Civics EOC Review

Benchmark 1:

Students will explain the concept of limited government as set forth in the U.S. Constitution.

Students will describe and distinguish between the concepts of separation of powers and checks and balances

Students will analyze how government power is limited by separation of powers and/or checks and balances

Students will be able to recognize examples of separation of powers and checks and balances.

SS.7.C.1.7

SS.7.C.1.8

Students will evaluate the impact political parties have on society, government, or the political system.

SS.7.C.2.8

The U.S. Constitution lists several powers for Congress that deal specifically with foreign

and domestic policy. Foreign policy is the nation’s overall plan for dealing with other

nations. Domestic policy is the nation’s plan for making laws and policies that impact citizen

and non-citizen behavior in the United States.

There are several different areas that the U.S. government focuses on when it comes to

developing domestic policy. The U.S. government focuses on social programs, health care,

and education when developing its domestic policy.

The U.S. government also has to think about several areas when developing its foreign

policy plan. The government has to create a plan for diplomacy, which is ways to maintain

relationships with other nations. The government needs to consider which countries to join

in an alliance with, which is making military or defensive union with other nations. Finally,

the government also considers making treaties, or formal agreements, with other nations for

the purposes of trade, defense, and other reasons.

alliance - a union between nations for assistance and protection

diplomacy - the work of keeping up relations between the governments of different countries

domestic policy - a course of action chosen to guide people in making decisions about their own country

foreign policy - a course of action chosen in order to guide people in making decisions about other countries

treaty - an agreement or arrangement between two or more countries

alliance - a union between nations for assistance and protection

ambassador - a person sent as the chief representative of his or her own government in another country

diplomacy - the work of keeping up relations between the governments of different countries

domestic policy - a course of action chosen to guide people in making decisions about their own country

federal government - the organization through which political authority is exercised at the national level, government of

the United States

foreign policy - a course of action chosen in order to guide people in making decisions about other countries

international relations - relationship between nations around the world

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) - group of 28 countries that has agreed to protect each other in case of

attack; founded in 1949

Secretary of State - the head of the U.S.

Department of State; a member of the President’s Cabinet

treaty - an agreement or arrangement between two or more countries

It is often the case that what is going on in other places in the world affects domestic policy

in the United States. The U.S. government may increase its military spending, and spend

less on domestic programs, if there are conflicts happening between nations or threats of

attack against the United States that may threaten the safety of Americans or U.S. allies.

For example, in the 1990s many communist nations fell (except Cuba and China) which

allowed for less military spending and more domestic spending in the United States. This is

one example of how global events changed policies and actions inside the United States.

There are very clear goals that the United States has when it comes to developing domestic

and foreign policy plans.

Domestic policy is any set of laws or actions that are related to government programs that

impact the citizens and people within the borders of the United States. Domestic policy

covers a wide range of areas, from education, to the economy, taxes, social welfare and

health care. The main goal of any domestic policy plan is to make laws and rules that benefit

and protect the citizens and people within U.S. borders.

Foreign policy is a nation’s overall plan for dealing with other nations. There are some

general goals to foreign policy plans in the United States which include: (1) national security

(keeping U.S. borders safe), (2) promoting peace (creating diplomatic relationships and

allies (friendships/protection) with countries around the world), (3) spreading democracy

(teaching other nations about the benefits of democratic government), (4) promoting

international trade (expanding the number of goods sold to other countries and good

purchased from other countries) and finally (5) providing foreign aid (providing military,

economic health and other assistance to other countries that are in need).

As part of the president’s Cabinet, the U.S. State Department has an important role in

guiding and carrying out of the nation’s foreign policy plan. The Secretary of State is

responsible for meeting with and offering suggestions to the president, visiting other nations,

holding meetings with foreign leaders and government officials, and keeping the United

States safe.

By visiting and meeting with leaders of other nations, the Secretary of State learns more

about these countries and reports back to the president with important information that will

help the president and Congress create a foreign policy plan based on safety and the

creation of good relationships.

Students will identify specific examples of international conflicts in which the United States has been involved.

The United States Constitution grants specific powers to Congress and the president when it

comes to dealing with other nations, especially during conflicts.

Article I of the Constitution discusses the powers of the legislative branch (Congress) and

grants the power to declare war, the power to approve spending (on the military) and the power

to raise an army and navy. The U.S. Senate is given the sole power to ratify treaties in Article

II.

Congress has used its power to declare war five times in United States history. Two of these

wars took place during the 20th century (1900-1999).

1. World War I – declared war on Germany after German U-Boats sunk British submarines

and merchant ships carrying U.S. citizens.

2. World War II – declared war on Japan after Japan bombed a naval base in Pearl

Harbor, Hawaii. Hawaii was a U.S. territory at the time.

Article II of the Constitution discusses the powers of the executive branch (president) and

grants the president the title of Commander in Chief. This means that the president is in

charge of the military and has the power to send troops overseas.

Presidents throughout history have been known to interpret their power as Commander in Chief

to mean that they can send U.S. military troops into conflict or “war-like” situations without a

formal declaration of war from Congress. Examples of this include U.S. involvement in the

Korean War (1950-1953), the Vietnam War (1964-1975), Gulf War I (1990-1991) and Gulf

War II (2003 – present).

Congress - the national legislative body of the U.S., consisting of the Senate, or upper house, and the House of

Representatives, or lower house

Gulf War I - a military conflict in 1991 between Iraq and a coalition force of 34 nations mandated by the United Nations and

led by the U.S., also known as the Persian Gulf War

Gulf War II - the 2003 military conflict Iraq, also called the Iraq War or "Operation Iraqi Freedom", began March 20, 2003,

initiated by the U.S., the United Kingdom and other nations

Korean War - a war between North and South Korea; South Korea was aided by the U.S. and other members of the United

Nations from 1950-1953

president - the head of the executive branch

Vietnam War - a military conflict (1954-1975) between the Communist forces of North Vietnam supported by China and the

Soviet Union and the non-Communist forces of South Vietnam supported by the U.S.

World War I - a war between the allies (Russia, France, British Empire, Italy, U.S., Japan, Romania, Serbia, Belgium,

Greece, Portugal, Montenegro) and the central powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria) from 1914 to 1918

World War II - a war that began on July7, 1937 in Asia and September 1, 1939 in Europe and lasted until 1945; it involved

most of the world’s countries

Students will identify the reasons for the United States becoming involved in past international conflicts.

Students will analyze primary source documents pertaining to international incidents to determine the course of action taken by the United States

Students will identify the different methods used by the United States to deal with international conflicts.

There several different methods that have been used by the United States in order to deal with

international conflicts. These methods include: declaring war, diplomacy, military invasions,

developing alliances with other nations, joining international organizations such as NATO or

the UN, increasing tariffs (taxes levied on imported or exported goods) and trade barriers

(limitations on trading certain goods or with certain nations), isolation (not getting involved in

other nations’ conflicts) or treaties. Each nation’s government has to be dealt with differently

and the United States has demonstrated throughout history that it will do just that to protect

U.S. borders and American citizens.

alliance - a union between nations for assistance and protection

diplomacy - the work of keeping up relations between the governments of different countries

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a group of 28 countries that has agreed to protect each other in case of attack;

founded in 1949

treaty - an agreement or arrangement between two or more countries

UN - United Nations, an organization founded in 1943 to keep the peace, develop friendly relationships among countries, and

improve the quality of life for the world’s poor people; consists of 193 member countries

A Initiate a trade ban Incorrect – Trade bans can be harmful to a nation’s economy

so they are an unlikely first step with countries that have “strong

economic ties to the United States.”

B Initiate public protests Incorrect – Private citizens, not the government, initiate public

protests.

C Initiate diplomatic talks Correct – The Department of State usually initiates diplomatic

talks before the United States takes more severe measures to

resolve an international conflict.

D Initiate a military operation Incorrect – Military operations against a nation can be harmful

so they are an unlikely first step with countries that have “strong

economic ties to the United States.”

SS.7.C.4.3

Students will identify different forms of government based on its political philosophy or organizational structure.

Students will analyze scenarios describing various forms of government

Students will apply their understanding of the definitions of the various forms of government

SS.7.C.3.1

All forms of government have the same three powers: legislative, executive and judicial.

How those powers are organized in government is where the differences between systems

of government happen. Some forms of government concentrate all three powers (legislative,

executive and judicial) into one place while other forms of government divide up the powers

among different braches within that government. Comparing and contrasting the similarities

and differences between systems of government allows a person to see the advantages and

disadvantages of each.

Parliamentary A system of government where the power lies with the

legislative body and the leader of the country is a part of the

legislature. Citizens indirectly elect officials through their

participation in political parties. (The people choose the

political party they like, and then the party chooses party

members to serve as a representative of the people).

Federal A system of government where the power is shared between

the central government and the states. Citizens elect

members of the legislative branch, the executive branch and

some members of the judicial branch.

Confederal A system of government where the power is given to

independent states and there is little or no central power.

Citizens elect members of the legislative branch, the

executive branch and some members of the judicial branch.

Unitary A system of government where almost all power is given to

the central government. The people do not have a role in a

unitary system of government (they do not vote). Leaders of

unitary governments come to power either by birth or by force.

Parliamentary In New Zealand, the government is centered on the legislature and the Prime Minister. The

Prime Minister is the leader of the political party

that has a majority of seats in the legislature.

Federal Argentina’s federal government has an elected

President, National Congress and Supreme

Court. Argentina has provinces, or states, that

have their own constitutions and legislative,

executive and judicial powers. The central

government shares powers with those provinces.

Confederal The European Union is a partnership between 27

countries in Europe. Everything that happens

between those countries is based on treaties

(formal agreements) that are voluntarily agreed

upon by members.

Unitary Japan’s government is organized with a strong,

central government. The legislative branch in

Japan is called The Diet and the executive branch

is led by the Prime Minister and group of other

lower ministers of the state. The 47 provinces, or

states, around Japan rely on the central

government for money and support.

confederal system

Parliamentary Because power is shared between the legislative

body and the leader of the country, New Zealand is a

parliamentary system of government.

Federal Because power is shared between the central

government and the provinces, Argentina is an

example of a federal system of government.

Confederal Because there is no central power, the European

Union is a confederal system of government.

Unitary Because the central government has all of the power,

Japan is an example of a unitary system of

government.

confederal

A confederal Correct – This is the correct answer because a confederal system of

government is where power is distributed among a group of states.

B federal Incorrect – In a federal system, power is shared between the states and a

national government. States have some power, but not as much as they

have in a confederation.

C parliamentary Incorrect – In a parliamentary system, all power lies with a legislative

body and the leader of the country is part of the legislature. States have

only as much power as the national legislature wants them to have.

D unitary Incorrect – In a unitary system, all power lies with a central government.

The states have no power under this system.

The U. S. government is made of up of three separate branches: the legislative, the

executive, and the judicial. Each branch is organized very differently. The legislative

branch includes the House of Representatives and the Senate – together they are the

lawmaking body of the United States called Congress. Article I of the Constitution discusses

the powers and organization of Congress. The main job of the legislative branch is to make

laws. The major items in Article I include:

o The United States will have a two house legislature.

o Lists specific powers for Congress.

The second branch of the U.S. government is the executive branch. The executive branch

includes the President and Vice President. The main job of the executive branch is to

enforce the laws. Article II of the Constitution outlines the powers of the President.

The third branch of the U.S. government is the judicial branch. The judicial branch includes

the U.S. Supreme Court and all lower courts including federal, state and local courts. Article

III of the Constitution states that there is “one supreme Court” and “inferior Courts as the

Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.” Article III names only the Supreme

Court and allows Congress to create all other federal, state and local court systems.

Each branch of the U.S. government has its own set of jobs and responsibilities. As well, the

Constitution provides for a system of checks and balances that limits what each branch can

do by allowing each branch to limit the other branches. Checks and balances prevent any

one branch from becoming too powerful. Below is a chart that will review one of the powers

and responsibilities and highlights the system of checks and balances.

Legislative

The legislative branch makes the laws; Congress can override a presidential

veto with 2/3rds of both houses voting to do so.

Executive

The executive branch enforces the laws; the president can veto a law if the

President does not want a bill to become law.

