US Government and Politics CBA

1. US Government and PoliticsCBA

2. CBA Question • Citizens in a democracy have the right and responsibility to make informed decisions. You will make an informed decision on a public issue after researching and discussing different perspectives on this issue

3. Directions to Students In a cohesive paper, you will: • State a position on this issue that considers the interaction between individual rights and the common good AND includes an analysis of how to advocate for your position. • Provide reasons(s) for you position that include: • An analysis of how the Constitution promotes one specific ideal or principle logically connected to your position on the issue • An evaluation of how well the Constitution was upheld by a court case OR a government policy related to your position on the issue • A fair interpretation of a position on the issue that contrasts with your own • Make explicit references within the paper to three or more credible sources that provide relevant information AND cite resources within the paper

4. Student Checklist My paper will be convincing if I include thoughtful and specific content and organize my paper well. That means I should • Follow the directions in the CBA • Have a clear position and stay focused on that position • Have evidence to support my position • Elaborate by using reasons, well-chosen and specific details, examples, fact and/or statistics as evidence to support my arguments • Organize my paper to make the best case for my position • Consider the opposing argument(s) and if important, refute those arguments • Begin my paper with an opening, include a statement of position, and end my paper with an effective persuasive conclusion, such as a call for action • Use transitions to connect my position, arguments and evidence My paper will be convincing if I demonstrate an interesting style. That means I should • Show that I am committed to my position, in a voice appropriate for my audience and purpose • Use words, phrases, and persuasive techniques that urge or compel the audience to support my position • Use different types and lengths of sentences My paper will be more convincing if I follow conventions in writing or speaking. That means I should • Follow the rules of grammar and Standard English usage • Spell words correctly when writing • Use correct capitalization when writing • Use correct punctuation when writing • Write in complete sentences • Show where new paragraphs begin when writing

5. Class Discussion • Topics(Rights guaranteed in Bill of Rights) • Key Concepts • Essential Content • Opening: Clear statement of position • Supporting Evidence: 3 minimum reasons with cited cases or evidence • Closing: Statement of position with a credible call to action • Graphic Organizer

6. Library Time • Tuesday, November 23 • 7:35 - 8:15 • Wednesday, November 24 • 7:35 – 8:00 Classroom Write • Monday, November 29

7. Opening Paragraph: Example It is 1956. You are applying for colleges and you are told you cannot go to that college because of your race. There are laws in your state that deny you many things due to your race. THIS IS JUST WRONG!! Laws in the United States should not be based on race or ethnicity. The Declaration of Independence states that “all men are created equal.” (Declaration of Independency) This lays the foundation of our country.

8. 3 Reasons • All are equal [D of I] • People should be judged based on their actions (something they can control), not on their race (something they cannot control) [MLK jr] • All people deserve the right to dream of what is possible, not be blocked from their goals.

9. “All men are create equal” Our country was founded on the idea that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed . . . with certain unalienable rights.” (Declaration of Independence). We have fallen short of that goal. Many national and state laws were used to deny access to specific races of people. African Americans and Native Americans are two raced that were specifically targeted. For African Americans, it began with slavery. Once slavery ended, “Jim Crow” laws were used, especially in the South, to deny equality in voting, school, housing and other areas as well. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 finally put the government in position to enforce rights rather than deny them by empowering the federal government to punish those who denied the rights of citizens based on race. This occurred during the era of the Civil Rights Movement, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. For Native Americans, being restricted to reservations meant they could only do what they were told they could do. It was not until the Native American Civil Rights Act of 1968 that Native Americans gained equal civil rights.

10. “People Should be judged based on their actions not their race” In Dr. King’s I Have a Dream speech in August 1962, he stated, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Before this time, being African American meant there were things denied to you simply because of the color of your skin. “Jim Crow laws” had been used to separate the races. For children, schooling was separate by law. Schooling, if provided was vastly inferior to that of the white children. This placed a permanent disability on the African American children. People should not be judged by something they cannot change. It is another thing if their action distinguish them, good or bad. That is something they can impact. If they don’t have a chance from the very beginning, they won’t even try.

11. “All people deserve a right to dream of what is possible, not be blocked from their goals” Most people have goals or dreams they hope to accomplish. All they need to do is prepare themselves and work as hard or harder than others, and they have a chance at achieving anything. For those who grow up with laws denying them access to things others can do, they begin to believe that is the way things should be. They may quit even trying for something better. In the Brown v. Board of Education case, it was ruled "Segregation of white and colored children in public schools has a detrimental effect upon the colored children. The impact is greater when it has the sanction of the law; for the policy of separating the races is usually interpreted as denoting the inferiority of the negro group. A sense of inferiority affects the motivation of a child to learn. “ Once a person quits trying, their chance of bettering their life stops.

12. Closing Paragraph: Example The United States was and is a country where many races, ethnicities and cultures coexist. The government should never use this to limit any of its citizens. We must remain vigilant by challenging any laws or policies that use race or ethnicity to limit what a citizen can achieve.