Reference no: EM133730061
Assignment: Becoming a Responsible Citizen- Federal Government
Chapter 1: Critical Thinking and Political Culture: Becoming a Responsible Citizen
A. Your book details the free-market system. Do you think the free-market system contributes to our government and society in a negative way or in a positive way. Fully explain your answer.
B. What are the ways that Americans can influence their government and become engaged in government? AND What factors affect people's willingness to become engaged in government?
Chapter 2: Constitutional Democracy: Promoting Liberty and Self-Government
A. It is important to understand why the Articles of Confederation failed. Historians will tell you that history repeats itself. There are many countries in the world today that are undergoing the difficult process of democratization - trying to transition to become a democracy. Many of these counties will try things like we tried in the Articles of Confederation and ultimately fail. So I want you to fully understand why the Articles of Confederation failed so you will be able to identify these issues when you see other counties repeat what we did many years ago. Fully explain why the Articles of Confederation failed.
B. What do you think it would have been like to have been an American Colonist under British Rule prior to The Revolutionary War? Would you have been in favor of separation from the British and the war that would follow or one of the colonists that would not want to fight the British and not be in favor of the conflict? Would you have been willing to fight the British? Would you have been happy or unhappy living during that time period? Why?
C. Some political scientists believe that if the framers had tried to resolve to abolish slavery in the Constitution then the Constitution would not have ever been written because they could not have ever reached an agreement on the issue. (a) Do you agree or disagree with these political scientists, AND (b) tell me why you agree or disagree.
Chapter 3: Federalism: Forging a Nation
A. The Supremacy Clause tells us that the laws and treaties of the United States Constitution are the "Supreme Law of the Land." Do you agree the laws and treaties of the United States should be the "Supreme Law of the Land" (as opposed to the states' laws)? So should the United States be able to invalidate a state law? And tell me why you think the way you do.
Chapter 4: Civil Liberties: Protecting Individual Rights
NOTE: These are actual cases that are working their way through the federal court system. Remember I am not grading you on your opinion but on your ability to form an opinion and back that opinion up showing me you understand the First Amendment issues that have to be analyzed. These will make you think!
A. The owner of a company that makes and sells pornography (photos, videos, and magazines) wants to pay the going rate to lease out a government civic building for a pornography expo - he will sell his products and display samples of his images inside the government building to try and sell materials. The government employee who runs the government building refuses to allow the pornographic business owner to lease the space because he hates pornography. The owner of the pornographic business claims his First Amendment rights are being violated because these images are protected under the First Amendment. If the owner files suit against the government claiming his First Amendment rights are being violated what do you think will happen? Are his First Amendment rights being violated? Fully explain your answer and analyze the First Amendment issue(s) and reach a conclusion on what would happen in this case.
B. You are a United States Federal Judge. A case comes before you where a federal employee who is in charge of issuing marriage licenses is refusing to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples. Her claim is that her religion does not support same sex marriage and by forcing her to issue marriage licenses the government is interfering with her first amendment rights by forcing her to do something against her religion. She is the only person in the office in her small town so there is no one else that can issue the licenses. You must decide the case in light of the First Amendment issues. What is your opinion and FULLY EXPLAIN the First Amendment issues involved to support your opinion.
C. Joe is walking down the street minding his own business and doing nothing wrong. A police officer pulls him aside, puts handcuffs on him, and searches him. The officer was bored and had nothing better to do and thought it would be fun to harass Joe. Now that Joe is detained, the officer begins to question Joe as to whether he has done anything wrong or violated any laws. Joe becomes very nervous and states he killed his wife - he confesses right there! The officer takes him into custody. He waits a week for a bail hearing. He is denied bail because of the heinousness of his crime of killing his wife and the fact he is a career criminal. He never gets a grand jury to hear his case but is indicted. Joe waits two years for a trial. Joe requests a jury trial and the judge refuses to give Joe a jury trial and Joe gets a trial by the judge. He is forced to testify against himself in the trial. Joe is denied the right to call any witnesses on his behalf. Joe is not allowed to question any of the witnesses that provide testimony against him. Joe is found guilty. His punishment is to be stoned to death in front of City Hall.
Go in order of the scenario above and tell me which Amendments in the Bill of Rights are implicated, determine if they are being violated, and explain why or why not.
Chapter 5: Equal Rights: Struggling Towards Fairness
A. This is Critical Thinking Question taken from American Governmetn 3e at www.openstax.org: "Which is a better approach to civil rights - a peaceful, gradual one that focuses on passing laws and winning cases in court, or a radical one that includes direct action and acts of civil disobedience? Why do you consider this to be the better solution?"