This section covers the first half of my 11th. grade Elective Class.
However, it is also a key part of the regular United States History curriculum.
Opening Day Presentation
This link opens to the Course Syllabus for the Government Elective class.
However, it is also a key part of the regular United States History curriculum.
Opening Day Presentation
This link opens to the Course Syllabus for the Government Elective class.
Please Note: This is NOT a politics class. We are here to learn about the government.
Personal political opinions are to be kept out of discussions and the overall learning process.
Thank You!
The Fundamentals of the United States Government
The opening lesson for this unit is called Government Overview and it provides an excellent introduction to the course.
The first four documents in the remainder of this section are critical to understanding the political system of the nation. What is Democracy? is a short handout that discusses the importance of the structure and the question of What is Capitalism and does it affect our lives is answered in this document. It is essential to know the key words that are used throughout the curriculum and a good place to start is downloading a Government vocabulary list of key terminology to know for the course. Finally, the Government and Economic Systems chart helps explain the subject a little more clearly.
Special Assignment: What is Democracy? short answer question
The opening lesson for this unit is called Government Overview and it provides an excellent introduction to the course.
The first four documents in the remainder of this section are critical to understanding the political system of the nation. What is Democracy? is a short handout that discusses the importance of the structure and the question of What is Capitalism and does it affect our lives is answered in this document. It is essential to know the key words that are used throughout the curriculum and a good place to start is downloading a Government vocabulary list of key terminology to know for the course. Finally, the Government and Economic Systems chart helps explain the subject a little more clearly.
Special Assignment: What is Democracy? short answer question
Geography of the United States
The following two links are a Physical geography map of the United States and various outline maps of the United States which are an integral part of the curriculum. It is essential to know each region and specific location of different parts of the nation.
The following two links are a Physical geography map of the United States and various outline maps of the United States which are an integral part of the curriculum. It is essential to know each region and specific location of different parts of the nation.
The History behind the formation of the government of the United States of America
Early America
Who were the First Americans? This handout shows from where they were located and the Native American Cultural Areas chart and the Native American Indian Tribal map add more information about their tribal lifestyles. When Columbus arrived in 1492 he began the process of Western European domination of the New World.
How did the Europeans treat the Native Americans? The answers can be found in this handout. In addition, the European colonies in the Americas chart gives more details as to the regions claimed in the Americas.
The Puritan Migrations to the Americas and the Mayflower Compact are integral parts of early American government as they create the first democratic society in the Western Hemisphere.
The map of The Thirteen Colonies and a document handout on Why did they come to America? explain more about the structure and format of the British control of North America. The need for agricultural and domestic labor is closely linked to the political systems created in early America. The Beginning of Slavery in America handout accompanied by the Mercantilism in North America handout and the Slavery on Long Island extracts discuss these needs in detail.
A very interesting document (extracted from the original) is the speech by Frederick Douglass which has become known as What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? as it was given in 1852 yet is relevant to the events of recent times.
Road to Revolution
Changes in philosophy across Western Europe led to the Enlightenment ideas about government and combined with key political events prior to the American Revolution changed the shape of the American colonial political system. Benjamin Franklin called for The Albany Plan of the Union. It was not passed by those in attendance but it did create the famous Join or Die cartoon and this document shows the image and come with key questions to answer.
Political unrest in the colonies begins during the Imperial Wars and Colonial Protest and a break from the dominance from the mother country, Britain, is the Olive Branch Petition. However, despite peaceful attempts, the colonists took matters into their own hands as seen with the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. Not every colonists wanted to part ways with Britain and the following handouts is an argument about independence between Thomas Paine and John Dickinson.
The Declaration of Independence was written in July of 1776 and the following contains some of the key components of the Declaration of Independence. The American Revolution power point covers some of the events that took place in the nation's fight for political freedom. During the Revolutionary War there was a need for a new government to replace the British tyranny and the first attempt was seen in this Articles of Confederation power point. However, it was not a success and the response of the key political powers in America called for the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
Changes in philosophy across Western Europe led to the Enlightenment ideas about government and combined with key political events prior to the American Revolution changed the shape of the American colonial political system. Benjamin Franklin called for The Albany Plan of the Union. It was not passed by those in attendance but it did create the famous Join or Die cartoon and this document shows the image and come with key questions to answer.
