ISLAND PROJECT

Scenario You are visiting California and having a great vacation.

You are on the beach when one of largest earthquakes in recorded history occurs. California breaks off from the mainland of America. 6 million people are left floating on a newly formed island. The survivors, about million people, decide to create an entirely new nation. You are on a select committee that is charged with task of creating most ideal form of government.

Today- You need to create a group, an new name for your country, a pick a form of government.

Think of the political philosophers we discussed, natural rights, different forms of government, principles of democracy, principles of the constitution.

In your Island Groups Write your own Pre-amble Your pre-amble will need to state your purpose of

government In addition to your preamble you will need to include a

rationale that answers the following questions: What is the purpose of government? Which Philosophers does your group agree with? Why? Which Philosophers does your group not agree with? Why

not? Which form of Government does your preamble reflect? Why

this form of Government? What are the strengths of this system? What are the weakness? Why does this form of government seem stronger than other forms of government?

Read 1st article of constitution

Answer the following questions What are the powers and responsibilities

of the legislative branch? Who can be a legislature? How is a bill passed? What are the strengths? What are the weakness

In your Island Groups

Create your own 1st articleHow are you going to pass laws on your

island?Who going to pass laws on you island How is your system an improvement on the

existing system in the U.SWhat are the possible weaknesses in your

system? How are you going to overcome those

weakness?

Read article 2 of constitution

Answer the following questions What are the powers and responsibilities

of the executive branch? Who can be a president, vice president? What are the limits places on the

executive? What are the strengths? What are the weakness?

In your Island Groups Create your own 2nd article Who is going to have authority in your

system? What limits are you going to place on this

person? What are going to be the main duties and

responsibilities of this person? What institutions/mechanisms are you

going to put in place to regulate this person

Read article 3

The judicial branch is composed of which type of courts

The supreme court has jurisdiction over which type of cases?

How is a person convicted of treason?

In your island groups

Create your on Judicial branch How will justice be achieved on your

island? How many courts will you have? What

will your system look like? What powers will the courts have? Who will be judges? How will these

judges be chosen? What powers will these judges have

Article 5: In your Island groups

Discuss Article 5 PowerPoint How will your constitution be changed in

the future? What does that process look like?

Bill of Rights

Read Bill of Rights What are the basic rights your citizens

will have on your Island