AP® American Government and Politics Summer Reading Assignment

There are three parts to your summer assignment for AP Government for the 2014-2015 school

year and is due the first day of class: January 31 (A day) or January 30 (B day).

First, please pay close attention to the news during the summer as it pertains to the government.

Second, you will read In Our Defense: the Bill of Rights in Action by Ellen Alderman and Caroline

Kennedy and write a critical Book Review following the directions given below.

You may purchase your book at any of several local stores. If possible, I encourage you to purchase a

used book, but that is, of course, up to you. I get most of my books from Addall.com (my favorite place

to get used books), Amazon.com or Half-Price Books, but you can use any bookstore you choose.

Be prepared for class discussion and comprehension quiz 1st day of class

Complete a book review using the following directions

These two assignments are due the first day of class and is worth 2 test grades with a possible 100

points each (100 points for the book review and 100 points from the questions over the book).

AP Government Book Review Format-

o Type your name, AP Government, class period and date in the upper left hand corner of

the first page. The body of the review will be typed, double-spaced, using Times New

Roman, Calibri, or Arial regular, size 12 point font.

o Two (2) spaces below your name begin with a full bibliographic entry for the book you are

reviewing. This is the title of the assignment.

o The following is an example. Of course, you would use the information from the book.

Wheelan, Charles. Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science. New York: W.W.

Norton Co., 2002.

*Note that this entry is single spaced with a hanging indentation.

o First Paragraph (Author’s credibility)

Give the authors’ qualifications for writing the book. Include pertinent information about

education, experience, and research activities. There are a number of reference books in the

library where information about authors may be found. Contemporary Authors is one of the

best sources of information. You may be able to find information on the author on-line using

any popular search engines.

(Note: on the first use of the author’s name use the full name: James W. Loewen,

thereafter use the author’s last name only-Loewen).

o Second Paragraph (Summary)

Give a brief summary of the book. Use no more than five or six sentences. Stay general.

Remember: This is a critical evaluation of the book. This is NOT a book report.

o Third Paragraph (Authors’ Thesis)

Explain why the author wrote this book. What is the author trying to prove? In other words,

what is the thesis of the book? How does he prove the thesis (Use specific examples)? This

is often the most difficult part of the review. If help is needed, refer to other reviews if they

are available. Check historical journals, the New York Times Book Reviews, or Book Review

Digest. If you use other reviewer’s ideas be sure to credit them. Plagiarism is a

serious crime, punishable by academic death and other consequences.

o Fourth Paragraph (Positive criticism)

What did the author do well? Was the book clearly written? Did the author prove his thesis?

Was the book logically organized, fast paced, balanced, and informative? How good was the

bibliography, index, and footnotes?

o Fifth Paragraph (Negative criticism)

What did the author do poorly? What bias did you see in the book? Was reading this book

worth the time invested? How could the book have been made better?

o Final Paragraph (Overall Assessment)

Give an overall assessment of the book. Did the good points outweigh the bad? Did the

author succeed in what he tried to accomplish?

Third, you will answer the following questions over each chapter of the book. Type your answers using

complete sentences and number them exactly as I have.

Questions over In Our Defense: the Bill of Rights in Action by Ellen Alderman and Caroline

Kennedy – answer and type using complete sentences, test grade worth 100 points total. Your paper

should be numbered like below.

AMENDMENT #1: Freedom of Speech

1) What is the “clear and present danger” test and how is it being reformulated?

2) Is the “marketplace of ideas” possible in the 21st century America?

Freedom of Press

3) Can and should the press be held accountable? To whom? Why?

Freedom of Religion

4) Clarify the establishment clause and the free exercise clause on the freedom of religion

Freedom of Assembly

5) When and why does the “right of assembly” become difficult?

6) How do the “right of association” and the “right to petition” relate to the “right to assemble”?

AMENDMENT #2: Right to Keep and Bear Arms

7) Distinguish between the “individual right” theory and the “collective right” theory on this

amendment. Where do you stand and why?

AMENDMENT #3: Quartering Troops

8) Why is this amendment sometimes called the “forgotten” amendment? Should it be? Why?

AMENDMENT #4: Unreasonable Search and Seizure

9) What are the parameters of a “reasonable search, and when can a search be “unreasonable”?

