Problems in American Democracy Part 75

2. Guitteau, _Government and Politics in the United States_, chapter xviii.

3. Munro, _The Government of the United States_, chapter v.

4. Review chapters ii, iii and iv of the text.

QUESTIONS ON THE REQUIRED READINGS

1. What were the chief powers of the New England Confederation?

(Guitteau, page 208.)

2. What was the nature of the Stamp Act Congress? (Guitteau, pages 208-209.)

3. What was the most fatal weakness of the Confederation government?

(Guitteau, page 212.)

4. Outline the movement for const.i.tutional revision. (Beard, pages 42- 44.)

5. Discuss the members.h.i.+p of the Const.i.tutional Convention. (Beard, pages 44-45.)

6. Outline the defects of the Articles of Confederation which were avoided in framing the Federal Const.i.tution. (Beard, pages 53-56.)

7. What were some of the objections to the ratification of the Federal Const.i.tution? (Beard, pages 56-58.)

8. Compare the English and American Const.i.tutions with respect to flexibility. (Munro, pages 57-58.)

9. What effect has const.i.tutional development had upon the division of powers? (Munro, pages 69-70.)

10. Has the development of the Federal Const.i.tution made government more or less democratic? (Munro, page 70.)

TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION AND REPORT

I

1. The protection of your personal liberty under the Federal Const.i.tution.

2. The protection of your property rights under the Federal Const.i.tution.

3. Compare the first eight amendments to the Federal Const.i.tution with the bill of rights in your state const.i.tution.

4. Compare the Federal Const.i.tution with the const.i.tution of your state with respect to length, number of subjects treated, and complexity of language.

5. The process of extradition between your state and neighboring commonwealths.

II

6. Evolution of the state. (Gettell, _Problems in Political Evolution_, chapter i.)

7. Nature of Federal government. (Gettell, _Readings in Political Science_, pages 268-270.)

8. Advantages and disadvantages of Federal government. (Gettell, _Readings in Political Science_, pages 276-280.)

9. Colonial origins of the Federal Const.i.tution. (Beard, _American Government and Politics_, chapter i; Munro, _The Government of the United States_, chapter i; Reed, _Form and Functions of American Government_, chapter i.)

10. Preliminaries of national government. (Beard, _American Government and Politics_, chapter ii; Munro, _The Government of the United States_, chapter ii.)

11. The meaning of "We, the People of the United States," in the Preamble to the Const.i.tution. (Taft, _Popular Government_, chapter i.)

12. Sovereignty. (Gettell, _Introduction to Political Science_, chapter viii; Leac.o.c.k, _Elements of Political Science_, chapter iv.)

13. Relation of state and Federal governments. (Guitteau, _Government and Politics in the United States_, chapter xxi.)

14. The supremacy of Federal law. (Munro, _The Government of the United States_, chapter iv.)

15. The check and balance system. (Gettell, _Readings in Political Science_, pages 332-336; Forman, _The American Republic_, chapter iv.)

16. The separation of powers. (Beard, _American Government and Politics_, pages 152-155; Gettell, _Introduction to Political Science_, chapter xvii; Leac.o.c.k, _Elements of Political Science_, part ii, chapter i.)

17. Interstate relations. (Leac.o.c.k, _Elements of Political Science_, chapter vi.)

18. Personal liberty and government. (Cleveland, _Organized Democracy_, chapter vii; Gettell, _Introduction to Political Science_, chapter ix.)

19. The doctrine of implied powers. (Guitteau, _Government and Politics in the United States_, chapter xx.)

20. Evolution of the Federal Const.i.tution. (Kimball, _The National Government of the United States_, chapter ii.)

FOR CLa.s.sROOM DISCUSSION

21. Is the Federal Const.i.tution too difficult of amendment? Is it too easily amended?

22. Does the Const.i.tution adequately protect state governments against Federal aggression?

23. Has judicial interpretation of the Const.i.tution proved helpful or harmful?

24. Has const.i.tutional modification through usage proved helpful or harmful?

CHAPTER XL

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

A. CHOOSING THE PRESIDENT