Reflection

1. One thing I learned this year was the Bill of Rights and the individual rights that it gives us. 
2. One thing that surprised me was that non-voters don't vote because they feel their votes won't matter and it will make no difference who wins.
3. One thing that I did not agree with was how so many people are against prayer in school. I mean, yes, it shouldn't be shoved down people's throats but I don't think it would hurt to have it in school for those who want to participate in it. 
4. Taking Government is important in making us a well rounded person because it helps us to fully understand how the government is run and what is going on in the government. 
5. This class could be made better by having less GITMS. 

Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

• How did World War II change America? This changed ideas on individual liberty and government power.
• According to Joan Biskupic, what major tensions existed in this time and in the time period that followed the war? Tensions between National Security, National Identity, Free Speech, and Individual Rights.
• What do you think Ms. Biskupic meant when she referred to the Supreme Court and said, "They don't move in a straight line. They move in fits and starts. They have to backtrack"? I think that she was meaning that nothing flows easily or smoothly in the Supreme Court. 

Summary:

Many Americans felt the reason for fighting World War II was to protect the right to self determination, guarantee freedom from fascism, to guard freedom of religion, and inherit the rights to treat all people equally. The world became more democratic after the war. After the war, many Americans felt betrayed for fighting for freedoms somewhere else that they lacked at home. 

Rights are relative not absolute: 

This means that people can do as they please as long as it doesn't infringe on the rights of others. 

Example: Free Exercise Clause means you can practice whatever religion you want and the government can't tell you otherwise. It does not allow you to violate laws, offend the public morals, or threaten community safety. 

3 Branches Review

Principal Lay

1. Personally, I don't think it would be a bad thing to teach religion in school, but then again, you can't just shove a religion down someone's throat. People believe different things. Those who want to participate in that could and those who do not want to participate shouldn't have to. I don't feel that school officials should be arrested for saying a prayer or anything.
2. Pros: inform and teach people about God. Cons: different kinds of Christianity, conflict in religions.  

Bill of Rights Scenario

1. The amendment being violated is the fourth amendment because they went into her house without having a search warrant or any valid reason to arrest her but did so anyway because they saw a bomb under the couch.
2. The amendment being violated is the first amendment because they did not allow him to have his meeting because of something that happened 2 years ago. The took away his right to have the meeting.
3. The amendment being violated is the ninth amendment because the governement can't just come in and take her house from her like that.
4. The amendment being violated is the first amendment because it is violating freedom of religion.
5. The amendment being violated is the eighth amendment because they denied him a Lawyer and they just threw him in jail because they think he is the guy that stole from the store. They also are holding him accountable for German troops killing his grandfather in the war a while back.

Branches of Government

 

This political cartoon is depicting how the different branches of Government blame each other instead of themselves when something goes wrong.

I think that this picture shows an accurate representation of the way our Government is because there are so many people in the Government who do not take the responsibility for their own wrong actions. Not all are that way, but some are. 

Basic Principles Political Cartoons

This picture represents Limited Government because it shows how the government is trying to take away individual rights but they aren't allowed to do so because there is a restriction on that.

This picture represents Separation of Powers because it shows how each branch has been made to be independent and equal.