Saturday, February 27, 2010

Homework for Week of March 1-8

Trip to Annapolis State House Monday March 29 - anyone interested please let me know by March 15...need drivers if available...Trip to Gettysburg Mon April 5. Details in HIS March newsletter.

Assignment 1 - Study for Quiz on Amendments 11-27. Study guide available on last week's HW posting and also posted below

Assignment 2 - Be prepared for oral presentation on Conversations with C.S. Lewis if you have not done your presentation yet. All presentations will be completed by Mon March 15 - BE PREPARED....NO EXCUSES!!

Assignment 3 - Develop a clear yes/no question that will serve as the main question for your debate assignment. Develop at least three subquestions that will be used to develop and flesh out the debate as you go along. Write these down and bring to class to turn in for approval. If you have not given me a topic to approve, write it down on your HW and submit to me no later than Monday March 8

Assignment 4 - Go to the link below on "How a Bill Becomes Law." Read the article and answer the questions below. This will be counted as a take home quiz grade!!

http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_law.html

Questions ( to be counted as quiz grade!)

1. A bill must pass both houses of Congress by a ___________ vote.

2. The bill becomes a law if the president ______ it.

3. If the president rejects the bill, it is referred to as a ______.

4. If rejected, the bill returns to Congress and must be passed by both houses of Congress by a _____ majority. (what fraction)

5. If this occurs, the bill becomes law without the president's approval. This called _______________________(3 words)

6. If the president chooses to take no action on a bill and Congress adjourns before ten days has passed, the bill fails. This is known as a ______________.(2 words)

7. Bills usually originate from several different sources, but primarily form ___________________________________________.

8. Bills can be introduced in either house of Congress, but bills for raising revenue must originate in the ____________ and never in the ____________.

9. Both houses of Congress are divided into large groups called _____________, with most of them divided yet again into smaller groups called _________________.

10. Once a bill is introduced, it is assigned to a Committee. Hearings are held in subcommittee at which time witnesses testify in support of the bill and questions may be asked. Once the hearings are held, the subcommittee does what to see if the bill should proceed to the full committee? ________________

11. Some broader bills are voted for in Committee. If the bill is defeated, it dies. If accepted, what is attached to the bill and where does it go from there? ______________________________________________________________

12. What is the Committee of the Whole and what does it do? ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

13. Can a bill be killed in the Committee of the Whole? _____

14. Can the Committee of the Whole amend the bill?

15. What is a 'poison pill?" ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

16. Amendments added to a bill can be voted on in two ways. name them __________
_____________________________________________________________

17. The House of Representatives prints published bills on ______ paper.

18. In the Senate, bills can either be put up for a simple voice vote or placed on _____________________________________________________________

19. Initially, each senator has ______ minutes to speak on a bill. After amendments are offered, senators can speak for _________________________________.

20. What is a 'filibuster?' ___________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

21. Can a single member of the Senate speak forever without giving up the floor? _____

22. The filibuster can be an effective tool for _______________ or for _______________________________________.

23. Briefly describe what is the purpose of a 'conference.' ______________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

24. Who receives a 'veto message' and what does the message include? ____________
_____________________________________________________________

25. Once a bill becomes a law, it is transmitted to the _________________________.

26. What is a 'slip law?' ____________________________________________

27. What is the 'Statutes at Large?' ____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________


Assignment 5 - Last opportunity to turn in any assignments still outstanding for point credit. Very important!!!




STUDY GUIDE FOR AMENDMENT 11 - 27 QUIZ for Quiz on March 8


Amendment 11 - RESTRICTION OF LAWSUITS - ratified 1795 - persons living in a different state or foreign country cannot sue a state in federal courts.

Amendment 12 - ELECTORAL COLLEGE CORRECTIONS - ratified 1804 - this amendment was proposed and ratified after the controversial 1800 election between John Adams, Aaron Burr, and Thomas Jefferson. The amendment corrects some flaws in the electoral college process described in Article I of the Constitution. The amendment states that if no presidential candidate wins a majority (more than half) of the electoral college vote, then the House of Representatives, voting by state, (each state delegation gets one vote) chooses the president and the Senate chooses the vice president.

