The U.S. Government and the Rights of the People

Written at a high school reading level, this comprehensive review of the U.S. government in workbook form covers the Constitution, the separation of powers, the concept of "checks and balances," the decentralized roles of state and local governments, and the opportunity of the citizenry to be part of it all. It focuses on the Bill of Rights and the legal interpretations, many of them written by America's finest jurists, which refined and expanded the Bill of Rights. Topics covered are the Roots of Religious Liberty, Religious Liberty in the Modern Era, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, the Right to Bear Arms, Privacy, Trial by Jury, Rights of the Accused, Property Rights, Cruel or Unusual Punishment, Equal Protection of the Law, and the Right to Vote. The history passages in this workbook were selected to give the reader a sense of the time and place they report. While not comprising a comprehensive history, the topics will support and enlarge an ongoing study of our nation's history. Reading comprehension is also addressed in this workbook. The last questions at the end of all passages are open-ended. Some questions require an understanding of the passage. Others simply use the theme of the passage as the basis for an invitation to creative writing. If you would like your students to get more writing experience, the open-ended questions will work very well for this purpose. Many of the multiple-choice questions simply require direct feedback of information given in the passage. Some, however, require some thought and analysis. It is important for your students to practice and learn these reasoning skills. Great for home schooling as well.