American Government: Day 18

Today will be a review day and a day to get missing work checked and turned in. Progress reports are due on Tuesday and many of you have not taken the test or are missing journals or other assignments. First we will take a better look at the compromises that led to the Constitution in its current albeit amended form. I will not be collecting the reviews this time, however, if I see that people are not doing their work, I reserve the right to change my mind.

Agenda:

1.) Discuss the final compromises of the Constitutional Convention

2.) Assign study guide

3.) Deal with late or missing work

Review:

Define these terms and answer the questions to the best of your ability:

Magna Carta

Limited Government

English Bill of Rights

Representative Government

Separation of Powers

Stamp Act

Intolerable Acts

Embargo

What did the delegates agree to during the First Continental Congress?

Lexington and Concord

What was the purpose of the Second Continental Congress?

What are the three parts of the Declaration of Independence?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

Why was Shay's rebellion important?

Connecticut Compromise

Three-Fifths Compromise

Federalists Vs Anti-federalists

Extralegal

Anarchy

American Government: Day 16

Wait to turn in your Journals. I will have you do the fourth journal at the end of the period.

Agenda:

Current event and discussion

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/us/in-gun-trusts-a-legal-loophole-for-restricted-firearms.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Founders video clip

Read about the different plans and the federalist and anti federalist fight

How many plans were there for the government?

Did the people or the legislature elect the president?

Why did the 3/5ths compromise exist? Who wanted it to happen?

Journal # 4:

What were the goals or arguments of the federalists? What were the goals or arguments of the Anti-federalists?

American Government: Day 15

Journal assignment three:

Do you think America would be better or worse off without a strong centralized government? Why or why not?

Just for those who missed class or needed the other journal entries:

Journal Assignment One:

The idea of limited government, first established by the Magna Carta, is an important principle of American Government. Why must government be limited? Can you think of ways our government violates its limitations? Explain...

Journal assignment two: Why were Jefferson's ideas from the Declaration supportive of separation from England?

American Government: Day 14

Agenda:

Read section 2 of Chapter 1 (15 minutes)

Get into groups of 4 or 5

Roles
1's: Facilitator
2's: Note Taker
3's: Presenters
4's: Timekeeper

(You may swap roles if you like)

Imagine you are a committee of loyalists, or person loyal to the British royal family during the revolution, and make a list of recommendations to King George III in order to placate the colonists.

First make a timeline of the major events as they unfolded that led up to independence.

Questions to think about:

Why are the colonists angry? What were the actions of the British Monarchy during this period? What did the colonists do in return? How might King George keep America in the British empire?

Presenter will present the list of recommendations to the class

Turn in your notes with all the groups' names and roles on them

Journal question: Why were Jefferson's ideas from the Declaration supportive of separation from England?

American Government: Day 13

The beginning of our democracy is important because it is inextricably connected to how America is today, the freedoms and protections we all enjoy, and the structure of our government. Today we will talk about the origins of our democracy in order to get a better feel for the setting of the Constitutional conventions.

Take out some sheets of paper and your books.

Questions for notes:

1.) What is the Magna Carta? Why was it important?

2.) What ideas from the Petition of Right did the US adopt in the Constitution?

3.) Why was the English Bill of Rights important?

4.) What is representative government?

5.) What new ideas did Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau write about?

6.) Who could vote in the original 13 colonies before the revolution?

7.) What was the Mayflower Compact? Why were the Great Fundamentals important?

8.) What did the Fundamental Orders of connecticut do for the people of that colony?

9.) What is separation of powers and how were powers separated during the colonial period?

-Explain the Journals

Journal Assignment One:

The idea of limited government, first established by the Magna Carta, is an important principle of American Government. Why must government be limited? Can you think of ways our government violates its limitations? Explain...

American Government: Day 12

Current event:

1.) Pick an article that pertains to United States Government.

2.) Summarize the article in a paragraph

3.) Analyze the article by explaining how it might affect you. How might it affect the United states and US government? Why is this article significant?

4.) Due Friday.

