Today you are to investigate one current news event.  For this you can either read an article from an online newspaper (links are below) or watch a video from a network news station.

Steps to complete your assignment:
  1. Find an article
  2. Read or watch the story
  3. Summarize the story in 5-7 sentences
  4. Write a 2 sentence response to your summary.  Include your reaction to reading the article. (this should be what you think...opinion!)
  5. Post your article on the comment section of this blog post and include the link to your article or video.
Newspaper links:
http://www.ohio.com/
http://www.nytimes.com/
http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/?reload=true
http://www.usatoday.com/?refresh=1
 
Today you are to investigate one current news event.  For this you can either read an article from an online newspaper (links are below) or watch a video from a network news station.

Steps to complete your assignment:
  1. Find an article
  2. Read or watch the story
  3. Summarize the story in 5-7 sentences
  4. Write a 2 sentence response to your summary.  Include your reaction to reading the article. (this should be what you think...opinion!)
  5. Post your article on the comment section of this blog post and include the link to your article or video.
Newspaper links:
http://www.ohio.com/
http://www.nytimes.com/
http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/?reload=true
http://www.usatoday.com/?refresh=1
 
 A citizen is a legal member of a country. All citizens have rights and responsibilities. All citizens should participate in the duties of being a good citizen.

Assignment...
  1. Using the information in Study Island...Compare and Contrast citizen's rights vs. citizen responsibilities.   Include at least 2 examples of each!
  2. This should be posted in the comment section of this blog.
  3. The should be no shorter than 5 complete sentences.
 
_In the 1800s, increased participation in religion and politics led to the development of some major social reform movements. Two of the most important reform movements in the 1800s were the anti-slavery and the women's rights movements.

Assignment...
  1. Explain how Dred Scott's participation in US Democracy helped shape the US we know today.
  2. Explain how Susan B. Anthony's participation in US Democracy helped shape the US we know today.
 
_Made up of the first ten amendments of the United States Constitution, the primary function of the Bill of Rights is to protect fundamental individual rights and prevent government interference with existing rights. In 1790, Congress submitted 12 amendments to be ratified by the states, 10 of which were adopted in 1791.

Assignment...
  • Pick two of the first ten amendments listed in the Bill of Rights (also on you study island lesson) and summarize what they are....Include what rights they give you.
 
The U.S. Constitution limits government by having a system of checks and balances. Each of the three branches of government has a way to stop another branch from becoming too powerful. One check against government power is a document called the Bill of Rights, which describes the basic rights United States citizens have

Assignment...Watch the brief video below (I know its a bit juvenile but its got good info) and read the Study Island passage to answer the following in the comment section of this blog...
  1. List the three branches of government.
  2. Provide one example for each branch of government showing how they can "check" against other branches of governments power. 
  3. Look up and identify Akron's Representative in the House of Representatives and Ohio's two US Senators. 
 
Every election year, you probably hear political advertisements explaining how a certain person or group thinks the country should be run. Disagreements over the role of government are not new. Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson had opposing views on the role of the national government. That opposition resulted in the creation of two political parties. The debate over the role of the national government has continued throughout United States history.

The Federalists (Led by Alexander Hamilton)
• Favored strong national government
• Favored limits on states’ powers
• Favored development of industry on a national scale
• Favored a national bank
• Strongly disagreed with the French Revolutionaries

Democratic Republicans (Led by Thomas Jefferson)
• Favored a weak national government
• Supported states’ powers
• Favored small business and farmers
• Opposed a national bank
• Favored the French in their revolution

Assignment...to be posted in the comment section
  1. View this link on Republicans vs. Democrats
  2. How do the two major political parties of today compare to those in our countries past?
  3. Make sure to include some examples in your answer.
  4. Feel free to use other sources for information.
 
No Post this week...Make sure you complete Study Island lesson.
 
Assignment....Compare and Contrast the Economies of the North and South leading up to the Civil War.

  1. 3 things specific to the Norther Economy (5 points)
  2. 3 things specific to the Southern Economy (5 points)
  3. 3 things in common to both the North and the South (5 points)

Post in the comment section

 
Geographic factors played a key role in the settlement of the United States. Settlers were able to adapt to, use, and change the environment in various ways.

Assignment...
  • Name and describe three geographical factors that led to migration in the US.  (page 2 of the study island lesson)
  • Use complete sentences....5 points each.