Government Of Laws, Not Of Men

course-Level Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)

For all Assessments, the following general requirements hold:

(1) Assignments should be 2-3 double-spaced pages, with reasonable (12 pt.) font and reasonable (1 inch) margins.

(2) Citations to the material are required; in-text citations are preferred (MLA style).

(3) Assignments should be turned into eCampus (for the collection of artifacts for scoring).

Assignment One:

SLO #1:”A government of laws, not of men”. 70% of students will successfully analyze how the U.S. Constitution, including its amendments, provides for “a government of laws.” as well as discussing the feature of the Constitution that they believe is most important in providing for “a government of laws”. [SLO #1 fulfills the following Program Level Outcomes: Communication, Critical Thinking, Social and Personal Responsibility, as well as the following Course Level Outcomes: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8.]

Activity for Assessment:

1)“A government of laws, not of men” is how John Adams described the ideal form of government. The Constitution of the United States was designed to create such a government.
Discuss how the U.S. Constitution, including its amendments, provides for “a government of laws.” Then, discuss the feature of the Constitution that you believe is most important in providing for “a government of laws.” Explain the reason or reasons why you believe it is the most important.

Note: Your answer can be no longer than 600 words (roughly two double-spaced pages).

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Program-Level Objectives met with this assignment:(PLO: 1.1,2,5,6)

1: Communication Skills-to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication

1.Written: Process and produce effective written communication adapted to the audience, purpose, and time constraints.

2: Critical Thinking Skills-to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information

5: Personal Responsibility-to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making

6: Social Responsibility- includes intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.

Course-Level Objectives met with this assignment:(CLO: 1,2,3,4,5,7,8)
1. Explain the origin and development of constitutional democracy in the United States.

2. Demonstrate knowledge of the federal system.

3. Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice.

4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government.

5. Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in the political system.

7. Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens

8. Analyze issues and policies in U.S. politics