Announcement: Test Tuesday

Covering: Sections 1-4 of Chapter 1

Have study guide done for me too check from blog post on Day 10.

If you need to get a hold of me for whatever reason (questions, extensions, emergencies, etc.) my e-mail is davidzahn1987@gmail.com

American Government: Day 10

Today we will review for the test. Below is a list of terms and ideas that you will need to know and understand by Tuesday for the test on the first chapter. You may not use notes on the test. I will be having you turn in your notes on the day of the test for a grade, so get it done.

For your notes you should attempt to define and describe each term/idea. You may also want to provide examples of each. That will help you on the test.

Section 1:

State

Nation

Nation-state

Consensus

Sovereignty

Government

Social Contract

What are the 4 main purposes of government

Section 2:

Unitary system

Federal system

Confederacy

Constitution

Constitutional Government (Limits power of federal government)

Preamble

Constitutional law

Politics

Industrialized nations

Developing nations

What is the meaning of economic interdependence and how does it work?

Section 3:

Autocracy with example

Oligarchy with example

Democracy with example

Republic with example

Main political parties

What does it mean to live in a civil society?

Section 4:

What is the role of economics? (3 parts)

Define Capitalism (5 parts)

Free market

Mixed market economy

Laissez-faire

Socialism (3 parts)

Communism

What is the difference between socialism and communism?

What is the difference between pure capitalism (libertarianism) and mixed market capitalism?

American Government: Day 9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3u4EFTwprM&edufilter=6ZTXQkm2XQimUMKt1E0_Hg

Read from the book. Discuss these questions:

What is an economic system and what do they do?

What is a capitalist system?

What is a "free market"?

What is a mixed market economy?

What is Socialism?

What does Karl Marx say about the way goods should be organized in society?

What is the difference between Communism and Socialism?

American Government: Day 8

State of the Union:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50140940n

While watching:

1.) List key words

2.) Tally how often he uses key words

3.) What are the themes of the speech?

4.) List 5 or 6 different new proposals

5.) Turn it in before you leave.

American Government: Day 7

Today we will discuss our duty in a civil democracy and why citizens have certain duties to their country. We will then delve into different economic theories and attempt to break them down into meaningful and understandable parts.

1. Civil Society:

What constitutes a civil society? What specific groups and organizations are involved in this?

Do we have free elections?

What is the media's role in our society?

How do the concepts of majority rule and individual rights create friction in our system?

Do we have a "social consensus," or general agreement on main societal principles in this country? If not, have we ever had it?

2. Economic Theories:

What is economics?

-The branch of knowledge concerned with the production, consumption, and transfer of wealth.

Why are economics important, especially today?

Do all economists agree, even within the same economic school?

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/jan-june11/insidejob_05-04.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlIoeTObmEk&edufilter=6ZTXQkm2XQimUMKt1E0_Hg

What is laissez-faire economics?

-I will put you into 5 groups

-Each group will be assigned an economic theory:

1= Pure Capitalist (Libertarianism)
2= Mixed Market
3= Command and Control (Fascist)
4= Socialist (or democratic socialist)
5= Communist

Task: (cell phones aloud for research purposes)

1.) Get large piece of butcher paper
2.) Define the economic theory
3.) Explain it's basic function
4.) Explain how it's different from others like it (ex: difference between socialism and democratic socialism or pure capitalism vs mixed market economy)
5.) Give several examples in history of each
6.) Give examples of issues within each system (think critically)
7.) Take notes on the findings of others
8.) Present your findings to the class

American Government: Day 6

Quiz:

Matching:

Vocab: A. Government, B. Nation-state, C. State, D. Consensus, E. Sovereignty, F. Nation

1.) A political community that occupies a definite territory with the power to make and enforce laws without the approval of any higher authority. _________

2.) A group of people united by the common bonds of race, language, custom, tradition, and/ or religion. ________

3.) Country in which the territory of the nation and the state coincide. ________

4.) The institution through which the state maintains social order, provides public services and enforces decisions made that apply to all citizens within the state. ________

5.) The surrender of individual rights or autonomy for some essential security. _______

