HISTORY CATCH UP

1.) What are the core values of American government? Also, discuss the limits and power of these values 
2.)  Explain the reasons behind the failure of the Articles of Confederation. Describe the part Shay’s Rebellion played in the decision to revise the Articles.
3.) Explain the concepts of democracy, constitutionalism, and the free market system. How are these three systems designed to work together to maintain a balance of power in the United States? Do they actually maintain a balance of power? Why or why not?
4.) Define federalism and discuss how it relates to national and state sovereignty. What are the similarities and differences between today’s version of federalism and the federalism that was established in 1787? 
5.)William Galston of the University of Maryland and the Brookings Institution notes that some democracies, including Australia and Italy, require citizens to vote or pay a fine. These countries have exceptionally high turnout levels. “Our low turnout rate,” Galston says, “pushes American politics toward increased polarization.”
Would you favor a law requiring Americans to vote or pay a fine if they fail to do so? What are some other incentives that might encourage more people to vote? If the United States had such a policy do you think, as William Galston does, that it would significantly reduce the level of party polarization? 
6.) Why do you think politically active citizen groups are generally more ideological—whether conservative or liberal—than is the society as a whole? Are citizens with strong views somehow more attracted to organized political activity than those with more moderate opinions? Explain your answer.
7.) Discuss how the news audience has changed from the 1970s until now. Do you feel that Americans can still find unbiased news anywhere today? Why or why not? 
8.) What are the two major types of interest groups and examples of each? Which of these types of interest groups tend to be more powerful? Explain your choice. 
9.) How has the news media evolved from the nation’s founding to what it is today? Discuss the various functions the news media has in American society. How well do you feel the media carries out these functions 
10.) Describe the difference and similarities between inside lobbying and outside lobbying. Discuss laws and regulations that apply to each. 
11.) Partisan considerations have increasingly influenced the selection of federal judges. Interest groups on the right and the left have insisted on the appointment of judges who hold compatible views. Presidents and members of Congress have also increasingly sought appointees who will decide issues in ways they prefer. What is your view? Should politics play such a large role in judicial appointments? Or should merit be given greater weight? Does a merit-based system favor ONLY those with money and the connections?
12.) In 1800, the federal bureaucracy was relatively small with only a few thousand employees. Describe how the bureaucracy grew from a few thousand employees to the size it is today. Also, discuss how the bureaucracy is organized and how government employees are hired. 
13.) Who holds the federal bureaucracies accountable for their actions? How are they held accountable? 
14.) Explain the structure of the federal judicial system. What are the responsibilities of each part of the system? 
15.) How does the federal bureaucracy implement policy within the federal government? Give a specific example. Where does the bureaucracy get its power? 
16.) Discuss the various ways federal, state, and local governments attempt to promote education as equality of opportunity. What are the some positives and negatives you see in the involvement of government in the education system? 
17.) Discuss how government intervention promotes efficiency and equity in the economy. Be sure that you include restraint of trade, indirect costs, deregulation, and overregulation within your analysis. 
18.) Explain how the federal government promotes business, labor, and agriculture in the United States. Also, describe how the federal government uses its monetary policy as an economic management tool. 
19.) Discuss the differences that exist between social insurance programs and public assistance programs. What is your opinion regarding how far the government should go in providing assistance to those who need these programs?