Honors Civics
2009-10 (Semester 2)
Mr. Meli
Final Exam Topics (Multiple Choice Section)
Principles of Government
1. Definition/Characteristics of a state
2. Direct democracy v. indirect
3. Theories on how governments are formed: Force, Evolutionary, Divine-Right, & Social Contract
4. John Locke’s philosophy on unjust governments
5. Thomas Hobbes’s philosophy on government (Leviathan)
6. Dictatorships: Totalitarian, Authoritarian
7. Parliamentary v. Presidential forms of government
8. What is federalism?
9. How does the U.S. have a “mixed economy?”
10. What does “majority rule, minority rights” mean?
11. Geographic distributions of power: federal, unitary, & confederate.
12. What are the duties and responsibilities of citizens?
Origins of American Government
Historical Background, rights given, and concepts taken by U.S.(13-15):
13. Magna Carta
14. Petition of Right
15. English Bill of Rights
16. Types of British colonies in America (royal, proprietary, charter)
17. How did Britain treat its American colonies prior to 1750?
18. Why did the British begin taxing their American colonies?
19. Boston Massacre & Boston Tea Party
20. 1st & 2nd Continental Congress
21. Why was a violent revolution necessary?
22. Purpose and philosophy of Declaration of Independence.
23. Structure, strengths, & weaknesses of Articles of Confederation.
24. Purpose of Constitutional Convention.
25. Plans for Constitution: VA & NJ
26. Compromises: CT, 3/5’s, Commerce & Slave Trade
27. Federalists v. Antifederalists
Political Parties, Elections, & Executive Branch
28. What are political parties?
29. Why are certain issues the focus of presidential elections?
30. Role of the President.
31. Qualifications for President (formal and informal).
32. Historical purpose for Electoral College.
33. How Electoral College works today
34. Powers of the President
35. Presidential Primaries and Caucuses
36. What areas are the focuses of the general election?
Congress
37. How a bill becomes a law
38. Role of committees in Congress
39. Gerrymandering
40. Difference between the Senate and House
Judicial Branch
41. Structure of federal court system
42. Function of the courts
43. Jurisdiction
44. Precedents
45. How a case reaches the Supreme Court
46. How the Supreme Court operates
47. Civil Rights v. Civil Liberties
48. Who is guaranteed rights in the Constitution
49. Amendments: 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th
50. Freedom of Religion: Free Exercise & Establishment Clause
51. Freedom of Speech & Assembly: What are the guidelines?
52. Due Process
53. Right to Privacy
54. Legal Discrimination towards African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans and women.
55. Plessy v. Ferguson
56. Brown v. Board of Education
57. Civil Rights Acts of 1964 & 1968
58. Affirmative Action
59. Process to become a U.S. Citizen
60. Current immigration policy.
Current Events & Miscellaneous
61. Current representatives in House & Senate
62. North Korea: Totalitarian Regime
63. Surge in Iraq
64. Children’s March
65. Healthcare Reform
66. Gay Marriage
67. Afghanistan
68. Bp Oil Spill
69. Gun control
Monday, June 14, 2010
Final Exam Essay Questions
Honors Civics
2009-10 (Semester 2)
Mr. Meli
Final Exam Essay Questions
50% of Final Exam Grade
Directions: You must answer ALL of the essays questions below on a separate sheet of lined paper. Questions must be answered 1-3 complete paragraphs. Use evidence to support your answers.
1. In what way is the Constitution a series of compromises?
2. Please explain your political leanings. Include your stance on three contemporary issues and provide evidence and examples to justify your thoughts.
3. Is the United States a “true democracy?” Why or why not?
4. How effectively does the Constitution balance the three branches?
5. Since 2001 how have American politics, culture, and society been affected and how has society’s view of government been altered both domestically and internationally?
2009-10 (Semester 2)
Mr. Meli
Final Exam Essay Questions
50% of Final Exam Grade
Directions: You must answer ALL of the essays questions below on a separate sheet of lined paper. Questions must be answered 1-3 complete paragraphs. Use evidence to support your answers.