6.) Supreme and absolute authority within one's territorial boundaries. ________

7.) General agreement about basic beliefs that most if not all agree upon. ________

Pick the best answer available:

8.) A system in which all key powers are give to the national or central government is a/an _____________.
a.) Unitary System   b.) Federal System  c.) Confederacy  d.) Democratic Republic

9.) A system of government where power is divided between national and regional or state governments is a _____________.
a.) Unitary System  b.) Federal System  c.) Communist Government d.) Fascist Dictatorship

10.) A confederacy is a......
a.) state with a strong central government  b.) state with no government at all
c.) loose union of independent states          d.) state with one very powerful ruler

11.) A ______________ is a plan that provides major rules for government.
a.) Declaration of Independence  b.) Constitution  c.) Playbook  d.) Treaty

12.) A constitutional government is a government whose constitution
a.) limits the power of government b.) expands the power of government
c.) both defines and limits the powers of government  c.) none of the above

13.) What is a preamble?

14.) The effort to control or influence the conduct and policies of government is called ______________

15.) What is the difference between industrialized and developing nations? Explain and give an example of each.

American Government: Day 5

http://www.ted.com/talks/kid_president_i_think_we_all_need_a_pep_talk.html

Today we will be talking about different forms of government, political parties, and what living in a "civil" society entails.

Democracy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOh4QDF_djw&edufilter=6ZTXQkm2XQimUMKt1E0_Hg

What do you think about the state of our democracy? Do you feel like we satisfy some or most of the things he talks about?

Autocracy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccsNr9UJeVY&edufilter=6ZTXQkm2XQimUMKt1E0_Hg

How is this different from when one of our leaders dies unexpectedly? Why might they have this reaction?

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-february-4-2013/the-great-gall-of-china---last-in-space

What are the characteristics of autocracy? What is the difference between an autocracy and a democracy?

Oligarchy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Dt1y0eMo8&edufilter=6ZTXQkm2XQimUMKt1E0_Hg

1.) What do you think? Is America operating like an extremely well functioning oligarchy?

Political Parties:

http://0.tqn.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/P/C/3/Congressional-Gridlock.jpg

What is a political cartoon?

What are the two main political parties? Are there alternatives?

Why do two parties dominate our system?

American Government: Day 4

Thank you for being so attentive. There will be a quiz on key terms from Ch. 1, Sections 1 and 2 on Monday. If you didn't get your assignment done because of absence or otherwise, finish it and turn it in tomorrow.

Here is the powerpoint from todays lecture:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hCsOg6dRW6e-f7ItXX_eC4kVmNYuodTRrju2z2KwX48/edit?usp=sharing

Here are some interesting facts from opensecrets.org on special interests and money in politics:

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/index.php

American Government: Day 3

Thank you for the lively discussion yesterday. Today you will be reading Chapter 1, Section 1 and completing Assignment 1 which is posted again below. Hopefully you got a head start on it as class is short today and the assignment is due first thing tomorrow. Whatever isn't completed is homework.

Parameters:

-Read Ch. 1, Section 1 and complete assignment 1.

-You may work with 1 partner (emphasis on the 1), however everyone must turn in the assignment. That means you and your partner must each do the assignment and each turn in a piece of paper.

-No internet answers please. I would like your answers to come from the text.

-Answers should be in complete sentences.

-Try to finish by the end of class. That way, you don't have any homework.

-This is your first grade for the class, so put some effort into these answers. I know you are all very capable.

CHAPTER 1, SECTION 1

Key Terms:

-state, nation, nation-state, consensus, sovereignty, government, social contract

Essential Ideas and People:

-evolutionary theory (of government), force theory, divine rights theory, Aristotle, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke

Assignment 1 (Based on Ch. 1, Sect. 1):

1.) Define all of the key terms and give an example of each

2.) What are the essential components of a state and why is each component necessary?

3.) Compare and contrast John Locke and Thomas Hobbes's view of the social contract and government.

4.) List at least four purposes of government and give an example of each.

