UNLV Governance Philosophies & Pre Constitutional America Discussion Questions

Discussion #1: Governance Philosophies & Pre-Constitutional America

Details: Provide detailed responses to each of the following questions/statements, and use course materials to inform your responses. I expect you will need at least three sentences for each question/statement:

1. What was the philosophical basis for government authority?
2. What was Locke’s position on man’s natural condition and ability to govern themselves?
3. How do Hobbes’ and Locke’s views on the natural condition of man explain their impact on the framers of the American government?
4. What is the notion of a social contract between people and government?
5. Describe the problems between the early confederation of states that necessitated a constitutional formation.
6. What were the concerns around factions and the argument for representative democracy?
7. Why did the framers care about separating powers and creating independent, co-equal branches of government?

Details: Provide detailed responses to each of the following questions/statements, and use course materials to inform your responses. I expect you will need at least 2-3 sentences for each question/statement (underdeveloped responses will be deducted points):

1. Identify and discuss the powers and duties of the Legislative Branch.
2. Describe the constitutional checks that the legislative branch has over the other two branches of the government.
3. Describe the constitutional checks that the other two branches of the government have over the legislature.
4. Identify and discuss the powers and duties inherent to the executive branch.
5. What is the electoral college?
6. Identify the powers and duties inherent to the judicial branch
7. Articulate the difference between original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction
8. Understand the concept of judicial review
9. Describe how and why the bill of rights emerged.
10. Briefly describe each of the ten amendments written into the Bill of Rights (this response will require more than 2-3 sentences).