with how Inclusive Access works, this page should help:
https://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/cetl/canvas-student-inclusive-access.asp.
This is the only book you will have to purchase for this class, and I advise you to take full
advantage of the additional resources the publisher offers online.
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Course Requirements
Instead of tests, you will be given a series of graded online assignments. You can access these
assignments on Canvas AFTER you have purchased access to the textbook.
Your grade for the course will be based entirely on your performance on the assignments using
the following scale:
A = 90% and over
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = 59% and under
I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THIS SCALE AT ANY TIME.
I will deduct a point for each day an assignment is turned in late. There will be no extra credit
awarded.
You are free to complete assignments ahead of time, but I should warn you that I have had
students in prior classes finish up early and not be happy with the grades they earned. At that
point, there is nothing I can do; your grade is your grade.
You will notice that you do not get credit for attendance or participation. That’s because I will
not be taking attendance. During this course, you will be treated as an adult, which means in part
that you are responsible for the consequences of your actions.
If you choose not to attend class, you will not be directly penalized, but neither will I make
special accommodations for you. I will, however, advise you that it has been my experience for
the 18 years I have been teaching at the college level that the students who attend class regularly
are the ones most likely to get the highest grades.
That said, you are not obligated to attend class, and I would rather have you not attend than
attend and behave in a disruptive manner, such as sleeping, talking about non-course-related
topics, watching videos or reading non-course-related materials, or otherwise behaving in such a
way that prevents me from teaching and your classmates from learning.
Also, you do not have to attend the section for which you have registered. If you are registered
for section 1, you can attend section 2 if it better fits your schedule, and vice versa.
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Course Schedule
NOTE: this schedule is subject to change. There will be no comprehensive in-person final exam.
Week One
WE WILL NOT BE MEETING IN CLASS UNTIL WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2024.
Week Two
Wednesday, January 17: Course introduction – no reading necessary
Friday, January 19: Politics: Who Gets What, and How?
Reading Assignment: Chapter One
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3
Week Three
Monday, January 22: Who Gets What, and How?
Reading Assignment: Chapter One
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 1.4 and 1.5, Data Activity 1.1, and Video
Activity 1.1
Wednesday, January 24: Reading Assignment: Chapter One
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Check 1.6 and Chapter 1 Critical Thinking Check
Friday, January 26: AMA Friday
Week Four
Monday, January 29: American Citizens and Political Culture
Reading Assignment: Chapter Two
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3, and Video Activity 2.1
Wednesday, January 31: American Citizens and Political Culture
Reading Assignment: Chapter Two
Vantage Assignments: Data Activity 2.1, Knowledge Check 2.4, and Chapter 2 Critical
Thinking Check
Friday, February 2: Federalism and the U.S. Constitution
Reading Assignment: Chapter Four
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3
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Week Five
Monday, February 5: Federalism and the U.S. Constitution
Reading Assignment: Chapter Four
Vantage Assignments: Video Activities 4.1 and 4.2, and Knowledge Check 4.4
Wednesday, February 7: Federalism and the U.S. Constitution
Reading Assignment: Chapter Four
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 4.5 and 4.6
Friday, February 9: Federalism and the U.S. Constitution
Reading Assignment: Chapter Four
Vantage Assignments: Data Activity 4.1, and Chapter 4 Critical Thinking Check
Week Six
Monday, February 12: Fundamental American Liberties
Reading Assignment: Chapter Five
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, and 5.4
Wednesday, February 14: Fundamental American Liberties
Reading Assignment: Chapter Five
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Check 5.5, and Video Activities 5.1 and 5.2
Friday, February 16: NO CLASS
Week Seven
Monday, February 19: HOLIDAY: NO CLASS
Wednesday, February 21: Fundamental American Liberties
Reading Assignment: Chapter Five
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, and 5.9
Friday, February 23: Fundamental American Liberties
Reading Assignment: Chapter Five
Vantage Assignments: Data Activity 5.1, and Chapter 5 Critical Thinking Check
Week Eight
Monday, February 26: The Struggle for Equal Rights
Reading Assignment: Chapter Six
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3
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Wednesday, February 28: The Struggle for Equal Rights
Reading Assignment: Chapter Six
Vantage Assignments: Data Activity 6.1, Video Activities 6.1 and 6.2, and Knowledge
Check 6.4
Friday, March 1: The Struggle for Equal Rights
Reading Assignment: Chapter Six
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 6.5, 6.6, and 6.7, and Chapter 6 Critical
Thinking Check
Week Nine
The week of March 4-8 will be course correction week: in addition to your assignments, you will
have an appointment to discuss your semester with the instructor.
