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Teacher's Guide for COBBLESTONE ® Branches of Government, Part 2 January 2003
Reading Guide prepared by: Mary Shea, Ph.D. Dr. Shea teaches undergraduate and graduate reading courses at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY.
Editor""'s Note - Complete this analogy:
- Federal government is to ______________ level as local government is to county level.
- Give an antonym for cohesive ____________________
- Why is this a good choice? ______________________________________________________
Fill in this organizer. "Arms" or branches of the US government
| Executive | Legislative | Judicial | |
/ | |
/ | |
/ | purpose:
| purpose:
| purpose:
| who works there:
| who works there:
| who works there:
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- Answer in a paragraph.
- Who were the Founding Fathers? Why did they set up a government with three "arms"?
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"A Republic, If You Can Keep It" Why was Benjamin Franklin feeling uncertain about whether or not the government that the Founding Fathers created would last?
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What addition to the Constitution did the first delegates add to protect the rights of individuals? Why did they feel a need to define these?
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What class or social groups did the delegates come from? Explain the term elite. Why do you think most of the delegates came from this class of people? What benefits and problems might result from having a governing body mostly from this group? Can you identify the social class or group for any current national leaders?
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The Founding Fathers understood that the new government needed some powers. they needed the power to:
"" ¢ __________________________________________,
"" ¢ __________________________________________,
"" ¢ __________________________________________, and
"" ¢ __________________________________________
The federal government was not absolute, meaning ____________________________.
Why did the Founding Fathers give individual states more power than the federal government?
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What opinion about human nature did many aristocrats hold? What is an aristocrat? Why might they think that way?
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Thomas Jefferson felt that only small farmers could be virtuous and liberal. Explain these words. What might be his reasons for this opinion? (Jefferson was a plantation owner who had slaves.)
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Why didn""'t the Founding Fathers want everyone to vote? How has this attitude changed? What voting obstacles still exist?
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Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry were worried about a national government that would get too much power. What did they believe would be the danger of having a federal government with too much power? What is tyranny? What were they most concerned about protecting? Why do you think so?
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Explain the meaning of compromise. How did the Founding Fathers reach a compromise that allowed the Constitution to be voted in as law?
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The writing of the Constitution was described as masterful. Explain. How was it strong while being flexible? Why was this important? Why is it important today?
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"A Product of Argument and Compromise" Where are the duties of each arm or branch of the federal government explained? What does the system of "checks and balances" allow each branch to limit?
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Explain what federal means. What does federalism mean for us today? What responsibilities does the federal government have and what responsibilities belong to the state? In the author""'s opinion, which is stronger today ""- federal and state government? Do you agree? Why?
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Branches of Government
The Legislative Branch
The Constitution places the ________________ branch first. Article I of the Constitution sets up a two house Congress ""- the ___________________ and the __________________________________________________. Both can ___________________________________ and _________________________________.
Senate facts: - Minimum age a Senator must be: _________________
- Today, the Senate has ________members, 2 for each ____________.
- Originally _______________________________ chose Senators instead of citizens through a voting process.
House of Representatives facts: - Members are elected every _______ years.
- The number of representatives from each state depends on _________________, but every state is guaranteed at least ________.
- The total number of representatives allowed to be members at one time is _______.
Congressional Powers:
"" ¢ ____________________________
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Congress cannot ___________________________________________.
A state cannot ____________________________________________.
The Executive Branch
The Constitution names two members of the executive branch, the ________________and ________________________________.
Today, _________________________and ___________________________hold these offices.
The President""'s duties include:
"" ¢ _________________________________________________________________
"" ¢ _________________________________________________________________
"" ¢ names ______________ who ________________________________________
"" ¢ _________________________________________________________________
"" ¢ _________________________________________________________________
Describe how the Electoral College works in a presidential election. Why do you think this system was set up?
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A president must be at least _________ years old and must have been born ________ ______________________________. A president is elected to a _____ year term and can only be elected ___________.
The Judicial Branch
The Constitution established a __________________ and gave Congress the power to set up lower federal courts. Each state has its own court system. The job of the judicial branch is _____________________________. The _____________________ appoints Supreme Court ___________ who must be approved by the ____________.
The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction or is the first to _________________. Most cases come to the Supreme Court when they are appealed. The Supreme Court is the final ___________________.
Do you know of a case that the Supreme Court ruled on? Explain what happened.
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Checks and Balances
Each of the branches of government can keep the other from getting too powerful.
How does the legislative branch check and balance the President?
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How does the legislative branch check and balance the Supreme Court?
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How does the executive branch check and balance Congress?
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How does the executive branch check and balance the Supreme Court?
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How does the judicial branch check and balance Congress?
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How does the judicial branch check and balance the President?
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"A Republic or a Democracy?" - Match the form of government with the definition. Place the letter in front of the name of the governmental system with its appropriate definition.
- After the name of each governmental system, name a country that is an example of that type of government.
| | country that has this type of government: | | a.) federalized | ___________________ | | b.) dictatorship | ___________________ | | c.) republic | ___________________ | | d.) monarchy | ___________________ | | e.) oligarchy | ___________________ | | f.) democracy | ___________________ | | g.) junta | ___________________ | | h.) constitutional monarchy | ___________________ | | i.) traditional monarchy | ___________________ | | j.) ceremonial monarchy | ___________________ | | k.) totalitarian dictatorship | ___________________ | | l.) centralized or unitary | ___________________ |
________ role of a monarch with limited power
________ government where the leader rules by force and fear
________ military group that seizes power
________ government where members of a royal family inherit power
________ any country not led by a monarch. Most leaders is this form of government are from an elite group
________ governmental system in which the national government makes all the decisions
________ government where most adults have the right to vote and choose leaders
________ small group that runs a dictatorship
________ governmental system in which power is shared between the states and central government
________ government with a monarch, but elected officials run affairs of state
________ government where the king and royal family have great power
________ government in which every aspect of people""'s lives is controlled
Identify a current news issue that involves another country. Explain the situation. How does that country""'s form of government affect its opinions about the situation and how to solve it?
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