They dont teach Civics anymore & they need to Dakota Proposes Citizenship Test to Graduate High School Students in North Dakota may have to pass a citizenship test as a condition of high school graduation, The Associated Press reports. The states first lady, Betsy Dalrymple, appeared with state legislators on Monday to announce a proposal for a test, set to be put in place by 2016. Prospective graduates would have to pass the 100-question, civics-inspired exam, while students who are immigrants who have applied for citizenship would have to correctly answer six to 10 questions randomly selection from the test, given to them verbally The goal is to know basic facts about our Republic, Dalrymple said, noting the current lack of focus on civics in schools. Legislators are expected to take up the measure in January. The push in North Dakota for a state exam follows on the heels of other states that are considering similar legislation, including South Dakota, Arizona, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Utah, the AP noted. Sam Stone, of the nonprofit Arizona-based Joe Foss Institute, which is behind the new state test proposal, noted that while most students can identify Lady Gaga, for example, few can name Supreme Court justices or the nations founders, the AP said. Kids have an amazing knowledge of pop culture. We just wish some of this critical information also is whats being absorbed by students, added Stone. We want this test to be a first step in the rebirth of civics education, he said. The more young people know, the more they vote, engage in government and take responsibility about their future, he said. The proposed legislation, similar to an exam required for U.S. citizenship, has bipartisan support, The Daily Caller reported. Arizona introduced a similar measure in September, Breitbart reported. Every single student in Arizona and across the United States of America should have basic knowledge and understanding of American government. Civics is just common sense, noted the bills sponsor, state Rep. Steve Montenegro, a Republican state House speaker and one-time immigrant who came to the U.S. from El Salvador. Related stories: Poll: One-Third of Americans Dont Know the Branches of Government Scalia Appalled By the Lack of Civics Education in School Review Questions for Unit CE 6 in Fasttrack Civics - American Constitutional Government Questions about the Constitutions division of national and state powers: 1. What document gives the basic design plan for the American government and lists the powers of the national government? (Answer choices: Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, Emancipation Proclamation.) 2. What is the term for the design of government illustrated in the picture above, which is part of the basic plan set up by the Constitution? (Answer choices: separation of powers, federalism, checks and balances.) Questions about the Constitutions plan for three branches of the national government: 3. What is the structure or design plan in the Constitution that the cartoon above is arguing in favor of? (Answer choices: separation of powers, federalism, checks and balances.) 4. The branch of government mainly responsible for passing laws, approving budgets, and approving appointments of officials is the _____________ branch. (Answer choices: legislative, executive, judicial.) 5. Which branch of government is mainly responsible executing the laws, preparing budgets, administering government agencies, and appointing officials? 6. Which branch of government is mainly responsible for interpreting the laws and holding trials of legal cases? 7. Which branch of the national government is the U.S. Congress in? 8. Which branch of the national government is the president the head of? 9. One of the jobs of the president is to prepare the _________ budget, or spending plan, for the U.S. government. (Answer choices: weekly, monthly, annual.) 10. The Supreme Court is in which branch of the national government? 11. The Supreme Court hears important legal cases, and has the power of judicial review. That means the Supreme Court has the power to declare a law ____________. (Answer choices: unwise, bad policy, unconstitutional.) Questions about how the Constitution keeps the branches from abusing power: 12. The picture above is demonstrating the principle in the Constitution known as ________________, which is designed to stop any part of the government from abusing power. (Answer choices: federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances.) 13. List two powers the legislative branch has over the executive branch. 14. List two powers the legislative branch has over the judicial branch. 15. List two powers the executive branch has over the legislative branch. 16. The president, in the executive branch, holds the power to ____________ federal judges, who are in the judicial branch. (Answer choices: nominate, remove, impeach.) 17. The judicial branch has the power to ______________ a law passed by Congress. (Answer choices: veto, declare unconstitutional, revise and rewrite.) 18. What power does the judicial branch have over actions of the president in the executive branch? Questions about the lawmaking by Congress: 19. The U.S. Congress is a bicameral legislature. What does the word bicameral mean? 20. Which part of Congress has 100 members, two from each state? 21. Which part of Congress has 435 members, with the number from each state proportional to the states population? 22. What step is missing in the chart shown above of the basic steps involved in making a new law? 23. In the U.S. Congress, can a bill become law if it is only passed by one house? 24. Congress can only make laws on matters allowed to it by the Constitution. These powers may be either expressed powers that are specifically listed, or ______________ powers. (Answer choices: borrowed, pretend, implied.) Questions about the role of the president in policymaking: 25. Presidents can influence the lawmaking process. For example, they give a speech to Congress each year and often propose new laws and policies. What is that speech called? 26. The cartoon above is referring to the power that allows presidents to _____________. (Answer choices: appoint officials, block a proposed law, call for an investigation.) 27. The news headline above shows one of the ways the president can influence policymaking. What is the Cabinet referred to in the headline, and what do its members do? 28. The Constitution makes the president the Chief Executive of the national government. But he or she has many other roles, including ____________-in-chief of the nations armed forces. (Answer choices: general, captain, commander.) 29. What does it mean to describe the president as the nations Chief Diplomat? 30. The president represents ______ of the nations citizens, not just those who voted for him or her. (Answer choices: few, many, all.)
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 20:36:06 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015