Political unrest in the colonies begins during the Imperial Wars and Colonial Protest and a break from the dominance from the mother country, Britain, is the Olive Branch Petition. However, despite peaceful attempts, the colonists took matters into their own hands as seen with the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. Not every colonists wanted to part ways with Britain and the following handouts is an argument about independence between Thomas Paine and John Dickinson.
The Declaration of Independence was written in July of 1776 and the following contains some of the key components of the Declaration of Independence. The American Revolution power point covers some of the events that took place in the nation's fight for political freedom. During the Revolutionary War there was a need for a new government to replace the British tyranny and the first attempt was seen in this Articles of Confederation power point. However, it was not a success and the response of the key political powers in America called for the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
How the Government Works Today
During the summer of 1787, fifty-five men gathered in Philadelphia and after many weeks of deliberation created the Constitution of the United States of America. The new laws for the nation replaced the old ones as seen in the handout of the Articles of Confederation versus the Constitution.
The Seven Basic Principles of the Constitution shows the ideas and concepts that were created in Philadelphia, that are still critical to our government today. Once completed, the Constitution had to be ratified by the thirteen states but it was not without controversy. Those for a strong central government, known as Federalists, approved the original document but those for States and Individual Rights, Anti-Federalists, petitioned for the people and the following document is a copy of the Bill of Rights which are the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States. They are further explained in the Bill of Rights power point. Very few changes have been made to the Constitution since 1787 and they can be found in the following document illustrating the Twenty Seven Amendments to the Constitution.
How the system works is found in this lengthy but crucial handout on the Structure and Function of Government.
in the above handout is one page that covers how a bill is created and passed but I recently found a simplified version that is a one-page chart on How a Bill becomes a Law. In addition, the President has the power to sign Executive Orders and this short handout covers this right plus other important items such as proclamations that he can create without Congressional approval.
We have a bicameral Congress in America and the following is a table of the Differences between the House and the Senate. The United States of America has a unique way of electing a President and it is a political issue every four years. To better explain this system I have created the Electoral College System lesson and accompanied by the presentation on the Electoral College System and a handout of How elections are conducted lesson, the debate over the popular vote versus the electoral vote is answered.
To remove a president or a Supreme Court judge from office here must be an impeachment trial. This link goes to a chart that was crated by the BBC in England that shows the stages of the impeachment trial of President Trump.
During the summer of 1787, fifty-five men gathered in Philadelphia and after many weeks of deliberation created the Constitution of the United States of America. The new laws for the nation replaced the old ones as seen in the handout of the Articles of Confederation versus the Constitution.
The Seven Basic Principles of the Constitution shows the ideas and concepts that were created in Philadelphia, that are still critical to our government today. Once completed, the Constitution had to be ratified by the thirteen states but it was not without controversy. Those for a strong central government, known as Federalists, approved the original document but those for States and Individual Rights, Anti-Federalists, petitioned for the people and the following document is a copy of the Bill of Rights which are the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States. They are further explained in the Bill of Rights power point. Very few changes have been made to the Constitution since 1787 and they can be found in the following document illustrating the Twenty Seven Amendments to the Constitution.
How the system works is found in this lengthy but crucial handout on the Structure and Function of Government.
in the above handout is one page that covers how a bill is created and passed but I recently found a simplified version that is a one-page chart on How a Bill becomes a Law. In addition, the President has the power to sign Executive Orders and this short handout covers this right plus other important items such as proclamations that he can create without Congressional approval.
We have a bicameral Congress in America and the following is a table of the Differences between the House and the Senate. The United States of America has a unique way of electing a President and it is a political issue every four years. To better explain this system I have created the Electoral College System lesson and accompanied by the presentation on the Electoral College System and a handout of How elections are conducted lesson, the debate over the popular vote versus the electoral vote is answered.
To remove a president or a Supreme Court judge from office here must be an impeachment trial. This link goes to a chart that was crated by the BBC in England that shows the stages of the impeachment trial of President Trump.
