5/3 homework

homework for Friday May 3

Remember your political cartoon project is due on Friday.

Chapter 12

Answer the following:

1. What are the most desirous standing committee assignments in the (a) house and (b) senate? (p. 329)

2. How are the chairpersons selected for each of the committees in congress? (330)
3. What is the purpose of the Rules Committee, what does it do? (331)
4. What are select committees and what is their purpose? (331-2)
5. What is a joint or conference committee and what is their purpose? (333)
6. Where in the Const. does it state that all appropriation bills must start in the house? (334)
7. What is the difference between a bill and a resolution?
8. What is a joint resolution?(335)
9. What is a concurrent resolution?
10. What is a rider?

11.Fully explain how a bill becomes a law. That means every step a bill must pass in both houses to become law by the President's signature. READ carefully pages 335-346. Make a bullet point list of the steps beginning in the HOR. then the Senate and finally the POTUS signing the bill into Law. This will be a free response question on your final exam!

4/26 homework

Chapter 11 Congress "The Powers of Congress"

answer the following:

1. Define the following as they pertain to the powers of Congress:
a. expressed powers
b. implied powers
c. inherent powers

2. What is strict constructionalism?
3. What is liberal or loose constructionalism?
4. What is consensus?
5. What are the purposes of taxation?
6. What is the difference between a direct and indirect tax?
7. What is public debt?
8. What is the commerce power of congress?
9. Explain why the Gibbons case is important.
10. Explain the currency power of congress.
11. What does legal tender mean?
12. What is bankruptcy?
13. What are the foreign relations powers of congress?
14. What are the WAR POWERS OF CONGRESS?
15. What is eminent domain?
16. What is the necessary and proper clause and why is it so vital to the congress?
17. What is the McCulloch case and what powers did it settle?
18. What are the steps in an impeach case?

4/19 homework

Homework due April 19.

Chapter 10 THE CONGRESS

Answer the following fully:

1. What is the difference between a term and session of congress? (263-4)
2. How many members are there in the House of Reps.? How many Reps. does California have? What is the total number of members in Congress (House and Senate combined)?
3. Why does Ca. have so many Reps.?
4. What is reapportionment and how does it work? (267-8 fully explain)?
5. Look at the map on page 268 and answer the following:
a. Which States have only one Rep.?
b. Which States lost Reps?
c. Which States gained Reps?
d. Why have the "Rust Belt" states lost and the "Sun Belt" states gained Reps. (Listen carefully in class and I'll tell you!)?
6. What date is given for congressional elections (269 be specific)?
7. What is a single-member district vs. voting at-large for Reps.? (270)
8. Literally, what is Gerrymandering? (271)
9. What are the qualifications to be a member of the House? (272)
10. Prior to the 17th Amendment, how were Senators "selected"? (276)
11. What are the qualifications to be a member of the Senate? (277-8)
12. Look at the cartoon on page 278 and explain, according the the cartoon, how Senators were selected in the late nineteenth century?
13. What is the oversight function of Congress and WHY is it soooo important? (281)
14. Make a list of the salary and other compensations or benefits members of Congress are offered. (282-4)

4/12 homework

Chapter 9
Special Interest Groups
Complete the following:

1. What is the underlying purpose of interest groups?
2. What do Madison and de Tocqueville say about interest groups in the U.S.? (238-9)
3. What are 5 valuable funtions of interest groups? (239)
4. What are 4 criticisms of interest groups? (240)
5. What are economic interest groups? (243-4)
6. What are public-interest-groups? (247)
7. What are PACs and how do they operate? (250-4)


 Be sure not to miss the Interest Group simulation! Points will be awarded and siezed to and from your groups grade. Points awarded to the winners. Pay attention and be helpful.

Political Cartoon Project

Political Cartoon Project

Your project shall consist of 50 political cartoons from the current school year (Aug. 2012 to the present). You are required to have a one to two sentence synopsis/summary explaining each cartoon. You are to build your project around this simple requirement. Think to the many examples that exist in my room as well as others I have shown you. If you should have any questions, ask asap, don't wait and don't procrastinate.

Your project is due at the beginning of class on May 3, 2013.

Good luck and be creative!