Amendment 13 - ENDED SLAVERY IN ALL OF US - ratified 1865 - Constitutional amendment declaring slavery illegal everywhere in the United States of America. Amendment followed the American Civil War, which resulted in the death of over 620,000 Americans between 1861-1865.

Amendment 14 -- CITIZENSHIP AND DUE PROCESS TO BLACK AMERICANS - ratified 1868 - States that anyone born or naturalized in the United States are citizens of the United States and that every citizen in every state is entitled to due process (equality and fairness under law) according to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Laws in every state legislature and the federal legislature must be enacted in a way that treats all people equally. This amendment has been used to apply the Bill of Rights in the federal Constitution to every state.

Amendment 15 -- VOTING RIGHTS GUARANTEED FOR BLACK AMERICANS - ratified 1870 -- Neither state governments nor the federal government can stop people from voting because of their race or restrict their vote because they were once slaves. This amendment was enforced in the 1870's, but then for almost 100 years, state laws were allowed to restrict or bar many citizens from voting. This process of discrimination was finally ended with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one hundred years after the end of the Civil War.

Amendment 16 -- INCOME TAX ALLOWED - ratified 1913 -- Congress has the authority to impose a tax on individual income.

Amendment 17 -- VOTING FOR SENATORS CHANGED TO POPULAR VOTE - ratified 1913 -- This amendment changed the voting for Senators to the federal Congress from state legislatures to a direct vote of the people. This changed Art I, Section 3 of the original Constitution. When there is an unexpected vacancy of a Senate seat (through retirement, impeachment, death, etc...), the state governor can appoint a temporary replacement until an election can be held to fill the position.

Amendment 18 -- PROHIBITION OF ALCOHOL - ratified 1919 -- Amendment banned the manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcohol within or into the United States. This amendment was known as Prohibition.

Amendment 19 -- WOMEN GIVEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN US ratified 1920 -- Gave women the right to vote (suffrage) in all of the United States.

Amendment 20 -- INAUGURATION DATE CHANGED - ratified 1933 -- Changes inauguration date for president and vice president from March 4 to January 20. Members of Congress assume office on Jan 3 after their election. If a president-elect dies before inauguration day, the vice-president-elect assumes the office of president. If an election is in dispute on inauguration day, the Congress may choose an acting president until the determination of a president can be made final.

Amendment 21 -- PROHIBITION REPEALED - ratified 1933 -- The ban on alcohol known as Prohibition (the 18th amendment) was repealed with the 21st amendment. States retain the right to regulate alcohol. This marks the only instance in which a previous amendment was repealed.

Amendment 22 -- TERM LIMIT FOR PRESIDENT - ratified 1951 -- No person can be elected to more than two terms as president. This amendment passed in reaction to Franklin Roosevelt being elected to four terms. If a person assumes the presidency and serves out less than two years of another person's term, that person can be elected twice. If a person assumes the presidency and serves out more than two years of another person's term, that person can be elected only once. (Essentially, this states that one person can serve no more than 10 years in office.)

Amendment 23 -- VOTING RIGHTS FOR WASHINGTON DC - ratified 1961 -- States that residents of Washington D.C. can vote in presidential elections and Washington DC has the number of electoral votes of the least populous state (currently 3 electoral votes)

Amendment 24 -- NO POLL TAX ALLOWED - ratified 1964 -- No person can be barred from voting because they have not paid a poll tax - a special tax on voters, used historically in the south to prevent black Americans from voting in elections

Amendment 25 -- RULES ON PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION - ratified 1967 -- States that if the president resigns, leaves, is removed, or dies, the vice president assumes the presidency. If a vice president resigns, leaves, is removed, or dies, the president can appoint a replacement, subject to the approval of a majority of both houses of Congress. The vice president and a majority of cabinet members can strip the POTUS of powers if they certify to Congress that the POTUS is incapable of doing his/her job. The POTUS can regain his/her power by notifying Congress that he/she is fit for work. If the vice-president and a majority of the cabinet disagree, the POTUS retains his/her power unless 2/3 of both houses of Congress vote that he/she is unfit.