Monday, March 4: NO CLASS; COURSE CORRECTION WEEK
Wednesday, March 6: NO CLASS; COURSE CORRECTION WEEK
Friday, March 8: NO CLASS; COURSE CORRECTION WEEK
Week Ten
Monday, March 11: SPRING BREAK: NO CLASS
Wednesday, March 13: SPRING BREAK: NO CLASS
Friday, March 15: SPRING BREAK: NO CLASS
Week Eleven
Monday, March 18: Congress
Reading Assignment: Chapter Seven
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, and 7.4
Wednesday, March 20: Congress
Reading Assignment: Chapter Seven
Vantage Assignments: Video Activities 7.1 and 7.2, and Knowledge Check 7.5
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Friday, March 22: Congress
Reading Assignment: Chapter Seven
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Check 7.6, Data Activity 7.1, and Chapter 7 Critical
Thinking Check
Week Twelve
Monday, March 25: The Presidency
Reading Assignment: Chapter Eight
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3
Wednesday, March 27: The Presidency
Reading Assignment: Chapter Eight
Vantage Assignments: Video Activity 8.1, Knowledge Checks 8.4, and 8.5
Friday, March 29: The Presidency
Reading Assignment: Chapter Eight
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Check 8.6, Video Activity 8.2, Data Activity 8.1, and
Chapter 8 Critical Thinking Check
Week Thirteen
Monday, April 1: The Bureaucracy
Reading Assignment: Chapter Nine
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 9.1, 9.2, and 9.3, Data Activity 9.1
Wednesday, April 3: The Bureaucracy
Reading Assignment: Chapter Nine
Vantage Assignments: Video Activity 9.1 and Knowledge Checks 9.4 and 9.5
Friday, April 5: The Bureaucracy
Reading Assignment: Chapter Nine
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Check 9.6, Video Activity 9.2, and Chapter 9 Critical
Thinking Check
Week Fourteen
Monday, April 8: The American Legal System and the Courts
Reading Assignment: Chapter Ten
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 10.1, 10.2, and 10.3
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Wednesday, April 10: The American Legal System and the Courts
Reading Assignment: Chapter Ten
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 10.4, 10.5 and 10.6
Friday, April 12: The American Legal System and the Courts
Reading Assignment: Chapter Ten
Vantage Assignments: Data Activity 10.1, Video Activity 10.1
Week Fifteen
Monday, April 15: The American Legal System and the Courts
Reading Assignment: Chapter Ten
Vantage Assignments: Video Activity 10.2, and Chapter 10 Critical Thinking Check
Wednesday, April 17: Political Parties
Reading Assignment: Chapter Twelve
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 12.1, 12.2, and 12.3
Friday, April 19: Political Parties
Reading Assignment: Chapter Twelve
Vantage Assignments: Data Activity 12.1 and Knowledge Checks 12.4 and 12.5
Week Sixteen
Monday, April 22: Political Parties
Reading Assignment: Chapter Twelve
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Check 12.6 and Video Activity 12.1
Wednesday, April 24: Political Parties
Reading Assignment: Chapter Twelve
Vantage Assignments: Video Activity 12.2, and Chapter 12 Critical Thinking Check
Friday, April 26: AMA Friday
Week Seventeen
Monday, April 29: Voting, Campaigns, and Elections
Reading Assignment: Chapter Fourteen
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 14.1, 14.2, and 14.3 and Video Activity 14.1
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Wednesday, May 1: Voting, Campaigns, and Elections
Reading Assignment: Chapter Fourteen
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Check 14.4, Video Activity 14.2, and Data Activity
14.1
Friday, May 3: Voting, Campaigns, and Elections
Reading Assignment: Chapter Fourteen
Vantage Assignments: Knowledge Checks 14.5 and 14.6, and Chapter 14 Critical
Thinking Check
Finals Week
No class, no final exam. I will accept late assignments until Friday night of finals week at 11:30
pm.
