UNIT 1 WHAT BASIC IDEAS ABOUT GOVERNMENT DID THE FOUNDERS HAVE? Congress has formed this congressional committee to examine the United States Constitution and the purposes of government. The members of your group are expert witnesses appearing before this committee. You have been asked to testify on these questions. According to the Founders, what are the basic purposes of government? Why did the Framers think a constitution was necessary to achieve these purposes? Does our government still serve the purposes that the Framers intended? Describe an example of a time when individual rights and the common good are in conflict. What basic ideas were included in the Declaration of Independence? Why was this document written? 1. How did British polices influence the Founders beliefs in government? 2. How can each one of us serve the common good? 3. In your opinion, what is more important, individual rights or the common good? Why? 4. What is a constitution? 5. What is civic virtue? Give examples of people who practice civic virtue in your school and community. 6. What is a state of nature, and how did the founders try to prevent one from happening? 7. Describe one of the early forms of self-government in the colonies.
UNIT 2 HOW DID THE FRAMERS WRITE OUR CONSTITUTION? Congress has formed this congressional committee to gather information on the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. It is also looking at the compromises that were made at the Philadelphia Convention. The members of your group are expert witnesses appearing before this committee. You have been asked to testify on these questions. What major conflicts required the Framers at the Philadelphia Convention to make compromises? Why was it so difficult for the Framers to reach agreement about how to resolve their conflicts? How did the compromise of later adding a Bill of Rights affect our Constitution? Do you agree with the Framers decision to keep the proceedings of the Philadelphia Convention secret? Why or why not? Was the group that assembled at the Philadelphia Convention a fair representation of the people? Why or why not? 1. Why did the Framers not abolish slavery at the time they wrote the Constitution? 2. Could the proceedings of a constitutional convention be kept secret today? Why or why not? 3. In your own words, what is the common good? Give some examples. 4. Do you believe that government should promote the common good? How? 5. People sometimes disagree about what is best for all in the community. Describe a situation where this might happen. How do you think such disagreements should be settled? 6. What can you learn about a country s government by studying its constitution? 7. Fifty-five men attended the Philadelphia Convention. How might the constitution be different if women had been allowed to attend? 8. What were the problems with the Articles of Confederation?
UNIT 3 HOW DOES THE CONSTITUTION ORGANIZE OUR GOVERNMENT? Congress has formed this congressional committee to look at how power is divided among the three branches of our national government. The members of your group are expert witnesses appearing before this committee. You have been asked to testify on these questions. How did the Framers use separation of powers and checks and balances to limit the powers of government? Give examples of checks and balances at work today. Give examples of the use of federalism to limit power. Do you think the Congress should have the power to pass a bill over the president s veto? Why or why not? Do you think the Supreme Court should have the power to declare a law passed by Congress unconstitutional? Why or why not? 1. What are some powers of the president? Which power do you think is most important? Why? 2. What keeps the president from becoming too powerful? 3. What is judicial review? Is the power of judicial review given to the Supreme Court in the Constitution? 4. Does judicial review give nine justices too much power? Why or why not? 5. Do you think Supreme Court justices should be appointed for life? Why or why not? 6. Should Supreme Court justices be elected instead of appointed? Why or why not? 7. Should the president be allowed to serve more than two terms? Why or why not? 8. Since the president can only serve two terms, should the same restriction be placed on Senators and Representatives?
UNIT 4 HOW DOES THE CONSTITUTION PROTECT OUR BASIC RIGHTS? Congress has formed this congressional committee to examine the people s rights. They want to know how well they are being protected and what more might be done. The members of your group are expert witnesses appearing before this committee. You have been asked to testify on these questions. What is freedom of expression, and why is it important to our democracy? How does the Constitution protect freedom of expression? Are there times when freedom of expression should be limited? Why or why not? Give examples. How is freedom of religion protected in the Constitution? How has the idea of equal protection of the laws been used to protect people s rights? Give examples. 1. The Bill of Rights did not guarantee rights for all, such as women and African Americans. How was this corrected? 2. Suppose a small group of people in an audience get angry with a speaker and try to stop the person from speaking. What rights should the police protect? 3. Do you think there should be prayer in the public schools? 4. Is it constitutional for a group of people to stage a protest on the front lawn of your home without your permission? 5. Is it constitutional for someone to place a sign on their own property saying, All politicians are crooks? 6. Do you think there are times when your school principal can limit your freedom of expression? Explain. 7. Do you think schools should have the right to require students to wear uniforms? Is requiring a student to wear a uniform a violation of their freedom of expression? 8. Do you think that government should regulate the Internet? Why or why not?
UNIT 5 WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CITIZENS? Congress has formed this congressional committee to examine the responsibilities of citizens in our constitutional democracy. The members of your group are expert witnesses appearing before this committee. Please testify on these questions. What responsibilities go along with the rights of citizens? Do you think every citizen should be required to participate in his/her government? Explain why or why not. How does a responsible citizen promote the common good? Why do so many young people not fulfill their responsibility to vote? As citizens of a democracy, do we have responsibilities to other nations of the world? 1. What are the most important responsibilities of citizens? 2. What can citizens do to change a law they think is unfair? 3. Aside from your social studies class, are schools doing enough to educate voters? What more could be done? 4. If you had a brother or sister between the ages of 18 and 25, how would you convince them to become voters? 5. Some candidates choose negative campaigning. What are your feelings about negative campaigning? Explain. 6. What should candidates do to encourage citizens to vote? 7. Some people have suggested that, in the future, citizens would be allowed to vote from their home computers. What are your opinions about this idea? 8. Do you think the current voting age is appropriate?