BrionesSummer Assignment (APG & USG)1617

This is an exciting time to take U.S. Government & Politics, with the November elections a few short months away. If you’re eligible, please register to vote and then VOTE! It’s your civic privilege & duty.

Why a summer assignment? AP Gov’t has a lot of content; difficult to cover in a semester, especially when you’ll be spending a significant amount of time doing college apps.

Why current events? Because you live here, you should be able to have an intelligent conversation about what’s happening. Hopefully you’re having the conversations already with your parents and friends, but if not, now’s the time to start. And in an election year, the news practically teaches the course!

Directions: The following assignments will be graded based on the following criteria: following directions, correct answers, completion, and thoughtful analysis. This grade will count as the first 3 graded assignments of the fall semester. Students should also expect to participate in discussions and take a test during the first two weeks of class.

AP Gov’t & Politics: Assignments #1 & 2U.S. Government: Assignments #1

Due: August 23rd/24th, 2016

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Assignment #1Current Event BLOG: Election YearEdition

10 WEEKLY BLOG ENTRIES (there are 12 weeks in the summer, take a 2 week vacation, )

Purpose: It’s election season! People are declaring their candidacy and vying for their party’snomination.AlleyesareonNovember2016.Aswestudythisyear,currentevents will play an important role in understanding the workings of the U.S. Government, as well as the political system.

Directions: Create a blog page usingWordpress,WikispacesorGoogle Bloggerdedicated to this assignment, title it “DeBakey CE Portfolio/Blog” (the individual wiki or blog name is up to you).The articles must pertain to either election news or other topics we’ll study in gov’t: Congress, POTUS, SCOTUS, national legislation, federalism, or linkage institutions. You should read articles from different sources (suggestions below)to get a glimpse into how the media reports the news.Pick articles that interest you or you know something about already; that will make “your analysis” easier to write. Email your bloglink to me at with your (First Last) name in Subject Line by due date:

Please include the following in your blog:

1. Link to news article

2. Summary of the article in your own words.

3. Your analysis…what are your thoughts on topic? How is this relevant to you? To others? IMPRESS ME

News Sources:Campaign Issues:

ABC NewsAbortion

BBCBudget and Economy

BloombergCivil Rights (i.e. LGBT, Af-Am men/Police)

CBS NewsCorporations in politics ($$)

CNNCriminal Justice reform / Crime (is skyrocketing, fyi)

The EconomistDrugs (“Opioid overdoses kill 10 people in 12 days in Sacramento”

FOX NewsEducation

The GuardianEnvironment / Climate Change

TheHuffingtonPostForeign Policy / ISIS / N Korea

NBC NewsFreeTrade

The NewYorkerBank / Financial reform

The NewYorkTimesGun Control

National Public RadioHealth Care / Obamacare

PBSHomeland Security

The Wall Street JournalImmigration

Assignment #2The U.S. Constitution: A StudyGuide

Directions: Please print out the questions and neatly handwrite theanswers.

Part I: Read each section of the Constitution. In a couple of sentences, summarize the general purpose or subject of the preamble and each article in your own words.

Section / Summary / Quick Topic
Preamble
Article I
Article II
Article III
Article IV
Article V
Article VI
Article VII

Using the articles, answer the following questions. Cite where you can find the answers. For example, “Article I, Section1”.

  1. What are the constitutional requirements for members of the House?
  1. What are the constitutional requirements for members of the Senate?
  1. What are the constitutional requirements for the president?
  1. Identify two powers the Constitution prohibits from the States.
  1. Who has the power to declare war?
  1. Who is the president of the Senate and when may that person vote?
  1. What legislative body has the power of impeachment? And which body has thepower to try (act as a jury) an impeachedofficial?
  1. What vote is necessary to convict someone who has been impeached?
  1. The Constitution lists (or enumerates) the powers of Congress. List six ofthem.
  1. Identify two powers denied from Congress in theConstitution.
  1. How does the House of Representatives determine the rules of proceedings?
  1. Name three powers of the President.
  1. What is the term of office for Supreme Courtjustices?
  1. What are the two ways amendments to the Constitution can be proposed?
  1. What fraction of the houses of Congress is necessary to approve a proposed amendment?
  1. What fraction of the states must approve a proposed amendment for it to be ratified?
  1. If no candidate for the presidency wins a simple majority of the total electoral votes, which body has the power to choose the president? The vice president?
  1. Where in the Constitution is the Electoral College mentioned?
  1. Which bodies have the power to override a presidential veto? What margin isrequired to override a veto?
  1. Which body the power to ratify treaties? What margin is required to ratify atreaty?

According to the principle of checks and balances, each branch of the government must have control over the other branches. Look at the first three articles of the Constitution and identify one of each type of checks and balance. Remember toindicate the section where each power is listed in the Constitution.

A power that the executive branch has over the legislativebranch

A power that the executive branch holds over the judicialbranch

A power that the legislative branch holds over the executivebranch

A power that the legislative branch holds over the judicialbranch

A power that the judicial branch holds over the executivebranch

A power that the judicial branch holds over the legislativebranch

Part II: Important Clauses

  1. Where is the “Commerce Clause” and what does it say?
  1. Where is the “Necessary and Proper Clause” and what does it say?
  1. Where is the “Supremacy Clause” and what does it say?
  1. How might these clauses above have impacted the power of the federal government?
  1. What is habeas corpus? Where is the habeas corpus clause and what does itsay?
  1. Where are bills of attainders discussed and what does it say?
  1. What is a bill of attainder?
  1. Where are ex post facto laws discussed and what does it say?
  1. What is an ex post facto law?
  1. Where is the full faith and credit clause and what does it say?
  2. There are two “due process” clauses. Where are they? What does “due process” of lawimply?
  1. Where is the “equal protection clause”? What does thisimply?

Part III: The Amendments to the Constitution

Outline the general freedoms of all 27 amendments. Include the year of ratification.

BILL OF RIGHTS (J. Madison, 1791)

Amendment # / Freedoms/Rights/Liberties in my own words / TOPIC
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Amendment # / Freedoms/Rights/Liberties in my own words / TOPIC
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27