Curriculum Map

US Government

Understand American constitutional government — separation of powers, federalism, civil liberties, political parties, elections, and the role of state and local government. TEKS §113.44 aligned.

7 Units

Early Units (Foundation)

Building Skills

Advanced Concepts

Capstone/Synthesis

Constitutional Foundations

Examine the principles that structure American government — popular sovereignty, separation of powers, and checks and balances — tracing the debates among the Framers that shaped the Constitution's design.

3-4 days

Federalism: Dividing Power

Examine how power is divided between national, state, and local governments — from the Tenth Amendment to cooperative federalism to modern debates over federal mandates and state autonomy.

3-4 days

The Legislative Branch

Examine how Congress is structured and how it works — from the mechanics of lawmaking to the powers of committees, party leadership, and the constitutional grants that make Congress the nation's primary policy-making institution.

3-4 days

The Executive Branch

Examine the presidency and the vast executive branch it leads — the constitutional powers, the expansion of implied and emergency authorities, the bureaucracy, and the ongoing tension between executive power and democratic accountability.

3-4 days

The Judicial Branch

Examine the federal court system, the power of judicial review, and the landmark Supreme Court decisions that have shaped American constitutional law — from Marbury v. Madison to Brown v. Board of Education and beyond.

3-4 days

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Examine the Bill of Rights, the Fourteenth Amendment's transformation of constitutional law, the incorporation doctrine, the civil rights movement, and the landmark legislation that extended constitutional protections to all Americans.

3-4 days

Political Participation and Civic Life

Examine the history of voting rights, how elections and political parties work, the role of interest groups and media in democracy, and what it means to be a participating citizen in a constitutional republic.

3-4 days

Learning Progression

This course is designed to be taken sequentially. Earlier units establish foundational concepts that later units build upon. While you can explore units in any order, following the numbered sequence provides the most coherent learning experience.