5.) One function of government is to issue a national currency. Before and immediately after the Mint Act of 1792, foreign currency was circulating in the original thirteen colonies. Write a paragraph explaining what problems this lack of a uniform currency might have caused. Are these problems still problems today? Justify your answer.

Those who finish early should begin reading Ch. 1, Section 2. We will discuss this on Thursday, likely through powerpoint.

American Government: Day 2

Discuss with a partner:

Is torture aloud in the United States?

Is torture effective?

Who should be held accountable for authorizing torture and rendition programs?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/05/cia-rendition-countries-covert-support

For a little more evidence and food for thought:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/29/politics/main3554687.shtml?source=RSSattr=Politics_3554687

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/11/AR2009051103412.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruel_and_unusual_punishment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Convention_Against_Torture

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/us/politics/us-memo-details-views-on-killing-citizens-in-al-qaeda.html?hp&_r=0

John Adams: Liberty Will Reign 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2FAAVPX-jg&edufilter=6ZTXQkm2XQimUMKt1E0_Hg

Read Chapter 1, Section 1 on the fundamentals of government.

Chapter 1, Section 1

Key Terms:

-state, nation, nation-state, consensus, sovereignty, government, social contract

Essential Ideas and People:

-evolutionary theory (of government), force theory, divine rights theory, Aristotle, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke

Assignment 1 (Based on Ch. 1, Sect. 1):

1.) Define all of the key terms and give an example of each

2.) What are the essential components of a state and why is each component necessary?

3.) Compare and contrast John Locke and Thomas Hobbes's view of the social contract and government.

4.) List at least four purposes of government and give an example of each.

5.) One function of government is to issue a national currency. Before and immediately after the Mint Act of 1792, foreign currency was circulating in the original thirteen colonies. Write a paragraph explaining what problems this lack of a uniform currency might have caused. Are these problems still problems today? Justify your answer.

Here is the link to the Google Document:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZgoNEm2ZzSUIWwlMtfY2ZVho3zAdoXT0fnkxTBuvDBs/edit

If you would like you may e-mail your assignment to me at davidzahn1987@gmail.com; or print or hand write them and turn them into me personally.

American Government: Day 1

Welcome to American Government: 

This year we witnessed yet another election that showed the inner workings of our democracy for better or worse. This class is intended to help you make sense of American government and teach you how the government works, what your role as a citizen is, and why government does some of the things that it does. We will start with the fundamentals and history of American government, then get into the Constitution and the rights of Americans, then we will get into the branches of government, policies, and procedures that United States government and its citizens must follow.

Syllabus:

UNIT 1 (Foundations of Am Gov) 
          Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 and chapters 6 and 7 (Congressional powers), 9 (Pres Powers), 11(Courts)

UNIT 6 (Participating in Gov)
           Chapters 16, 17, 18, 19 and chapters 5 (Congress), 8 (Executive), and 23 (State and Local)

UNIT 7 (Policies and Services) Thru the end of the semester
           Chapters 20, 21, 22, and chapter 10 (Bureaucracy)


Rules of the Classroom:

1.) Treat others as you would like to be treated. 

2.) Respect each other and each other's opinions.

3.) Do not talk while others are talking.

4.) Create an open and safe environment for ideas and opinions.

5.) No hate speech, ever. Do not put people down for their views.

6.) No cell phones unless authorized. If I see them, I will take them.

7.) No free riding. Everyone does everything.

8.) "I don't know" is not an acceptable answer. If you don't know, take a guess.

Getting to know you:

Answer all of the following you are comfortable with: (put your name on it)

1.) Spiritual Beliefs....

2.) Planning on College?

3.) Race/ Ethnic background...

4.) Age:

5.) Social Class (Low, Middle, Upper etc.):

6.) Political Beliefs:

7.) Live at home or on your own?



Assignment:

Instructions:

1.) Get into groups of 4 (there may be one group of 5)

2.) Get large sheet of white butcher paper.

3.) On the sheet, brainstorm (with key words, phrases, or whole sentences) everything that you know or think you know about government, how it works, and what you think of it.