Warm-ups Spring 2014January 22, 20141. What is the purpose of government?

2. What types of services does government provide to you?

3. What would life be like without government?

4. What does the phrase “a government of laws, not men” mean?

January 23, 2014

1. What are the characteristics of the state? What prevents the state of South Carolina being classified as a “State?”

2. Which theory of the formation of the state seems the most plausible to you? Why?

3. Describe how a social contract works. According to the Declaration of Independence what natural

rights were the British denying the colonists?

January 24, 20141. Describe how power is

shared in a federal system.

2. Who is the ultimate authority in a dictatorship? Democracy?

3. How does a parliamentary government differ from a presidential government?

rkmorris@rhmail.org

January 27, 2014

1. What is the most important power of government?

2. “He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither.”-Ben Franklin. Explain.

3. Is there ever a time when it is okay to rebel against the government? Explain.

January 28, 20141. What does it mean to compromise? How is the ability to compromise an important part of a democracy?

2. What types of equality are citizens guaranteed in our democratic society?

3. What does it mean when we say, “The majority must respect the right of the minority to become the majority?”

4. Who owns the means of production in a free market economy?

January 31, 2014

1. Aristotle’s theory of natural law, holds that society should be governed by ethical principles. Explain.

2. Eighteenth century philosophers believed government should be based on popular consent. Explain.

3. According to James Madison, what is the major difference between

government under the Magna Carta and government under the Constitution?

February 3, 20141. What was the original

purpose of the Constitutional Convention?

2. Why was the meeting conducted in secret?

3. The US Constitution has been criticized as being, “a jumble of compromises.” Give examples of constitutional compromises and explain why they were necessary.

February 4, 20141. Who were the Federalists and

the Anti-Federalist? Give the

major Anti-Federalist argument.

2. Why was it important for Virginia and New York to ratify the Constitution, if only 9 states were needed?

3. Analyze the following document:

February 7, 20141. How is the text of the

Constitution organized?

2. How does the formal amendment process reflect federalism?

3. How are popular sovereignty and limited government related?

4. When Franklin Roosevelt broke the no third term

tradition, did he violate the Constitution? Explain your answer?

2. If a proposed amendment violates the Constitution should

the Supreme Court be able to block ratification? Explain.

3. What are some informal ways the Constitution has been changed over time?

February 10, 20141. Explain majority rule vs. minority rights.

2. What are the characteristics of a state?

3. What role does the government play in relationship to individual freedom?

4. The first major political parties in the US were the ___________. They were fighting over ______________. The main argument against was __________.

February 11, 20141. Why can’t states coin their

own money?

2. Why would it be unnecessary to write inherent powers in the Constitution?

3. What are expressed powers?

4. What are implied powers and why are they controversial?

February 18, 20141. What was the case of McCullough v. Maryland about?

2. What clause in the Constitution allows for the use of implied powers?

3. Who are the people in the cartoon? What does the cartoon show about Federalism? Is this cartoonist view of his subjects positive or negative?

February 19, 2014

1. What are reserved powers? Give examples.

2. Do local governments have powers other than those granted to them by the state? Explain your answer.

3. What are the three types of powers granted to the National Government by the

Constitution? Give an example of each.

4. What is the role of the Supreme Court in a federal system?

February 20, 2014

1. Explain this.

2. What are concurrent powers? Give two examples.3. Federalism has been described as both a layer cake and a marble cake. What do these analogies mean?

February 21, 20141. What type of government is

guaranteed to all states?

2. When does the Federal government intervene in state’s affairs?

3. On August 26, 2013 Puerto Rico voted in favor of statehood for the first time. What would be the next steps for Puerto Rico to become a state?

February 24, 20141. How was suffrage determined when the Constitution was established?

2. How did African American men win, and then lose the right to vote?

3. What reasons were given for denying women the right to vote?

4. How did eighteen year olds win the right to vote?

February 25, 2014

1. How does a political party act as a bond agent?

2. In what ways is American government conducted based on parties(partisanship?)

3. In what ways do political parties tend to unify, rather than divide?

4. At this time which is the party in power in your state? The nation?

February 26, 20141. In what ways does the American electoral system tend to promote a two-party system?