Judicial

The judicial branch interprets the laws; the Supreme Court may determine that

a law is not legal under the Constitution and strike it from the law books.

bill

Vocab

Congress - the national legislative body of the U.S., consisting of the Senate, or upper house, and the House of

Representatives, or lower house

executive branch - the branch of government that enforces the laws made by the legislative branch

judicial branch - the branch of government that interprets the laws made by the legislative branch

legislative branch - the branch of government that creates laws

legislature - governing body responsible for making laws

president - the head of the executive branch

U.S. House of Representatives - the lower house of the U.S. Congress

U.S. Senate - the upper house of the U.S. Congress

U.S. Supreme Court - the highest court of the United States; it sits at the top of the federal court system

Article I –

Legislative

Branch

The legislative branch is made up of the House of Representatives and the

Senate, also called Congress. Congress makes the laws for the entire nation.

In Article I, Section 8 of the US Constitution the powers of Congress are

enumerated. These include:

1. The power to collect taxes

2. The power to coin money

3. The power to make laws/control immigration

4. The power to make laws/control trade

5. The power to create an army and navy

6. The power to impeach and remove officials from office

7. To approve presidential appointments

Article II –

Executive Branch

The executive branch is made up of the President and Vice President. The

president enforces the laws that Congress makes.

Article II of the Constitution describes the powers of the President. The president

is fulfilling his Article II responsibilities when fulfilling these roles:

1. The power to enforce the laws (Chief Executive; “he shall take Care that

the Laws be faithfully executed”)

2. The power to send troops into combat (Commander in Chief; “The

President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the

United States, and of the Militia of the several States”)

3. The power to make treaties and with leaders of other nations

4. The power to nominate people to serve in the Cabinet, in the Supreme

Court and to other high government positions

5. The power to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment

Article III –

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch is made up of the United States Supreme Court and all of

the lower courts including federal, state and local courts.

Article III of the Constitution describes the powers set aside for the Supreme

Court. These include:

1. The power of original jurisdiction (the power to be the first court to hear

a case) in cases that involve:

a. Ambassadors

b. Maritime (high seas, naval) issues

c. Arguments between two or more states

d. Problems that involve the United States government

2. All other cases, not listed above, are given to the Court under their

appellate jurisdiction (hearing a case that has been heard by a lower

court first)

A bureaucracy Incorrect – The bureaucracy is part of the executive branch. The

bureaucracy is responsible for enforcing laws.

B executive Incorrect – The executive branch enforces laws.

C judicial Incorrect – The judicial branch interprets laws.

D legislative Correct – The legislative branch makes laws.

SS.7.C.3.3

ambassador - a person sent as the chief representative of his or her own government in another country

appellate jurisdiction - the power to hear appeals of cases which have been tried in lower courts

bill - an idea being suggested to become a law

cabinet - persons appointed by a head of state to head executive departments of government and act as official advisers

checks and balances - a principle of the federal government, according to the U.S. Constitution, that allows each branch of

government to limit the power of the other branches

citizen - a legal member of a state and/or country

committee - a group of House or Senate (or both) members gathered to discuss and debate proposed legislation and issues

on specific topics

Congress - the national legislative body of the U.S., consisting of the Senate, or upper house, and the House of

Representatives, or lower house

Congressman/Congresswoman - a member of the U.S. Congress, typically used to address members of the U.S. House of

Representatives

court order - a formal statement from a court that orders someone to do or stop doing something

executive branch - the branch of government that enforces the laws made by the legislative branch

executive order - an order that comes from the U.S. President or a government agency and must be obeyed like a law

federal courts - courts that decide arguments over how to interpret the Constitution, all laws passed by Congress, arguments

involving states, and in agreements with other nations., the U.S. Supreme Court is the highest court in the land and is at the

top of the federal courts

forced internment - the confinement of a group of people, especially during a war

judicial branch - the branch of government that interprets the laws made by the legislative branch

judicial review - the power of the U.S. courts to examine the laws or actions of the legislative and executive branches of the

government and to determine whether such actions are consistent with the U.S. Constitution

justice - the title given to judges of the U.S. Supreme Court

legislative branch - the branch of government that creates laws

Marbury v. Madison - U.S. Supreme Court case that established judicial review

original jurisdiction - the power of a court to be the first to hear a case on a specific topic; for the U.S. Supreme Court this

involves cases involving conflicts between Congress and the president and in cases in which a state is a party

president - the head of the executive branch

presidential appointments - the power of the U.S. President to choose members of his or her cabinet, ambassadors to other

nations, and other officials in his or her administration

state courts - courts that deal with issues of law relating to those matters that the U.S. Constitution did not give to the federal

government and are outlined in a state’s constitution

summary judgment - a judgment decided by a trial court without that case going to trial; a summary judgment is an attempt

to stop a case from going to trial

unconstitutional - not in agreement with the U.S Constitution

U.S. House of Representatives - the lower house of the U.S. Congress

U.S. Representative - a member of the U.S House of Representatives; representatives are elected in districts throughout

each state

U.S. Senate - the upper house of the U.S. Congress

U.S. Senator - a member of the U.S. Senate elected to represent an entire state, there are two senators per state

U.S. Supreme Court - the highest court of the United States; it sits at the top of the federal court system

veto - a decision by an executive authority such as a president or governor to reject a proposed law or statue

World War II - a war that began on July7, 1937 in Asia and September 1, 1939 in Europe and lasted until 1945; it involved

most of the world’s countries

writ of certiorari - the procedure to see if the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case; a writ of certiorari is issues when a higher

level court agrees to hear an appeal of an inferior court’s decision

A The governor signs the bill into law. Incorrect – A bill must be approved by both the Florida House

and the state Senate before the governor signs the bill into law.

B The bill goes to the Senate for action. Correct – Both the House and the Senate must approve all

state bills. Once a bill passes through the state House, the

Senate must vote on the bill. If the state Senate approves the

bill, the governor will either sign it into law or veto it.

C The people vote on the bill in an election. Incorrect – The people do not directly vote on bills introduced

by the state House of Representatives.

D The bill goes to the Supreme Court for a hearing. Incorrect – The Florida Supreme Court does not review bills as

part of the state legislative process.

A The presidents’ views are not reflected in

public policy.

Incorrect – The table shows that Congress rarely overrides presidential vetoes. The

override power is the power to reject a presidential veto. A veto override results in

Congress’ views being reflected in public policy. An override that fails results in the

president’s views being reflected in public policy.

B The presidents’ views are reflected in

public policy.

Correct – The table shows that the number of presidential vetoes has been greater,

usually far greater, than the number of legislative overrides. A veto override results in

Congress’ views being reflected in public policy. An override that fails results in the

president’s views being reflected in public policy.

C Congress represents the will of the people. Incorrect – There is no evidence in the table that either the president’s vetoes or

congressional overrides represent popular opinion.

D Congress represents the will of the states. Incorrect – There is no evidence in the table that either the president’s vetoes or

congressional overrides represent the opinions of state governments.

The United States government is made of up of three separate branches: the legislative, the

executive, and the judicial. Each branch is organized very differently, has different jobs and

responsibilities and has its own unique set of powers.

The Legislative Branch

The legislative branch includes the House of Representatives and the Senate – together they

are the lawmaking body of the United States called Congress. Article I of the Constitution

discusses the powers and organization of Congress. The main job of

Congressmen/Congresswomen is to make laws.

The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. At the federal level, the process of how a

bill becomes a law can be difficult. Each bill begins as an idea. An idea for a law can come

from U.S. Representatives, Senators, the president, or even ordinary citizens.

An idea suggested in Congress to be a law is called a bill. Bills can be proposed in either

chamber (house) of Congress (the House of Representatives or the Senate). Depending on

which chamber of Congress proposes the bill, it will be assigned to an appropriate committee.

The committee in Congress that the bill is assigned to will research more information related to

the bill. There are several different types of committees each with their own set of

responsibilities. Every member of Congress serves on one or more committees.

After the committee completes its research and discusses the bill, the committee decides if the

bill should move forward in the next step in becoming a law. If the committee agrees to move

the bill forward, the bill moves to the full house of Congress where the bill was first introduced

so that it can be debated and then voted on. If that chamber of Congress votes to keep the bill

(for example, the U.S. House of Representatives) it then moves to the other chamber of

Congress (for example, the U.S. Senate) for more debate and discussion. Finally, the other

chamber of Congress will vote on the bill. If members of that chamber vote to keep the bill, the

president will then be asked to sign the bill.

If there are more than 10 days remaining in the congressional session, the president may take

one of three actions. The president may choose to sign the bill into law, the president may

choose to veto (reject) the bill or the president may choose to take no action on the bill. A bill

becomes law if the president takes no action on the bill and there are at least 10 days

remaining in the congressional session. If fewer than 10 days remain in a congressional

session when the president is presented with a bill to sign, the president may take no action on

the bill and the bill is vetoed. Bills on which the president takes no action when less than 10

days remain in the congressional session are called pocket vetoes.

2

The Executive Branch

The second branch of the United States government is the executive branch. The executive

branch includes the President and Vice President. The main job of the executive branch is to

enforce the laws. Article II of the Constitution discusses the powers of the president.

The president serves as chief executive of the nation – enforcing the laws that Congress

makes. If the president does not agree with a particular law that Congress has proposed (a

bill), the Constitution gives the president the power to veto the bill. This is an important part of

the system of checks and balances that guarantees that no one branch of government abuses

its power.

As well, the president has the power to issue executive orders, which are decisions that have

the force of law. Executive orders do not have to be approved by Congress although the U.S.

Supreme Court may find them to be unconstitutional and strike them down. For example, an

executive order signed by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1942 allowed for the forced

internment of U.S. citizens of Japanese descent during World War II.

Additionally, the president has the power to nominate people to serve in different government

positions. These are known as presidential appointments. Examples of presidential

appointments include the president’s cabinet, justices to the U.S. Supreme Court and

ambassadors to different countries. As a part of the checks and balances system, the

presidential appointments must be approved and confirmed by the Senate in order for them to

take effect. This prevents the president from nominating or appointing people to these very

important positions who may have been appointed for the wrong reason and may lack

qualifications.

The Judicial Branch

The third branch is the judicial branch. The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court,

federal courts and the state courts. Article III of the Constitution outlines the U.S. court

structure.

The U.S. Supreme Court is the highest court in the nation. In most cases, the Supreme Court

has appellate jurisdiction, which means it has the power to review cases that have already

been decided in lower courts. Sometimes the U.S. Supreme court has original jurisdiction,

which means the Court has the power to hear a case first. For example, cases involving

disagreements between two states would be first heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

There are thousands of appeals requests for cases to be heard by the Supreme Court each

year although less than 100 are likely to be accepted. Once the Supreme Court reviews an

appeal, the Court decides whether or not to hear the case. The Court will issue a writ of

certiorari if the Court decides to accept the case on appeal.

Because most cases that are accepted by the Supreme Court on appeal deal with

constitutional questions, the Supreme Court has claimed the power of judicial review. Judicial

review is the Court’s power to determine whether or not a law or action is constitutional. This

3

power was not originally granted to the Supreme Court by the US Constitution. Instead, the

Court interpreted the Constitution to mean that it does have this power in the Marbury v.

Madison case (see SS.7.C.3.12).

Courts use different processes to conduct their work. For example, courts issue court orders,

documents requiring that someone do or not do something such as appear in court.

Sometimes, the two parties involved in a civil suit may wish to speed up the court process by

requesting a summary judgment. A summary judgment is a decision made on the basis of

statements and evidence presented for the record without a trial.

A Constitutional protections from cruel and

unusual punishment are safeguarded while

executions continue.

Correct – The Eighth Amendment protects individuals from cruel and

unusual punishment. The timeline describes a series of events that

have protected individuals from cruel and unusual punishment while

the government has continued to enforce and expand the use of the

death penalty as a form of criminal punishment.

B Constitutional protections from cruel and

unusual punishment are limited while

executions continue.

Incorrect – The timeline shows that the U.S. Supreme Court has

broadened constitutional protections from cruel and unusual

punishment.

C Constitutional protections of due process of

law are safeguarded while executions

continue.

Incorrect – The timeline does not address due process.

D Constitutional protections of due process of

law are limited while executions continue.

Incorrect – The timeline does not address due process

Students will examine the processes of the legislative (e.g., how a bill becomes a law, appointment confirmation, committee selection), executive (e.g., executive order, veto, appointments), and judicial (e.g., judicial review, court order, writ of certiorari, summary judgment) branches of government.

Students will compare local, state, and federal lawmakers (city/county commissioners/council members; state legislators [representatives and senators]; and U.S. congressmen/congresswomen [representatives and senators]).

