US Government (Friday, February 3, 4th period)

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

"As promised, today we have our first test of the semester. I'm sure you're all thrilled. If you're not, well, fake it."

Josh stood up from his desk and passed out test papers.

1. What year was the Magna Carta signed? Why is it important in terms of the American government?
2. What three things did John Locke's believe we have a right to? Which one did Jefferson change?
3. The Articles of Confederation didn't work for a number of reasons. Give me an example of one of them.
4. The Preamble to the Constitution. Go ahead. Sing. But you better write it down, too.
5. Bill of Rights. There are ten amendments. Give me one of them.
Extra credit: Stupider thing to put in a State of the Union address: the banning of human-animal hybrids or cars that run on hydrogen?

"Question or concerns that aren't 'what's the answer to number 4?' Ask away."

Comments

Re: Take the test (February 3, US Government)

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

1. The Magna Carta, which is Latin for "Great Charter," was signed in 1215 by King John of England. It was designed to limit the power of the English monarchy. The two most important clauses of Magna Carta's sixty three are among the legal clauses. Clause 40 promises, "To no one will we sell, to no one will we deny or delay right or justice." This clause establishes the principle of equal access to the courts for all citizens without exorbitant fees. In clause 39, the king promises, "No free man shall be taken or imprisoned or disseised or outlawed or exiled or in any way destroyed, nor will we go or send against him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land." This clause establishes that the king would follow legal procedure before he punished someone. These protections were cited in many founding documents of the American colonies and were incorporated into the Constitution. Furthermore, many modern rights have been based on the Magna Carta that were unknown in the 13th century, including habeas corpus and the principle of no taxation without representation.

2. Locke claimed that because of the "law of nature," that we have a right to life, liberty and property. Jefferson changed property to persuit of happiness in the Declaration, possibly because according to Jefferson and the political philosophers of his day, property was everything from your name and reputation to your real estate. Looking at it like that, your pursuit of happiness is your property.

3. Congress could make decisions, but they had no power to enforce them, because of a lack of centralized government. As such, when they requested things from the states, such as taxation, the states didn't tend to comply fully with the requests.

4. We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

5. Eighth Amendment "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted"

Extra credit: Both ideas were so mind numbingly stupid to be referenced by a president at this point in time, much less one delivering a SotU, that it's hard to decide. But human-animal hybrids? I would suggest that he shouldn't talk about things that he doesn't understand. But then what would he be able to talk about?