Chapters 1-3  Response Question due Feb. 4th

   Chapter One: Choose one

     1.   What is the difference between direct and representative democracy.  Which form do you consider to be better for the United States of America?  why?

      2.  What are the main political ideas of John Locke and how did they influence the framers of the United States Constitution?

      3.  Why are the principles of both majority rule and minority right important in a democracy?

      4.  Which of the Bases of Democracy ( self-government, majority rule, limited government, free elections, etc.) is most important.  Support your choice by explaining why you selected this base of democracy.

Chapter Two:  Choose one

1.  What were the main features of the Articles of Confederation, its major weaknesses and the its successes?

2.  Describe the Virginia, New Jersey Plans and the Connecticut Compromise.

3.  Who were the Federalists, Anti-Federalists, what were their political views concerning the role of the central government, the role of the states, who were more democratic?

4.  List and discuss the main principles of the United States Constitution.

Chapter 3:  Choose one

1.  Define delegated powers, reserved powers, concurrent powers, give examples of each and discuss how these powers operate under our system of government.

2.  Describe and discuss the two major crises in American history that have centered on the issue of federalism.

3.  What is the grant system and how has it changed over the past 40 years.  Include positives and negative of the system.

4.  List and discuss limitations on both the national government and on the states.

Chapters 4-6  Response Questions due Feb. 25th

Chapter 4:  Choose one

1. List and discuss the forces/factors that are a part of political socialization

2. List and discuss various methods for determining public opinion.  Are public opinion polls a good thing or     not?     Why?

3. Is the media an impartial presenter of facts/information on political issues/political figures?  Why/Why not? be sure to include one or more examples in your work.

4. Having read about muckraking and its impact on government policy, do we need muckrakers today?  why/why not?

5.  Describe polling methods used, what are criticisms of the methods, do polls have a role in shaping the public's decision-making.  Is this good or bad? why/why not?

Chapter Five:  Choose one

1, Compare the principles/goals of the Democratic and Republican parties?  Are they different? how?why would a citizen choose one party over the other?

2. What is the role of interest groups( all types of interest groups) in shaping the policies of the two major political parties?

3.  Are interest groups a good thing for the two major political parties? why/why not?  do they allow citizens more of a voice in shaping policies of the United States?

4.  Discuss reasons for the decline in party identification.

5.  In the United States we have a two party system yet one party tends to dominate the national government after each election.  Explain why one party will dominate from one election to the next.

Chapter Six:  Choose one

1. Does the Electoral college still serve the purpose that the Founding Fathers envisioned for it?  why/why not?, should the Electoral College be abolished and the President be elected by the popular vote?

2.  What causes people to vote? what causes people to not vote?

3. Compare campaign finance legislation for presidential campaigns with congressional campaigns.  Is Congress more likely to limit presidential campaign spending while allowing more spending for Congressional campaigns?  why/why not?

Chapters 7-10 Response Questions due Mar. 25th

Chapter Seven:  Choose one

1.  The Congress organizes itself according to seniority and committees, explain seniority and committee systems, do you think this is the best way for the Congress to organize itself.  Why/why not? Suggest another way of organizing the Congress.

2.  Representatives are elected to watch over the interests of their districts and Senators are elected to watch over the interests of their states, can the Congress truly watch over the best interests of the nation?  Remember Congress is elected locally but the Congress makes decisions for the nation.

3.  If term limits were imposed upon member of Congress, what would be the effect on the committee system, seniority system, the overall power of the Congress vis-à-vis the President, the Supreme Court?

4.  NTU Foundation - Policy Paper 131 - Table of Contents this link is critical of Congress and its perks          PUREPOLITICS.COM - Pure Perks "Have Fun" lists perks of Congress .  After looking at these two sites, should Congress keep all or some or none of its perks? why/why not? Can Congress really understand the problems of the average American citizen? why/why not?

Chapter Eight:  Choose one

 1.  List and discuss the roles of the President.

 2. List and discuss the limits on the President's power and authority.

 3.  Define and discuss the differences among a line item veto, a pocket veto and a veto.

Chapter Nine:  Choose one

 1.  Given the number of agencies and commissions and boards can the President or the Congress actually govern the United States ?  Does the bureaucracy govern the United States?  why/why not?

2.  Are whistleblowers "good guys" or "bad guys"?  why?

3. Discuss/describe how the "spoils system" differs from the merit system. Which system is better? why?

Chapter 10:  Choose one

1.  Describe the role of the Chief Justice--include his role in writing and assigning opinions, the conference day.

2.  Using the Court's decisions in Plessy v.Ferguson;  Brown v. Board of Education; Regents of U. California v. Bakke. discuss and describe how the Court changes its mind with regard to was is constitutional or unconstitutional.

3.  The Court is often a source of controversy--the Court is too liberal, too conservative, too activist, too deliberate.  What should the role of the Court be?  why?

4.  Should Justices nominated for the Supreme Court be subject to  scrutiny by the Senate? why/why not?

Chapter 11-12 Response Questions due April 15th

Chapter Eleven:  Choose one

1.  What is the exclusionary rule of evidence?  What is its importance in criminal cases? Should the rule be abolished?  why/why not?

 2.  List the rights of the criminally accused?  Are people accused of crimes entitled to these rights? why/why not?

 3.  School prayer/religious teaching in public schools are controversial issues, after reading the links :INTRODUCTION TO THE ENGEL V. VITALE COURT CASE;  Wallace v. Jaffree; Abington School District v. Schempp - Wikipedia what was the reasoning of the court in these decisions, why are the public's responses to these decisions so emotional? Do you agree or disagree with the Court's rulings in these decisions?  why/why not?

Chapter Twelve:  Choose one

1.  Would there have been a different response to the civil rights movement if it had not be based ont he philosophy of non-violence?

2.  Why do women not vote as a bloc?  Does this mean the women's movement has failed?

3.  Does the Women's movement have a single goal or many?  What is/are the goal(s)? Is a Women's movement needed today? why/why not?

Chapters 13-14 Response Questions due April 29th

Chapter Thirteen:  Choose one

1.  Describe the steps/stages of the policy making process.

 2. Describe the three types of public policy.  Should the Federal Government play a large or small or no role in the lives of citizens? why/why not?

3. Suppose the National government did nothing to help the poor and disadvantaged.  What would be the consequences be for our society? what would be the consequences for our society?

Chapter Fourteen:  Choose one

 1.  Identify and describe the two competing theories of international relations.

2.  Should the United States act as policeman for the world? why/why not?

3.  Is it the duty/responsibility of the United States to fight terrorism and other threats to the peace of the world? why/why not?.