Foundational Documents
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr wrote to white ministers from prison describing the injustice of segregation. He describes the difference between just and unjust laws and explains the urgency for social change.
What is Letter from Birmingham Jail?
What is Citizens United?
Or Citizens United v. F.E.C.
The authority of the Supreme Court to strike down a law or executive action if it conflicts with the Constitution.
What is judicial review?
The army is celebrating its 250th anniversary this Saturday by holding a ________________. This also coincides with Donald Trump's 79th birthday.
What is a parade?
The AARP, the NRA, the NEA, the NAACP---these are all examples of _____________.
What are interest groups?
The first governing document of the United States. It was a loose plan for government lacking the power to tax and regulate interstate commerce. Because of its weaknesses, it was replaced in 1787 with our current Constitution.
What is the Articles of Confederation?
A brief filed by someone who is not a party to a case in an attempt to persuade the Court to agree with the arguments set forth in the brief.
What is an amicus curiae brief?
Webs of influence between interest groups, policymakers, and policy advocates.
What are issue networks?
Overnight, this country attacked Iranian nuclear facilities and killed four prominent Iranian military leaders. The stated purpose of the attack was to curb Iran's ability to make a nuclear weapon.
What is Israel?
Channels that connect individuals with government including elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.
What are linkage institutions?
In this essay, Alexander Hamilton describes the importance of having an independent judiciary that can interpret the Constitution. He explains the theory of judicial review and explains the importance of having lifetime appointments.
What is Federalist #78?
In this case, counties in Tennessee were malapportioned. For example, Picket County had 5,000 voters but got one representative the the TN state legislature. Meanwhile, Shelby County with a population of over 100,000 also got one representative in the TN state legislature. The court determined that this was a violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
What is Baker v. Carr?
Representation where members of Congress balance their choices with the interests of their constituents and parties in making political decisions.
What is politico role?
This politician said the following in response to Donald Trump's decision to deploy 700 Marines and federalize 4,000 National Guard Troops and send them into Los Angeles: “California may be first, but it clearly will not end here. Other states are next, Democracy is next. Democracy is under assault before our eyes. This moment we have feared has arrived.”
Who is Gavin Newsom?
This is a rule that evidence obtained without a warrant is inadmissible in court.
What is the exclusionary rule?
Explain the two step process required to amend the Constitution.
2/3 of the House of Reps and Senate are needed to pass a proposed amendment. 3/4 of the states are needed to ratify an amendment.
The Supreme Court upheld the 2nd Court of Appeals decision in Guiles v. Marineau saying that Williamstown Middle School was wrong when it asked Zack Guiles to take off his shirt before visiting the VT State House. Describe the rationale for their decision.
What is .... students have the right to freedom of speech if it doesn't disrupt the school environment especially if the message they are trying to send is a political one. (even if it contains drug & alcohol messages)
The impact of historical events experienced by a generation upon their political views.
What is the generational effect?
This man had been residing in Maryland legally until his arrest by ICE on March 15 when he was sent to a prison in El Salvador. The Supreme Court had ordered the executive branch to "facilitate" his return. The Trump administration finally complied seven days ago and returned him to U.S. soil, but he now faces charges of transporting undocumented immigrants into the United States
Who is Kilmer Abrego Garcia?
The Pendleton Act of 1883 established a _______ system in which competitive testing results, educational attainment, and other qualifications formed the basis for hiring and promotion rather than politics and personal connections.
What is a merit system?
or
a merit-based system
This amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. It was ratified in 1971.
What is the 26th amendment?
Name the four female justices on the Supreme Court
Who are Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Amy Coney Barrett.
A parliamentary procedure used in the U.S. House of Representatives to force a bill or resolution out of committee and onto the floor for consideration without a formal report from the committee.
What is a discharge petition?
Yesterday, during a press briefing by Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, this California Senator was pushed to the ground by federal agents.
What is Senator Alex Padilla?
These three civil liberties were included in the Constitution prior to the addition of the Bill of Rights.
What is habeas corpus (the right of people to know the charges against them) , bills of attainder (preventing Congress from passing laws making someone guilty of a crime) , and ex post facto laws (punishing people for acts that were legal at an earlier time)