Mrs. Pagotto's Website
Congressional Hearing Activity
Instructions:
As you know from studying your We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution textbook, members of Congress make laws. These laws should protect our rights and promote our welfare. To make good decisions about which laws they want to pass, members of Congress need to gather information. This information will help them understand how to address our nation’s problems and pass good laws.
One way that members of Congress get the information they need is by holding congressional hearings. At these hearings, they ask experts to answer questions about important issues that affect proposed laws.
For this activity, you will play the role of an expert who has been asked to speak at a congressional hearing. Each unit group will act as a team of experts on one of the six units of your text.
You will need a good understanding of your unit. You will also have to prepare answers to the questions assigned to your unit. At the hearing, committee members might ask you other questions about the information you have presented.
Your unit group should meet before the congressional hearing to prepare answers to your assigned questions. Most of the information you need for preparing good answers is in your text. In some cases, you might want to ask parents, teachers, and friends for their ideas about government in the United States today. Each member of your group should contribute to the presentation and speak at the hearing.
Source: "Simulated Congressional Hearing." SIMULATED CONGRESSIONAL HEARING — STUDENTS’ UNIT QUESTIONS INSTRUCTIONS (n.d.): n. pag. We the People. Civiced.org. Web. 22 Aug. 2016.
Format:
4 minute Opening Statement (may use notes)
6 minutes of answering questions (no notes)
Questions:
Congress has formed a congressional committee. This committee will examine the U.S. Constitution and the purposes of government. The members of your group are expert witnesses who will appear before the committee. You will be asked to testify on the following questions.
2018 Question
Unit 5: HOW DOES THE CONSTITUTION PROTECT OUR BASIC RIGHTS?
1. In 1870 Congress passed the Fifteenth Amendment, which prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's "race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
● A) How does voting play an important role in our democracy?
● B) How has the right to vote expanded to more Americans since 1870?
● C) In the United States, fewer than 50 percent of potential voters actually participate in most elections. What are the consequences of such low turnout? What might be done to improve voter participation, particularly that of young voters?
2017 Questions
Unit 1: WHAT WERE THE FOUNDERS’ BASIC IDEAS ABOUT GOVERNMENT?
1. John Locke was an English philosopher who thought about why it was necessary to have a government.
● A) What did Locke think would happen without government?
● B) What did Locke believe to be the purpose of government?
● C) Do you think government might have purposes that Locke did not mention? Explain your answer.
2. The Founders were concerned with how to preserve a republican form of government.
● A) According to the Founders, what was republican government?
● B) What weaknesses did the Founders think would lead to the failure of republican government?
● C) How did the Founders think these weaknesses could be prevented? Do you think the Founders’ solutions were correct? Why or why not?
Unit 2: WHAT SHAPED THE FOUNDERS’ THINKING ABOUT GOVERNMENT?
3. By the late 1780s, many Founders believed that the Articles of Confederation were not working well.
● A) What were some achievements of the Congress under the Articles of Confederation?
● B) What shortcomings did many Founders see in the Articles?
● C) What arguments could you have made in support of the Articles?
Unit 3: WHAT HAPPENED AT THE PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION?
4. Because of different economic systems, Northern and Southern states had different interests. These conflicting interests led to disagreements at the Philadelphia Convention.
● A) Describe at least two disagreements between Northern and Southern states at the convention.
● B) What parts of the Constitution are the result of compromises that settled disagreements between the Northern and Southern states?
● C) Do you think the Framers should have made these compromises? Why or why not?
5. The Framers put forth various plans to solve the problem of representation in Congress.
● A) What were the advantages and disadvantages of the Virginia Plan?
● B) What were the advantages and disadvantages of the New Jersey Plan?
● C) Do you think the Great Compromise was a good solution to the problem of representation? Why or why not?
Unit 4: HOW WAS THE CONSTITUTION USED TO ESTABLISH OUR GOVERNMENT?
6. One of the enduring contributions of the Framers was the creation of the federal system of government.
● A) What is a federal system of government? Compare it with a unitary or a confederational system of government.
● B) How are powers distributed between the states and the national government under our federal system? Give examples.
● C) What are the advantages and disadvantages of the federal system? Give some current examples.
7. Political parties are an important part of our political system today, yet they are not mentioned in the Constitution.
● A) Why did the Framers fear political parties?
● B) Why and how did political parties develop?
● C) Do political parties play a useful role today? Why or why not?
Unit 5: HOW DOES THE CONSTITUTION PROTECT OUR BASIC RIGHTS?
8. The very first amendment, added to the Constitution in 1791, contains guarantees of freedom of religion.
● A) Why did the Founders think freedom of religion was so important?
● B) Explain the difference between the establishment and free exercise clauses.
● C) Do you think limitations should ever be imposed on the free exercise of one’s religious beliefs? Explain your answers.
9. The First Amendment states that laws shall not be passed that abridge freedom of speech.
● A) Why did the Founders think freedom of speech was so important?
● B) Do you believe there are times when freedom of expression should be limited? Explain your response.
● C) Should a public speaker who calls for violent action be protected by the First Amendment whereas an audience member who performs the action can be sent to prison? Why or why not?
Unit 6: WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CITIZENS?
10. Many people believe that an informed citizenry is essential if democracy is to work.
● A) Should people be required to pass periodic citizenship tests to maintain their citizenship? Why or why not?
● B) Would you favor requiring literacy tests, fairly administered, before allowing citizens to vote? Why or why not?
