1. The United States Constitution has endured for more than two centuries as the framework of government. However, the meaning of the Constitution has been changed both by formal and informal methods.

1

• 1. The United States Constitution has endured
  for more than two centuries as the framework of
  government. However, the meaning of the
  Constitution has been changed both by formal and
  informal methods.
• Identify two formal methods for adding amendments
  to the Constitution.
• Describe two informal methods that have been used
  to change the meaning of the Constitution.
  Provide one specific example for each informal
  method you described.
• Explain why informal methods are used more often
  than the formal amendment process.

2

• 1. The United States Constitution has endured
  for more than two centuries as the framework of
  government. However, the meaning of the
  Constitution has been changed both by formal and
  informal methods.
• Identify two formal methods for adding amendments
  to the Constitution.
• Methods of proposal
• By two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress
• By national constitutional convention called by
  Congress at the request of two-thirds of the
  state legislatures (never been used)
• Methods of Ratification
• By legislatures in three-fourths of the states
• By conventions in three-fourths of the states
• Students do not have to give the exact fractions,
  as long as they understand that it is an
  extraordinary majority and that it involves
  federalism.
• Simple majority is not adequate.

3

• 1. The United States Constitution has endured
  for more than two centuries as the framework of
  government. However, the meaning of the
  Constitution has been changed both by formal and
  informal methods.
• Identify two formal methods
• Describe two informal methods that have been used
  to change the meaning of the Constitution.
  Provide one specific example for each informal
  method you described.
• Courts (judicial review/judicial
  interpretation/application)
• Elastic clause
• Development of political customs/traditions
• The example chosen must be linked to the method
  described.

4

• 1. The United States Constitution has endured
  for more than two centuries as the framework of
  government. However, the meaning of the
  Constitution has been changed both by formal and
  informal methods.
• Identify two formal methods
• Describe two informal methods
• Explain why informal methods are used more often
  than the formal amendment process.
• Consequences can be positive or negative.
• Some acceptable consequences include
• Continuity over time
• Less radical change/more incremental change
• More experienced political leaders
• More established relations with interest
  groups
• Discourages challengers
• Policy specialization
• Fewer women and minorities
• Lack of responsiveness

5

• 2. The graph above shows reelection rates for
  incumbents in the House and Senate. From this
  information and your knowledge of United States
  politics, perform the following tasks.
• Identify two patterns displayed in the graph.
• b. Identify two factors that contribute to
  incumbency advantage. Explain how each factor
  contributes to incumbency advantage.
• Discuss one consequence of incumbency advantage
  for the United States political process.

6

• 2. The graph above shows reelection rates for
  incumbents in the House and Senate. From this
  information and your knowledge of United States
  politics, perform the following tasks.
• Identify two patterns displayed in the graph.
• Incumbency rates are high in the House and
  Senate
• House typically has higher incumbency rates
  than Senate
• House incumbency rates have increased over time
• Senate incumbency rates have increased over
  time
• House incumbency has generally been above 80
  Senate has been above 50
• Rates of incumbency are more stable in the
  House than in the Senate

7

• 2. The graph above shows reelection rates for
  incumbents in the House and Senate. From this
  information and your knowledge of United States
  politics, perform the following tasks.
• Identify two patterns displayed in the graph.
• b. Identify two factors that contribute to
  incumbency advantage.

Sophomore surge Campaign finance
Constituency service Access to media
Experience
Franking Name recognition Pork barrel
Redistricting
8

• 2. The graph above shows reelection
• Identify two patterns displayed in the graph.
• b. Identify two factors
• Discuss one consequence of incumbency advantage
  for the United States political process.
• Continuity over time
• Less radical change/more incremental change
• More experienced political leaders
• More established relations with interest groups
  

Discourages challengers Policy
specialization Fewer women and minorities
Lack of responsiveness
9

• 3. Many scholars and observers have argued that
  the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment to
  the Constitution has become the single most
  important act in all of United States politics.
• a. Identify which provision of the Fourteenth
  Amendment was applied in one of the following
  Supreme Court cases. For the case you select,
  explain the significance of the decision in
  United States politics.
• Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
  (1954)
• Baker v. Carr (1962)
• Regents of the University of California v.
  Bakke (1978)
• b. Identify which provision of the Fourteenth
  Amendment was applied in one of the following
  Supreme Court cases. For the case you select,
  explain the significance of the decision in
  United States politics.
• Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
• Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
• Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

10

• 3. Many scholars and observers have argued that
  the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment to
  the Constitution has become the single most
  important act in all of United States politics.
• a. Identify which provision of the Fourteenth
  Amendment was applied in one of the following
  Supreme Court cases. For the case you select,
  explain the significance of the decision in
  United States politics.
• Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
  (1954)
• Baker v. Carr (1962)
• Regents of the University of California v.
  Bakke (1978)
• Identification
• (1 point) Identification of the ?provision.? Must
  use ?equal protection.?
• Explanation
• (1 point) Factual statement about the holding.
• (1 point) Explanation of the significance or
  impact of the case in United States politics
• Must go beyond the holding of the case
• For example ?led to Civil Rights movement?
• NOT credited ?Brown led to desegregation of
  public schools?
• b. Identify which provision of the Fourteenth
  Amendment was applied in one of the following
  Supreme Court cases. For the case you select,
  explain the significance of the decision in
  United States politics.
• Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
• Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
• Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

11

• 3. Many scholars and observers have argued that
  the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment to
  the Constitution has become the single most
  important act in all of United States politics.
• a. Identify which provision of the Fourteenth
  Amendment was applied in one of the following
  Supreme Court cases. For the case you select,
  explain the significance of the decision in
  United States politics.
• Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
  (1954)
• Baker v. Carr (1962)
• Regents of the University of California v.
  Bakke (1978)
• b. Identify which provision of the Fourteenth
  Amendment was applied in one of the following
  Supreme Court cases. For the case you select,
  explain the significance of the decision in
  United States politics.
• Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
• Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
• Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
• Identification
• (1 point) Identification of the ?provision.? Must
  use ?due process.?
• Explanation
• (1 point) Factual statement about the holding.
• (1 point) Explanation of the significance or
  impact of the case in United States politics
• Must go beyond holding of the case
• NOT credited ?All police must read Miranda
  rights?

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4. Explain how each of the political factors
listed below makes it difficult for the federal
government to enact public policy. Provide one
example for each explanation. Divided
government Weak party discipline Growth in
the number of interest groups and political
action committees (PACs)
13
4. Explain how each of the political factors
listed below makes it difficult for the federal
government to enact public policy. Provide one
example for each explanation. Divided
government President/Congress controlled by
different parties Chambers of Congress
controlled by different parties Weak party
discipline Growth in the number of interest
groups and political action committees (PACs)
14
4. Explain how each of the political factors
listed below makes it difficult for the federal
government to enact public policy. Provide one
example for each explanation. Divided
government Weak party discipline Crossover
voting Diminished party ties Difficulty
predicting party support Leadership has a
more difficult time getting the votes
Individual members of Congress can defect without
serious consequences Growth in the number
of interest groups and political action
committees (PACs)
15
4. Explain how each of the political factors
listed below makes it difficult for the federal
government to enact public policy. Provide one
example for each explanation. Divided
government Weak party discipline Growth in
the number of interest groups and political
action committees (PACs) Competing
interests Interest groups can oppose policy
initiatives. Interest groups are ?veto groups?