Your Daily Government ToolBox
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT "I CAN" CHECKLIST
DAILY POLITICAL CARTOON & CURRENT EVENTS
VOTER REGISTRATION
VOTER INFORMATION SITES
TRACKING POLITICS & COMMUNICATING
The two sites below are for contacting your congressmen and women. You will need the last four digits of your zip code to be able to complete your letter.
General resources
The link below will take you to a short video that explains the different types of economies the world has seen over the last three centuries.
The three links below will take you to the Declaration of Independence. the first is the text of the declaration. The second is a scene taken from the John Adams HBO miniseries when the Declaration is declared to the general population. The third is a dramatic reading done by actors of the entire text.
Unit 1.4 - Federalism
Article IV, Sec. 1: Full Faith & Credit
Article IV, Sec. 2.2: Extradition
Article IV, Sec. 3: New States
Article IV, Sec. 4: Federal Protection (Domestic Violence)
Unit 2.2 - The President (Article II)
The link below will take you to the official White House website. It is the central place where the Chief Executive can offer an easily accessible presence to the public.
The four links below are here to give you a sense of what it is like to be the President of the United States. Included are short videos about both the Vice President and the First Lady.
Most people don't know how the electoral college works. The links below relate to both the constitutional basis for the electoral college as well as a short presentation on how it actually works.
Article II, Sections 2 and 3 describe how the electoral college is to function. The only problem is that sometimes the results can be legally valid, but decidedly undemocratic. Check out the 2008 map below to see the problem.
Article II, Sections 2 and 3 describe how the electoral college is to function. The only problem is that sometimes the results can be legally valid, but decidedly undemocratic. Check out the 2008 map below to see the problem.
The map below is a set of hypothetical scenarios to consider. What does each suggest about the ideological make-up of our population?
And what about the election of 2020? The link below will take you to an interactive electoral map that is being updated according to current opinion polls. What will it take for President Trump to hold onto the Oval Office? Click to find out!
How are Electors chosen? One of the big questions the people have is who electors are and how they are selected. The link below explains that process clearly. Note that multiple stakeholders are involved in this process from the people, to states, to political parties.
Do the Electors have to obey the wishes of the people of their respective states?
This big question is currently making its way through the Federal Courts. The case in question comes from the Election of 2016, in which Michael Baca of Colorado - an Elector - parted ways with the majority of his state who supported Hillary Clinton, and voted for John Kasich instead. He was removed by the State of Colorado and replaced with an Elector who voted for Clinton according to the wishes of the people of Colorado.
Michael Baca is a Faithless Elector. Though this sounds ominous, we must ask what it means, what the states have to say about it, and what the Constitution of the United States says about it. Below you will find two links. The first is a New York Times piece that details the story of Baca. The second is from The Hill and reports on the case and its outcome at the Federal Appeals level.
Question for Consideration: What would the Founding Fathers say about Baca's actions? Do you agree with them?
This big question is currently making its way through the Federal Courts. The case in question comes from the Election of 2016, in which Michael Baca of Colorado - an Elector - parted ways with the majority of his state who supported Hillary Clinton, and voted for John Kasich instead. He was removed by the State of Colorado and replaced with an Elector who voted for Clinton according to the wishes of the people of Colorado.
Michael Baca is a Faithless Elector. Though this sounds ominous, we must ask what it means, what the states have to say about it, and what the Constitution of the United States says about it. Below you will find two links. The first is a New York Times piece that details the story of Baca. The second is from The Hill and reports on the case and its outcome at the Federal Appeals level.
Question for Consideration: What would the Founding Fathers say about Baca's actions? Do you agree with them?
Going Deeper
The two links below offer a fuller discussion on the merits of the Electoral College as a legitimate institution for electing the President of the United States. As you read, weigh the arguments and consider which one offers the most sound reasoning.
The two links below offer a fuller discussion on the merits of the Electoral College as a legitimate institution for electing the President of the United States. As you read, weigh the arguments and consider which one offers the most sound reasoning.
Amendments Altering the Presidency
The Presidents!
Check out the links below to learn about individual presidents!
Check out the links below to learn about individual presidents!
Unit 2.1 - congress (Article I)
The two links below are from the actual Congressional website. Each contains a list of the primary committees where most of the work of congress is done.
The next four links are videos that summarize the work of congress in different ways. Each offers a unique view of congress that will help you to understand how congress works.
The image below shows you where the real work of making laws happens: in committees!
- Standing Committees: permanent committee that meets regularly
- Select Committees: small, often temporary, committees that address specific issues
- Joint Committees: committees made of members from the House and Senate to study issues or settle routine matters
- Conference Committees: committees made from the House and Senate to reconcile different versions of bills
The Senate Filibuster...
