Changes

When my daughter heard I would be teaching this course in American Government, she complained, “Why not teach something useful instead?  Even math would be better!”

When my daughter heard I would be teaching this course in American Government, she complained, “Why not teach something useful instead?  Even math would be better!”

Math is important, but so is government.  You cannot drive a car without a license from government.  You cannot own land without complying with government’s rules.  It requires a government license to work as a doctor, lawyer, accountant, architect, electrician, undertaker, plumber and so on.

Math is important, but so is [[government]].  You cannot drive a car without a license from [[government]].  You cannot own land without complying with [[government]]’s rules.  It requires a government license to work as a doctor, lawyer, accountant, architect, electrician, undertaker, plumber and so on.

You probably need a license to hunt, or own a gun.  You even need a license to cut someone else’s hair for pay.  You have to understand how government works in order to get anything done.

You probably need a license to hunt, or own a gun.  You even need a license to cut someone else’s hair for pay.  You have to understand how government works in order to get anything done.

With all its regulations, government can seem to be all-powerful.  But actually our government is limited in power. There is much that it cannot do.  It cannot seize our land, unless it pays us for it.  It typically cannot enter our homes, unless it has a warrant.

With all its regulations, government can seem to be all-powerful.  But actually our government is limited in power. There is much that it cannot do.  It cannot seize our land, unless it pays us for it.  It typically cannot enter our homes, unless it has a warrant.

We constantly see the president on television.  This gives the impression that he, too, is all-powerful.  But people pretend he has more control than he really does.  He cannot pass laws.  He cannot declare war.  He cannot remove any judges or congressmen from office.  Usually he cannot even stay in his job as president for more than two terms.

We constantly see the [[President]] on television.  This gives the impression that he, too, is all-powerful.  But people pretend he has more control than he really does.  He cannot pass laws.  He cannot declare war.  He cannot remove any judges or congressmen from office.  Usually he cannot even stay in his job as president for more than two terms.

There are also limits on what [[Congress]] and the [[Supreme Court]] can do.  Congress cannot pass laws interfering with the powers of state governments.  Congress can start wars, but cannot do much to stop them.  The Supreme Court, for its part, can only decide cases presented to it.  The Court can declare laws passed by Congress to be unconstitutional.

There are also limits on what [[Congress]] and the [[Supreme Court]] can do.  Congress cannot pass laws interfering with the powers of state governments.  Congress can start wars, but cannot do much to stop them.  The Supreme Court, for its part, can only decide cases presented to it.  The Court can declare laws passed by Congress to be unconstitutional.

How do we know what the President, Congress and the Supreme Court can and cannot do?  They are all explained in one brief document:  the United States Constitution.

How do we know what the President, Congress and the Supreme Court can and cannot do?  They are all explained in one brief document:  the United States Constitution.

Look on page 317 of your textbook.  There it is, the entire United States Constitution.  Without the Amendments and signatures, it is only 12 pages long: pp. 317-28.  If you truly learn those 12 pages, then you will know more than most lawyers, politicians, college graduates, and 99% of the population.  It’s that simple.

Look on page 317 of your textbook.  There it is, the entire [[United States Constitution]].  Without the Amendments and signatures, it is only 12 pages long: pp. 317-28.  If you truly learn those 12 pages, then you will know more than most lawyers, politicians, college graduates, and 99% of the population.  It’s that simple.

If you ever want to be a lawyer, you will have to pass the Bar exam.  One-quarter of the exam consists of questions about the Constitution.  Most people, even after law school, don’t know it very well.  Most politicians don’t know it at all.  We will.

If you ever want to be a lawyer, you will have to pass the Bar exam.  One-quarter of the exam consists of questions about the Constitution.  Most people, even after law school, don’t know it very well.  Most politicians don’t know it at all.  We will.

You could benefit from adding more terms to the glossary during this course.  Here’s one:  

You could benefit from adding more terms to the glossary during this course.  Here’s one:  

suffrage (pronunciation \SUH-frij\).  It is a noun, and it means “the right of voting, franchise.”

[[suffrage]] (pronunciation \SUH-frij\).  It is a noun, and it means “the right of voting, franchise.”

You could create a list of new terms on a separate piece of paper, and insert it with the book’s glossary for easy reference.

You could create a list of new terms on a separate piece of paper, and insert it with the book’s glossary for easy reference.

'''IV. “Federal”'''

'''IV. “Federal”'''

The Constitution set up our federal government.  What does “federal” mean?  In this context, it means national: the United States government headquartered in Washington, D.C.  President Bush.  Congressmen.  Senators.  U.S. Supreme Court.  The people you often see on television or in the newspaper.  These terms have the same meaning: “national government,” “federal government,” and “United States government.”  They are completely different from “state government,” and “city government” or “local government.”

The Constitution set up our [[federal]] government.  What does “federal” mean?  In this context, it means national: the United States government headquartered in Washington, D.C.  President Bush.  Congressmen.  Senators.  U.S. Supreme Court.  The people you often see on television or in the newspaper.  These terms have the same meaning: “national government,” “federal government,” and “United States government.”  They are completely different from “state government,” and “city government” or “local government.”

The first political party in the country was the “Federalist Party”.  It stood for a stronger federal government.  Alexander Hamilton founded it to help pass his program of a national bank and assumption by the federal government of all the war debts.  He used it to impose a federal liquor tax, which resulted in the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794.  Look up the term “Federalist Party” on page 307 in the textbook.

The first political party in the country was the “Federalist Party”.  It stood for a stronger federal government.  Alexander Hamilton founded it to help pass his program of a national bank and assumption by the federal government of all the war debts.  He used it to impose a federal liquor tax, which resulted in the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794.  Look up the term “Federalist Party” on page 307 in the textbook.