1. law, govt and politics
2. government

Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
BELL WORK FOR THE FOURTH NINE WEEKS
Writing Prompt- March 31st
You are a young Marine hitting the beach at Iwo Jima.
Describe very briefly your thoughts as you moved
towards the unknown that awaits you.
Writing Prompt
April 2nd Why do you think the three surviving members of the flag raising
at Iwo Jima did not like being referred to as “heroes”?
April 6th
Which of the following questions is a good indicator of whether you should vote for a certain
candidate?
A. Does the candidate have a family?
B. Does the candidate make a good impression on television?
C. Is the candidate attractive?
D. Will the candidate be effective in office?
Fast Fact- Many people vote on a candidate simply on how the candidate looks.
Vocabulary- Impression- What people think of you when they first meet yo
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
7 April
The Nineteenth Amendment extended the right to vote to which group?
A. 18-year-olds
B. African Americans
C. Native Americans
D. Women
Fast Fact- Women received the right to vote in 1919 with the
of the 19th amendment.
Vocabulary- Suffrage- The right to vote
passage
Susan B. Anthony
People- Susan B Anthony- One of the many women who played a big part in introducing women’s suffrage
into the United States.
8 April
Campaign donations are controversial because they
A. Are required of citizens who may not have the money.
B. Can fund candidates’ personal expenses
C. May lead to favored treatment for contributors.
D. May not be necessary to put a candidate in office.
Fast Fact – Campaign Finance Reform is the political effort in the United States to change the
involvement of money in politics.
Vocabulary- Reform- To change how you do things.
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
9 April
An issue gaining in importance as a result of television news coverage is an example of what influence on
public opinion?
A. Gender
B. Income
C. income
D. Mass media
Fast Fact- Mass Media includes television,
newspapers, magazines, radio, and the Internet
which can all shape public opinion on an issue.
The new one is social media such as Facebook
and Twitter which are a part of many candidates’
campaign.
Vocabulary- Public Opinion- How the public as a group feels about something.
10 April
Which of these is a type of print media?
A. Internet
B. Newspaper
C. Radio
D. Television
Fast Fact- Print Media has been losing readership over the years as the internet takes over on how
people read their news. http://www.cnn.com/ Check out this link!
Vocabulary- Print Media- Various ways people get their news which includes magazines, newspapers, and
books.
Are your notes in order? Why not start while the Nine Weeks is just starting to properly
organize your notes!
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
13 April
Which constitutional right are the people in the photograph
above exercising?
A. The right to privacy
B. The right to a fair trial
C. The right to freedom of religion
D. The right to freedom of assembly
Dr. King leading a group in non-violent protest
What amendment guarantees this right? – First
Fast Fact- The First amendment guarantees several basic rights which include the Right to free speech, free
press, right to peacefully assemble, freedom of religion, and the right to petition for grievances.
Petition- A document outlining you and other citizens concerns over something.
14 April
What is the poster primarily trying to get people to do?
A. Attend religious services
B. Pray for American success in the war
C. Join the army
D. Lend the government money to help it fight the war
Fast Fact- From the Rev. War up to the present day our government has asked
its citizens to lend it money through bonds.
Vocab- Bond- A certificate issued by an organization which borrows money from
you and will pay you back with interest.
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
15 April
Which of the following would the National Rifle Association
(NRA) probably cite(show as proof) in support of its position
on gun control?
A. The Declaration of Independence
B. The Preamble to the Constitution
C. The First Amendment to the Constitution
D. The Second Amendment to the Constitution
Fast Fact- The second amendment protects the right of our citizens to own a gun.
Vocabulary- Special Interest group- A group dedicated to working for their cause,
16 April
Which of the following statements BEST defines what
the Preamble to the Constitution is and the purpose it
serves?
A. It is the first statement of the Constitution and
serves to lay out the rights guaranteed to U.S. citizens
B. It is the first statement of the Bill of Rights and
serves to explain the purpose of the first 10 amendments
to the Constitution
C. It is the first statement of the Constitution and serves to explain the purpose and intent of
the document
D. It is the last statement in the Bill of Rights and serves to express that citizens have more
rights than just those mentioned in the first 10 amendments
Fast Fact- The Preamble is the introduction to a document explaining its purpose.
Vocabulary- Constitution- A document outlining how a government will operate and function.