Twenty-Seventh Amendment
All revenue bills begin in the House of Representatives. Therefore, congressional salaries are decided by the House, and voted on by both chambers of congress, similar to any other bill. To understand why the Twenty-Seventh Amendment was passed, you need to know two things:
All revenue bills begin in the House of Representatives. Therefore, congressional salaries are decided by the House, and voted on by both chambers of congress, similar to any other bill. To understand why the Twenty-Seventh Amendment was passed, you need to know two things:
- The amendment was passed in 1992;
- America was experiencing a recession that began in 1990 and extended until 1992.
- Why might the people of the United States suddenly be interested in ratifying the Twenty-Seventh Amendment?
- How did it ensure that the problem was addressed in such a way that it is unlikely to ever occur again?
- What has been the impact of the amendment on congressional salaries since the Great Recession of 2008?
Unit 2.3 - Federal Courts (ARticle III)
Kelo v. City of New London, 2005
The case below deals with the issue of imminent domain (also called the "takings clause"). The Fifth Amendment states that "private property cannot be taken for public use without just compensation." Read through the following links and decide: did the court make the right decision?
The case below deals with the issue of imminent domain (also called the "takings clause"). The Fifth Amendment states that "private property cannot be taken for public use without just compensation." Read through the following links and decide: did the court make the right decision?
Quote from Sandra Day O'Connor's dissent: “Today the Court abandons [the Fifth Amendment’s] long-held, basic limitation on government power ... Under the banner of economic development, all private property is now vulnerable to being taken and transferred to another private owner, so long as it might be upgraded, i.e., given to an owner who will use it in a way that the legislature deems more beneficial to the public—in the process.” |
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These cases are all for the group activity done in class. For each case, you will need to address the following questions:
These cases are all for the group activity done in class. For each case, you will need to address the following questions:
- When was the case decided?
- What are the facts of the case?
- What was the key question(s) asked by the Court?
- What was the final opinion of the Court?
- Choose a Principle of Government that best relates to the case. Does the case enlarge or restrict that principle?
Unit 3.1 - Civil liberties
First Amendment: Speech
What can you say without violating the law? What kinds of speech are not protected by the Constitution? The button below is linked to a document that outlines both protected and unprotected categories of speech. Consider the application of these categories in response to the cases that we cover in class.
What can you say without violating the law? What kinds of speech are not protected by the Constitution? The button below is linked to a document that outlines both protected and unprotected categories of speech. Consider the application of these categories in response to the cases that we cover in class.
First Amendment: Press - Defamation and Social Media...
First the facts:
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The two links below offer some guidance on online/social media engagement. The first gives tips on keeping your postings legally safe. The second addresses what you can do when you become the target of online defamation.
Three cases of Defamation
Consider each of the three cases below in light of ...
Consider each of the three cases below in light of ...
- New York Times v. Sullivan, 1964
- Gertz v. Welch, 1974
- Hustler v. Falwell, 1988
The file below lists all the Supreme Court cases that you need to know for this unit.
civil_liberties_cases.docx | |
File Size: | 13 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Supreme Court Simulation Cases and Articles List
Unit 3.2 - Civil Rights
Unit v - We The People (Participation)
Thomas Jefferson's quotes on the importance of an educated populace for the proper functioning of democracy:
The Informed Citizen
Public Records
In 1996, the President signed the Freedom of Information Act which allows citizens to access government documents which are not classified in the name of greater transparency and accountability. The link below will take you to the site created by the government for research purposes.
Want to know what congress is up to? Check out GOVTRACK.US and take a look for yourself.
Surveys
The next two links are examples of websites that collect information through surveys and questionnaires. The information is largely public opinion on a variety of topics - many of which are political in nature. Want to know what the American people think of the president's performance? Choose a site and look it up!
Research Data
The best places to access research data is the library, but not all libraries are the same. Your local public library will give you general access to basic information, but in order to access more detailed or advanced research, you will need access to a university library. The problem is that you cannot do so without a valid ID and password. The links below will help you access some materials that cannot be found using search engines or going to the public library.
A note on using Wikipedia: Your teachers are right to tell you that you should not use Wikipedia as a source for research. This does not mean that it is not a good tool, however. Reading an article on advocacy groups will inform you of the basic information that you may wish to know on that topic. More importantly, you can harvest the sources at the bottom of the article and then access them at a university library (or online if available). This is a great way to begin researching a topic for an essay!
Procon.org is a great resource to find information on topics in which there is more than one opinion. Want to know about the issue of gun-control? Look it up here!
Advocacy Groups
Advocacy groups is another name for interest groups. The two links below come from the two most well-known groups in the United States. Most advocacy groups have an internet presence and can be found by a simple search.
Unit 6 - Fiscal and Monetary Policy
Chairman of the Fed
This is a short video game that will put you in the role of being the Chairman/woman of the Fed. Read the directions and see what you can do to stave off recession and inflation!
This is a short video game that will put you in the role of being the Chairman/woman of the Fed. Read the directions and see what you can do to stave off recession and inflation!