Stage One: Creation And Initial Blogroll

I am taking United States Government 2305 to become more politically aware of what is going on in our society. I am not too involved with politics, but as a citizen of this country, I believe, it is our duty to participate. I strongly believe in voicing one's opinion by voting and in involving younger generations, such as mine, to develop an interest in acquiring knowledge about the way our country operates to be better prepared to take over the reigns of society. I have not had my first voting experience yet, I am only 16, but I hope this class will allow me to make an informed decision based on my beliefs and morals when the time comes. Even though the legal age of voting is 18 and most people don't generally feel the urge to be politically involved until they are older, I feel one is never too young to be socially aware of policies and laws that are changing and will one day affect the younger generations. By being in this class, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying principles that government focuses on as well as the foundation of our democratic government system, The Constitution of the United States. I took the Civics Quiz and to my surprise, I am pretty knowledgable in government for my age. I scored a 57.58% while most average citizens score a 49% and most college educators score a 55%. I feel good to be one of the younger individuals that cares about their country and where the United States is heading. Below are my quiz results and the questions I answered incorrectly.

Results

• You answered 19 out of 33 correctly — 57.58 %
  If you have any comments or questions about the quiz, please email americancivicliteracy@isi.org.
  You can consult the following table to see how citizens and elected officials scored on each question.
  

Incorrect Answers

• Question: Under Our Constitution, some powers belong exclusively to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?

  Your Answer: Maintain prisons

  Correct Answer: Make treaties

• Question: Name two countries that were our enemies during World War II.

  Your Answer: China and Russia

  Correct Answer: Germany and Japan

• Question: The Puritans:

  Your Answer: believed in complete religious freedom

  Correct Answer: stressed the sinfulness of all humanity

• Question: The Bill of Rights explicitly prohibits:

  Your Answer: discrimination based on race, sex, or religion

  Correct Answer: establishing an official religion for the United States

• Question: A flood-control levee (or National Defense) is considered a public good because:

  Your Answer: insurance companies cannot afford to replace all houses after a flood

  Correct Answer: a resident can benefit from it without directly paying for it

• Question: The phrase that in America there should be a “wall of separation” between church and state appears in:

  Your Answer: George Washington’s Farewell Address

  Correct Answer: Thomas Jefferson’s letters

• Question: Free markets typically secure more economic prosperity than government’s centralized planning because:

  Your Answer: government planners are too cautious in spending taxpayers’ money

  Correct Answer: the price system utilizes more local knowledge of means and ends

• Question: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Aquinas would concur that:

  Your Answer: all moral and political truth is relative to one’s time and place

  Correct Answer: certain permanent moral and political truths are accessible to human reason

• Question: In 1935 and 1936 the Supreme Court declared that important parts of the New Deal were unconstitutional. President Roosevelt responded by threatening to:

  Your Answer: eliminate the Supreme Court

  Correct Answer: appoint additional Supreme Court justices who shared his views

• Question: Who is the commander in chief of the U.S. military?

  Your Answer: Secretary of the army

  Correct Answer: President

• Question: What was the main issue in the debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas in 1858?

  Your Answer: Is slavery morally wrong?

  Correct Answer: Would slavery be allowed to expand to new territories?

• Question: Which of the following statements is true about abortion?

  Your Answer: the Supreme Court ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson that underage women must notify their parents of an impending abortion

  Correct Answer: the Supreme Court struck down most legal restrictions on it in Roe v. Wade

• Question: Which of the following fiscal policy combinations has the federal government most often followed to stimulate economic activity when the economy is in a severe recession?

  Your Answer: increasing both taxes and spending

  Correct Answer: decreasing taxes and increasing spending

• Question: What was the source of the following phrase: “Government of the people, by the people, for the people”?

  Your Answer: U.S. Constitution

  Correct Answer: Gettysburg Address