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
17 April
In the United States, taxes are NOT used for:
A. building churches
B. funding public libraries
C. building roads
D. taking care of parks
Fast Fact: The First amendment calls for freedom of religion and that there will be no established
religion.
Vocabulary- Establishment Clause- The government will not support an official religion.
20 April
The summons above would most likely be sent to someone:
A. accused of a crime
B. asked to give evidence in a trial
C. called to jury duty
D. asked to serve as a lawyer in a trial
Fast Fact- The sixth amendment to the Constitution states
that you have the right to a trial by a jury of your peers.
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
Vocabulary- Summons- An order by the court to appear before the court.
21 April
Which of the following is a
problem that could NOT be
solved by one nation? alone?
A. National debt
B. Government corruption
C. Highway traffic
D. Ocean pollution
The United Nations Building in New York City
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw74iLyGCkz0V2RDMzdUUWtCN3M/view?usp=sharing
Click on this link to see my 4 minute presentation on the United Nations
Fast Fact- The United Nations was founded after World War II to promote peace in the
world. Each nation sends a representative to the General Assembly located in New York City.
Vocabulary- Corruption- When an official does not use their power wisely by abusing it and not using
it in the right way.
22 April
Which of the following is true because of the Fourth Amendment?
A. There are legal limits on the power of police to enter your home.
B. You have the right to speak to a lawyer before answering police
questions
C. Police must be certain a crime has been committed before getting a search warrant.
D. You may never be tried for the same crime twice.
Fast Fact /The Fourth Amendment protects your right to privacy and protects you from unlawful
search and seizure.
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
Vocabulary/Warrant- A legal order issued by a judge.
23 April
The Constitution requires that the President's nominations to the Supreme Court be
approved by the Senate. This is an example of
A. legislative supremacy
B. federalism
C. checks and balances
D. judicial review
Fast Fact- Under Separation of Powers
the government will be split into three
parts. Checks and Balances will give each
one of the branches specific powers.
Vocabulary- Federalism- Where power is shared between the state and the national government.
24 April
Which of the following is the best reason why
people should serve on juries when they are
called?
A. People who are on juries earn a lot of money
for the services they give the court.
B. People can protect their right to a trial by jury
only if citizens are willing to be on juries.
C. People on juries have a lot of opportunities to express their political opinions.
D. Our system of justice only works if people with a lot of legal experience are on juries.
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
Fast Fact- The Sixth amendment guarantees your right to trial by a jury of your peers.
Vocabulary- Peers- People who live in your community and work with.
27 April
According to the Bill of Rights, what is true about the rights described in the Constitution?
A. People have no guaranteed rights other than those listed in the Bill of Rights.
B. Rights not listed in the Bill of Rights are not recognized in the United States.
C. The federal government, but not state governments, can interfere with the people's rights.
D. The fact that only some rights are listed does not mean that the people have no others.
Fast Fact- The Bill of Right were added to the Constitution in 1789 to make sure that the new
government will not take away the rights of the people.
Vocabulary- Amend- To add on to the original document.
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
28 April
Imagine that a
person was
convicted of
stealing a
candy bar and
sentenced to
50 years in
prison. He or she might challenge the sentence by
citing the
A. First Amendment
B. Second Amendment
C. Fourth Amendment
D. * Eighth Amendment
Fast Fact- It is the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution which forbids the government from
using cruel and unusual punishment along with no excessive bail.
Vocabulary- Bail- A cash deposit given by the defendant to insure that they will return to
court.
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
29 April
Which of the following documents describes the powers of the
President of the United States?
A. The Declaration of Independence
B. The Mayflower Compact
C. The Constitution
D. The Articles of Confederation
Fast Fact- The President’s powers are outlined in Article II of the Constitution.
Vocabulary- Executive- The branch of government which is in charge of enforcing or carrying
out the law.
John Locke was an Enlightenment
thinker
30 April
Which statement reflects the Enlightenment ideas of natural law as expressed by Locke?
*A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
Fast Fact Founding fathers like Thomas Jefferson were influenced by many Enlightenment
ideals. The Enlightenment was a period of great learning beginning in Europe in the late 1600’s
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
Vocabulary: Natural Law was an idea written about by John Locke stated that all men, when
born were given certain rights.