Classroom Learning Civility
In any environment in which people gather to learn, it is essential that all members feel as free
and safe as possible in their participation. To this end, it is expected that everyone in this course
will be treated with mutual respect and civility, with an understanding that all of us (students,
instructors, professors, guests, and teaching assistants) will be respectful and civil to one another
in discussion, in action, in teaching, and in learning.
Should you feel our classroom interactions do not reflect an environment of civility and respect,
you are encouraged to meet with me during office hours to discuss your concern. Additional
resources for expression of concern or requesting support include the Dean of Students office
and staff (5-6757), the UI Counseling & Testing Center’s confidential services (5-6716), or the
UI Office of Human Rights, Access, & Inclusion (5-4285).
Academic Honesty
All members of the academic community at UI are expected to practice and uphold standards of
academic integrity and honesty. Academic integrity means representing oneself and one’s work
honestly. Misrepresentation is cheating since it means the student is claiming credit for ideas or
work not actually his or her own and is thereby seeking a grade that is not actually earned.
Any student who plagiarizes will receive a failing grade for the course and will face additional
discipline from the Dean of Students. It is the policy of the Department of Politics and
Philosophy to refer all instances of suspected academic dishonesty to the Student Judicial
Council.
For the Dean of Students’ Academic Integrity site which includes UI Policies and Student
Academic Dishonesty Resources, see
https://www.uidaho.edu/student-affairs/dean-of-students/student-conduct/academic-integrity.
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Center for Disability Access and Resources Reasonable Accommodations Statement
Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have documented temporary or
permanent disabilities. Students who require accommodation should see the instructor in his
office during the first week of class to notify him; students should present a completed and
signed Accommodation Checklist for the current semester from Center for Disability Access and
Resources (CDAR) when requesting accommodations. All accommodations must be approved
through CDAR located in the Bruce M. Pitman Center, Room 127 (208-885-
6307; https://www.uidaho.edu/current-students/cdar; cdar@uidaho.edu).
Special Assistance
If you experience difficulty in this course for any reason, please do not hesitate to consult with
the instructor. A wide range of services is available from Tutoring and College Success (TCS) to
support students in their efforts to meet the course requirements. TCS offers three distinct
services dedicated to student success: 1) Tutoring; 2) SI-PASS; and 3) Academic coaching.
1) Vandal Tutoring provides drop-in style tutoring in person at the Library or online through
uidaho.edu/tutoringonline at no cost to undergraduates.
2) SI-PASS provides peer assisted study sessions for difficult courses. You can find the
schedule of currently supported courses at uidaho.edu/si.
3) Academic Coaching offers students an opportunity to work with a coach, one on one, to
improve their academic skills such as: effective studying, test taking, time management,
and note taking. Visit uidaho.edu/academic-coaching to schedule an appointment.
Counseling & Testing Service is available to assist students who are encountering personal,
social, and emotional difficulties or crises. Visit them in Mary E. Forney Hall Room 306, 885-
6716, or see their website at https://www.uidaho.edu/current-students/ctc.
Healthy Vandals Policies
It is a longstanding tradition that Vandals take care of Vandals, and we all do our best to look out
for the Vandal Family. These simple precautions go a long way in reducing the impact of
coronavirus on our campuses and in our communities. With everyone engaging in these small
actions, we can continue to participate in our vibrant campus culture where we are able to learn,
live, and grow. Please bookmark the University of Idaho Covid-19 webpage and visit it often for
the most up-to-date information about the U of I’s response to Covid-19.1
Daily Symptom Monitoring and In-Person Class Attendance. Evaluate your own health
status before attending in-person classes and refrain from attending class in-person if you are
ill, if you are experiencing any of the known symptoms of coronavirus, or if you have tested
positive for COVID-19 or have been potentially exposed to someone with COVID-19.
• _If you display symptoms and/or test positive, you should quarantine following the CDC’s
recommendations. Do not return to class until you meet the CDC’s requirements.
• _If you have been exposed but are asymptomatic, you should stay home for 14 days from last
exposure if you remain asymptomatic, adhering to the CDC’s requirements.
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If you read this footnote and send me a photo of your pet or any other animal, I will give you a bonus of 10 points.
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If you miss an in-person class session, you may be able to attend via Zoom and access course
materials on Canvas. Documentation (a doctor’s note) for medical excuses is not required;
instead, email me to make arrangements to submit any missed work and make plans to use Zoom
and/or online course materials to stay current with the course schedule.
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