1. In what way is the Constitution a series of compromises?
2. Please explain your political leanings. Include your stance on three contemporary issues and provide evidence and examples to justify your thoughts.
3. Is the United States a “true democracy?” Why or why not?
4. How effectively does the Constitution balance the three branches?
5. Since 2001 how have American politics, culture, and society been affected and how has society’s view of government been altered both domestically and internationally?
Friday, June 4, 2010
Judicial Branch Review Questions; Due 6/11
Honors Civics Judicial Branch Review Questions
Answer questions on separate sheets of paper 50 Points (Quiz Grade)
Chapter 18: The Federal Court System
1. How are the federal courts structured?
2. What does Jurisdiction mean? How is applied in the courts?
3. What is a precedent?
4. How is judicial restraint different than judicial activism?
5. Explain how a case can reach the Supreme Court.
6. How does the Supreme Court operate? (What procedure do they follow?)
Chapter 19: Civil Liberties: 1st Amendment Rights
7. What is the Bill of Rights? Why is it important?
8. What are civil liberties?
9. What are civil rights?
10. Who is guaranteed rights in the United States?
11. What is the 14th Amendment and how is it applied?
12. What is the 9th Amendment and why is it important?
13. What are the two types of religious liberty guaranteed in the Constitution? Explain what each means.
14. How is religion handled in public schools?
15. What is the “Lemon Test?” When and why is it applied?
16. Explain two examples of Establishment cases.
17. Explain two examples of Free Exercise cases.
18. Provide 5 different examples of free speech being constitutionally restricted.
19. What is symbolic speech? Provide one example.
20. What guidelines has the government established regarding free assembly.
Chapter 20: Individual Rights
21. What does due process mean? Provide one example.
22. What is police power? How does it conflict with individual rights?
23. Why is the right to privacy controversial?
24. What is the 13th Amendment? When can it be legally denied to individuals?
25. What is 2nd Amendment? Why is its application controversial?
26. What is does “probable cause” mean? How is it applied with search and seizures?
27. How has the Patriot changed the way the 4th Amendment is applied?
28. What guarantee does the writ of habeas corpus give?
29. What rights does the 5th Amendment guarantee? How are these rights applied?
30. What rights does the 6th Amendment guarantee? How are these rights applied?
31. What is “cruel and unusual punishment?” Why do you think it is banned?
32. What is capital punishment? Why is its use controversial?
Chapter 21: Civil Rights
33. What does the phrase “heterogeneous society” mean?
How have the following groups been legally discriminated against in the United States over the years?
34. African Americans 35. Native Americans
36. Hispanic Americans 37. Asian Americans 38. Women
39. What does the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment mean? How does the Supreme Court determine if this has been violated?
40. What did Plessy v. Ferguson establish? How did it change after Brown v. Board of Education?
41. What did the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968 do to end discrimination?
42. What did Title IX do?
43. What is Affirmative Action? Why is it controversial?
44. Describe the two ways in which someone can become a U.S. Citizen.
45. Can a citizen be stripped of his or her citizenship against his or her will?
46. How have the America’s immigration policies changed over the past 200 years?
47. Why are undocumented aliens such a problem in 2010?
48. What are some of the aspects of the current immigration policy? (1986-2010)
Answer questions on separate sheets of paper 50 Points (Quiz Grade)