2. How can the diversity of views in a multi-party system be seen both as a strength and a weakness?3.How have voting rights expanded over the last 200

years? How has the federal government’s role changed?

4. How are political parties and the news media alike?

February 27, 20141. Why do US political

parties tend to be moderate?

2. What was the purpose of the Voting Rights Act of 1965?

3. What is the purpose of the Supremacy clause of the Constitution?

4. Who is not allowed to vote?

February 28, 2014

1. Why do we have a bicameral legislature?

2. In the beginning Congress met for approximately four months, now they meet year round. Why?

3. Should there be age requirements to run for public office? Why or why not?

March 2, 20141. Why did the framers of the Constitution create a legislative branch first?

2. The people that Senators and House members represent are called constituents. What is the difference in constituents between the two?

3. What is the main control that congress has over the president’s war making ability?

March 4, 20141. Having a bicameral legislature solved the problem of representation. What other reasons are there for having two houses?

2. Why is it no longer necessary for the president to call special sessions?

3. Republicans and Democrats are expected to follow the policies set forth by their parties. When if ever would it be okay to go against party policy?

March 6, 2014

1. What is Gerrymandering? How does Gerrymandering negatively impact voting?

2. For what reason must seats be reapportioned every 10 years?

3. How long is a term in both the House and the Senate? Why is the Senate considered a continuous body?

4. Who is the majority party today in both the House and the Senate? How do you think that effects what bills are brought to the floor?

March 7, 2014

1. What is the most important position in Congress? What are this person’s duties?

2. What are party caucuses?

3. What does the Majority and the Minority Whip do?

4. Where is the majority of the work done in Congress? How

do Committee members get their position?

March 10, 2014

1, Why is it necessary to have a President Pro Temp for the Senate? Why is the President of the Senate not as powerful as the Speaker of the House?

2. How does opening day in the Senate differ from opening day in the House?

3. What are the formal qualifications for both the House and the Senate? Can you think of any informal qualifications for these positions?

March 11, 20141. Compare and contrast

strict interpreters with liberal interpreters.

2. Which view dominates government today? Why?

3. What is the purpose of taxes?

4. There have been calls for adding a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a move?

March 12, 2014

1.Why has the making of laws been compared to the making of sausages?

2.Should a legislator support a bill if their constituents want it, even if they are personally opposed to it? Why?

3.Why is there disagreement about the value of seniority rule? Term limits?

4. What would happen if a proposed bill went directly to the floor? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of this arrangement?

3/14/14

1. What options does a committee have upon receiving a bill?

2. Why is there no equivalent of the filibuster in the house?

3. Compare and contrast the terms of a senator with a member of the House.

3/17/14

1. What options does the President have when a bill reaches his desk? Why is it difficult to pass a bill over the President’s objections?

2. Why has the job of President of the US been described as the most important job in the world? Was this what the founding fathers intended?

3. President Harry S. Truman famously proclaimed, “The Buck Stops Here.” What was he referring

to? (Hint: Think in terms of Presidential responsibility)

4. Ronald Reagan was the oldest person ever elected President at age 69 and 73. Do you think there should be a cap on the age of our President. Why or why not?

March 18, 20141. Describe the President’s role as the nation’s chief diplomat.

2. What is the President’s most important duty as commander and chief?

3. What are the formal qualifications for being President of the United States? Can you think of any informal qualifications for president?

March 19, 20141. How does the President use

the media to help spread his message?

2. How does congress delegate power to the President?

3. Why are Presidential removals often times termed resignations?

4, Analyze the following in terms of Presidential power.

March 20, 20141. Do you think it is fair that the President is allowed to grant pardons? Why or why not?

2. Why did presidential power increase under Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt?

4.How does the 22nd Amendment both help and

hurt President Obama in his second term?

March 21, 20141.How does the president function

as chief of the party and chief citizen?

