{"id":1310,"date":"2025-06-08T18:01:39","date_gmt":"2025-06-08T18:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/pol-100-introduction-to-american-government-artinian\/?page_id=1310"},"modified":"2025-06-08T18:01:43","modified_gmt":"2025-06-08T18:01:43","slug":"module-7-basic-structure-of-us-government-10-5-10-11-20","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/pol-100-a051-american-government-summer-2025\/module-7-basic-structure-of-us-government-10-5-10-11-20\/","title":{"rendered":"Module 7 &#8211; Basic Structure of US Government"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lesson 7.1 &#8211; Overview of the US Government system<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In this lesson we will study the different parts that make up the US government system. In Module 6 we learned how the US government was setup to preserve the political and economic interests of the wealthy, capitalist class. In this lesson, we will study the actual system that was setup (the different parts that makeup our government).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Watch &#8211; Intro Video<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"POL 100 (OL) Module 7 intro\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QW2Bba47EbI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ and WATCH &#8211; Reading 7.1 &#8211; &#8220;Overview of US Government and Politics&#8221;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thoughtco.com\/overview-united-states-government-politics-104673\">https:\/\/www.thoughtco.com\/overview-united-states-government-politics-104673<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">COMPLETE &#8211; Self-review Exercise 7.1<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">WATCH &#8211; Video 7.1 &#8211; &#8220;How is Power Divided in the United States Government?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This video presents a clear overview of the concept of <em>division of power<\/em>. As you watch, keep notes on the different responsibilities given to the three branches of government. For example: what are the things that only the executive branch of government can do? What about the legislative and judicial branches?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How is power divided in the United States government? - Belinda Stutzman\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HuFR5XBYLfU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lesson 7.2 &#8211; American Federalism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ &#8211; Reading 7.2 &#8211; Introduction and the Division of Powers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This reading introduces the idea of federalism in American government, starting with the concept of the division of power:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/american-government-2e\/pages\/3-introduction\">https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/american-government-2e\/pages\/3-introduction<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ &#8211; Reading 7.3 &#8211; Intergovernmental relationships<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This reading discusses how the different parts of the US government interact with each other, offering an example of how <em>federalism<\/em> functions in the government:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/american-government-2e\/pages\/3-3-intergovernmental-relationships\">https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/american-government-2e\/pages\/3-3-intergovernmental-relationships<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ &#8211; Reading 7.4 &#8211; Contenting and controversial issues facing federalism today<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In this reading, we encounter some of the key issues that face American government today: immigration and marriage equality.  The debates between the opposing sides in these issues, show some of the typical ways in which federalism influences how the government acts in situations of contention and division of opinion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/american-government-2e\/pages\/3-4-competitive-federalism-today\">https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/american-government-2e\/pages\/3-4-competitive-federalism-today<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ &#8211; Reading 7.5 &#8211; Advantages and Disadvantages of Federalism<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, we read about some of the big debates <em>about <\/em>federalism: for and against:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/american-government-2e\/pages\/3-5-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-federalism\">https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/american-government-2e\/pages\/3-5-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-federalism<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">COMPLETE &#8211; Self-Assessment Exercise 7.1<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/american-government-2e\/pages\/3-review-questions\">https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/american-government-2e\/pages\/3-review-questions<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, you can check your answers: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/american-government-2e\/pages\/chapter-3#fs-id1163758384360-solution\">https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/american-government-2e\/pages\/chapter-3#fs-id1163758384360-solution<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">WRITE &#8211; Discussion Board 7.1<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Head over to Discussion Board 7.1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-text-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/pol-100-a051-american-government-summer-2025\/2025\/06\/08\/discussion-board-7-1\/\">Click to go to Discussion Board 7.1<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">WRITE &#8211; Module 7 Response Paper<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Given our previous discussion about how the wealthy, capitalist classes wrote the Constitution, <em>can you find ways in which the structure of US government seems to represent the interests and wishes of the class of wealthy Americans<\/em>? (for example: federalism, division of power, electoral college, the way elections are held, etc&#8230;). Be specific and use examples. <strong>Note: this is an important question, and spend some time on it &#8211; I think some version of it will be on our first exam.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#000000\" class=\"has-inline-color has-white-color\">Click on the link below to upload your response papers:<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/request\/ecI6NlogXoQf4o6WSZUh\">https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/request\/ecI6NlogXoQf4o6WSZUh<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lesson 7.1 &#8211; Overview of the US Government system In this lesson we will study the different parts that make up the US government system. In Module 6 we learned how the US government was setup to preserve the political and economic interests of the wealthy, capitalist class. In this lesson, we will study the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":185,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"portfolio_post_id":0,"portfolio_citation":"","portfolio_annotation":"","openlab_post_visibility":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1310","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/pol-100-a051-american-government-summer-2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1310","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/pol-100-a051-american-government-summer-2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/pol-100-a051-american-government-summer-2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/pol-100-a051-american-government-summer-2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/185"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/pol-100-a051-american-government-summer-2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1310"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/pol-100-a051-american-government-summer-2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1310\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6201,"href":"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/pol-100-a051-american-government-summer-2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1310\/revisions\/6201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu\/pol-100-a051-american-government-summer-2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}