Students will distinguish among ordinances, statutes, and acts on the local, state, and federal levels.

Students will compare and contrast the lawmaking process at the local, state, and federal levels.

The U.S. federal system allows both the national and state governments to share certain

powers and responsibilities. Lawmaking is a power that is shared at each level of government

– the local, state, and federal levels.

At the local level, depending on how the local government is organized, lawmakers could be

city commissioners, city council members, county commissioners, or mayors. The

number of commissioners and/or council members will vary depending on how the city or

county government is organized. These local government officials pass ordinances that

govern the people who live in villages, towns, cities and counties.

State government is organized like the federal government. There is a state house of

representatives and state senate made up of state representatives and state senators called

state legislators. State representatives are elected to serve two-year terms and state

senators are elected to serve four-year terms. State legislators work to create state laws,

called statutes, which govern the people who live in the state.

At the federal level, each state is given a certain number of U.S. Representatives based on the

state’s population and two U.S. Senators. U.S. Representatives serve two-year terms and

have no term limits. U.S. Senators serve six-year terms and have no term limits. Together,

U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators make up the Congress. Congress enacts federal

laws, called acts, which govern the people of the entire nation.

A Both have the same number of justices. Incorrect – The U.S. Supreme Court has nine justices. The Florida

Supreme Court has seven justices.

B Both have chief justices. Correct – Both the U.S. Supreme Court and the Florida Supreme Court

are led by chief justices.

C Justices serve for life with good

behavior.

Incorrect – Florida Supreme Court justices are appointed to serve sixyear

terms and must be retained by popular vote at the end of each term.

U.S. Supreme Court justices are appointed for life, subject to good

behavior.

D Justices serve for set terms of office. Incorrect – U.S. Supreme Court justices are appointed for life. Justices

appointed to the Florida Supreme Court serve six-year terms and must be

retained by popular vote at the end of each term.

What is the next step in the lawmaking process?

A. The governor signs the bill into law.

B. The bill goes to the Senate for action.

C. The people vote on the bill in an election.

D. The bill goes to the Supreme Court for a hearing.

The writers of the U.S. Constitution wanted to create a federal government that was

effective and powerful, but one that also safeguards the rights of individuals. The U.S.

Constitution establishes a system that protects the rights of individuals and in turn, limits the powers of the federal government. The Bill of Rights lists many individual rights and

guarantees that the government will not interfere with these rights. Other individual rights

safeguarded in the U.S. Constitution are located in Article I, Section 9. These rights include

the writ of habeas corpus and ex post facto laws.

Although the Constitution safeguards rights, it is reasonable and fair to place limits on most

rights. This means that rights are not absolute and can be limited in certain situations. Over

the years, courts in the United States have developed various guidelines for limiting

individual rights. These guidelines are used to help decide when individual rights interfere

with other important rights and interests, including the rights of other individuals. Citizens

may not exercise their freedoms to the full extent that they might like because doing so

would threaten the common good. Federal and state laws, and U.S. Supreme Court

decisions, have all placed limitations on First Amendment freedoms in order to protect the

public interest. Rights and freedoms have been safeguarded because they are a

foundation of the system of government in the United States while they are also limited in

order to insure that the government is stable.

Local governments pass laws that govern the people living in their villages, towns, cities, or

counties. Local laws are called ordinances.

State governments are required to make laws that govern the people that living in the state.

State laws are called statutes.

The federal government is required to make laws that govern the citizens and people within the

United States. Federal laws are called acts.

A The U.S. Constitution limits the rights of the people. Incorrect – The Constitution safeguards the rights of the

people by limiting the power of the government. The passage

does not address situations where individual rights may be

limited.

B The U.S. Constitution limits the power of the federal

government.

Correct – The passage states that limits must be put on the

power of the government in order to protect the rights of the

people. The metaphor in the passage explains that the power of

the government must be controlled to protect individual rights.

C The U.S. Constitution requires the states to provide

for the common defense.

Incorrect – The U. S. Constitution does not require states to

provide for the common defense. The quote does not address

defense.

D The U.S. Constitution requires the government to

promote the general welfare.

Incorrect – The quote does not address government’s

responsibility to promote the general welfare.

Which right is NOT mentioned in the U.S. Constitution?

A. petition the government

B. due process of the law

C. trial by jury

D. privacy

Lawmaking at the Local Level

It is the job of local governments to make communities better places to live. To accomplish this

job, local lawmaking bodies have the power to pass ordinances. Ordinances are regulations

that govern a local community. Ordinances may not conflict with state laws, called statutes or

federal laws, called acts. Local law enforcement groups (like the police force or Sherriff’s

deputies) are in charge of enforcing both ordinances and state statutes.

Lawmaking at the State Level

At the state level, the process of how a bill becomes a law can be difficult. Each bill begins as

an idea. An idea for a law can come from state legislators, the governor, or even ordinary

citizens.

An idea once proposed in the state legislature is called a bill. Bills can be proposed in either the

state house of representatives or the state senate. The house or senate committee that the

bill is assigned to will research more information related to the bill. There are several different

types of committees each with their own set of responsibilities. Every state legislator serves on

one or more committees.

After the committee completes its research and discusses the bill, the committee decides if the

bill should move forward. If the committee agrees to move the bill forward, the bill moves to the

full house of Congress where the bill was first introduced for debate and vote. If that legislative

chamber votes to keep the bill (for example, the state house of representatives) it then moves

to the other legislative chamber (for example, the state senate) for more debate and discussion.

Finally, the other legislative chamber will vote on the bill. If members of that chamber vote to

keep the bill, the governor will then be asked to sign the bill into law.

State legislatures have various committees similar to the federal Congress. The committees

study bills, hold hearings, and revise bills if necessary. Both state houses (the House of

Representatives and the Senate) must approve a bill and the governor must sign it before it

becomes law.

Lawmaking at the Federal Level

At the federal level, the process of how a bill becomes a law can be difficult. Each bill begins

as an idea. An idea for a law can come from U.S. Representatives, Senators, the president,

or even ordinary citizens.

2

Once an idea is proposed in Congress, it is called a bill. Bills can be proposed in either

chamber (house) of Congress (the House of Representatives or the Senate). Depending on

which chamber of Congress proposes the bill, it will be assigned to an appropriate committee.

The committee in Congress to which the bill is assigned will research more information related

to the bill. There are several different types of committees each with their own set of

responsibilities. Every member of Congress serves on one or more committees.

After the committee completes its research and discusses the bill, the committee decides if the

bill should move forward. If the committee agrees to move the bill forward, the bill moves to the

full house of Congress where the bill was first introduced for debate and vote. If that chamber

of Congress votes to keep the bill (for example, the U.S. House of Representatives) it then

moves to the other chamber of Congress (for example, the U.S. Senate) for more debate and

discussion. Finally, the other chamber of Congress will vote on the bill. If members of that

chamber vote to keep the bill, the president will then be asked to sign the bill. If there are more

than 10 days remaining in the congressional session, the president may take one of three

actions. The president may choose to sign the bill into law, the president may choose to veto

(reject) the bill or the president may choose to take no action on the bill. A bill becomes law if

the president takes no action on the bill and there are at least 10 days remaining in the

congressional session. If fewer than 10 days remain in a congressional session when the

president is presented with a bill to sign, the president may take no action on the bill and the bill

is vetoed. Bills on which the president takes no action when less than 10 days remain in the

congressional session are called pocket vetoes.

What constitutional protections have resulted from these events?

A. Constitutional protections from cruel and unusual punishment are safeguarded while executions continue.

B. Constitutional protections from cruel and unusual punishment are limited while executions continue.

C. Constitutional protections of due process of law are safeguarded while executions continue.

D. Constitutional protections of due process of law are limited while executions continue.

Freedom of expression includes the First Amendment rights of free speech, press,

assembly, and petition. The unlimited right to free expression may be dangerous to public

safety, national security, or other important interests. If the danger is great enough, the

courts have allowed freedom of expression to be limited. Also, some rights may be limited

when they conflict with other rights or with other important values and interests. In situations

where the rights of one citizen may conflict with the rights of other citizens, limitations to

protect everyone’s rights may be put into place.

In the landmark case Schenck v. U.S.(1919), the Supreme Court set the precedent of the

“balancing test.” This balancing test focuses on the relationship between individual rights and

the public interest. Rights may be limited when the public interest is threatened or at risk.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on different occasions that the government may be

allowed to limit individual rights in order to protect the public interest. In these situations,

there must be a balance of individual rights, the rights of others, and the common good.

Students will recognize that rights are protected, but are not unlimited.

Students will examine rationales for limiting individual rights.

Students will use scenarios to examine the impact of limits on individual rights on social behavior.

Students will examine the role of the judicial branch of government in protecting individual rights.

What do the highest courts of Florida and the United States have in common?

A. Both have the same number of justices.

B. Both have chief justices.

C. Justices serve for life with good behavior.

D. Justices serve for set terms of office.

Listed below are additional conditions used to limit freedom of speech and freedom of the

press.

! Clear and Present Danger – Will this act of speech create a dangerous situation?

! Fighting Words – Will this act of speech create a violent situation?

! Libel – Is this information false or does it put true information appear false?

! Conflict with Government Interests – During times of war the government may limit

acts of speech due to national security.

One scenario where the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Congress’ right to limit individual rights

was in Schenck v. U.S. (1919). In this case, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Espionage

Act of 1917, legislation that limited free speech during World War I. Charles Schenck was

Secretary of the Socialist Party of America who printed and distributed 15,000 pamphlets to

possible draftees (someone registered for selective service) encouraging them not to fulfill

their obligation of serving in the military during World War I. Schenck argued that the

Espionage Act of 1917 violated his First Amendment freedom of speech by limiting what he

could say about the war. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Schenck’s criminal conviction

because, it argued, the First Amendment does not protect speech that would create a “clear

and present danger”. In this case, draftees who refused to be drafted to defend the nation

during World War I would threaten the public interest because it would reduce the nation’s

ability to defend itself.

How are the author's views from this passage applied in the U.S. Constitution?

A. The U.S. Constitution limits the rights of the people.

B. The U.S. Constitution limits the power of the federal government.

C. The U.S. Constitution requires the states to provide for the common defense.

D. The U.S. Constitution requires the government to promote the general welfare.

unenumerated

Based on the table, how has the legislative process been impacted by presidential vetoes?

A. The presidents' views are not reflected in public policy.

B. The presidents' views are reflected in public policy.

C. Congress represents the will of the people.

D. Congress represents the will of the states.

The writers of the U.S. Constitution designed an independent judiciary where the judicial

branch would have freedom from the executive and legislative branches. The U.S. Constitution

guaranteed that judges would serve “during good behavior” and would be protected from any

decrease in their salaries. Both of these features prevent the other two branches from removing

judges or decreasing their salaries if they don’t like a judge’s opinion (decision) on a case. This

gave the judicial branch the freedom to make decisions based on the law and not based on

pressure from the other two branches.

The writers of the U.S. Constitution wanted to create a federal government that was effective

and powerful, but one that did not step on the rights of the individual. In Article 1, Section 9 of

the U.S. Constitution, there are two key individual rights that are protected, or safeguarded:

The first is in this statement:

"The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in

Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it."

Habeas corpus is an important individual right. This statement from Article I, Section 9 means

that an authority has to prove to a court why it is holding someone. If the government cannot

show why a person is being held in jail, that person must be released.

The second is in this statement:

"No… ex post facto Law shall be passed."

An ex post facto law is one that makes an act a crime after it has been committed.

The appellate process in the federal and state court systems also protect the rights of the

individual. The appellate process allows citizens to appeal a decision from a lower court to a

higher court to make sure that the trial was conducted properly.

By ensuring that the rights of individuals would be protected, this created a system where the

powers of the federal government also became limited. The judicial branch interprets the U.S.

Constitution and establishes guidelines and sets precedents on when and how individual rights

are safeguarded and limited.

Vocab

common good - beliefs or actions that are seen as a benefit to the larger community rather than individual interests, also

known as the public good

ex post facto law - a law that makes an act a crime after the crime has been committed

federal government - a system of government where power is shared between a central government and states,

government of the United States

First Amendment – an amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting Congress from establishing a religion, and from

interfering with freedom of religious exercise, press, speech, assembly, or petition

habeas corpus - the principle that keeps the government from holding a citizen indefinitely without showing cause

public interest - common benefit, the general benefit of the public

safeguard - to protect

A petition the government Incorrect – This right is mentioned in the First Amendment.

