1. Chapter one slides begin on slide 6.
Your First Day of Class…
You may be surprised to learn…
…that over 25% of all undergraduate students do not utilize their required course material.
…student retention is dropping nationwide and while the higher education community has done a remarkable job of opening the doors of college to more and more students, we have not seen equal strides in the number of students who actually complete four-year degrees. (Education Trust, 2004)
What you can do…
The top factors motivating a student to use their adopted books all involve whether the material is immediately used, referred to, or assessed from in the classroom.
Your students take their cues from you and many wait until the third week of class to see how the book is used before deciding whether or not they need it. Please take a few minutes the first day of class to explain and demonstrate why you adopted your book and accompanying technology.
The next few slides show the book, technology products, and messaging that indicates that they will be responsible for the content. Feel free to customize the information or delete from your slide set.
Chapter one slides begin on slide 6.
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2. Welch/Gruhl/Comer/Rigdon American Government, 10e
Your Required Technology Materials
Welch/Gruhl/Comer/Rigdon American Government, 10e
You will need this material for…
tests and quizzes
homework and reading assignments
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3. Resources to help you succeed in this course
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4. Resources to help you succeed in this course
…makes your study time more efficient by testing YOU on all the concepts and YOU need more help on. 
Easy to Use
Personalized
Time Saving
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5. Resources to help you succeed in this course
WebTutor Toolbox
WebTutor offers real-time access to a full array of premium study tools, including animations and videos that bring the book's topics to life.
InfoTrac College Edition
You can do your research 24/7 with easy access to over 10 million full-text articles from nearly 5000 academic journals, magazines, and periodicals. Do your research from home, work, or your dorm room!
Student Companion Web Site
You also have open access to the student book companion web site which features following for student study drill: Learning Objectives, chapter glossaries, audio flash cards, crossword puzzles, web links, internet activities, chapter-by-chapter tutorial quizzes, a final exam, and more!
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6. CHAPTER ONE: THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

7. Who Participates? Voting statistics for 2000:
64% of all eligible voters are registered;
45% of year-olds registered but only 32% actually voted;
67% of all seniors (55+) vote

8. Young People Vote Less
Percentages
Young Voters
Older Adults

9. Immigration and Ethnic Diversity
America’s ethnic and racial composition has broadened:
In % of all residents of US were foreign-born;
In 2003 the number declines to 11.5, but is three times higher than in 1970

10. Immigrants Admitted to the United States, 1900 –2000

11. Religious Diversity
Most Americans (83%) still identify themselves as Christians;
1600 religious denominations in the U.S. today;
Social fragmentation or social and political liberty as the result?

12. Economic and Demographic Diversity
Rich vs. poor distinctions are difficult to overcome;
Regional distinctions tend to parallel economic status;
The age of Americans is increasing with one in every eight being over 65 years of age

13. Diversity and Identity Politics
Identity Politics – the practice of organizing on the basis of one’s ethnic or racial identity, sex, or sexual orientation to compete for public resources and to influence public policy.

14. Political Culture
“The shared body of values and beliefs that shapes perception and attitudes toward politics and government and in turn influences political behavior.”

15. The Issues of Political Culture
What values should be commonly-held by the public in shaping a national identity?
Should only educated citizens be allowed to vote?
Should citizens have to speak a common language?
Are there competing political cultures to the common set of values?

16. Core Values, I Individual Liberty:
The Judeo-Christian belief holds that all are created equal before God;
Should some individual rights be given up for the sake of the common good?
Communitarianism claims that an overemphasis on individual freedoms causes a loss to community interests which can be corrected by reshaping public life

17. Core Values, II Political Equality:
All citizens are (theoretically) born with equal standing before government and thus may expect equal rights. This leads to:
Popular sovereignty – rule by the people;
Democracy – authority of the people

18. Core Values, III Majority Rule:
Equality requires that the greatest number of “equals” must prevail;
The minority can expect that they may be in the position of the majority someday;
The minority expects that their rights will be upheld as a condition of accepting the principle

19. Core Values, IV Minority Rights:
the majority is not all there is to “the people” so the majority must accept protection of minority rights, but:
Minorities are frequently disenfranchised;
Protecting minority rights must be constantly relearned from time to time

20. Core Values, V Economic Rights:
Largely summed up in the right to own property
Political equality frequently clashes with economic inequities leading to the need for government regulation

21. Democracy in a Republic
Indirect democracy implies that citizens do not make policy but select policymakers who make decisions on their behalf;
Direct democracy exists where citizens vote on most issues and legislate for themselves;
The Founders left few instructions for getting citizens to actually participate

22. Political Participation
Questions about participation:
Why don’t Americans participate?
Can we be democratic without greater participation?
Is it democracy if interest groups dominate the political process?

23. Who Has the Power?
Many Americans believe that a few big interests control the system and not for the benefit of all
Altering the status quo is nearly impossible with the “hyperpluralism” of interest groups
The existence of numerous interest groups requires that law be about compromises

24. Conclusions
Citizens’ love of country and patriotism do not mean that they desire to get involved;
The public does not see itself as the cause of government problems;
In contrast, there are more ways to get involved than ever before