Government and Economics Course Overview

Government and Economics continues the process of developing in students an understanding of and appreciation for
God’s activity as seen in the record of man and his relationships. The course focuses on two major areas: Government,
with special emphasis on American government, and Economics, with special emphasis on personal finance. These
areas of focus target three major content strands: History, Government and Citizenship, and Economics.

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to do the following:

• Understand the basics of various philosophies of government.
• Understand the structure and functions of government and how the principles and values of American
  democracy (e.g., limited government and popular sovereignty) are reflected in American constitutional
  government.
• Understand how the overall design, as well as specific features of the U.S. Constitution prevent the abuse of
  power by using a system of checks and balances (e.g., federalism).
• Understand the role of political parties, the media, and the public on the political process.
• Know the characteristics of different economic systems (e.g., capitalism, mixed economy, communism).
• Understand basic terms associated with economic performance and the state of the economy (e.g., supply
  and demand, inflation, monopoly).

Additionally, students will gain practice in writing essays and reports, covering topics like elected officials, the Supreme
Court, Christians in politics, on-line banking, the euro, and more.