B due process of the law Incorrect – This right is mentioned in the Fifth Amendment.

C trial by jury Incorrect – This right is mentioned in the Sixth Amendment.

D privacy Correct – Privacy, or the right to be left alone, is an unenumerated right; it

is not listed in the U.S. Constitution or in any amendment.

SS.7.C.2.5

SS.7.C.3.8

retained by popular vote at the end of each term.

A Citizens can be involved in policy

making through their representatives.

Incorrect – The headline does not support this response. Voters directly

rejected the tax amendment by popular vote and not through their

representatives.

B Citizens can be directly involved in

policy making.

Correct – The headline supports this response because Florida citizens

directly voted against the tax amendment. The Florida state constitution

can be amended by popular vote. Amendments to a constitution are a

form of policy.

C Only elected officials may change

constitutions.

Incorrect – The headline does not support this response. Florida citizens

voted against the tax amendment which shows that individual citizens can

change the state constitution.

D Only elected officials make policy. Incorrect – The headline does not support this response. Voters directly

rejected the tax amendment which shows that elected officials did not

make this policy.

A constitution is a written plan for government. Within a constitution, the powers and

responsibilities of government are listed, the power of the government is limited and the

rights of the people are protected. The U.S. Constitution provides a framework (outline), for

how the government is going to work. In the United States, the Constitution creates three

branches of government – legislative, executive and judicial and defines the powers,

responsibilities and roles of each.

The Constitution outlines the limitations of these three branches by creating a system of

checks and balances, this guarantees that no one branch of government can become more

powerful than another branch of government. An example of these limitations is that while

Congress makes the laws, the president may decide to veto them and the Supreme Court

may strike down the law if the Court considers an enacted law to be unconstitutional.

Finally the Constitution protects to the rights of the people. This document guarantees that

the rights of the people are protected no matter who is holding power. The Bill of Rights

was added to the Constitution to list the rights of the people and further explain the

limitations of the government. For example, the Third Amendment says that the government

cannot require that soldiers be quartered (provide a place to stay) in people’s homes during

peacetime. This limits the power of the government by not allowing the government to

require that individuals provide shelter to soldiers.

Bill

A created property taxes Incorrect – The U.S. Constitution did not create property taxes.

This is not an enumerated power of Congress found in Article I.

B established a zoning board Incorrect – The U.S. Constitution did not establish zoning

boards while the Florida Constitution reserves that power to

local governments.

C required a balanced budget Incorrect – The U.S. Constitution does not require a balanced

federal budget.

D guaranteed individual freedoms Correct – The Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution and the

Declaration of Rights in the Florida Constitution both guarantee

basic freedoms and individual liberties.

After the U.S. Constitution was ratified (approved by the states), the states wrote or amended

their own state constitutions. Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution states: “The United

States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government”. Because

the U.S. Constitution served as a guideline, many state constitutions look very similar to the

national constitution, including the Florida Constitution. The U.S. and Florida constitutions both

have a preamble (an introduction that states the purpose and goals of government), articles

(sections that describe the powers and functions of the government) and amendments (changes

that have been made to the constitution over time). While the basic outline of the U.S.

Constitution and the Florida Constitution are the same, the contents of these documents are very

different.

Next is a brief comparison of the major similarities and differences of the two documents:

A Declaration of Rights Correct – The Declaration of Rights is the part of the Florida Constitution

that protects the basic individual rights of all Floridians.

B Bill of Rights Incorrect – The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the U.S.

Constitution.

C Amendments Incorrect – Amendments are changes to the Florida Constitution that do

not just protect individual rights. Amendments address many different

issues.

D Preamble Incorrect – The Preamble is the introduction to Florida Constitution. It

describes the purposes of the state government.

Congress

Students will identify the purposes of a constitution (provides a framework for government, limits government authority, protects the rights of the people).

Students will recognize the basic outline of the U.S. and Florida constitutions (both have articles, amendments, and preambles).

Students will compare the amendment process of the U.S. and Florida constitutions.

Students will recognize the U.S. Constitution as the supreme law of the land.

Which part of the Florida Constitution protects individual rights?

A. Declaration of Rights

B. Bill of Rights

C. Amendments

D. Preamble

Both the U.S. Constitution and the Florida Constitutions are “living documents” because both of

them describe the process by which they can be amended (changed). While both documents can

be changed, the ways in which they are amended are very different.

For a more precise description of the ways to amend the U.S. Constitution, it may be helpful to

review the Student Reading and Overview for Benchmark SS.7.C.3.5. The most important

information to know about the amendment process for the U.S. Constitution is that an amendment

must first be proposed (suggested) and then the states must agree to ratify in order for it to be

added to the Constitution. There are two different ways an amendment to the U.S. Constitution can

be proposed – (1) two-thirds of the members of each house of Congress can propose an

amendment or (2) a convention called by two-thirds of the states can be used to propose an

amendment. If either of those two proposal options is successful, the proposed amendment is sent

to the states for ratification. There are two ways an amendment to the U.S. Constitution can be

ratified – (1) three-fourths of the state legislatures can vote to ratify the amendment or (2) threefourths

of states can call for a ratifying convention which can be used to ratify the amendment.

At the state level, the amendment process is very different. Voters in the state must agree to

amend the Florida Constitution. Amendments are included on Election Day ballots. Voters vote

“yes” or “no” to proposed amendments. An amendment can only be added to the Florida

Constitution if 60% or more of those voting vote “yes”.

Proposing an amendment to the Florida Constitution can occur in one of many ways. These five

ways include:

• Ballot Initiative Process - A set number of registered voters representing 8% of the votes

cast in the most recent presidential election must sign a petition supporting an

amendment being placed on a future Election Day ballot.

• Constitutional Convention - A set number of registered voters representing 15% of the

votes cast in the most recent presidential election may call for a constitutional

convention. Amendments may be proposed at the convention.

• Constitutional Revision Commission - The 37 member Constitutional Revision

Committee meets every 20 years (the next meeting will take place in 2017) and

proposes amendments to the state constitution.

• Legislative Joint Resolution - Three-fifths (60%) of each house of the Florida Legislature

can pass a joint resolution (decision) proposing an amendment to be placed on a future

Election Day ballot.

• Taxation and Budget Reform Commission - The 22 member Taxation and Budget

Reform Commission proposes amendments to the state constitution. This Commission

last met in 2007 and will meet every 20th year (2027, 2047, etc.).

Which feature completes the Venn diagram?

A. created property taxes

B. established a zoning board

C. required a balanced budget

D. guaranteed individual freedoms

According to Article VI (Six) of the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. Constitution is the final authority

for our government. This Article contains the supremacy clause, which says that the U.S.

Constitution is the “supreme law of the land”. That is, there is no law that can go above the

U.S. Constitution or the U.S. government. If a local or state law conflicts with a national law,

that law is struck down and the national law is the law that remains in place.

Vocab

Bill of Rights - the first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution

checks and balances - a principle of the federal government, according to the U.S. Constitution, that allows each branch

of government to limit the power of the other branches

Congress - the national legislative body of the U.S., consisting of the Senate, or upper house, and the House of

Representatives, or lower house

executive branch - the branch of government that enforces the laws made by the legislative branch

judicial branch - the branch of government that interprets the laws made by the legislative branch

legislative branch - the branch of government that creates laws

president - the head of the executive branch

U.S. Supreme Court - the highest court of the United States; it sits at the top of the federal court system

veto - a decision by an executive authority such as a president or governor to reject a proposed law or statute

A to provide the news media with a guaranteed profit Incorrect – Freedom of the press does not guarantee profits for

any media source.

B to keep the news media from controlling the political

process

Incorrect – Freedom of the press does not give the news

media control over the political process even though the media

can influence government.

C to provide the government with an accurate

information source

Incorrect – Providing the government with accurate information

is a result of freedom of the press because the media have the

freedom to gather news and information which they may share

with government.

D to keep the government from becoming the primary

information source

Correct – Freedom of the press allows the media to gather

news and information which they share with the public. This

keeps the government from being the public’s primary

information source.

The Bill of Rights includes the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The Bill of Rights was added to the U.S. Constitution in 1791, two years after the U.S. Constitution was ratified. These amendments define individual freedoms, rights of those accused of a crime, and protections from the federal government.

The First Amendment includes five individual freedoms. Those freedoms are the right to

free speech, press, religious exercise, peaceable assembly, and petitioning the

government. Freedom of speech allows individuals to express their opinions. This

includes speech that may criticize the government or government officials. Freedom of

the press allows individuals to publish or print information. Freedom of religious exercise

allows individuals to practice their religion freely or to choose not to practice a religion at

all. Freedom to peaceably assemble is the ability to peacefully gather in groups. These

groups can include those meeting to publicly demonstrate ideas or beliefs, such as a

protest. Freedom to petition allows individuals to express their concerns with the

government. A petition may formally ask the government for a policy change and may

include the signatures of those who support those changes.

The statement below was made by Thomas Jefferson in a 1786 letter to John Jay.

Why should this freedom be guarded?

A. to provide the news media with a guaranteed profit

B. to keep the news media from controlling the political process

C. to provide the government with an accurate information source

D. to keep the government from becoming the primary information source

What conclusion can be drawn from the headline?

A. Citizens can be involved in policy making through their representatives.

B. Citizens can be directly involved in policy making.

C. Only elected officials may change constitutions.

D. Only elected officials make policy.

There are three categories of rights, freedoms and protections listed in the Bill of Rights.

The first are individual freedoms as stated in the First Amendment: free speech, press,

religious exercise, peaceable assembly, and petition.

The second category is the rights of those accused of a crime. Search and seizure

occurs when police believe that a crime has been committed. Police conduct a search to

seize (collect) evidence that may have to do with the crime. Protection from unreasonable

search and seizure means that police must have a reason and in most cases a warrant from

a judge to search a person’s personal property, home or body that may include their car,

home, locker, backpack or purse belonging to the accused person. Rights of those accused

of a crime also include the right to due process of law. Due process means that one

cannot have their life, liberty or property taken without appropriate legal procedures and

protections. Pleading the Fifth, or protection against self-incrimination, means that those

accused of crimes may refuse to testify against themselves in a court of law. Pleading the

Fifth prevents anything that a person may say to be used as evidence against them to

convict them of a crime. Double jeopardy is also protected by the Bill of Rights. If evidence

is found after an accused person is found “not guilty” of a crime, that person cannot be

brought back to stand trial for the same crime. The right to legal counsel (lawyer) allows all

people accused of a crime to have legal representation in court. Trial by jury is an

additional right protected by the Bill of Rights. Protection of trial by jury means that a judge

and jury must decide the issue based on the facts and evidence of a criminal case. Further,

persons accused of a crime are protected against cruel and unusual punishment which

may include torture or other forms of punishment considered too harsh for the crime

committed. The constitutionality of the death penalty has long been questioned as to

whether it should be considered cruel and unusual punishment.

The third category is protection from government abuse of power. Such matters may deal

with property rights, voting rights or the right to protect oneself. For example, the right to

bear arms is included in this category. The right to bear arms means that one is able to own

and carry weapons, such as owning and carrying a gun for self-protection. Eminent domain

allows the government to take private property (property owned by people organizations or

companies) for public use although the owner must be compensated (paid) fairly for it. A

good example of this is if a road needs to be expanded and someone’s property is in the

path of the road. The government must pay the owner for the land that will be taken by the

government for expanding the road. The Ninth Amendment gives the people unenumerated

rights or rights that are not be listed in the Constitution. Unenumerated rights include

privacy rights which, while not listed in the Constitution, belong to the people. Equal

protection under the law guarantees citizens protection from states treating them in a way

that denies them their rights under federal law. The 15th, 19th, 24th and 26th Amendments

each deal with suffrage. Each amendment deals with a different aspect of suffrage; the

15th Amendment protects the voting rights of African-American men, the 19th Amendment

2

guarantees women the right to vote in all federal, state and local elections and the 24th

Amendment protects citizens from having to pay a poll tax as a condition of voting. The 26th

Amendment guarantees citizens who are at least 18 years old the right to vote.

Students will recognize that the Bill of Rights comprises the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Students will recognize the five freedoms protected by the First Amendment.

Students will evaluate how the Bill of Rights influences individual actions and social interactions.

Students will use scenarios to identify rights protected by the Bill of Rights.

