American Government
Unit 1 Our Political Foundations
A Day
B Day
1/9
1/10
1/11
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1/12
1/16
1/17
1/18
1/19
1/20
1/23
1/24
1/25
1/26
1/27
1/30
1/31
2/1
2/2
2/3
2/6
2/7
2/8
2/9
2/10
2/13
2/14
2/15
Topic
Course Info and Introductions
Get Books
Purpose and Forms of Government
Concepts of Democracy
History Review
The Declaration of Independence
The Articles of Confederation
Library Introduction/Current Event Projects
Writing the Constitution
Ratifying the Constitution
Principles of the Constitution
Formally Amending the Constitution
Informally Amending the Constitution
Constitution Treasure Hunt
The Constitution Power Grab Game
1st/3rd Period-GROUP 1 CURRENT EVENT
Federalism
Federal Government and the States
4th/5th Period-GROUP 1 CURRENT EVENT
Interstate Relations
1st/3rd Period-GROUP 2 CURRENT EVENT
Unit 1 Test REVIEW
Unit 1 Test
st
END OF 1 GRADING PERIOD
4th/5th Period- GROUP 2 CURRENT
EVENT
Book
Work Due
1.1-1.2
1.3
Letter
Terms 1-4
2.1-2.2
Terms 5-8
2.3
Terms 9-12
2.4-2.5
Terms 13-16
3.1-3.2
Terms 17-20
3.3
Terms 21-24
Terms 25-28
Group 1 CE
4.1
4.2
4.3
Terms 29-32
Terms 33-34
Group 1 CE
Group 2 CE
Group 2 CE
Unit 1 Key Vocabulary Terms
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
1.1
Government
Public Policy
Legislative Power
Executive Power
Judicial Power
6)
7)
8)
9)
1.2
Autocracy
Oligarchy
Division of Powers
Confederation
1.3
10) Compromise
11) Law of Supply and Demand
12) Mixed Economy
13)
14)
15)
16)
2.1
Limited Government
Representative Government
Bicameral
Unicameral
2.2
17) Delegate
18) Boycott
19) Repeal
2.3
20) Articles of Confederation
21) Ratification
2.4
22) Framers
2.5
23) Federalists
24) Anti-Federalists
3.2
25) Amendment
26) Formal Amendment
27) Bill of Rights
3.3
28) Electoral College
29) Cabinet
30) Senatorial Courtesy
4.2
31) Enabling Act
32) Act of Admission
4.3
33) Interstate Compact
34) Full Faith and Credit Clause
1.1- Government and the State
Warmup: Imagine that from an early age you were free to do whatever you wanted,
without parental oversight. What would your life have been like?
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1) What is Government?
2) What are the four criteria for a state?
3) What are the SIX purposes of government?
a) Form a more perfect unionb) Establish Justicec) Insure Domestic Tranquilityd) Provide for the Common Defensee) Promote the General Welfaref) Secure the Blessings of Liberty-
4) Two broad purposes of American government—insuring domestic tranquility and
securing the blessings of liberty—sometimes come into conflict. Considering this, do
you agree or disagree with Benjamin Franklin's view: "They that can give up essential
liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"? Explain
your reasons.
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1.2- Forms of Government
Warmup: What comes to mind when you think of the word dictator? What do you think
of when you hear the word democracy?
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1) How is a Democracy different from a Dictatorship?
2) How is a Unitary Government different from a Federal Government?
3) Based on the chart on Page 15:
a) How are Brazil and the United States similar?
b) How are Costa Rica and Cuba different?
c) How are The United States and India different?
4) Who chooses the prime minister in a Parliamentary Government?
5) Circle the THREE terms in the following list that accurately describe the U.S.
Government: Unitary, federal, confederate, presidential, parliamentary,
dictatorship, democracy.
6) In your opinion, which form of government is more EFFICIENT; Democracy or
Dictatorship? Explain in AT LEAST 4 sentences.
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1.3 Basic Concepts of Democracy
Warmup: Freedom is an important concept for citizens in the United States. What does
freedom mean to you? Do you feel that your freedom is limited? How? Why? Is this a
good thing or a bad thing?
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1) How does the American concept of democracy rest on each of the following basic
ideas?
i) Worth of the Individualii) Equality of All Personsiii) Majority Rule, Minority Rightsiv) Necessity of Compromisev) Individual Freedom2) What is the free enterprise system?