2.At $400,000 a year, the President’s salary is more than many wealthy Americans, yet less than the income of the wealthiest Americans. Do you think the President is fairly compensated? Why or why not?

3. What do you think are some of the reasons that the President was given almost unlimited military power? What are some possible positive and negative effects of the scope of the President’s military power?

March 24, 2014,

1. Under the Articles of Confederation, each state operated its own independent judiciary

system. What problems might this lead to?

2. Why are Federal judges nominated by the President, but approved by the Senate?

3. Why are Supreme Court judges appointed for life?

March 25, 20141. Where are the majority of cases heard in the United States?

2. Why did the Framers see a need for a National Judiciary?

3. What is jurisdiction? What is the difference between original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction?

4. Why are most federal judgeships for life?

March 26, 2014

1. What are the differences between civil liberties and civil rights?

2.Explain this statement, “Rights are relative not absolute.”

3. How might individual rights conflict with each other?

4. How were the protections of the Bill of Rights extended to the States?

March 27, 2014

1. Describe the decision in Plessy v. Ferguson. What did it establish? What case overturned it?

2. Define Judicial Activism and judicial restraint.

3. The case of Marbury v. Madison was significant because it established the principle of Judicial review. What is judicial review?

4.The symbol of justice is a blindfolded woman holding balanced scales. Explain the meaning behind this symbol.

March 28, 20141. Should the protection of the US Legal system extend to illegal aliens? Why or why not?

2. What type of jurisdiction does the Supreme Court have?3. What is the greatest legacy the President leaves in regards to the courts?

Explain this.4. You have already seen some landmark Supreme Court cases – McCullough v. Maryland, Brown v. Board of Education.

What makes a landmark Supreme Court case?

March 31, 20141. The case of T.L.O. v New Jersey set the precedent for search and seizures in schools. How did the courts weigh the right of privacy in these cases?

2. Gideon v. Wainright established a defendant’s right to be represented by council. What problems might States have in making sure that this happens?

3. Tinker v. Des Moines established a student’s right to symbolic speech as a form of protest. What rules did the justice establish for symbolic speech?

4. In 2000, the Supreme Court became involved in the Florida recount case in Bush v. Gore. Why was the courts involvement controversial?

April 21, 2014

1. What is economics about?

2. When resources are scarce people are forced to make choices. What are some

choices you have had to make involving the scare resource of time?

3. How are goods and services distributed in a market economy?

April 8, 20141. What are the four factors of production? How do the four factors combine to make a pencil?2. Explain the concept of TINSTAAFL.

3. Why are Entrepreneurs the most important factor of production?

. 4. Analyze the previous cartoon in relation to scarce resources.

April 11, 2014

1. What is a factor market? What is a product market? How are they related?

2. What is a capital good? Give an example. What is a durable good? Give an example.3. What must happen in order for something to be valuable? 4. Techville has 200 workers and makes two products cell phones and laptops. A worker can make 10 cell phones or 3 laptops. Draw a PPF curve to illustrate this example.

April 9, 20141.Draw a production possibilities curve. Label the following: An efficient point – A, an inefficient point – B, What would happen if a government banned the use of technology- CC, What would happen if new sources of oil were found- DD

2. Where would the country of Germany be located on the PPF curve? What about

North Korea?

3. What could cause the following shift in the PPF Curve?

April 10, 20141. In Econ Lab # 1, You were faced with a choice to work or not? What would working cost you? Not working?

2. What choices does this man have? What will his choice cost him?

3. Make and complete the following Decision-making Grid:

Alternatives:Sleep late Wake up earlyand study

Benefits:Decision:

4. What events might have led to this woman experiencing scarcity?

April 22, 20141.What do traditional economies

and command economies have in common?

2.What are some disadvantages of command economies?

3.What are some problems that countries might face shifting from command to market economies?

April 23, 20141.How is a market economy

“fairer” than a command economy?

2.In a market economy prices send signals. What signal does a high price send to consumers? Producers?

3.What was the hardest information to find when constructing a budget? What made this assignment so difficult?