Amendment 26 -- VOTING AGE LOWERED TO 18 - ratified 1971 -- Reduced the minimum voting age in the United States from 21 to 18 for all federal, state, and local elections.

Amendment 27 -- LIMIT ON PAY INCREASES FOR CONGRESS - ratified 1992 -- States that pay rates of members of Congress cannot be changed until an election for the House of Representatives has occurred. This amendment prevents Congress from giving themselves an immediate pay increase. This amendment was first proposed with the original Bill of Rights, but was not ratified until 1992

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Homework for Week Feb 22 - March 1

Assignment 1 - ***** ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS - IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE CHANGE IN QUIZ DATE ***** QUIZ ON AMENDMENTS 11 - 27 WILL NOT BE HELD ON MON MARCH 1 - INSTEAD, THE QUIZ WILL BE HELD ON MON MARCH 8 -- Study for Amendment 10-27 quiz on March 8 STUDY GUIDE IS POSTED BELOW - PLEASE STUDY EARLY AND OFTEN!!!!

Assignment 2 - Read "Conversations with C.S. Lewis" and be prepared for oral presentation on favorite chapter on March 1. DID NOT HAVE PRESENTATIONS ON THE 22nd...THEY WILL RESUME ON MARCH 1. EVERYONE BE PREPARED!!!!!!

Assignment 3
- We will discuss your second half project on Mon March 1 - Topic or issue (or two if you just can't decide) you choose to develop a debate on must be turned in for approval on March 1. Projects will be due on Mon May 3. You may go through the debatepedia web site topics to get some ideas on a topic you may wish to cover in your project

Assignment 4 - Go to the links below and read the articles listed. Write a brief summary of the main points of the article and your opinion concerning the authors worldview/conclusions.

http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/cdf/onug/detocq.html

http://www.probe.org/site/c.fdKEIMNsEoG/b.4220821/k.1276/The_Declaration_and_Constitution_Their_Christian_Roots.htm

http://a12iggymom.vox.com/library/post/american-progressivism-rj-pestritto.html

http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5097

Assignment 5 - For those to whom it applies - please complete ALL outstanding assignments and turn in asap via email or in class. This is VERY IMPORTANT.


STUDY GUIDE FOR AMENDMENT 11 - 27 QUIZ for Quiz on March 8


Amendment 11 - RESTRICTION OF LAWSUITS - ratified 1795 - persons living in a different state or foreign country cannot sue a state in federal courts.

Amendment 12 - ELECTORAL COLLEGE CORRECTIONS - ratified 1804 - this amendment was proposed and ratified after the controversial 1800 election between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. The amendment corrects some flaws in the electoral college process described in Article I of the Constitution. The amendment states that if no presidential candidate wins a majority (more than half) of the electoral college vote, then the House of Representatives, voting by state, (each state delegation gets one vote) choses the president and the Senate chooses the vice president.

Amendment 13 - ENDED SLAVERY IN ALL OF US - ratified 1865 - Constitutional amendment declaring slavery illegal everywhere in the United States of America. Amendment followed the American Civil War, which resulted in the death of over 620,000 Americans between 1861-1865.

Amendment 14 -- CITIZENSHIP AND DUE PROCESS TO BLACK AMERICANS - ratified 1868 - States that anyone born or naturalized in the United States are citizens of the United States and that every citizen in every state is entitled to due process (equality and fairness under law) according to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Laws in every state legislature and the federal legislature must be enacted in a way that treats all people equally. This amendment has been used to apply the Bill of Rights in the federal Constitution to every state.