Chapter 18: The Federal Court System
1. How are the federal courts structured?
2. What does Jurisdiction mean? How is applied in the courts?
3. What is a precedent?
4. How is judicial restraint different than judicial activism?
5. Explain how a case can reach the Supreme Court.
6. How does the Supreme Court operate? (What procedure do they follow?)
Chapter 19: Civil Liberties: 1st Amendment Rights
7. What is the Bill of Rights? Why is it important?
8. What are civil liberties?
9. What are civil rights?
10. Who is guaranteed rights in the United States?
11. What is the 14th Amendment and how is it applied?
12. What is the 9th Amendment and why is it important?
13. What are the two types of religious liberty guaranteed in the Constitution? Explain what each means.
14. How is religion handled in public schools?
15. What is the “Lemon Test?” When and why is it applied?
16. Explain two examples of Establishment cases.
17. Explain two examples of Free Exercise cases.
18. Provide 5 different examples of free speech being constitutionally restricted.
19. What is symbolic speech? Provide one example.
20. What guidelines has the government established regarding free assembly.
Chapter 20: Individual Rights
21. What does due process mean? Provide one example.
22. What is police power? How does it conflict with individual rights?
23. Why is the right to privacy controversial?
24. What is the 13th Amendment? When can it be legally denied to individuals?
25. What is 2nd Amendment? Why is its application controversial?
26. What is does “probable cause” mean? How is it applied with search and seizures?
27. How has the Patriot changed the way the 4th Amendment is applied?
28. What guarantee does the writ of habeas corpus give?
29. What rights does the 5th Amendment guarantee? How are these rights applied?
30. What rights does the 6th Amendment guarantee? How are these rights applied?
31. What is “cruel and unusual punishment?” Why do you think it is banned?
32. What is capital punishment? Why is its use controversial?
Chapter 21: Civil Rights
33. What does the phrase “heterogeneous society” mean?
How have the following groups been legally discriminated against in the United States over the years?
34. African Americans 35. Native Americans
36. Hispanic Americans 37. Asian Americans 38. Women
39. What does the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment mean? How does the Supreme Court determine if this has been violated?
40. What did Plessy v. Ferguson establish? How did it change after Brown v. Board of Education?
41. What did the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968 do to end discrimination?
42. What did Title IX do?
43. What is Affirmative Action? Why is it controversial?
44. Describe the two ways in which someone can become a U.S. Citizen.
45. Can a citizen be stripped of his or her citizenship against his or her will?
46. How have the America’s immigration policies changed over the past 200 years?
47. Why are undocumented aliens such a problem in 2010?
48. What are some of the aspects of the current immigration policy? (1986-2010)
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Homework for Week of 6/1 through 6/4
Read pp 578-582; q 2-6 on p 582
Read pp 583-590; q 2-5 on p 590
Read pp 592-599; q 2-6 on p 599
Read pp 583-590; q 2-5 on p 590
Read pp 592-599; q 2-6 on p 599
Supreme Court Project
The Supreme Court &
The Balance of Power
Honors Civics
4th Quarter Project 2009-10
Mr. Meli
GOAL: Interpret the impact of a Supreme Court case.
CASES TO PICK:
Students will choose 1 of the following cases.
1. Mapp v. Ohio 2. Gideon v. Wainwright 3. Griswold v. Connecticut
4. New York Times v. United States 5. Kelo v. New London
BACKGROUND QUESTIONS
Students must answer the following questions:
1-Who were the judges hearing the case?
2-When and where was the case?
3-What is the background story to the case?
4-What underlying issues surround the case?
5-Name 3 similar cases that the Supreme Court heard. Explain why they are similar.
6-How did the nation react to the decision?
7-How should the nation have reacted to this case?
8-Who nominated the judges involved?
9-How might the politics of the person nominating the judge reflect their feelings
on this case?
10-How many judges agreed with the case?
11-What legal ground did the dissent use to justify their reasoning?
12-What else was going on in the nation that had an impact on this case?
13-What other specific information could help someone understand the importance of this case?
14-Was the decision constitutionally correct?
15-How does the decision affect us today?
16-Why should your classmates and fellow citizens of the U.S. know about
this case?
17-How does the Supreme Court balance the power of the Federal Government?
THESIS ESSAY
1. The essay will explain how the court balanced the power of the government or failed in doing so.
2. Students will submit a typed essay that answers the following question:
-How does the Supreme Court balance the power of Government in the
in the _______________________case?
3. Students will persuade the reader that the case was or was not constitutionally justified.
Where do I find this out?
Use the following websites as starting points to get the information
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/
http://www.landmarkcases.org/
http://www.oyez.org/
RUBRIC:
____________/5: This sheet handed in with essay.
____________/10: Proper Format: Paper is typed 12 point font, 1.5 space. The essay is
no more than 2 pages plus a title page that is 12 font on the page with name, name of case, date due and period. Borders have not been changed.