3) What are two examples of how the government protects the public?
4) What are examples of how the government preserves private enterprise?
2.1 Our Political Beginnings
Warmup: List several things you consider basic human rights or freedoms. Where did
you get these ideas?
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1) What are two offices or units of government created from English tradition?
2) What does the concept of limited government say?
3) The idea of “government of, by, and for the people” is called ___________________.
4) What (in general terms) did the Magna Carta, The Petition of Right, and the English
Bill of Rights do to the king, and the people?
2.2 The Coming of Independence
Warmup: In the summer of 2010, the Miami Heat basketball team signed 3 of the top 10
players in the world. However, they did not win the NBA Championship. Why do you
think this team fell short of its goal?
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1) What is a confederation?
2) What were the main ideas from the Albany Plan of Union?
3) Why did the colonists support a boycott of English goods?
4) What was the primary suggestion created by the First Continental Congress?
5) In what ways was the Second Continental Congress the first national government of
the United States?
6) What is nearly 2/3rds of the Declaration of Independence about?
7) What does the principle of popular sovereignty state?
8) Why did each state constitution contain the concept of limited government?
9) Why were the ideas of civil rights and liberties included in many state constitutions?
10) How do the concepts of separation of powers and checks and balances add to the
concept of limited government?
11) After watching and reading the Declaration of Independence, what (in your opinion)
are the three worst things the King did against the American Colonies? Explain your
choices.
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2.3 The Critical Period
Warmup: Imagine that a revolutionary new computer software program has just come
out. Do you think that it would immediately run free of glitches? Why or why not?
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1) What were the Articles of Confederation?
2) What were three of the nine powers of Congress under the Articles of Confederation?
3) What were three of the six obligations of the States under the Articles of
Confederation?
4) Why were each of the following considered weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation?
i) One vote for each State, regardless of size
ii) Congress was unable to create or collect taxes or duties
iii) Congress was unable to regulate foreign or interstate commerce
iv) There wasn’t an executive (President) to enforce acts of Congress
v) No national court system
vi) ALL States must agree to amend a law
vii) A 9/13 majority is needed to pass a law
viii)
The Articles of Confederation simply created a “firm league of friendship”
5) What prompted the meeting between Maryland and Virginia in Mount Vernon?
6) Was the meeting at Annapolis successful or not? Explain.
2.4 Creating the Constitution
Warmup: Write about a time when you were forced to compromise. Was it difficult?
Why or why not?
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1) What were the backgrounds of the framers of the Constitution?
2) What was the “momentous decision” made on May 30 in Philadelphia?
3) Use the information in your book to answer the following questions about the
Virginia and New Jersey plans.
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
Is Congress bicameral or
unicameral?
How do we decide how
many people represent each
state in Congress?
Is there a President or
Presidents?
How is this person (or
people) chosen?
How big is the Judicial
branch?
What was the goal of the
plan?
4) What did the Connecticut Compromise do?
5) Why was the 3/5ths Compromise an issue? (in the 1700s, not today)
6) What did the Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise do to the debate regarding the
slave trade?
2.5 Ratifying the Constitution
Warm-up: Write about a time when you were involved in (or witnessed) a heated debate
between two people/parties who felt strongly about their side of the issue. What kinds of
emotions came up in that situation?
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1) Was the Constitution immediately respected and admired in the United States? Why
or why not?
2) What did the Federalists say to support the new Constitution?
3) Why did the Anti-Federalists disagree with the Constitution? Give THREE reasons.
4) Why do you think Virginia and New York were considered key states?
5) What was The Federalist?
6) Do you think Flag Burning should be protected by the 1st Amendment? Write ONE
solid paragraph with AT LEAST 2 reasons why or why not?
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3.1 The Six Basic Principles of the Constitution
Warmup: Why do seemingly all organizations (schools, cities, clubs, sports, etc.) have
rules? Give at least two examples.
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1) About how long should it take you to read the Constitution?
2) Using the chart in your book, write what is covered in each article of the Constitution.
Preamble
Article I
Article II
Article III
Article IV
Article V
Article VI
Article VII
3) Based on the idea of Popular Sovereignty, who/what is the ONLY source for any and
all governmental power?
4) How do the following terms fit into the idea of Limited Government?
i) Constitutionalismii) Rule of Law-
5) How are the concepts of Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances different?
