17.20 | Spring 2013 | Undergraduate

Introduction to American Politics

Course Description

This course provides a substantive overview of U.S. politics and an introduction to the discipline of political science. It surveys the institutional foundations of U.S. politics as well as the activities of political elites, organizations, and ordinary citizens. It also explores the application of general political …
This course provides a substantive overview of U.S. politics and an introduction to the discipline of political science. It surveys the institutional foundations of U.S. politics as well as the activities of political elites, organizations, and ordinary citizens. It also explores the application of general political science concepts and analytic frameworks to specific episodes and phenomena in U.S. politics.
Learning Resource Types
Lecture Notes
Written Assignments
A young woman holds a sign reading "I like Obamacare Because My Grandma Can Now Afford Her Meds."
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly called Obamacare, is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010. It represents the most significant regulatory overhaul of the country’s healthcare system since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. (Image courtesy of Barack Obama on Flickr. Available CC BY-NC-SA.)