4. Who decides what get produced in a traditional, command, and market economy?Where can you find these economies today?

April 24, 2014

1. What is a Production Possibilities curve?

2. What are the factors of production? Combine them to make a desk.

3. What keeps the United States from being a completely free market society?

4. Where can you find a traditional, command and market economy today?

April 25, 20141. What are some of the negatives

associated with a market economy?

2. Compare and contrast traditional economies with command economies?

3. What is the difference between a capital good and a consumer good? Durable and nondurable?

4. What is opportunity cost?

April 28, 2014

1. Who ultimately determines the products manufactured in a free market society?

2. How are prices neutral?

3. What is the government’s role in the free market?

4. What is the biggest drawback to distributing goods and services without prices?

April 29, 20141. What were conditions like in

Andersonville prison?

2. What evidence did you see of a command economy?

3. What evidence did you see of a market economy?

4. Do you think you could survive? Why or why not?

5.

6.7.8.9. What do you think is the relationship between

quantity demanded and price?

10. Why has there been an increased demand for the following brands?

11.

Analyze this.Bonus Question: Why is Veteran day celebrated today?

April 30, 2014

1. Describe a demand schedule and a demand curve. How are they alike?

2. Explain the principle of diminishing marginal utility.

3. Can you think of an instance where a consumer might not follow the law of demand? Explain.

4. Explain this.

5/1/141. What is the difference between a

change in quantity demanded and a change in demand? How would you represent this on a graph?

2. The price of potatoes in Indonesia quadruples. McDonald’s restaurants in Indonesia have started serving rice instead of fries. Explain this in terms of economics.

3. What would happen to demand for a product if the prices for complementary products went up? Give an example.

4. List and describe three causes for shifts in the demand curve.

5/2/141. Explain elasticity of demand in your own words.2. Why is the demand of fresh fruit said to be elastic?

3. Why is the demand for gasoline and cars more inelastic in Rock Hill then in New York City?

4. Explain in economic terms.

May 5, 20141. What questions must you ask to

determine a good’s elasticity?

2. What is the difference between scarcity and shortages?

3. What could cause a decrease in the quantity demanded for basketball tickets for tonight’s game?

4. Describe the concept of diminishing marginal utility using the California water shortage as an example.

May 6, 20141. What is the relationship between

quantity supplied and price? 2. What two things happen to increase

supply when price goes up?

3. What factors can cause a change in supply?

4. How will the preceding image affect the supply curve for oil?

May 7, 2014

1. How does the market solve the problem of Zhu Zhu shortages?

2. Why is supply elastic for the following?

3. Why is the supply of oil relatively inelastic despite changes in price?

“Greenhouse Gases Imperil Health, E.P.A. Announces”4. How does the preceding headline impact supply

May 8, 2014

1. What is the economic term for something like the minimum wage? What are the positives and negatives to raising the minimum wage?

2. What is the economic term for something like rent controls? What problems do rent controls create?

3. What are farm subsidies? What problems do farm subsidies create?

May 12, 20141. What can you say when

producers offer fewer products for sale at every price?

2. Why is the demand for ice cream cones elastic?

3. What factor has the greatest impact on the elasticity of supply?

4. How are prices flexible?

May 9, 20141. What questions must you ask to

determine a good’s elasticity?

2. Why does Supply and Demand only work in a Free Market?

3. How does the government negatively impact supply?

4. Are Professional athletes paid too much? Why not?

May 27, 2014

1. How are these two businesses alike? How are they different?

2. What type of businesses are represented by the following logos?

Who owns them?

3. What makes this the most common type of business in the world?

May 28, 20141. What is the most common type of

business organization in the US? What is the most profitable?

2. What is the biggest disadvantage of sole proprietorships and general partnerships?

3. What is the difference between a general partnership and a limited partnership?

4. What factors should you consider before selecting a partner?

May 28, 20141. Who actually owns a corporation?

2. What are two advantages of a corporation?

3. Why don’t more businesses become incorporated?

May 30, 20141. What is a business’s bottom line

(cash flow?) Why is it crucial to reinvest

back into the business?2. What are some reasons that

businesses merge?

