Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Politics and Government Homework - Due Wed, Feb 11

1 - Read pages 511 - 514 (up until the last paragraph on the page, the sentence ending with "....for which history indicates a disappointing and disastrous end.)

2 - Create a title for each paragraph. Your you should be able to explain the connections between your title and the central idea of the paragraph.

3 - What was the rationale behind the West Virginia statute?

4 - List some of the groups who opposed the statute and discuss the reasons behind their opposition.

5 - Why did the Jehovah's witnesses oppose the statute?

6 - Discuss the following quote:

"As the present Chief Justice said in his dissent in the Gobitis case, the State may 'require teaching by instruction and study of all in our history and the structure and organization of our government, including the guarantees of patriotism and civil liberty, which tend to inspire patriotism and love of country.'"

a) What is a dissenting opinion?
b) Who wrote the dissenting opinion in the Gobitis case?
c) What are the central ideas in this excerpt from the dissent?

7 - How is symbolism defined, and why is the concept of symbolism significant in this case?

8 - Discuss, analyze, and interpret the following quote:

"To sustain the compulsory flag salute we are required to say that a Bill of Rights which guards the individual's right to speak his own mind, left it open to public authorities to compel him to utter what is not on his mind."

9 - Select a quote that suggests the West Virginia statute is unconstitutional. What is it about the quote that suggests the court takes issue with the statute.

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