Directions: watch the episode on the constitution, which is part of the series, “A More or Less Perfect Union.” This is a series on the Constitution. The first episode discusses the origins of the Constitution, the thinking and views of the framers of the Constitution, the framers’ concerns about limiting government, the perspectives of legal scholars, historians, and political scientists about the Constitution.
Today, there is significant debate over the Constitution’s meaning and application to the United States in the 21st Century. The current debates center around the power of the national government, specifically the office of the president.
I would like you to watch the program and answer the questions below:
- Summarize the topics covered by Judge Ginsberg.
- What were the goals of the framers in drafting the Constitution?
- What safeguards did they include in the Constitution to prevent the concentration of power in one branch?
- Did the framers succeed in protecting citizens from the accumulation of power in one branch? Explain.
- In your opinion, what was the most significant protection, to preserve individual liberty, did the framers include in this Constitution?
- Were the framers correct in choosing not to confront the issue of slavery to insure a new Constitution? Explain.
- Did the program cover any topic about the Constitution that surprised you or is contrary to what you have previously learned?
- How can we reconcile the goals of the framers to draft a Constitution that protects individual from the power of government, and the accumulation of power in the current White House?
Here is the link to the episode on the Constitution: https://www.freetochoosenetwork.org/programs/ (Links to an external site.)
It took me a little bit to find this program where you could watch it for free. If you are a member of PBS or Amazon Prime, you can also watch the program there. The Free to Choose Network allows you to watch programs for free. Enter the URL above into your browser. It will take you to the site. Once you are on the site, you will need to add your username and password. The name of the episode I want you to watch is, “A More or Less Perfect Union – A Constitution in Writing.” If you have issues connecting, let me know.
The post Directions: watch the episode on the constitution, which is part of the series, “A More or Less Perfect Union.” appeared first on The Writer.