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Federalism & Current Events Civics Essay

Directions : Using the secondary source “ How liberals learned to love federalism” and the primary source document Federalist No. 39, answer the prompt below.

How can state governments/political parties use the system of federalism to their advantage when it comes to preserving their rights from the desires of federal rulings?

Choose a current event topic from the list below and develop an argument on how either a Federalist or Anti-Federalist would respond to this issue. (Remember, they each have DIFFERENT reasons for supporting Federalism!)

Current Event Topics:

· Covid-19

· Roe V. Wade

· Gun Rights

· Immigration

· Marriage Equality

· Sex Education

· Pay Gap (Gender, Ethnicity, etc.)

· Access to Contraceptives

· Taxes

· Healthcare

· Privatization of Infrastructure (Water, Electricity, Natural Disasters)

· Education

· Marijuana Laws

· Miscellaneous

Rubric

Points

Thesis

Responds to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis/claim that establishes a line of reasoning.

10 Points

Current Event Topics

Students clearly choose a current event topic to discuss throughout the paper

10 Points

Contextualization

Students contextualize the political party of choice

10 Points

Evidence/Sources

Supports an argument in response to the prompt using Federalist No.39

Only uses a single document in response to the prompt

Uses evidence inaccurately or does not cite any evidence in response.

8 Points

Evidence Beyond the Sources

Uses at least one additional piece of the specific historical evidence (beyond that found in the documents) relevant to an argument about the prompt

2 Points

Evidence/Sources

Supports an argument in response to the prompt using “ How liberals learned to love federalism”

Only uses a single document in response to the prompt

Uses evidence inaccurately or does not cite any evidence in response.

8 Points

Evidence Beyond the Sources

Uses at least one additional piece of the specific historical evidence (beyond that found in the documents) relevant to an argument about the prompt

2 Points

Evidence/Sources

Supports an argument in response to the prompt using one of the founding documents (Federalist.10 or Brutus 1)

Only uses a single document in response to the prompt

Uses evidence inaccurately or does not cite any evidence in response.

8 Points

Evidence Beyond the Sources

Uses at least one additional piece of the specific historical evidence (beyond that found in the documents) relevant to an argument about the prompt

2 Points

Counter Argument

You respond to an opposing perspective using refutation, concession, or rebuttal that is

consistent with your argument. You must describe an alternate perspective AND refute,

concede, or rebut that perspective

15 Points

Grammar

You use good rules of grammar, spelling, and punctuation

10 Points

Paper Format/Citations

Paper has a title, correct header with student name/class name/teacher name/date, and page numbers.

In text citations are in APA formatting.

When used, sources are paraphrased, instead of using direct quotes.

Example:

John Locke argued in Leviathan that small government is better. (Locke, 1999)

15 Points

Total: /100 Points