Students will use scenarios to recognize violations of the Bill of Rights or other constitutional amendments.

A due process of law, assistance of counsel,

speedy and public trial

Correct – A “mock trial” means a fake trial, so colonists who were accused of

murder were not given a fair trial. This is the correct answer because the Fifth and

Sixth Amendments protect criminal trial rights.

Due process is a system of justice that follows established laws and principles. The

Fifth Amendment states that the government cannot deprive a citizen of life, liberty

nor property without due process of law. Assistance of counsel means that persons

who are accused of crimes have the right to be represented by an attorney; this

right is protected by the Sixth Amendment. The Sixth Amendment also protects the

right to a speedy and public trial.

B equal protection, assistance of counsel,

speedy and public trial

Incorrect – Equal protection is guaranteed in the 14th Amendment, not the Bill of

Rights.

C bear arms, due process of law, speedy

and public trial

Incorrect – The right to bear arms is protected by the Second Amendment, but it is

not a criminal trial right.

D bear arms, equal protection, speedy and

public trial

Incorrect – Equal protection is guaranteed in the 14th Amendment, not in the Bill of

Rights.

The wording of the Bill of Rights is not entirely clear. What is “speech”? “What is the freedom

of religious exercise”? What does it mean to guarantee the right to counsel? The U.S.

Supreme Court has been asked to evaluate situations where individuals have questioned

whether their rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution have been violated (abused) by a

federal, state or local law or other government regulation. Through evaluating these situations,

the U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted what the Bill of Rights and other amendments to the

Constitution mean. Through these interpretations, the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized

violations (abuses) of citizen and individual protections. And, these decisions have established

precedents for future case decisions.

One key example is Tinker v. Des Moines (1969). Tinker v. Des Moines is a case that

interpreted the First Amendment right to free speech to include “symbolic speech”. John and

Mary Beth Tinker, who attended public school in Des Moines, Iowa, wanted to wear black

armbands to school to protest the Vietnam War in 1965. The school did not allow students to

wear black armbands, and the Tinkers were suspended. Their parents sued and the case was

eventually heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court decided that the wearing of black

armbands was a form of “symbolic speech” or “political speech” that was protected by the “free

speech” right in the First Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court stated that denying students

the right to wear the black armbands violated their free speech rights under the Bill of Rights.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966) dealt with protection from self-incrimination or the right to plead the

fifth. The police did not tell Miranda that he did not have to say anything to police when they

questioned him. He confessed to a crime and the confession was used against him in court.

The U.S. Supreme Court stated that his confession could not be used against him in court

because the police did not inform him of his protection from self-incrimination. As a result of

this case, police must inform a person of their rights if they are arrested for committing a crime.

These rights are now called Miranda Rights.

keep trials fair

Vocab

Which rights listed in the Bill of Rights reflects this complaint?

A. due process of law, assistance of counsel, speedy and public trial

B. equal protection, assistance of counsel, speedy and public trial

C. bear arms, due process of law, speedy and public trial

D. bear arms, equal protection, speedy and public trial

Bill of Rights - the first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution

Miranda v. Arizona - U.S. Supreme Court cases that upheld the Fifth Amendment protection from self-incrimination

pleading the fifth - the act of a person refusing to testify under oath in a court of law on the grounds that the answers

could be used as evidence against him to convict him of a criminal offense

precedent - a court decision in an earlier case with facts and legal issues similar to those in a case currently before a court

self incrimination - the right in the Fifth Amendment that protects a person from being forced to reveal to the police,

prosecutor, judge, or jury any information that might subject him or her to criminal prosecution

symbolic speech - action that expresses an idea

Tinker v. Des Moines - U.S. Supreme Court case that upheld a student’s First Amendment right to engage in symbolic

speech in school

SS.7.C.3.13

A Declaration of Independence Incorrect – The Declaration of Independence is a statement of grievances

against Parliament and the King. The Declaration of Independence does

not describe civil liberties.

B Preamble to the Constitution Incorrect – The Preamble to the Constitution is a statement of goals for

the Constitution. The Preamble does not identify any specific civil

liberties.

C Pledge of Allegiance Incorrect – The Pledge of Allegiance is a statement of loyalty to the

United States. The Pledge of Allegiance does not identify any specific

civil liberties.

D Bill of Rights Correct – The Bill of Rights is an enumeration (listing) of civil liberties.

The Bill of Rights was developed to limit federal government power, and to

protect individuals from abuse of federal government power.

Where can a description of U.S. citizens' civil liberties be found?

A. Declaration of Independence

B. Preamble to the Constitution

C. Pledge of Allegiance

D. Bill of Rights

Where are our

rights?

SS.7.C.2.4

Benchmark 2:

Question 1:

Question 3:

Which documents influenced the colonists' views of government?

A. Common Sense, Articles of Confederation, Declaration of the Rights of Man

B. Virginia Declaration of Rights, Common Sense, Bill of Rights

C. Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, Common Sense

D. Magna Carta, Iroquois Constitution, Common Sense

Answer and Explanations

The passage below was written by Thomas Paine in his 1776 pamphlet, Common Sense.

Based on this passage, how is the author's view reflected in the U.S. political system?

A. The monarchy creates limited government.

B. The monarchy supports self-government.

C. Representatives are appointed.

D. Representatives are elected.

Benchmark Clarifications

There are multiple levels, functions and powers of the courts at the state and federal levels

of the government.

The State Court System

Most legal matters that arise within a state fall under the state court system. Jurisdiction

(the authority to hear a case) within state and federal courts is determined by the individual

constitutions. The U.S. Constitution determines jurisdiction for federal courts and the Florida

Constitution determines jurisdiction for state courts. Most states have a three-leveled system

similar to the federal court system, but in Florida there is a four-leveled court system.

The lowest courts in Florida are the county courts, the second level contains the circuit

courts, the next level of courts in Florida that deal with appeals are the Florida District

Court of Appeals, and the highest court is the Florida Supreme Court. Below is a brief

description and review of each level of the Florida courts.

County Courts

County courts handle misdemeanors or less serious crimes. These courts handle minor

cases such as traffic violations, disturbing the peace, or civil cases involving sums of money

less than $1,000. Municipal (city) courts are found in large cities and are divided into traffic,

juvenile, and small claims courts. Small claims courts decide civil cases involving minor

amounts of money. In small claims court there are two sides: (1) Plaintiffs (people filing

lawsuits) and (2) Defendants (people being sued) who speak for themselves with no lawyers

present.

Circuit Courts

More serious crimes (felonies) and civil cases involving large amounts of money (more than

$1000) are heard at the second level. Circuit courts, sometimes referred to as general trial

courts, hear cases where defendants are accused of felonies such as murder, armed

robbery, drug trafficking, and other major crimes. Trials in these courts may be held before a

jury. It is the judge’s responsibility to make sure that the trial is handled fairly and lawfully.

District Court of Appeals

The third leveled court in Florida is the District Court of Appeals. This is an appellate court

and it reviews decisions made by trial courts. No trials are heard in appellate courts and

there are no juries present. Instead, panel of judges decides cases by a majority vote.

Florida Supreme Court

The Florida Supreme Court is the highest court in the state. It is the responsibility of this

court to review the decisions of appellate courts and to supervise all Florida courts. It is also

the Florida Supreme Court’s responsibility to interpret the Florida Constitution. The Florida

2

Supreme Court has seven justices. Florida Supreme Court justices review cases and make

decisions that are final for the state, except for cases involving federal law or the U.S.

Constitution. The U.S. Constitution has supremacy over all other laws.

The Federal Court System

Legal matters that arise involving the federal government or the U.S. Constitution are heard

by federal courts. The federal court system is outlined in Article III of the U.S. Constitution.

Article III gives Congress the power to establish courts lower than the U.S. Supreme Court.

There are three levels of federal courts: the lowest courts are called District Courts, the

second level of courts are called Appeals Courts and the highest court in the U.S. is called

the United States Supreme Court.

Only certain cases are heard in federal courts and this is based on jurisdiction. Article III

gives the federal courts jurisdiction to hear eight different kinds of cases including:

o Cases involving the U.S. Constitution (Any case where a person believes that a

constitutional right has been violated)

o Violations of federal law (Any case where the government accuses a person of a

federal crime)

o Controversies between states (Cases where state governments have

disagreements are settled in federal court)

o Disputes between parties of different states (Cases where citizens of different

states have disagreements are settled in federal court)

o Lawsuits involving the federal government (Any case where the federal

government sues any party, such as an individual or company, or is sued by any

party)

o Cases involving foreign governments and treaties (Any case where there is a

dispute between the federal government (or U.S. private party, such as an

individual, company or organization) and a foreign government)

o Cases based on admiralty and maritime laws (Any case that concerns accidents or

crimes on the high seas)

o Cases involving U.S. diplomats (Any case that concerns a U.S. diplomat working

in a U.S. embassy overseas is heard in federal court)

Federal trials are held and lawsuits begin in U.S. District Courts. Each state has at least one

U.S. District Court and sometimes more within its borders. District courts have original

jurisdiction, which means that certain cases must begin there. U.S. District courts are

responsible for determining the facts of a case. They are the trial courts for both criminal and

civil cases. District courts are the only courts at the federal level where witnesses testify,

juries hear cases and verdicts are reached.

Many people who lose their case in a U.S. District Court appeal to the next highest level,

which is the U.S. Court of Appeals. These courts go by several names: U.S. Court of

Appeals, Appeals/Appellate Courts or Circuit Courts of Appeals. The responsibility of the

appeals court is to review the decisions made in a lower district court. Appeals courts have

appellate jurisdiction, which mean they can review the rulings and decisions from lower

courts if the people or groups involved believe the lower court acted unfairly. Appeals can

3

occur if (1) the lower court judge applied the law incorrectly, (2) the lower court judge used

the wrong procedure, (3) new evidence turns up or (4) rights were violated.

Both the Florida court system and the federal court system operate according to the powers

and jurisdiction granted to them by their individual constitutions. The Florida court system is

defined in the Florida Constitution and the federal court system is defined in the U.S.

Constitution.

The Florida Constitution gives its courts the jurisdiction to hear certain kinds of cases at the

different levels of the court system. County and circuit courts have original jurisdiction,

which means that certain types of cases must begin there. The Florida District Court of

Appeals has appellate jurisdiction because they have the power to review cases that have

already been heard by lower courts.

Finally, the Florida Supreme Court is the highest court in Florida. They too have appellate

jurisdiction, but they also have the power to determine the constitutionality of Florida laws. The

decisions of the Florida Supreme Court are final, but they cannot go against the U.S.

Constitution. This means that decisions can be appealed on 14th Amendment equal protection

grounds.

The U. S. Constitution gives the federal courts their jurisdiction to hear certain kinds of cases at

the different levels of the court system. Federal district courts have original jurisdiction,

which means cases involving the federal government or the U.S. Constitution must begin there.

The U.S. Court of Appeals has appellate jurisdiction, because they have the power to review

cases that have already been heard by the district courts. Finally, the U.S. Supreme Court is

the highest court in the nation. They too have appellate jurisdiction, as well as the power to

determine the constitutionality of federal and state laws. The decisions of the United States

Supreme Court are final and may not be appealed.

Students will identify the important ideas contained in the Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, Mayflower Compact, and Common Sense.

Question 2:

Students will distinguish between the levels, functions, and powers of courts at the state and federal levels.

Students will recognize that the powers and jurisdiction of the state and federal courts are derived from their respective constitutions.

Students will compare appellate and trial processes.

Students will examine the significance of the role of juries in the American legal system.

A Court of Veterans Appeals Incorrect – The Court of Veterans Appeals only has jurisdiction

over claims filed with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

B Court of Appeals Correct – Either the plaintiff/prosecutor or defendant may

appeal a decision to a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after a trial

is completed in a U.S. District Court.

C Military Courts Incorrect – Military courts do not have the power of judicial

review over cases that originate in U.S. District Courts.

D Claims Courts Incorrect – The federal Court of Claims is a trial court. District

Court decisions would not be appealed to the Court of Claims.

The trial and appellate processes are very different. Below is a brief review of these two

types of court proceedings.

Process of a Criminal Trial

Once an arrest has been made by law enforcement, suspects will be informed of their rights

(as a result of the 1966 Supreme Court case Miranda vs. Arizona, see Benchmark 3.12).