6) Based on the concept of Judicial Review, why do some people consider the judicial
branch to be the most important of the three branches?
7) Historically speaking, why did the framers support the idea of federalism in the
Constitution?
3.2 Formal Amendment
Warmup: What would happen if a group of baseball owners decided to move the
pitcher’s mound back five feet?
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1) What are the two methods of proposing a formal amendment to the Constitution?
2) What are the two methods of ratifying a formal amendment to the Constitution?
3) What is the most common method for amending the Constitution?
4) How does the formal amendment process demonstrate the principle of federalism?
5) Does the 8th Amendment apply to schools? Read the summary of Ingraham v. Wright
(1977) before giving your answer.
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3.3 Constitutional Change by Other Means
Warmup: How do popular music and clothing fads change over time? Who decides
what will be popular at any given time?
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1) Explain the following quote. “Congress has added flesh to the bones of …the
Constitution.” Give an example.
2) How are an executive agreement and a treaty similar?
3) How are an executive agreement and a treaty different?
4) How do court decisions result in changes to the Constitution?
5) What did George Washington say about political parties?
6) How do political parties create constitutional change? Give two examples of things
parties do that are NOT in the Constitution.
7) What is the Cabinet? How do cabinet members get their jobs?
8) Why didn’t Presidents seek a third term in office prior to FDR?
9) When Franklin Roosevelt broke the "no-third-term" tradition, did he violate the
Constitution? Explain your answer.
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4.1 Federalism: The Division of Power
Warmup: Who gets to make decisions in your family? Does anyone make ALL the
decisions, or are decisions split up? If so, how? Give 2 examples.
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1) What is Federalism?
2) How does the 10th Amendment spell out what the Constitution only implied?
3) Give two examples of state laws different than laws in California.
4) What is the concept of delegated powers?
5) What are the expressed powers? Where can they be found?
6) What are implied powers? What are two examples of implied powers?
7) What are inherent powers? What are two examples?
8) How can expressed, implied, and inherent powers be denied to the national
government?
9) What are the reserved powers? Give two examples.
10) What are two powers denied to states?
11) Using the chart on p. 93, give at least three examples of National Powers, Concurrent
Powers, and State Powers.
National Powers
Concurrent Powers
State Powers
12) What does the Supremacy Clause say about laws?
13) Read the article “More Power to the States” on p. 96.
(a) Why does Linda Chavez say more power should be returned to the states?
What are two of her reasons?
(b) Do you agree or disagree with Chavez? Give three examples to support why or
why not.
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4.2 The National Government and the 50 States
Warmup: If you are working on a group project, what are the three most important traits
you look for in a group member? Why did you pick the things you did?
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1) What is a Republican Form of Government (as promised by the Constitution to the
states)?
2) What does the federal government do in cases of invasion or internal disorder in
specific states? Give at least two examples.
3) What branch of government has the power to admit new States to the Union?
Cooperative Federalism and Grants
Grants- “Here’s some money.”
Block Grants- “here’s some money for education.” California can do anything they
want within education. Schools, Teacher salaries, busses, etc.
Categorical Grants- “here’s some money for education, but you can ONLY buy
busses.” California can take the money but it MUST be spent in the way it is described.
Formula Grants- States have to meet a formula. “California gets money IF they agree
to hire minority construction funds.”
Project Grants- Money given to the state for a specific project. “Here’s some money,
but you can ONLY fix 101 Freeway.”
4) Using the definitions above, create an example of each of the following.
a) Grant- Your parents give you $1000
b) Block Grant-
c) Categorical Grant-
d) Formula Grant-
e) Project Grant-
4.3 Interstate Relations
Warmup: Imagine you are going on a road trip from here to Seattle. How would you
feel if you had to get a passport and drivers license in Oregon and Washington to make
the trip? Also, if you became sick or injured, you must file paperwork with California
and the state you were visiting to receive treatment. Would you still want to take this
trip? Why or why not?
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1) What are three examples of interstate compacts?
2) How was Williams v. North Carolina a case regarding the full faith and credit clause?
3) What is extradition?
4) What does the privileges and immunities clause mean?
5) What are three examples where the privileges and immunities clause does not apply?
6) Why is it cheaper for you to attend Sonoma State than it is to attend Michigan State?
Is this fair or unfair? Give two reasons to support your answer.
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