American Government 1H is a one-semester course designed for academically talented 12th grade students. It combines a study of American political, economic, and social institutions with a comparison of democratic and totalitarian institutions found in today's world. The course concentrates on American national, state, and local governments and analyzes other democratic and totalitarian political systems. A depth of concentration in one of the various areas of the course is expected, as is outside reading and in-depth research.

The course meets the University of California "a" and "g" requirements.