Special Section: The 2020 Presidential Election
Special Assignment: Who would you vote for in this Presidential Election? You may have a preconceived idea based on your own values and family culture but are you 100% sure that you have the right party? One way to find out is to complete the Election Issues and Priorities Project.
Whoever wins the Presidential Election must have 270 or more Electoral College Votes to Win. A great way to understand how the figure of 270 is reached is to look at the interactive map on the website 270toWin.
Whoever wins the Presidential Election must have 270 or more Electoral College Votes to Win. A great way to understand how the figure of 270 is reached is to look at the interactive map on the website 270toWin.
Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
This section covers Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and focuses around key Supreme Court cases, the verdicts from which have changed American society. Make sure you fully understand the following as they reoccur as key parts of the AP U.S. History and New York State Regents examinations. What are the key differences between Civil Rights and Civil Liberties? Many of the answers are found in this handout.
In 1948, the United Nations created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Human Rights Day is December 10 of every year. Its purpose was to bring peace to the world. Everyone in the world has 30 Human Rights and this link opens to a list of what these rights cover. In class I show some videos from Youth For Human Rights International and I encourage you to visit their educating and special site.
This section covers Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and focuses around key Supreme Court cases, the verdicts from which have changed American society. Make sure you fully understand the following as they reoccur as key parts of the AP U.S. History and New York State Regents examinations. What are the key differences between Civil Rights and Civil Liberties? Many of the answers are found in this handout.
In 1948, the United Nations created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Human Rights Day is December 10 of every year. Its purpose was to bring peace to the world. Everyone in the world has 30 Human Rights and this link opens to a list of what these rights cover. In class I show some videos from Youth For Human Rights International and I encourage you to visit their educating and special site.
Key Supreme Court Cases
Before you look at the specific court cases, the 14th Amendment is a key to better understanding the events of several of these cases and this handout covers the changes that took place after the Civil War.
The first case to be studied establishes the concept of Judicial review and is the subject of the midnight judges in Marbury versus Madison. The Era of the Common Man and the Presidency of Andrew Jackson gives rise to the Worcester versus Georgia case and the Trail of Tears which creates the Indian Removal Act where Native Americans were forced off their lands and sent westward to reservations. The issue of slave and non-slave states is the issue behind the case of Dred Scott versus Sanford that leads to more arguments over slavery prior to the Civil War. Plessy versus Ferguson in the late 1800's sets the precedence for "Separate but Equal" and the rise of the Jim Crow laws.
When the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor on December 7th. 1941 many Japanese Americans living on the West Coast were thought to be "clear and present danger" to society so Executive Order 9066 was passed calling for the removal and Internment of these people and this handout includes the case of Korematsu versus the United States.
The right to education at the school of ones choice is the issue behind the case of Brown versus Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, the story of a little girl called Linda Brown who wants to go to the school closest to her home but she cannot due to her color. An excellent teaching tool are pictures and these four on the handout tell two different stories about the end of school segregation. They promote interesting class discussions when used correctly.
Times were drastically changing in America with the start of the 1960's. Civil Rights Legislation came from the protests and boycotts illustrated in this Civil Rights Movement presentation.
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My 2020/2021 student, Atara, sent me the following link to a powerful song called "Glory" by Common and John Legend. The video link on the left and the Word document below containing the lyrics will validate and highlight the events of the Civil Rights Movement in America. Thank you Atara, it is great!
Lyrics to "Glory" by Common and John Legend. |
Other cases changed American society in different ways. The case of Engel versus Vitale begins in New Hyde Park, Long Island, New York and covers the issue of prayers in public schools. The case of Gideon versus Wainwright is about a pauper who is incarcerated and uses his constitutional right to have a lawyer appointed for him in a minor left case. The right to a lawyer and representation is further determined in the landmark case of Miranda versus Arizona that results in the famous Miranda Rights and the Miranda card carried by all police officers.
The final case is about the rights of women in the Roe versus Wade case and this ruling is still contested in American today.
The final case is about the rights of women in the Roe versus Wade case and this ruling is still contested in American today.
