Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Supreme Court & Federalism

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Read: 68-78 in Edwards
Unit 1 Identification Terms
Unit 1 Exam: Monday, October 21
Study the Unit 1 Standards
Unit 1 Standards-Student Questions Review
5th Hour Survey: Complete this survey to be eligible to win a class pizza party! Seniors--use this link instead.


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Learning Objectives:
CON-2.B: Explain how the appropriate balance of power between national and state governments has been interpreted differently over time.
CON-2.B.2: The balance of power between the national and state governments has changed over time based on U.S. Supreme Court interpretation of such cases as:
  • McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), which declared that Congress has implied powers necessary to implement its enumerated powers and established supremacy of the U.S. Constitution and federal laws over state laws
  • United States v. Lopez (1995), which ruled that Congress may not use the commerce clause to make possession of a gun in a school zone a federal crime, introducing a new phase of federalism that recognized the importance of state sovereignty and local control


The Supreme Court and Federalism
The Supreme Court has decided many cases dealing with issues of federalism. Two of the most important cases are McCulloch v. Maryland and US v. Lopez. Today, we will look at these two cases and several others to see how the Court's rulings have impacted state-national relations.

***SCOTUS CASE TEMPLATE***
The College Board has identified 15 Supreme Court cases that are MUST-KNOWS. For each of these cases, you will make a copy of the SCOTUS Case Template and fill in the necessary information. Create a folder in your Google Drive:APGOV:SCOTUS Cases. Save a copy of the template and all 15 cases that we cover throughout the year here.

For each case, I have created a list of resources, both print and video for you to review and utilize to fill out the template. The Street Law and Oyez resources will be your best bets. Please make two copies of the template, one for McCulloch v. Maryland and one for US v. Lopez, use the resources provided and fill out each form.

McCulloch v. Maryland


MCCULLOCH V. MARYLAND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
  1. What are the two central questions raised by this case?
  1. How does the Court answer these two questions?  What rationale (constitutional clauses) does the Court use to explain its decision?
  1. Compare the Court’s reasoning with the concerns raised by Brutus regarding the power of the government.


  1. How would our nation be different today if the Court had decided differently?



US v. Lopez (PBS Landmark Cases)

US v. Lopez (Bill of Rights Institute)

DAY TWO (Wednesday, Oct. 16)
Yesterday, we looked at two important cases involving federalism. It is imperative that you understand the importance of both McCulloch v. Maryland and US v. Lopez. However, it is also vital that you understand the role of federalism and the constitutional issues involved in a variety of questions and court cases.

Today, you will look at other Supreme Court cases that are questions of federalism and the role of the national government vs. the power of the states. Make a copy of this chart and fill out the information based on the above case summaries. Have this completed and ready to discuss for tomorrow. Use your class time wisely! Finish early? Study for your Unit 1 exam.



Videos for Review:





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