POLS 1336 University of Houston

The Constitutional Convention: large states versus small states (Virginia plan and New Jersey plan and Connecticut compromise), north versus south, and what the federalists and antifederalists stood for regarding the ratification of the Constitution.

Civil liberties during the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WW1 and WW2, The Cold War and Vietnam, and the war on terror. The First Amendment (freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of religion), the Second Amendment, criminal procedures (fourth and fifth amendments), and right to priva...

The different types of public opinion polls and what drives public opinion (social and political environment, generational effects, and self-interest). The difference in ideology and groups (age, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, race/ethnicity, and education). Congressional scandal and effect...

Political news in mass media throughout the history of America (seditious libel, Common Sense, the Federalist Papers, yellow journalism, muckraking, and the televising of presidential campaigns). Mass media in the Twenty-First century (infotainment, blogs, social networks). The minimal effects model...

Interest groups and the different types (economic, ideological/issue-oriented groups, and foreign policy and international groups). What interest groups do and how they do it (lobbying, informing, etc.)

The Constitution requirements for elections (electoral college, senate elections, house elections, primary elections, and presidential elections). The presidential campaign and their issues (fundraising, super PACs, swing states, microtargeting, valence issues, position issues, wedge issues). Congre...

Voting: The Constitution, participation, the history of voting, women's suffrage, African American suffrage, the Civil Rights movement, the Latino vote, the vote for 18-year-olds). The Constitutional Amendments pertaining to voting (15, 17, 19, 23, 24, and 16). The demographics of who votes, why, a...

Characteristics of American political parties (two-party system, decentralization). The Development of the Texas party system (one party tradition, conservatives and liberals, the rise of the Republican party, and geographical demographics).

Interest groups and their characteristics (leadership, membership, finances, influence) and tactics (lobbying the legislature, influencing the executive branch, targeting the courts, shaping the political environment). Texas and the balance of political power.