Federal Government

Essays Topics 

Essay 1 The Natural Right Social Contract can prosper with self-interest. 

Essay 2 The judicial branch is the best guardian of liberty. 

Essay 3 Political equality is more important than natural equality. 

Essay 4 Political participation is not necessary for a healthy Social Contract.

Essay 5 Equal Opportunity is the prudent way to maintain Justice.

Essay 6 The debt has no real effect on our lives.

How To Start

1. Decide what is the most important aspect of the topic.

2. State the most important question of that topic to you. 

3. Use a historical event that best exemplifies the questions application. (8 pts)

4. Use a historical event that best exemplifies the relevance to the individual? (8 pts)

5. Use a historical event that best exemplifies the relevance to the community? (8 pts)

6. Use a historical event that best exemplifies the relevance to the future? (8 pts)     

Do Not Use generalized statements, hypothetical situations, or opinions. 

example:

“Jewish people were seen as evil and devoid of humanity, therefore Adolf Hitler revoked their rights and sought out their eradication.” 

Do Use evidence

example:

In World War II (application) death camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau, Dachau, Belzec, a young Jewish girl, Anne Frank, was killed by inhumane methods such as Zyklon B gas (relevance to the individual). German Nazi’s killed six million Jewish people almost half, forty percent, of the the Jewish population in the world was gone (relevance to the community of Jews). After World War II the state of Israel was formed in order to provide a safe haven for those remaining (relevance to the future).

Evidence Needed in Your Essay (all 4 needed)

1. Declaration of Independence, or Constitution quote (2 pts)

2. Supreme Court Case quote/handouts only (2 pts)

3. primary source readings (letters, speeches, Federalists) quote/handouts only (2 pts)

4. instructor presentations, or text book quote  (2 pts)

How to Cite Your Evidence

1. Declaration/Constitution

Thomas Jefferson said, “all men are created equal (Declaration of Independence).”

or 

The founders believed that “all men are created equal (Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence).”

2. Supreme Court Case

John Marshall believed that “the writ of mandamus was unconstitutional (Marbury v Madison).”

or 

The Supreme Court ruled that “the writ of mandamus was unconstitutional (Marbury v Madison).”

3. Primary Source 

In Federalist 10 Madison states, “factions are sown in the nature of man (Primary Source 2)”

or 

The problem of democracy is that “factions are sown in the nature of man (Federalist, Primary Source 2)” 

4. Instructor’s Presentation/Video

John Locke states, “the state of war exists when government does not protect our rights (Presentation 1).”

or  

“the state of war exists when government does not protect our rights (John Locke, Presentation 1).”

Text Book

The founder’s believed that “checks and balance keeps each branch from becoming too powerful (American Government: Power and Purpose p 213).” 

or 

In American Government: Power and Purpose the founders believed that  “checks and balance keeps each branch from becoming too powerful (P 213).”

Essay Format

Last Name, First Name

Course Title and Number

Essay Topic

Date

 

Your Essay Question - Centered, Do Not Bold or Underline

1. essays must not exceed 2 pages typed, and be submitted on 1 sheet of paper 

2. double spaced with one-inch margins all around, left aligned

3. the font is no less than 10 point Times New Roman. 

4. beginning of paragraphs are indented 5 spaces. 

5. no quotes over 3 lines     

Deductions

1. 10 point deduction for any formatting error. 

2. 5 point deduction will be applied for the use of contractions. Please do not use contractions, such as  don’t , in scholarly writing. 

3. 5 point deduction for the misuse of “I feel.” Feeling is a tactile sense.

        I reason (the process of connecting evidence to a conclusion)

        I know (fact proven by evidence)

        I think (opinion)

        I believe (sense of truth/faith)

Scoring Symbol Key

D/C2 - Declaration or Constitution evidence credit

PS2 - primary source evidence credit

CC2 - Supreme Court Case evidence credit

PVT2 - presentation, video, textbook evidence credit

AP8 - historical application evidence credit

SG8 - individual historical relevance credit

C8 - community historical relevance credit

F8 - future historical relevance credit

-10 Format error

-5c - use of contractions

-5 feel - improper use of “I feel” for I believe, I know, I think, I reason