Welcome to American Studies II = History/Government

American Studies II Syllabus

Daily Entries

Expect to have Entry Questions most days. Record these into your notebooks and include the Entry Number and Date!!

I collect entries before every quiz. these are our daily grade and by the end of a quarter or semester account for a lot of points!!

Assignments will also be posted on these pages under the dates they are assigned.

How much of the time do you think you can trust the government to do what is right?

  1. Just about always

  2. Most of the time

  3. Some of the time

  4. Hardly ever

Pew Research Center:

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/06/24/public-trust-in-government-1958-2024/

Partnership for Public Service:

https://ourpublicservice.org/publications/the-state-of-public-trust-in-government-2025/



Circa 1930s breadline in NYC.

Types of Governments WebQuest.

Write your answers on to a piece of notebook paper

Use the government textbook or the Internet to help with this.

Create a Bubble map - look at the image below

  1. In the center bubble is the term Free Enterprise.

  2. In the surrounding bubbles, come up with 5 qualities or characteristics of a free enterprise system.

  3. Below the bubble map, explain how each of the qualities contribute to a free enterprise system.


- Government Book - Ch. 2 pg. 28

  1. What three concepts of English government influenced government in the English colonies? describe them.

  2. What were some of the rights and principles of the foundational English documents of the Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, and the English Bill of Rights?

  3. Describe the three types of colonies that the English established in North America.

  4. What is the difference between a bicameral and a unicameral legislative body?

- Government Book - Ch. 2 pg. 34

  1. Define confederation.

  2. What was the Albany Plan of Union? How was it received by the colonies and the government of England?

  3. What were the intolerable acts?

  4. What was the First Continental Congress? What did it do?

  5. What was the Second Continental Congress? In what ways did it serve as our first national government?

The First and Second Continental Congresses

Government Book - Ch. 2 pg. 38

  1. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? Besides all men being created equal. what “unalienable rights” did it list? According to the Declaration, From where do governments get their power?

  2. Define popular sovereignty.

THEN: Complete Declaration of Independence close-read worksheet (questions 1-3, 6-18) on separate sheet of paper and hand in.

There is a copy of the Declaration of Independence on pg. 40.

Entry 11 -10/22/25 - American Government - Ch. 2 pg. 44

  1. define ratification (pg. 44).

  2. What were the Articles of Confederation? was it an effective form of government?

  3. What was the connecticut compromise, also known as the great compromise, during the constitutional convention?

THEN: Complete the Federalists/Anti-Federalists worksheet on a separate piece of paper and hand in.

Entry 12 - 10/23/25 - American Government - Ch. 3 pg. 64

  1. Define preamble and articles.

  2. How many articles does the U.S. Constitution have?

  3. What do the first three articles outline?

  4. What do the remaining articles deal with?

THEN: Complete U.S. Constitution Principles Bubble Map exercise on separate sheet of paper and hand in.

10/24/25 - Complete The U.S. Constitution Close-Read on a separate piece of paper and hand in (there is a copy of the Constitution on pg. 760 of your government book).

10/27/25 - American Government - Ch. 3 pg. 72

  1. What are the four different ways by which the Constitution can be amended?

  2. How much of Congress must vote to propose an amendment?

  3. What percentage of state legislatures or state conventions are required to ratify an amendment?

  4. How many Amendments to the Constitution are there?

  5. What are the first ten amendments known as?

Paths to Amendment