Instructions for Students

As you may remember from working with Lesson 12 in We the People..., members of Congress are responsible for making laws. They make laws that protect our rights and promote our welfare. In order to decide about laws to solve our nation's problems, members of Congress need to gather information that will help them with their decisions.

One of the important ways that members of Congress get the information they need is by holding congressional hearings. At these hearings, the members of Congress ask experts to answer questions about important problems and proposed laws.

For this activity, you will play the part of a member of a team of experts who is asked to speak at a congressional hearing. Each team will act as experts on one of the five units in the We the People... book.

You will need to understand the material covered in your unit. You will also have to prepare answers to the special questions assigned to your unit. At the hearing, the committee members may also ask you other questions about the information you have presented.

Your team should meet before the congressional hearing and decide how you want to answer the questions for your unit. Most of the information you need can be found in your We the People... text. In some cases, you may want to ask parents, teachers, and friends for their ideas about government in the United States today. Each member of your team should try to contribute to the presentation and speak at the hearing.

Unit One: Congressional Commitee on the Purpose of Government

The committee may also ask some or all of the following questions:

1. What did the Founders think might happen if there were no government?
2. What are some examples of how our government protects people's rights?
3. Why did the Founders choose a republican form of government?
4. What are some examples of how our government today serves the common welfare?
5. Is the U.S. government a constitutional government? Give examples to explain your answer.

A congressional committee has been formed to look at the Constitution and the purposes of our government. The committee will examine how well our government is serving these purposes. As expert witnesses before the committee, you will be asked to testify about the following question:

• What are the basic purposes of government according to the Founders of our nation?
• Do you think our government today serves these purposes?
• What else might the government do?

UNIT TWO: CONGRESSIONAL COMITTEE ON THE BICENTENNIAL OF THE CONSTITUTION

The committee may also ask some or all of the following questions:

1. How were the disagreements over slavery solved at the Convention?
2. Do you think there were any other ways to resolve these disagreements about slavery?
3. What kinds of people were represented at the Philadelphia Convention? What people were not represented?
4. Why were the meetings of the Philadelphia Convention kept secret from the American people? Do you agree with this decision?
5. What basic ideas about our government are included in the Preamble to the Constitution?

This congressional committee plans various activities to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Constitution (1787) and Bill of Rights (1791). The committee is currently gathering background information on how the Constitution was written. As expert witnesses, you will be asked to testify on the following question:

• What was the conflict that occurred at the Philadelphia Convention between the large and small states over representation in Congress?
• What was the solution to that conflict?
• Do you think this solution is still a good idea today? Why or why not?

UNIT THREE: CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON THE POWERS OF GOVERNMENT

The committee may also ask some or all of the following questions:

1. Why did the Framers think it was necessary to divide the powers of government among three different branches?
2. Do you think the Supreme Court should have the power to declare a law passed by Congress unconstitutional? Why or why not?
3. Do you think the President has too much power today? Why or why not?
4. Do you think Congress should have the power to pass a bill over the President's veto? Why or why not?
5. How does our federal system limit the powers of the national government?

Several members of Congress have received letters from constituents worried that some parts of our government may have too much power. This congressional committee plans to look at how power is divided among the three branches of our national government. As expert witnesses, you will be asked to testify about the following question:

• How did the Framers use separation of powers and checks and balances to limit the powers of government?
• Give examples of how checks and balances work today.
• Do you think any one branch of our government has too much power today? Why or why not?

UNIT FOUR: CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON THE PROTECTION OF THE PEOPLE'S RIGHTS

The committee may also ask some or all of the following questions:

1. How is freedom of religion protected in the Constitution?
2. When is it acceptable for the government to limit people's practice of their religious beliefs? Give examples.
3. How has the idea of "equal protection of the laws" been used to protect people's rights? Give examples.
4. Are there any groups of people in our nation who are deprived of any basic rights? Explain your answer.
5. Which of the basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution seem the most important to you personally today? Do you think your opinion will change when you are an adult?

As representatives of the people, members of Congress are responsible for making laws that protect our rights and promote our welfare. A congressional committee has been formed to look at people's rights, how well they are being protected, and what more could be done. As expert witnesses, you will be asked to testify on the following question:

• What is freedom of expression and why is it important in our democracy?
• How does the Constitution protect freedom of expression?
• Are there times when freedom of expression should be limited? Why or why not? Give examples.

UNIT FIVE: CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CITIZENS

The committee may also ask some or all of the following questions:

1. Might it be a problem if very few people voted in national elections? Why or why not?
2. Should people have to be able to read and write before they can vote? Why or why not?
3. In what other ways, besides voting can citizens participate in their government?
4. Young people, from 18 to 25 years of age, vote less often than any other age group. Why do you think this happens?
5. How can students your age participate in our government?

Members of Congress are concerned about the low number of voters in recent national elections. They have formed this congressional committee to examine the topic of the responsibilities of citizens in our constitutional democracy. As experts on this topic. You will have to answer the committee's questions, keeping in mind that, for many of these questions, there is no one correct answer.

• Is voting a responsibility of citizenship? Why or why not?
• Why do you think so many people in the United States do not vote?
• Do you think people should be required to vote? Why or why not?