____________/20: Information used in paper is cited in text. Works cited is typed and
MLA Format with at least 3 cited sources. (NO WIKIPEDIA!)
____________/50: Each of the questions (17) are answered correctly and typed out in
complete sentences attached to the essay.
____________/20: Spelling and grammar have no errors
____________/15: Essay has an UNDERLINED THESIS SENTENCE that directly
answers the question, “How does the Supreme Court balance the power of Government in the in the _______________________case?”
____________/50: The opinion of the author on the verdict is clear and the question
is answered thoroughly throughout the essay.
____________/30: Thesis is adequately defended in class roundtable discussion* (5
minutes each)
____________/200: TOTAL
*If you are absent for roundtable discussion, you must set a time with Mr. Meli after school or during 1st or 2nd period study hall/open period to defend thesis in order to receive points*
Paper Due Date: Tuesday, 6/15/2010
*Discussion Dates: 6/15 & 6/16
10% off (20 points) each class day late. No papers will be accepted after 6/18.
Hard copy must be submitted at the start of class on 6/15 to receive full credit (don’t ask me to allow you to print your paper on 6/15)
The Balance of Power
Honors Civics
4th Quarter Project 2009-10
Mr. Meli
GOAL: Interpret the impact of a Supreme Court case.
CASES TO PICK:
Students will choose 1 of the following cases.
1. Mapp v. Ohio 2. Gideon v. Wainwright 3. Griswold v. Connecticut
4. New York Times v. United States 5. Kelo v. New London
BACKGROUND QUESTIONS
Students must answer the following questions:
1-Who were the judges hearing the case?
2-When and where was the case?
3-What is the background story to the case?
4-What underlying issues surround the case?
5-Name 3 similar cases that the Supreme Court heard. Explain why they are similar.
6-How did the nation react to the decision?
7-How should the nation have reacted to this case?
8-Who nominated the judges involved?
9-How might the politics of the person nominating the judge reflect their feelings
on this case?
10-How many judges agreed with the case?
11-What legal ground did the dissent use to justify their reasoning?
12-What else was going on in the nation that had an impact on this case?
13-What other specific information could help someone understand the importance of this case?
14-Was the decision constitutionally correct?
15-How does the decision affect us today?
16-Why should your classmates and fellow citizens of the U.S. know about
this case?
17-How does the Supreme Court balance the power of the Federal Government?
THESIS ESSAY
1. The essay will explain how the court balanced the power of the government or failed in doing so.
2. Students will submit a typed essay that answers the following question:
-How does the Supreme Court balance the power of Government in the
in the _______________________case?
3. Students will persuade the reader that the case was or was not constitutionally justified.
Where do I find this out?
Use the following websites as starting points to get the information
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/
http://www.landmarkcases.org/
http://www.oyez.org/
RUBRIC:
____________/5: This sheet handed in with essay.
____________/10: Proper Format: Paper is typed 12 point font, 1.5 space. The essay is
no more than 2 pages plus a title page that is 12 font on the page with name, name of case, date due and period. Borders have not been changed.
____________/20: Information used in paper is cited in text. Works cited is typed and
MLA Format with at least 3 cited sources. (NO WIKIPEDIA!)
____________/50: Each of the questions (17) are answered correctly and typed out in
complete sentences attached to the essay.
____________/20: Spelling and grammar have no errors
____________/15: Essay has an UNDERLINED THESIS SENTENCE that directly
answers the question, “How does the Supreme Court balance the power of Government in the in the _______________________case?”
____________/50: The opinion of the author on the verdict is clear and the question
is answered thoroughly throughout the essay.
____________/30: Thesis is adequately defended in class roundtable discussion* (5
minutes each)
____________/200: TOTAL
*If you are absent for roundtable discussion, you must set a time with Mr. Meli after school or during 1st or 2nd period study hall/open period to defend thesis in order to receive points*
Paper Due Date: Tuesday, 6/15/2010
*Discussion Dates: 6/15 & 6/16
10% off (20 points) each class day late. No papers will be accepted after 6/18.
Hard copy must be submitted at the start of class on 6/15 to receive full credit (don’t ask me to allow you to print your paper on 6/15)
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