3. What is a conglomerate? Why do businesses form conglomerates?

4. What is the difference between a horizontal and a vertical merger? Give an example of each.

December 6, 20131. How is competition good for

consumers?

2. Besides prices, what other ways do producers compete for consumers?

3. Do brands matter to you? What brands and why?

4. Mazda and Toyota are both multinational Japanese car manufacturers. Why is Toyota so much more profitable?

December 7, 20131. Today, US Airways and American Airlines merge. Who benefits? Who loses?

2. In a truly competitive market, how are prices set?

3. Explain this.

4. Construct a supply and demand curve that illustrates the potential impact of a $15.00 minimum wage on the job market.

December 10, 20131. What distinguishes monopolistic competition from perfect competition?

2. How do businesses compete with monopolistic competition?

3. What is an oligopoly?

4. What is collusion? Why is it illegal?

December 11, 20131. What are natural monopolies and why are they allowed to exist?

2. Who determines prices when you are dealing with a monopoly?

3. What letter corresponds with the following market structures: monopoly, oligopoly, perfect competition, monopolistic competition?

more competitive --------------less competitive A B C D

4. What four conditions are necessary to ensure that markets are monopolistically competitive?

December 12, 20131. Compare and contrast Natural monopolies with Government monopolies.

2. What is an anti-trust law? What were the first two major anti-trust laws in the US?

3. What are the two goals of government regulation?

4. Describe the conditions necessary for perfect competition to exist? Where might you find a perfectly competitive market?

December 16, 2013

1. What is bartering? What might be some problems with bartering for goods and services?

2.

What makes this valuable?

3.Why can’t we solve all problems of financial debt by just printing more money?

December 17, 20131. Why was money developed during ancient times?

2. What is commodity money? Give some examples from colonial America.

3. What is Specie? Why did colonial tax collectors prefer to collect their payment in coins?

4. What is fiat money?

December 18, 20131. What power concerning money is granted to the

federal government by the Constitution?

2.How did the Civil War change American Banking?

3. What are the four essential characteristics of money?

4. Why is gold a better medium for money than diamonds?

December 19, 20131. What are the advantages to using banks? Why is your money safe in a bank today?

2. What is the name of our central bank? How does this bank regulate or control the money supply?

3. Why is it important for the central bank to be separated from Congressional control?

4. What advantage does a credit union have over a commercial bank?

December 20, 2013

1. Write ¾ to 1 page review of the movie, The Hudsucker Proxy. Include at least three economic concepts that have been discussed in class.

January 6, 2014

1. What is it advantageous to store your money in banks?

2. What institution regulates the US money supply? How do they do this?

3. How does it benefit the entire economy when people save money?

May 23, 2014

1. What do gambling and investing have in common?

2. What is the key to investing success?

3. What is a bond? What are the three components of a bond?

4. What advantage does a mutual fund have over a single stock?

January 8, 2014

1. Explain the concept of the “Efficient Market Hypothesis.”

12. Where are the majority of stocks traded?

13. What does the Dow Jones measure?

14. What do the terms bull and bear market mean?

January 9, 2014

1. What is the most important job of the Federal Reserve? How do they do it?

2. What are some of the other functions of the Federal Reserve?

3. What are the four characteristics that are essential to money?

January, 10, 2014

1. How do banks operate?

2. What does the high price of gold and the low interest rate the Federal Reserve charges banks say about the economy?

3. What makes a barter economy so difficult?

4. Why did the Constitution only give the Federal government the power to coin money?

May 21, 2014

1. Are free speech protections absolute? Why or why not?

2. What is the major role of political parties in the United States?

3. Why did the framers decide to have a bicamerial legislature?

4. Why was the Bill of Rights added to the Constitution?

May 22, 2014

1. What are the four factors of production? Give an example of each.

2. How does a market economy solve the problem of shortages?

3. What are two ways that competition is good for the market?

4. How does advertising impact demand for a product?