Suspects then appear before court in a hearing to learn the charges against them and to

listen to the judge’s decision on the next step. At an arraignment, suspects formally hear the

charges and are asked to enter a plea (they could plead guilty, not guilty, or no contest –

which means that the suspect does not disagree with the charge).

During a criminal trial, there are four general steps:

1. Step 1: Both the prosecution and the defense will give their opening statements

which tell the judge and the jury their side of the case. The prosecution always

represents the victim/state during a criminal trial and the defense always

represents the person being charged with the crime.

2. Step 2: Each side will then call witnesses to give testimony (or answers given

under oath) in the case. These witnesses will also be cross-examined by the

other side.

3. Step 3: Once all of the witnesses have been questioned and crossed, the

prosecution and defense will offer their closing statements and ask the jury to rule

in favor of their side.

4. Step 4: The jury will be sent to deliberate (discuss) the evidence presented.

Once they reach a unanimous decision they will announce the verdict, or the

outcome of the case.

Process of a Civil Trial

Civil cases involve disputes between people or groups of people where no criminal laws

have been broken. When a civil case goes to court, it is called a lawsuit, which is a legal

action in which a person or group sues to collect damages (an award of money) for some

harm that is done. The plaintiff in a civil trial is the individual or group that files the lawsuit

and the defendant is the individual or group that is being sued.

During a civil trial (lawsuit), there are four general steps:

1. Cases begin when a complaint is filed (a formal statement naming those involved and

describing the nature of the lawsuit).

2

2. Once filed, a summons (a document telling the defendant that there is a lawsuit

against them and orders the defendant to appear in court) is sent by the court. A

defendant may respond to the suit in a pleading (complaint and answer together).

3. Next is the discovery process. Discovery is the name of the process in which lawyers

for the plaintiff and defendant check facts and gather evidence for the case.

4. Finally, the lawsuit will be heard before a judge or jury (if requested). The judge will

make a ruling based on the evidence and facts of the case. When no jury is present,

this ruling is called a summary judgment.

The Appellate Process

Appeals courts have appellate jurisdiction, which means that they can review the rulings

and decisions from lower courts if the people or groups involved believe the court acted

unfairly. Appeals can occur if (1) the judge applied the law incorrectly, (2) the judge used the

wrong procedure, (3) new evidence turns up or (4) rights were violated. Depending on the

type of case, the evidence that is presented and the arguments from both sides, appeals

courts get to decide which cases they will hear and which cases they will not hear. Appeals

courts do not hold trials; instead they hear oral arguments made by two sides – the petitioner

(the person who disagrees with the previous ruling) and the respondent (the person who

agrees with the previous ruling). Once an appeals court hears the oral arguments, the

judges may do one of three things: (1) uphold original decisions, (2) reverse that decision

(find in favor of the petitioner), or (3) return the case to the lower court.

Panels of three or more judges review the record of the case being appealed and they make

a decision by a majority vote. The appeals court decision is final unless it is appealed to the

U.S. Supreme Court. Appeals judges do not decide guilt or innocence, they decide if the

petitioner’s rights have been protected and

Students will evaluate the impact that the Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, Mayflower Compact, and Common Sense had on the purposes of government.

Vocab

The role of the jury is one of the most important civic responsibilities that U.S. citizens have

to fulfill. The right to a trial by one’s peers (jury) is a critical part of the American legal

system. As a juror, one is expected to listen to the facts of the case and review the

evidence as presented. From there, one is expected to deliberate (discuss the case) with

fellow jurors to determine the fate of a criminal trial or decision of a civil lawsuit. The U.S.

Constitution protects the right of every citizen to have a trial by a jury in criminal cases.

appeal - a request, made after a trial, asking a higher court to decide whether that trial was conducted properly

appellate court - any court that has the power to hear appeals from lower courts

appellate jurisdiction - the power to hear appeals of cases which have been tried in lower courts

circuit courts - a court for a defined region of a state (usually including several counties) that has specific divisions and

hears cases within those divisions (e.g., family court, criminal court)

Congress - the national legislative body of the U.S., consisting of the Senate, or upper house, and the House of

Representatives, or lower house

county courts - a court that hears both civil and criminal cases in one specific county

Florida District Court of Appeals - an appellate court in the state court system

Florida Supreme Court - the highest court in Florida

judge - a public official authorized to decide questions brought before a court

jurisdiction - the right and power for courts to hear a case and interpret and apply the law

jury - a group of citizens sworn to give a true verdict according to the evidence presented in a court of law

original jurisdiction - the power of a court to be the first to hear a case on a specific topic

U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals - the courts where parties who are dissatisfied with the judgment of a U.S. District court

may take their case

U.S. District Courts - the courts where most federal cases begin, the U.S. District Courts are courts of original jurisdiction

and hear civil and criminal cases

U.S. Supreme Court - the highest court of the United States; it sits at the top of the federal court system

The diagram below shows that the colonists formed some of their political views from some historical documents.

Which phrase completes the diagram?

A. separation of powers

B. economic freedom

C. self-government

D. individual rights

Which court completes the diagram?

A. Court of Veterans Appeals

B. Court of Appeals

C. Military Courts

D. Claims Courts

The colonists who wrote the Compact agreed to follow the rules they created

SS.7.C.1.2

A circuit courts, Florida Supreme Court,

county courts, District Court of Appeals

Incorrect – County courts are inferior to circuit courts, so they should be

listed first. The Florida Supreme Court is the highest state court, so it

should be listed last.

B county courts, circuit courts, District

Court of Appeals, Florida Supreme

Court

Correct – County courts have original jurisdiction over traffic violations,

divorces and other local matters. Circuit courts have original jurisdiction

over felony criminal trials and civil cases. Districts Courts of Appeal have

appellate jurisdiction over cases that originate in the county and circuit

courts. The Florida Supreme Court is the highest state court.

C District Court of Appeals, Florida

Supreme Court, county courts, circuit

courts

Incorrect – County courts and circuit courts are inferior to both District

Courts of Appeal and the Florida Supreme Court.

D Florida Supreme Court, circuit courts,

District Court of Appeals, county courts

Incorrect – The Florida Supreme Court is the highest court in the state,

so it should be listed last.

A More civil cases are being filed

without legal representation.

Correct – Individuals do not have the right to legal representation when they file civil

cases. Since there are so many more civil cases than criminal cases, it is

reasonable to conclude that number of cases that are filed without representation is

increasing along with the total number of civil cases has increased.

B More criminal cases are being filed

without legal representation.

Incorrect – According to Gideon v. Wainwright and the Sixth Amendment, the

accused have a right to legal representation in criminal cases. It is reasonable to

conclude that most, if not all, of the criminal appellate cases were filed with legal

representation.

C More criminal actions are being

dropped before trial.

Incorrect – The data does not support this conclusion. Appellate court cases

determine whether or not a trial was correctly conducted, so the graph includes only

criminal cases that have gone to trial and have been appealed. One cannot

determine, based on this data, if fewer cases were appealed in any year because

fewer cases went to trial, or if fewer cases were appealed for some other reason.

D More civil actions are being

dropped before trial.

Incorrect – The data does not support this conclusion. Appellate court cases

determine whether or not a trial was correctly conducted, so the graph only includes

civil cases that have gone to trial and have been appealed. One cannot determine,

based on this data, if fewer cases were appealed in any year because fewer cases

went to trial, or if fewer cases were appealed for some other reason

What is the correct order of Florida's courts, from lowest to highest authority?

A. circuit courts, Florida Supreme Court, county courts, District Court of Appeals

B. county courts, circuit courts, District Court of Appeals, Florida Supreme Court

C. District Court of Appeals, Florida Supreme Court, county courts, circuit courts

D. Florida Supreme Court, circuit courts, District Court of Appeals, county courts

Based on the graph, what conclusion can be drawn about court cases in the U.S.?

A. More civil cases are being filed without legal representation.

B. More criminal cases are being filed without legal representation.

C. More criminal actions are being dropped before trial.

D. More civil actions are being dropped before trial.

SS.7.C.3.11

Question 1:

The diagram below shows steps leading to a historical event.

Which event completes the diagram?

A. Declaration of Independence

B. Articles of Confederation

C. Annapolis Convention

D. Whiskey Rebellion

Question 2:

How did the U.S. Constitution solve a problem created by the Articles of Confederation?

A. It avoided the issue of states' rights.

B. It allowed the states to elect representatives.

C. It prevented the amendment of federal laws.

D. It enabled the federal government to collect taxes.

Benchmark Clarifications:

Students will identify the weaknesses of the government under the Articles of Confederation (i.e., Congress had no power to tax, to regulate trade, or to enforce its laws; the national government lacked a national court system [judicial branch] and central leadership [executive branch]; and changes to the Articles required unanimous consent of the 13 states).

A amending the U.S. Constitution to

extend suffrage

Correct – The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, guaranteed women’s

suffrage (the right to vote). Stanton claimed women’s interests were

ignored (“overlooked”) because their concerns were not represented in

government. If women were able to vote for their representatives, those

elected officials would pay attention to women’s concerns.

B amending the U.S. Constitution to

guarantee due process

Incorrect – Due process guarantees fair legal procedures associated

with the justice system; due process does not guarantee equal political

representation.

C Congress enacting a law limiting

freedom of speech rights

Incorrect – There is no information in the passage to support this

response. Stanton’s passage indicates that she wants women to be

represented in government and wants their rights to be protected. Laws

limiting freedom of speech would not expand rights.

D Congress enacting a law limiting

freedom of association rights

Incorrect – There is no information in the passage to this response.

Stanton’s quote indicates that she wants women to be represented in

government and wants their rights to be protected. Laws limiting freedom

of association would not expand rights.

Benchmarks

Question 3

Step 1: Proposal (Two ways)

1. Vote of two-thirds (2/3) of members of

both houses vote to propose the

amendment.

1. Three-fourths (3/4) of all state legislatures

have vote on the proposed amendment.

OR

Step 2: Ratification (approval) by the

States (Two ways)

2. A national convention is called by twothirds

(2/3) of the state legislatures

where they vote to propose an

amendment (all but the 21st

Amendment has been ratified with this

method).

2. Three-fourths (3/4) of the states join in

ratifying conventions to vote on the proposed

amendment (only the 21st Amendment has

been ratified like this).

sovereignty- supreme power

Students will recognize the methods used to propose and ratify amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Students will be able to identify the correct sequence of each amendment process.

Students will identify the importance of a formal amendment process.

Students will recognize the significance of the difficulty of formally amending the U.S. Constitution.

Article V (5) of the United States Constitution describes to the two methods for proposing

amendments and the two methods for ratifying amendments. The Founding Fathers

wanted to make certain that there was a process in place so that the Constitution could

remain a “living document” that was able to change with the times. The Founding Fathers

intentionally created a process that is rather difficult – if the process were too simple, the

Constitution would change far more often than it should. Once an amendment is ratified, it is

part of the Constitution unless there is another amendment to reverse that amendment (such

as with the 18th Amendment (outlawing alcohol) which was reversed with the 21st

Amendment). And, the U.S. Supreme Court interprets laws to determine if they are

constitutional, or not, including amendments. A law that conflicts with an amendment may

be found to be unconstitutional. Article V explains the two ways in which an amendment

can be proposed and the two ways in which an amendment can be ratified. If a proposed

amendment does not follow the path to ratification, it cannot be added to the Constitution.

amendments -

Which is the last step in amending the U.S. Constitution?

A. The voters approve the amendment in a national election.

B. The president signs the amendment in a public ceremony.

C. Three-fourths of the state legislatures ratify the amendment.

D. Two-thirds of both houses of Congress ratify the amendment.

Article V (5) of the United States Constitution describes to the two methods for proposing

amendments and the two methods for ratifying amendments. The Founding Fathers

wanted to make certain that there was a process in place so that the Constitution could

remain a “living document” that was able to change with the times.

The Founding Fathers intentionally created a process that is rather difficult – if the process

were too simple, the Constitution would change far more often than it should. If the process

were too rigid, the Constitution would be stuck in 1787, when the Constitution was written.

The large percentage of votes needed to ratify amendments speaks to the difficulty of

formally amending the U.S. Constitution. Two-thirds (2/3) of each house of Congress or the

state legislatures is required to propose an amendment which means that only elected

officials may vote to propose an amendment. And, getting a supermajority (more than 50%)

of elected officials to agree to propose an amendment speaks to the difficulty of proposing

amendments. Three-fourths (3/4) of the state legislatures must vote to ratify an amendment

unless three-fourths (3/4) of the states join in a ratifying convention to vote to ratify an

amendment. Either way, like proposing an amendment, ratifying an amendment requires a

supermajority of elected officials (or persons chosen by elected officials) to pass. Elected

officials know that they are being monitored by the media, individuals and interest groups

when they vote on proposing and ratifying amendments.

