U.S. Government Midterm
Hurricane Katrina Readings Analysis
Mr. Morgana, Fall Semester 2015
DUE DATE: SUNDAY OCTOBER 18 BY 11:59PM
EMAILED TO: PMORGANA@ANIMO.ORG
THIS IS WORTH 2500 POINTS
Instructions:
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Use the 5 articles we have read for class
Use the 2 videos from class
Use Wasserman Ch 2 The Constitution
CHOOSE ONE PROMPT TO RESPOND TO
Each response should IDENTIFY the author’s claims, ANALYZE the evidence
presented, and COMMENT on that argument and evidence
You may use any quote or section of readings
Your response should be BETWEEN 900-1,000 WORDS (ROUGHLY 4 PAGES)
MLA FORMAT
WORKS CITED ALSO MUST BE INCLUDED
Essential Question(s) to put readings in context:
What went wrong in New Orleans?
How can the structure of our government help to avoid the collapse of our democracy?
Prompt 1:
Many of the documents reviewed will present a defined approach to the role of government
during a crisis. The following citation from one of the sources is an example of that approach:
“We live in an era when government is viewed by many Americans as the problem, not the
solution. But catastrophes like Hurricane Sandy remind us why we need government, both to
protect us from devastation and to quickly restore civilized society when devastation occurs.”
To what extent do you AGREE or DISAGREE with the passage.
Identify another source that addresses this claim and explain TWO ways in which that source
supports that claim.
U.S. Government Midterm
Hurricane Katrina Readings Analysis
Mr. Morgana, Fall Semester 2015
Prompt 2:
According to what you have learned from the multiple sources as well as the academic
discussion, there were many failures on the part of government that did not provide protection of
both freedom and order during the crisis of Hurricane Katrina.
Select TWO of the following categories of failures of government and EXPLAIN how
government failed to protect the citizens of New Orleans.
Categories of Failures to choose from:
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Slow response time
Lack of Communication
Unclear roles and responsibilities
USE TWO sources as evidence for your explanation
Prompt 3:
Natural disasters of any kind continually test the preparedness and structures in place of any
government. Some have argued how a government responds to those crisis is a measure of their
effectiveness. The following citation depicts this idea:
"What we had in New Orleans is a growing disaster: The hurricane hit, that was one disaster;
then the levees broke, that was another disaster; then the floods came; that became a third
disaster."
DEFINE the failed state. Do you AGREE or DISAGREE that the Katrina disaster proves that
the United States government is a failed state?
EXPLAIN your rationale (thoughts) using TWO sources as evidence.
U.S. Government Midterm
Hurricane Katrina Readings Analysis
Mr. Morgana, Fall Semester 2015
Prompt 4:
Wasserman states on pages 26-27 that the four principles of the Constitution are: Separation of
powers & Checks and Balances; federalism, limited government & judicial review.
DEFINE each of the four principles of the Constitution.
On Page 37, Wasserman quotes William Gladstone that the Constitution as “the most wonderful
work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and the purpose of man.”
To what extent do you AGREE or DISAGREE with Gladstone in context of the collapse of
democracy during the Hurricane Katrina Crisis.
Use AT LEAST ONE OTHER source to help explain your argument