Welcome to Crash Course U.S. Government, a one semester class designed to cover important aspects of the U.S. government and political system.
Here is a link to Quarter 2.
Days marked with an asterisk mean you have something to print.
Day 1*
1. Watch the introductory video to this course.
2. Print today’s worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 2*
1. Watch the video about the division of power among the three branches of government in the United States.
2. Print today’s worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 3*
1. Watch the video about the bicameral congress.
2. Print the worksheets and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 4*
1. Watch the video about the legislative branch of the U.S. government.
2. Print today’s worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 5*
1. Watch the video about the separation of powers and checks and balances.
2. Print the worksheets and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 6*
1. Watch the video about federalism.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 7*
1. Watch another video about federalism.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 8*
1. Watch the video about constitutional compromises.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 9*
1. Watch the introduction to the Bill of Rights.
2. Print your worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 10*
1. Watch the video about Congressional elections.
2. Print today’s worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 11*
1. Watch the video about Congressional committees.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 12*
1. Watch the video about Congressional leadership.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 13*
1. Watch the video about how a bill becomes a law.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 14
1. Watch the Schoolhouse Rock video, “I’m Just a Bill.”
2. How does an idea become a bill? How does a bill become a law?
Day 15*
1. Watch the video about congressional decision making.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer questions.
Day 16
1. Watch the video about divided government and gridlock in the United States.
2. Write a paragraph about divided government. What is something good about it? What is something bad about it?
Day 17*
1. Watch the video about Presidential power.
2. Print your worksheets and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 18
1. Watch the video about formal and informal Presidential powers.
2. Write a paragraph about informal Presidential powers. What can the President do that is not specifically spelled out in the Constitution?
*Day 19
1. Watch the second Crash Course video about Presidential powers.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
*Day 20
1. Watch the video about Congressional delegation.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
*Day 21
1. Watch the video about delegates, trustees, and politicos.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
*Day 22
1. Watch the video about how presidents govern.
2. Print the worksheets and use the video to answer the questions.
*Day 23
1. Watch the video about executive orders.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
*Day 24
1. Watch the video about bureaucracy.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
*Day 25
1. Watch the video discussing types of bureaucracies.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
*Day 26
1. Watch the video about controlling bureaucracies.
2. Print today’s worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 27
1. Watch the video about the federal bureaucracy. How many employees did they estimate it has?
Day 28*
1. Watch the video about legal system basics.
2. Print today’s worksheets and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 29*
1. Watch the video about the structure of the court system.
2. Print the worksheets and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 30*
1. Watch the video about the Supreme Court.
2. Print the worksheet and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 31*
1. Watch the video about how Supreme Court Justices are appointed.
2. Print page 1 of the pdf and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 32*
1. Watch the video about judicial review.
2. Print page 1 of the PDF and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 33*
1. Watch the video about Supreme Court Shenanigans to learn more about the Supreme Court appointment process.
2. Print page one of the PDF and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 34*
1. Watch the video about judicial decisions.
2. Print page 1 of the pdf and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 35*
1. Watch the video about civil rights and liberties.
2. Print page 1 of the PDF and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 36*
1. Watch the 3 minute guide to the Bill of Rights.
2. Print page 1 of the PDF and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 37*
1. Watch the video about freedom of religion.
2. Print page 1 of the PDF and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 38
1. Watch another video about freedom of religion.
2. Write a paragraph about freedom of religion. Why were the framers of the Constitution so worried about religion mixing with government? Do you think they had a good solution? Why, or why not?
Day 39*
1. Watch the video about freedom of speech.
2. Print page 1 of the PDF and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 40
1. Watch another video about freedom of speech.
2. Write a paragraph about freedom of speech. Why were the framers of the Constitution think freedom of speech was so important? Do you think freedom of speech is important? Why, or why not?
Day 41*
1. Watch the video about freedom of the press.
2. Print page 1 of the PDF and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 42
1. Watch another video about freedom of the press.
2. Write a paragraph about freedom of the press. What did the founding fathers think about a free press? How important did they think it was? Do you think that a free press is important for a democratic government? Why or why not?
Day 43*
1. Watch the video about search and seizure.
2. Print the first page of the PDF and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 44*
1. Watch the video about due process.
2. Print page 1 of the PDF and use the video to answer the questions.
Day 45*
1. Watch the video about equal protection.
2. Print page 1 of the PDF and use the video to answer the questions.
You’ve finished Quarter 1! Move on to Quarter 2!