People- John Locke was an enlightenment political thinker.
1 May
What did many American colonists use Thomas Paine's Common Sense to justify?
A. Acts of sabotage against British merchants
B. Declaring independence from Britain
C. Joining the army instead of the militia
D. Supporting the British monarchy
Fast Fact: The pamphlet “Common Sense” was written by
Thomas Paine in 1776. It blamed King George III for the
problems in American Colonies
Vocabulary: Sabotage- Doing acts to destroy or undermine
something
King George III
People- King George III The British Monarch was the king of England during the Revolutionary
War
4 May
What does the phrase "insure domestic tranquility" in the Preamble of the Constitution mean?
A. Give land to the homeless.
B. Fight wars on foreign soil.
* C. Keep the homeland at peace.
D. Provide citizens with insurance.
Recognize the Preamble?
Fast Fact: Tranquility means to be free from commotion. Domestic refers to something inside a
particular country.
Vocabulary- Preamble- A preamble is an introduction to a document.
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
5 May
Which document contains the passage? “We hold
these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal.
A. Declaration of Independence
B. Articles of Confederation
C. English Bill of Rights
D. U.S. Constitution
Fast Fact- Thomas Jefferson, the author of the
Declaration of Independence will borrow many of
the ideas of John Locke.
Vocabulary- Declaration- A statement of your beliefs.
6 May
What is one way that the ideas stated in the Declaration of
Independence are evident today?
A. *equal employment opportunities
B. voting rights amendments
C. selective service
D. term limits
Fast Fact: One way to “pursue happiness” to be able to be hired for a
job without being denied equal employment opportunities.
The Declaration of Independence
Vocabulary- Equal Opportunity- To not let your gender, or race deny you a chance to get a job.
Gender- Male or Female?
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
7 May
Which level of government regulates drivers' licenses?
A. county
B. federal
C. municipal
D. state
Fast Fact: State governments regulate drivers’ licenses so that
license requirements are the same throughout each state.
Vocabulary- Regulate- To control or supervise something.
8 May
Based on this passage above, which constitutional principle does Madison describe?
A. separation of powers
B. checks and balances
C. popular sovereignty
D. judicial review
Fast Fact: Checks and balances is a principle that means
that each branch of the federal government has the
ability to limit, or check, the powers of the other
branches
Education is the “Great Equalizer”
between rich and poor.
A Monarchy is a government controlled by King or Queen
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
11 May
Draw this diagram and fill the question mark with answer provided below which is B- Shay’s Rebellion
A. Declaration of Independence
B. Articles of Confederation
C. Annapolis Convention
D. Whiskey Rebellion
Fast Fact: The Articles of Confederation were written by the newly independent Americans and was a very
weak and ineffective form or government.
12 May
Look at the political posters below. Write the question and the answer which is c
According to the information on the posters, what is one reason Petra could be considered more qualified than
Aleksi to be elected to the U.S. Senate?
A. Her business experience
B. Her educational experience
C. *Her political experience
D. Her lobbyist experience
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
13 May
How can the information on this poster best be categorized?
A. Advertisement
B. Entertainment
C. Informational
D. *Propaganda
Fast Fact- In this poster the
government is illustrating the
negative impact they believe
communism would have on America.
The Hammer and Sickle are symbols
for Communism
Vocabulary- PropagandaPropaganda is information an organization or government sends
out to promote a policy, idea, or cause.
14 May
What is the term for a type of government in which one person possesses unlimited power?
A. Socialism
B. Communism
C. Democracy
D. Autocracy
Fast Fact- An autocracy is a government run by one person
who possesses unlimited power
Vocabulary- An autocrat is another name for a dictator,
someone who holds unlimited power over the people.
Hitler and the Nazis were responsible for
the deaths of untold millions during
WWII
People- Adolf Hitler was a dictator who controlled Nazi Germany.
Mr. Whidden’s Fourth Nine Weeks Bell Work
15 May
Which parts of the national government
participated in the process described in the
newspaper headline?
A. Senate and president
B. House of Representatives and Senate
C. Supreme Court and president
D. Supreme Court and House of Representatives
Fast Fact- When the president nominates someone to his cabinet, the Senate holds a hearing. This hearing
will make the decision if the individual should hold the position.
Vocabulary- Confirmed- To be approved to a position.