Keep in mind that once an amendment is added to the Constitution, it becomes a part of it.

No federal law or state law can go against that amendment because it is the Constitution.

amendments -

Vocab

amendments - changes to the U.S. Constitution

propose - to make a suggestion

ratify - to confirm by expressing consent or approval

unconstitutional - not in agreement with the U.S Constitution

How does the U.S. Constitution address concerns that resulted from the government described in this passage?

A. The new government could enforce treaties between the states.

B. The new government could settle disputes between the states.

C. The new government could regulate trade between the states.

D. The new government could levy taxes between the states.

Civics EOC Review

Based on the passage, which action in the modern political system would Elizabeth Cady Stanton support?

A. amending the U.S. Constitution to extend suffrage

B. amending the U.S. Constitution to guarantee due process

C. Congress enacting a law limiting freedom of speech rights

D. Congress enacting a law limiting freedom of association rights

Article V (5) of the United States Constitution describes two methods for proposing

amendments and two methods for ratifying amendments. The Founding Fathers wanted to

make certain that there was a process in place so that the Constitution could remain a “living

document” that was able to change with the times if needed.

There are two methods for proposing amendments to the Constitution.

1. Two-thirds (2/3) of both houses of Congress agree to propose the amendment

2. Two-thirds (2/3) of the states are represented and join in a national convention to vote

to propose the amendment.

Both of these methods require two-thirds, which is a “supermajority” (an amount that is more

than half). This is important because an amendment to the Constitution would change the

laws for the entire nation, and having a majority in support of that change is a part of the

democratic processes of government. Once an amendment is added to the Constitution,

laws that are found to be in conflict with the amendment might be found unconstitutional by

the U.S. Supreme Court. Once the amendment is proposed by either method described

above, the amendment then has to be ratified (approved) by one of two specific methods, in

order for the amendment to be added to the U.S. Constitution.

There are two methods for ratifying proposed amendments:

1. Three-fourths (3/4) of the state legislatures vote to ratify the amendment.

2. Three-fourths (3/4) of the states are represented in a national ratifying convention to vote

to ratify the amendment.

Based on the passage, which statement about the amendment process would Senator Obama support?

A. The ratification process allows the president to reflect public views.

B. The ratification process allows governors to reflect public views.

C. The U.S. Constitution is difficult to amend.

D. The U.S. Constitution is easy to amend.

SS.7.C.1.5

A The ratification process allows the

president to reflect public views.

Incorrect – The president does not participate in the amendment

ratification process. The passage does not support this response.

B The ratification process allows

governors to reflect public views.

Incorrect – Governors do not participate in the amendment ratification

process. The passage does not support this response.

C The U.S. Constitution is difficult to

amend.

Correct – The passage supports this response. The “machinery” of the

amendment ratification process (“framework and rules”) forces those

participating in the amendment process to think about and discuss

proposed amendments (“force us into a conversation”) rather than quickly

accepting or rejecting a proposed U.S. Constitutional change.

D The U.S. Constitution is easy to amend. Incorrect – The passage does not support this response. Obama refers

to the “machinery” and “rules” that “force” proposed amendments to be

examined carefully and not to quickly accept or reject them.

A The voters approve the amendment in a national

election.

Incorrect – The voters do not vote to ratify constitutional

amendments.

B The president signs the amendment in a public

ceremony.

Incorrect – The president does not vote to ratify constitutional

amendments.

C Three-fourths of the state legislatures ratify the

amendment.

Correct – The U.S. Constitution provides for two methods of

proposing and two methods of ratifying the U.S. Constitution.

One way to ratify a constitutional amendment is for three

fourths of the state legislatures to vote to support ratifying a

constitutional amendment.

D Two-thirds of both houses of Congress ratify the

amendment.

Incorrect – Congress may propose constitutional

amendments; it is up to the states to ratify amendments

SS.7.C.3.5

Caroline Davidson

Students will compare the roles and responsibilities of the three branches of the federal government.

Students will recognize the structure of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Students will identify the general powers described in Articles I, II, and III of the U.S. Constitution.

A Senate and President Correct – Article II of the U.S. Constitution delegates the power

to negotiate treaties to the president. Article II also requires that treaties be ratified (approved) by the Senate.

B Supreme Court and President Incorrect – The U.S. Constitution does not delegate power in

the treaty making process to the Supreme Court.

C House of Representatives and Senate Incorrect – The U.S. Constitution does not delegate power in

the treaty making process to the House of Representatives.

D Supreme Court and House of Representatives Incorrect – The U.S. Constitution does not delegate power in

the treaty making process to either the Supreme Court or the

House of Representatives.

A presidential impeachment Correct – The House of Representatives has the power to impeach

presidents; the Senate holds the impeachment trial. Impeachment is the

process by which Congress can bring charges. If the president is found

guilty in the impeachment trial, the president may be removed from office

for crimes against the United States. The House of Representatives made

this statement about President Nixon, whose behavior caused “injury” to

the “people of the United States.” The House of Representatives

impeached a president in 1998 using similar statements.

B presidential nomination Incorrect – Congress does not have the power to nominate presidential

candidates.

C presidential election Incorrect – Congress does not have the power to elect the president.

D presidential veto Incorrect – A presidential veto is not a congressional action. The

president has the power to veto, or reject, bills that have been passed by

Congress.

What check does the U.S. Senate have on the president?

A. overriding vetoes

B. appointing judges

C. declaring laws unconstitutional

D. refusing to confirms appointments

Which branch of federal government makes laws?

A. bureaucracy

B. executive

C. judicial

D. legislative

How have similar statements influenced modern congressional actions?

A. presidential impeachment

B. presidential nomination

C. presidential election

D. presidential veto

Which principle supports President Eisenhower's action to uphold the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that public schools should be integrated?

A. judicial review

B. checks and balances

C. separation of powers

D. constitutional government

The passage above is from Federalist No. 47, written by James Madison in 1788.

Based on this passage, which constitutional principle does Madison describe?

A. separation of powers

B. checks and balances

C. popular sovereignty

D. judicial review

The correct answer would show why the executive

branch would support an action of the judicial branch

Which parts of the national government participated in the process described in the newspaper headline?

A. Senate and President

B. Supreme Court and President

C. House of Representatives and Senate

D. Supreme Court and House of Representatives

Question 1

What was the Anti-Federalists' greatest concern about ratifying the U.S. Constitution?

A. The lack of a federal court system.

B. The lack of legislative veto power.

C. The lack of a strong military.

D. The lack of a bill of rights.

They definitely wanted a Bill of Rights

Students will define parliamentary, federal, confederal, and unitary systems of government.

Benchmark Clarifications

Students will identify the viewpoints of the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists about the ratification of the U.S. Constitution

Students will compare the viewpoints of the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists about the ratification of the U.S. Constitution

Students will compare the organizational structures of systems of government

A protection of equal property rights Incorrect – Property rights include the opportunity to own land and be compensated

for property that the government takes for public use. Heads of state deal with a

much larger range of policy issues than property rights. Equal property rights issues

alone would not result in the election of a British prime minister.

B expansion of the right to privacy Incorrect – Privacy is the right to be left alone. Heads of state deal with a much

larger range of policy issues than privacy rights. Privacy rights issues alone would

not result in the election of a British prime minister.

C protection of due process rights Incorrect – Due process rights guarantee fair legal procedures. Heads of state deal

with a much larger range of policy issues than due process rights. Due process

issues alone would not result in the election of a British prime minister.

D expansion of the right to vote Correct – The expansion of the right to vote could lead to the election of a female

British prime minister. As the right to vote expands to women and other minority

groups, members of those groups will use their right to vote by electing women and

other minority groups, and more women and minority groups will run for, and win,

public office.

Students will recognize the Anti-Federalists’ reasons for the inclusion of a bill of rights in the U.S. Constitution.

The passage below was written by James Madison in 1787.

Based on this passage, what change in modern political society would Madison support?

A. Expanding the size of the Cabinet

B. Expanding the size of the Electoral College

C. Expanding the number of candidates in campaigns

D. Expanding the role of special interest groups in campaigns

What long term impact does this headline reflect?

A. protection of equal property rights

B. expansion of the right to privacy

C. protection of due process rights

D. expansion of the right to vote

Which government system gives states the most power?

A. confederal

B. federal

C. parliamentary

D. unitary

prior knowledge: Anti- federalists and Federalists

Students will recognize examples of these systems of government.

Unitary

Federal

Students will analyze scenarios describing various systems of government

A power shared / power delegated Correct – In a federal system, power is shared between a

central government and the states. In a unitary system, the

central government holds all power except the power that it

delegates to the states.

B rule by a democracy / rule by a monarchy Incorrect – In a democracy, the people rule. Democracy does

not rule.

C role of government expanded / role of government

limited

Incorrect – Systems of government describe how power is

distributed. The role of government is neither expanded nor

limited because of its system of government.

D power divided among the branches / power held by

one branch

Incorrect – A unitary system may have separate branches of

power such as an independent court system.

Which information completes the table?

A. power shared/power delegated

B. rule by a democracy/rule by a monarchy

C. role of government expanded/role of government limited

D. power divided among the branches/power held by one branch

SS.7.C.3.2

Which statement supports the Anti-Federalists in the struggle over ratification of the U.S. Constitution?

A. The Constitution should limit state government.

B. The Constitution should protect fundamental rights.

C. The Constitution should create a strong national government.

D. The Constitution should prevent the election of amateur politicians.

There are many different forms of government that exist around the world. Some countries

have a more representative (of the people) government, like the one in the United States.

Others are run by just a few people. Still others are run by just one person. Some

governments run both the government and the economy; other governments allow the

citizens to have economic freedom.

Form of Government Political Philosophy

Direct Democracy Democracy is a political philosophy that means “rule by the

people”.

Representative Democracy - A representative democracy is also known as a republic. In this

form of government, a country is ruled by representatives that

have been elected by the citizens. In a republic, all adult

citizens have the right to vote and the power of the government

is limited by a constitution.

Socialism - A socialist form of government takes an active role in controlling

the economy and protecting the people so that the people

cannot be taken advantage of by businesses.

Communism - Communism is a form of government where the community

owns all of the property and wealth is equal among all people.

In this form of government, the workers unite and take control of

businesses. Communist countries are normally ruled by a

Communist ruler and a Communist political party.

Monarchy - A monarchy is a form of government where power is held by

one person. This person is in power because they have been

born into the ruling family and they may rule for life.

Oligarchy - An oligarchy is a form of government where a country is ruled

by a small group of wealthy people. In this form of government,

the power is held by the rich.

Autocracy - An autocracy is a form of government where one person has

unlimited power. Examples of autocracies are dictatorships

(complete control by a military leader) and absolute monarchies

(complete control by a king, queen, prince or princess).

Form of Government Scenario

Direct Democracy Some Native American tribes organized themselves by having all male

adult members of the tribe vote to make changes to the laws.

Representative

Democracy/Republic

In the United States, citizens elect representatives to the national, state

and local levels of government who make decisions on behalf of the

public.

Socialism Some believe that socialism is necessary and possible while others

believe that socialism is disorganized and creates dependence on

government. This claim is made because of the view that some people

may get money or assets unfairly from the government in managing the

economics of the country.

Communism In his 400 BC work, The Republic, Greek philosopher Plato proposed that:

1. People of the community who are well-educated should own all of

the property.

2. The best interest of the government should be above the personal

desires of the citizens.

3. The citizens should continue to work rather than be greedy.

Monarchy In the 20th century, kings, queens, princes and princesses have generally

become symbols of national unity, while real power has been transferred

to constitutional assemblies.

Oligarchy In England, in 1215, a small group of wealthy noblemen forced the king to

share power. This moved the country from one person holding all of the

power to a small group holding the power.

Autocracy Most of those who started World War I were the few remaining absolute

monarchs of Europe. In World War II, many who started the war were

elected as dictators in Germany and Italy.

Absolute Monarchy In early European history, government power was held by a variety of

kings, queens, princes and princesses who ruled their kingdoms with

mostly unlimited powers

Benchmarks

A a single ruler Correct – Both autocracies and absolute monarchies are forms

of government where a single ruler possesses all governmental

power.