10) What qualifications has the Supreme Court placed on “probable cause” in issuing warrants?

AMENDMENT #5: Right to a Grand Jury Indictment

11) What are the pros and cons of the grand jury system?

Double Jeopardy

12) Outline the parameter of jeopardy. How does this relate to freedom and power?

Right against Self-Incrimination

13) How did this right originate? Is it necessary? Clarify reasons for and against.

14) How could this right be so well know and yet so unpopular?

AMENDMENT #6: Right to an Impartial Jury

15) Why was this section of the amendment included? What components are part of the “impartial

jury” requirement?

Right to Confront

16) What are the key features of the “right to confront”?

17) How essential to a fair trial is the “right to confront”? Why?

Right to Counsel

18) Why is the case of Gideon v. Wainright (1963) crucial to “right to counsel”?

19) How did Strickland v. Washington (1982) add to this provision?

AMENDMENT #7: Right to a Civil Jury

20) What is the difference between a civil and criminal trial?

21) Can juries in civil trials be fair? Can they be arbitrary?

22) Why was this “right” included in the first ten amendments?

23) What are some of the issues that have arisen in recent decades concerning civil juries? Why?

What do you think?

AMENDMENT #8: Cruel and Unusual Punishment

24) What standards has the Supreme Court used in determining “cruel and unusual punishment”?

AMENDMENT #9: Rights Retained by the People (Example: Privacy)

25) How is Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) crucial to a redefinition of this amendment?

26) What are the controversies surrounding this case?

AMENDMENT #10: Powers Reserved to the States (Example: Minimum Wage)

27) What have been the parameters involving this amendment in recent decades?

28) How do these impact the theory and practice of federalism?

Make sure that all of your papers have your name on them. Staple the pages of each assignment

together. There should be two separate stapled assignments: the book review and the questions over

the book. Please do not use any type of folder, sheet protectors, notebook, or other report cover. I just

want the papers stapled in the upper left-hand corner.

A Note on Academic Honesty- I take plagiarism very seriously! This school has an honor code,

which I also take very seriously! If I feel or find that you have plagiarized your papers or been

academically dishonest in any way, I will:

1. Notify your parents

2. Write a referral

3. Receive a “N” on your report card

4. Receive a zero for a test grade

Summer Book Review Scoring Rubric (100 pts.)

Category 8 pts 6 pts 4 pts 0 pts

Essay Format

Followed ALL

format

instructions.

Followed MOST

format instructions.

Followed SOME

format instructions.

Did not follow

instructions at all.

Category 7 pts 5 pts 3 pts 0 pts

(1)

Author’s

Qualifications

Cleary explains ALL

of the author’s

qualifications as

stated in the

instructions.

Cleary explains

MOST of the

author’s

qualifications as

stated in the

instructions.

Cleary explains

SOME author’s

qualifications as

stated in the

instructions.

Did not follow

instructions at all.

(2)

Clear Summary

Clearly summarizes

the book.

Summarizes the

book, but PART is

vague or unclear.

Summarizes the

book, but MOST is

vague or unclear.

Did not

summarize the

book.

(3)

Author’s Thesis

Clearly identified

and understands

Thesis of the book

Vaguely identified

& understands

Thesis of the book

Attempts to

identify Thesis,

however

misinterprets.

Does not identify

Thesis

(4)

Positive Criticism

Gives positive

criticisms by

answering ALL

questions stated in

the instructions.

Gives positive

criticism by

answering MOST

questions stated in

the instructions.

Gives positive

criticism by

answering SOME

questions stated in

the instructions.

Does not give

positive criticism.

(5)

Negative Criticism

Gives negative

criticism by

answering ALL

questions stated in

the instructions.

Gives negative

criticism by

answering MOST

questions stated in

the instructions.

Gives negative

criticism by

answering SOME

questions stated in

the instructions.

Does not give

negative criticism

(6)

Overall Assessment

Gives a clear

assessment of the

book

The assessment is

recognizable and

ties up almost all

the loose ends.

The assessment is

recognizable, but

does not tie up

several loose ends.

There is no clear

assessment, the

paper just ends.

______/50 pts x 2 = _______ test grade