Amendment 15 -- VOTING RIGHTS GUARANTEED FOR BLACK AMERICANS - ratified 1870 -- Neither state governments nor the federal government can stop people from voting because of their race or restrict their vote because they were once slaves. This amendment was enforced in the 1870's, but then for almost 100 years, state laws were allowed to restrict or bar many citizens from voting. This process of discrimination was finally ended with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one hundred years after the end of the Civil War.

Amendment 16 -- INCOME TAX ALLOWED - ratified 1913 -- Congress has the authority to impose a tax on individual income.

Amendment 17 -- VOTING FOR SENATORS CHANGED TO POPULAR VOTE - ratified 1913 -- This amendment changed the voting for Senators to the federal Congress from state legislatures to a direct vote of the people. This changed Art I, Section 3 of the original Constitution. When there is an unexpected vacancy of a Senate seat (through retirement, impeachment, death, etc...), the state governor can appoint a temporary replacement until an election can be held to fill the position.

Amendment 18 -- PROHIBITION OF ALCOHOL - ratified 1919 -- Amendment banned the manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcohol within or into the United States. This amendment was known as Prohibition.

Amendment 19 -- WOMEN GIVEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN US ratified 1920 -- Gave women the right to vote (suffrage) in all of the United States.

Amendment 20 -- INAUGURATION DATE CHANGED - ratified 1933 -- Changes inauguration date for president and vice president from March 4 to January 20. Members of Congress assume office on Jan 3 after their election. If a president-elect dies before inauguration day, the vice-president-elect assumes the office of president. If an election is in dispute on inauguration day, the Congress may choose an acting president until the determination of a president can be made final.

Amendment 21 -- PROHIBITION REPEALED - ratified 1933 -- The ban on alcohol known as Prohibition (the 18th amendment) was repealed with the 21st amendment. States retain the right to regulate alcohol. This marks the only instance in which a previous amendment was repealed.

Amendment 22 -- TERM LIMIT FOR PRESIDENT - ratified 1951 -- No person can be elected to more than two terms as president. This amendment passed in reaction to Franklin Roosevelt being elected to four terms. If a person assumes the presidency and serves out less than two years of another person's term, that person can be elected twice. If a person assumes the presidency and serves out more than two years of another person's term, that person can be elected only once. (Essentially, this states that one person can serve no more than 10 years in office.)

Amendment 23 -- VOTING RIGHTS FOR WASHINGTON DC - ratified 1961 -- States that residents of Washington D.C. can vote in presidential elections and Washington DC has the number of electoral votes of the least populous state (currently 3 electoral votes)

Amendment 24 -- NO POLL TAX ALLOWED - ratified 1964 -- No person can be barred from voting because they have not paid a poll tax - a special tax on voters, used historically in the south to prevent black Americans from voting in elections

Amendment 25 -- RULES ON PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION - ratified 1967 -- States that if the president resigns, leaves, is removed, or dies, the vice president assumes the presidency. If a vice president resigns, leaves, is removed, or dies, the president can appoint a replacement, subject to the approval of a majority of both houses of Congress. The vice president and a majority of cabinet members can strip the POTUS of powers if they certify to Congress that the POTUS is incapable of doing his/her job. The POTUS can regain his/her power by notifying Congress that he/she is fit for work. If the vice-presiednt and a majority of the cabinet disagree, the POTUS retains his/her power unless 2/3 of both houses of Congress vote that he/she is unfit.

Amendment 26 -- VOTING AGE LOWERED TO 18 - ratified 1971 -- Reduced the minimum voting age in the United States from 21 to 18 for all federal, state, and local elections.

Amendment 27 -- LIMIT ON PAY INCREASES FOR CONGRESS - ratified 1992 -- States that pay rates of members of Congress cannot be changed until an election for the House of Representatives has occurred. This amendment prevents Congress from giving themselves an immediate pay increase. This amendment was first proposed with the original Bill of Rights, but was not ratified until 1992.