OGTCHAPTER

9WORKSHEET

1. The U.S. Constitution is often referred to as a LIVING DOCUMENT because of its ability to keep up with the changing needs of the country. One of the ways our Constitution has been able to keep up with the times is because of the AMENDMENT process. This process can add TEXT to the Constitution creating new rights or they can strike down old provisions. This process was made to be much more COMPLICATED than passing an ordinary law to make sure the AMENDMENT had widespread support before it was adopted.

2. Important Amendments to be aware of that affected voting rights.

Amendment 14th 15th 19th 24th 26th What this amendment accomplished

Gave former slaves the rights of citizens. “Equal Protection Laws” (1868)

Guaranteed the right to vote to MALES of all races. (1870)

Guaranteed the right to vote for WOMEN. (1920)

Eliminated a Poll Tax. (1964)

Guaranteed 18 year olds the right to vote. (1971)

3. Our Supreme Court has two roles. One role is when it determines how an ordinary FEDERAL law should be applied in a particular case. Its second role is when it determines whether a law CONFLICTS with the U.S. Constitution.

4. For each of the following cases describe the impact that each Supreme Court ruling had on the United States.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) – Permitted separate but equal facilities, leading to more “Jim Crow Laws”

Supreme Court of Plessy v. Ferguson

Brown v. Board of Education (1954) – Determined that “separate but equal” was not permissible especially in education, leading to the end of “Jim Crow Laws”

James Nesbit, Thurgood Marshall, George Hayes

Third Grader – Linda Brown

University of California v. Bakke (1978) – Affirmative action laws could not establish quotas but could take race into account.

Allan Bakke

5. There are two types of Monarchies, in both types the ruler usually INHERITS his or her power. In an ABSOLUTE monarchy, the monarch has ABSOLUTE power over their subjects (people) and usually claims to have gained this power through “DIVINE right” or the will of God. Under this type of monarchy the people have no RIGHTS or freedoms and also no VOICE in selecting who rules. England was one of the first countries to use a CONSTITUTIONAL monarchy. This type of monarchy the SUBJECTS enjoy basic RIGHTS and the power is usually shared between a monarch and a LEGISLATURE which is elected by the people.

6. In a dictatorship the leader or group of leaders normally seizes power by FORCE or is given their authority by OTHERS. The leader is not responsible to the PEOPLE or limited by them. An advantage of a dictatorship would be that DECISIONS can be made quickly and decisively, however the big disadvantage would be that the people have no individual LIBERTIES and anyone who challenges a dictator is severely PUNISHED.

Fidel Castro - Cuba

Josepph Stalin - USSR

7. In a democracy, government authority is based on the CONSENT of the people. In a direct democracy the citizen’s VOTE directly on each issue and is only possible in small communities. In a REPRESENTATIVE democracy, which is what the United States uses, the “WILL” of the people is carried out by the REPRESENTATIVES they elect. The rule of law is followed by the government and people’s rights are GUARANTEED. Even though MAJORITY rules in a democracy there is a concern for protecting MINORITY rights.

8. In a PARLIAMENTARY Democracy the voters elect a legislature known as a PARLIAMENT. The members of this body then choose a chief executive or PRIME MINISTER. This individual is in charge of both leading the Parliament and carrying out its laws. The legislature also appoints (see chart to the right) the JUDICIARY for the country. Great Britain and many other countries use this form of democracy.

Voters Elect

Legislature(Parliament)

Chief Executive(Prime Minister) Judiciary

British Prime Minister

Gordon Brown

9. In a PRESIDENTIAL Democracy, which is what we use in the United States, the voters elect both a LEGISLATURE known as congress and a PRESIDENT which is the chief executive. Both of these branches of government appoint a JUDICIARY which in our country is known as the Supreme Court. Each branch of government is INDEPENDENT of the other one and serves to check each others power.

Voters Elect

Legislature(Congress)

Chief Executive(President)

Judiciary

President Obama

10. In a THEOCRACY a religious leader or leaders rule over a society. Many times these rulers are placed in the role of leader by other religious clerics or priests. In this type of government the ruler claims to act in the name of GOD and expect strict obedience from the people who often are forced to follow strict RELIGIOUS rules and forbidden from some SECULAR activities which may be contrary to the religious principles.

Ayatollah Khomeini - Iran