Homework: Civil Liberties & the Supreme Court
Instructions
This paper will have students analyze the development of civil liberties in the US, how the Supreme Court has expanded civil liberties since the founding of the Republic and some modern controversies over civil liberties today.
• Part 1: The Bill of Rights:
o Explain why the Anti-federalists pushed for the Bill of Rights to be included in the US Constitution. What reasons did they cite as necessary in response to the desire of Federalists to create a strong central government?
o Next, explain some of the civil liberties that were included and established individual freedoms for Americans. This website may be helpful: Bill of Rights of the United State of America (1791)
o Finally, explain how the Supreme Court has expanded civil liberties in the U.S. since the creation of the Bill of Rights. Include in your discussion the role of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. Explain the balance of power between the individual and the government as interpreted by the Supreme Court and illustrated in the cases within your textbook. Please refer to at least 3 cases. (For example; Gideon vs Wainright, Miranda v Arizona, Lemon v Kurtzman, Engel vs Vitale, Texas vs Johnson, Griswold v Connecticut and Roe v Wade.)
• Part 2: Analyze these civil liberties in two important areas of controversy today.
o First, as it pertains to national security, analyze the pros and cons of expanding government surveillance and give me your verdict on whether we should decrease civil liberties in the name of national security.
o Next, when it comes to freedom of speech, do you believe the free speech clause of the US Constitution grants corporations the right to unlimited campaign contributions to politicians? Analyze the pros and cons.
Format your homework according to the following formatting requirements:
o The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
o The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
o Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.