B a written constitution Incorrect – An absolute monarch’s power is not limited by a

written constitution; a limited or constitutional monarchy would

limit a monarch with a written constitution.

C a national court system Incorrect – Neither form of government requires a national

court system.

D a single legislative house Incorrect – Neither form of government requires a single

legislative house.

Students will compare current political parties’ ideas about government.

A The central government controls all

economic planning.

Correct – Communism is a form of government in which a single ruling

party owns and controls all production and distribution of goods.

Economic planning includes the buying, selling, and production of goods

and services.

B Workers are considered to be the lowest

social class.

Incorrect – Communism establishes a classless society.

C Property ownership is determined by

family status.

Incorrect – Communism ends privately owned property.

D Wealth is distributed according to social

class.

Incorrect – Communism establishes a classless society.

A communist country invades a

democratic country.

Correct – Communism is a form of government that ends social classes,

ends private property, and distributes power across national boundaries.

This is the best response because a communist country might invade a

democratic country as a way to bring workers in that country together with

the workers from the communist country.

B A representative democracy amends its

constitution.

Incorrect – A constitution is specific to one county. The statement

speaks to crossing national boundaries.

C A queen speaks before Parliament to

officially open Parliament.

Incorrect – A monarch is a leader who is born into a family of rulers, so a

monarch would not be an ordinary worker. This option speaks to the

powers held by a monarch but does not refer to actions taken by

monarchs.

D A dictator orders the invasion of a

neighboring country.

Incorrect – A dictator is a military leader who takes absolute control in an

autocratic form of government. A dictator is unlikely to share power with

the workers of the world who are part of the country’s general population.

Direct Democracy The citizens make the laws and decide what actions the

government will take.

Representative

Democracy/Republic

The people elect representatives to carry on the work of

government on their behalf.

Socialism The government oversees and runs the economy and other

parts of daily life.

Communism The government owns and runs all businesses and makes

all economic decisions.

Monarchy The government is run by a king, queen, prince or princess;

power is usually passed down from parent to child.

Oligarchy The government is run by just a few people or a small group.

Autocracy The government is completely controlled by one person who

can rule in any way that they want.

Absolute Monarchy The government is run by one person who has unlimited power

The statement below is from a political party platform.

Which political party's position is represented in the statement?

A. Communist

B. Democratic

C. Republican

D. Socialist

Communism is classless

Which statement correctly describes communism?

A. The central government controls all economic planning.

B. Workers are considered to be the lowest social class.

C. Property ownership is determined by family status.

D. Wealth is distributed according to social class.

The Communist Power supports workers controlling all governmental power.

In the modern political system, which issue represents a basic disagreement between Republicans and Democrats?

A. the responsibilities of government

B. the frequency of national elections

C. the legality of the U.S. Constitution

D. the support for the U.S. military soldier

and it ends privately owned property

What do an absolute monarchy and an autocracy have in common?

A. a single ruler

B. a written constitution

C. a national court system

D. a single legislative house

What modern political action could be influenced by the statement?

A. A communist country invades a democratic country

B. A representative democracy amends its constitution

C. A queen speaks before Parliament to officially open Parliament

D. A dictator order the invasion of a neighboring country

What are the names of the two major political parties in the United States today?

A. Democratic and Republican

B. Democratic and Libertarian

C. Socialist and Republican

D. Socialist and Libertarian

Students will recognize the difference between domestic and foreign policy.

Students will identify issues that relate to U.S. domestic and foreign policy

There are many different areas that the U.S. government focuses on when it comes to

developing domestic policy. Some examples of domestic policy issues are social welfare,

health care and education.

The U.S. government creates laws and policies related to social welfare, which is when the

government provides economic assistance to those in need. The government has designed

economic programs for mothers with children, people who are unemployed and people who

are disabled. The Social Security program, for example, was enacted in 1936 to help the

elderly by providing them with a monthly income during retirement.

As well, the government is concerned with providing needed medical care. Medicare was

enacted to help pay for the medical care and medicines that elderly people need and often

cannot afford. Medicaid was enacted to help pay for medical care and medicines that poor

people need and often cannot afford.

Finally, the federal government focuses on improving education as part of its domestic

policy plan. The government provides teaching and learning resources to students from

nursery school age through high school and college. One example of a policy related to

education was the addition of the No Child Left Behind Act, which changed education

standards and created new tests to measure student achievement.

On the other hand, the federal government is also concerned about foreign affairs, or

dealings with other nations. The federal government’s foreign policy plan addresses how

the government plans to interact with nations around the world. The president and the

Secretary of State are the nation’s primary foreign policy agents. There are general goals

that the president and the Secretary of State keep in mind when developing the nation’s

foreign policy plan. These goals include: (1) national security (keeping the United States

safe especially at its borders), (2) promoting peace (creating diplomatic relationships and

allies (friendships/protection) with other nations), (3) spreading democracy (teaching other

nations about the benefits of democratic governments), (4) promoting international trade

(expanding the number of goods sold to other countries and good purchased from other

countries) and (5) providing foreign aid (providing military, economic health and other types

of assistance to other countries that are in need). One example of foreign aid was the aid

offered after the United States signed the Marshall Plan, which was a plan to rebuild war-torn

Europe after World War II.

The U.S. government has to think about several areas when creating its foreign policy plan.

The government has to create a plan for diplomacy, which is ways to establish and maintain

relationships with other nations. Ambassadors and diplomats, including the Secretary of

State, establish good working relationships with other nations.

2

As well, the government needs to consider which countries with which to join in an alliance.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is one example of a military alliance

between several countries, and the United States is a member. By joining with another

nation in a military or economic agreement, the United States considers that nation to be an

allied nation.

The government also considers making treaties, or formal agreements, with the leaders of

other nations for the purposes of trade, defense, security and other goals. All of these

international relations (dealings with other countries) create better working relationships

with nations around the world.

Students will analyze the domestic implications of U.S. domestic and foreign policy

Students will identify the goals and objectives of U.S. domestic and foreign policy.

Domestic

Students will recognize the role of the U.S. State Department in foreign affairs

Domestic

Which action is an example of a foreign-policy decision?

A. Congress increased providing support to newly arrived immigrants.

B. The president requested a law to regulate pollution near international borders.

C. Congress raised educational standards to make students competitive in a global market.

D. The president signed an executive order restoring relations with a communist government.

Domestic

A Congress increased providing support to newly

arrived immigrants.

Incorrect – Immigration is a domestic issue and not a foreign

policy issue because it involves how the U.S. government

handles immigration issues within U.S. borders.

B The president requested a law to regulate pollution

near international borders.

Incorrect – Even though the pollution is near international

borders, the president is regulating an issue that is happening

within U.S. borders which makes this a domestic issue.

C Congress raised educational standards to make

students competitive in a global market.

Incorrect – Education policies are domestic policies because

they focus on U.S. based students even if the policies have

international effects.

D The president signed an executive order restoring

relations with a communist government.

Correct – Foreign policy guides decisions that concern other

countries such

Bays of Pigs Invasion

(Cuba, 1961)

The Bay of Pigs is a small bay off the coast of Cuba in the Caribbean Sea.

This location was the site of an attempted invasion of Cuba by a group of

people who were against the dictator, Fidel Castro. This became known as

the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

The United States led this attempted invasion in hopes of putting an end to

the threat of communism so close to the U.S. (Cuba is only 90 miles away

from the Florida Keys)

Cuban Missile Crisis

(Cuba, 1962)

In 1962, tensions were high between communist and non-communist

nations during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The USSR (Soviet Russia) decided

to put missiles in Cuba to threaten the U.S. President Kennedy threatened

military action and after a 13-day political and military standoff, the tense

situation ended and further conflict, including war, was avoided.

Iran Hostage Crisis

(Iran, 1979-1980)

In 1979, a group of Iranian students supporting the Iranian Revolution took

over the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran and held 66 U.S. citizen diplomats

hostage for 444 days. During the Iranian Hostage Crisis President Carter

said that the U.S. would “not yield to blackmail”, which meant that the U.S.

was not willing to use diplomacy to secure the release of the hostages.

After Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980, diplomacy was used

with Iran and the hostages were released on January 20, 1981, the day of

President Reagan’s inauguration.

Terrorism

September 11th, 2001

On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked (took by force) four airplanes in

the U.S. and flew them into the World Trade Center in New York City, NY

and the Pentagon in Virginia, near Washington, DC. Another plane crashed

into a field in Pennsylvania. Over 3,000 Americans lost their lives as a result

of this attack.

The World Trade Center was a business center that included two 110 story

buildings. The Pentagon is the headquarters of the U.S. military leadership.

Terrorists are individuals who use violence to achieve political goals such as

a change of government leadership or independence.

This attack killed several thousand innocent Americans. The terrorist group

who did this was Al Qaeda (which was led by Osama bin Laden). Another 2

International Conflict Reasons for Involvement

group, the Taliban, who ruled most of the country of Afghanistan, allowed Al

Qaeda to live in Afghanistan and train for the terrorist attack on September

11, 2001.

The U.S. military and its NATO allies responded by invading the country

with the help of the Northern Alliance. Together, they took the Taliban out of

power in Afghanistan (The Northern Alliance is an Afghan group that fought

against the Taliban.) The battle to keep Afghanistan’s new government

stable was still going on as of 2014.

A Korean War Incorrect – Congress did not declare war during this conflict.

B Vietnam War Incorrect – Congress did not declare war during this conflict.

C World War I Incorrect – Congress did not declare war on Japan during this conflict,

although Congress did declare war on Germany.

D World War II Correct – Congress declared war on Japan after the attack on Pearl

Harbor in Hawaii.

During which conflict did the U.S. declare war on Japan?

A. Korean War

B. Vietnam War

C. World War I

D. World War II

A development of diplomatic

alliances

Incorrect – The text does not support this response. Alliances are friendly unions between nations,

and there is no evidence in President Obama’s statement that he wanted to form an alliance with

Syria. Instead, Obama said that he would “[pressure] President Assad to get out of the way.”

Pressuring a nation’s leader to “get out of the way” is not a friendly action toward that nation’s leader.

B support for the rule of law Correct – Rule of law means that everybody must follow the law, including government officials.

President Obama stated that “the United States will support” action which supports a Syrian

government that is “democratic, just, and inclusive for all Syrians.” President Obama also stated that

he was willing to “[pressure] President Assad to get out of the way” as Syria transitioned to a new form

of government, meaning that the U.S. would pressure Syria’s president to obey rule of law. Finally,

President Obama stated that the U.S. will “[stand] up for the universal rights of the…international

community,” which means that the U.S. will get involved in conflicts that threaten the rule of law and

individual rights of people anywhere in the world.

C economic development Incorrect – The statement does not support this response because economic development involves

producing, buying, and/or selling goods and services; President Obama’s statement does not address

Syria’s economy.

D conflict resolution Incorrect – The statement does not support this response because President Obama did not mention

peace or any opportunities for diplomacy between Syrian President Assad and the United States.

Instead, President Obama stated that President Assad had to “get out of the way” or face pressure

from the United States.

• The statement above was made by President Barack Obama on August 18, 2011.

What is the relationship between President Obama's statement and U.S. involvement in Syrian political affairs?

A. development of diplomatic alliances

B. support for the rule of law

C. economic development

D. conflict resolution

What is a responsibility of the U.S. Senate in foreign policy?

A. nominating ambassadors

B. introducing tax bills

C. negotiating treaties

D. ratifying treaties

Something that is a responsibility of the Senate

A country with very strong economic ties to the United States is allowing human rights violations to take place. Based on U.S. foreign policy, which is an appropriate first response?

A. initiate a trade ban

B. initiate public protests

C. initiate diplomatic talks

D. initiate a military operation

Which long term domestic policy goal is reflected in the graph?

A. career preparation

B. physical fitness

C. racial equality

D. public safety

SS.7.C.4.1

A career preparation Correct – This is the best response because a high school diploma is

required for a large percentage of jobs. Increased career preparation is

connected to increased percentages of high school graduates among public

high school students.

B physical fitness Incorrect – Graduating from high school is not connected to physical fitness.

C racial equality Incorrect – The data does not support this response because the chart does

not include the race of high school graduates.

D public safety Incorrect – The data does not support this response because there is no

evidence in the graph that an increase in high school graduates has resulted

in fewer crimes or a safer community.