Civics_Ch3_webquest2

=**Bill of Rights Web Quest Reflection**= Let's see how you did! Write the word "reflection" under your answer on #10 and answer the questions in the following:


 * 1.** FALSE. The word "separation of church and state," which is often used today by Progressives who aim to eliminate Christian aspects from society is not part of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, or Bill of Rights. The Founding Fathers wanted to keep government from interfering in religion. The Founding Fathers wanted the people to worship freely. Opposite of Progressive movements today, the Founding Fathers wanted religious values to be part of government legislation and process. The Founding Fathers would have been against the following:

So, when did the words "separation of church and state" first show up? In the early 1800s under President Jefferson. A group of Baptists in Connecticut were worried that the majority, which were Congregationalists, would force everyone in Connecticut to be Congregationalists. The Baptists wrote a letter to President Jefferson expression their concern. Jefferson responded to them by assuring the Baptists than there is a "wall of separation of church and state" meaning that government will never force you to belong to one type of church and not your own.

Today, secularists want to change America. Secular-Progressives do not want to operate by the religious values that our nation was founded on and aim to remove religious values from society. Secular-Progressives use the words Separation of Church and State to try to convince Americans that Christian values should not be important in society. However, this is not what Jefferson intended. How have we seen religious values being removed from society? Below are a few examples. Religion was important to our Founding Fathers. They viewed it as a duty of all citizens. Do you think religion is a duty of all Americans (or should be)? Explain:
 * In 1962, the Supreme Court ruled that school prayer was not allowed. Later, the Court ruled against Bible readings in school. The Founding Fathers would have been against this ruling saying that God gives us our rights, therefore all should honor and worship Him.
 * There are those who want the words "one nation under God" taken out of the pledge. The Founding Fathers would have favored keeping this line.
 * There are attempts in society today to eliminate using the word "Christmas" and instead say "Happy Holidays," call Christmas Vacation the Winter break, and other such phrases. The Founding Fathers would have ruled this as ridiculous.


 * 2.** True. Political speech in colonial times was only protected when such speech supported the king. The colonists would be reprimanded if they spoke out against things such as taxation without representation (one of the main reasons they wanted to break away from Britain).

Internet speech is also included in terms of restrictions. This includes facebook, twitter, emails, blogs, and any other type of communication on the Internet. Whatever you're not allowed to say verbally you are not allowed to say online.

Today, Progressives aim to restrict certain types of speech looking for ways to restrict speech against Progressive agenda. George Washington supported freedom of speech and would be against Progressives looking to restrict speech and said the following: "The freedom of speech may be taken away and dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep, to the slaughter." What do you think Washington meant?


 * 3.** False. Even though we have an army (and other branches of the armed forces) today, the Founding Fathers still favored the right to bear arms since it was necessary for self-protection.

There is no solid evidence that reducing the rights to own guns or eliminating gun rights will reduce crimes. Some experts say strict gun laws reduce crime while others disagree.

Thomas Jefferson said: "No free man shall ever be de-barred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain their right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government." Would he favor Progressive attempts to limit and restrict gun ownership?


 * 4.** True. In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson writes that we are "endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these rights are LIFE, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Abortion was possible and legal in the British colonies, while French, Spanish, and Portuguese colonies made it illegal. The Founding Fathers were against abortion. James Wilson for example (from PA) spoke about life beginning in the mother's womb.

Planned Parenthood is an organization that does perform abortions if requested by patients. This organization gets money from the federal government (tax dollars). This organization does more than conduct abortions. It does conduct other medical procedures necessary for women's health. Do you think the federal government should continue to give tax dollars to Planned Parenthood or should this be stopped. Explain.

In general, explain whether or not you would rather make decisions for yourself or have the government make decisions for you. The government would say that people don't always make the right decisions so it can make the right decisions for the people.
 * 5.** The Bill of Rights weren't intend to tell us what we could do...they were intended to tell the government what it cannot do. Over time, the government has not be as limited as it originally was. Do you favor making your own decisions or the government making decisions for you? Do you favor...
 * cities banning McDonald's since Happy Meals are considered unhealthy and lead to childhood obesity? This was done in San Francisco.
 * states telling restaurants that cook hamburgers that the burgers cannot be cooked rare or medium rare because it could lead to health risks? This was done in North Carolina.
 * restrictions on what can be said on TV or radio to keep kids from hearing things that are bad? This is done by the Federal government through the FCC (Federal Communications Commission).


 * 6.** Voltaire was a French philosopher during the Enlightenment who favored freedom of speech. He believed that freedom of speech was important since various opinions could lead to positive societies.

Do you think it's good that some speech isn't protected (such as bullying, either in person or online)?


 * 7.** The Bill of Rights helps protect property rights. The 3rd amendment prevents soldiers from coming into homes (which was done by the British). The 4th amendment prevents the government (law enforcement - police and FBI are paid with tax dollars) from randomly entering homes.

Over the years, the government has been allowed to pass zoning laws. These are laws passed usually by local government that have requirements for property owners. For example, you need a building permit if you want to build an addition on to your home (you are told what materials are needed). You need a burning permit to burn certain items (you're told which days and items you're allowed to burn). Do you favor these laws as a way to keep people safe or too much of a violation of the rights of property owners? Explain.


 * 8.** Some call enhanced interrogation torture. However, when our CIA uses enhanced interrogation on captured terrorists, they only use it to get information to stop future terror attacks. When the captured terrorist starts to give information, the enhanced interrogation stops, which therefore does not classify it as torture. In May 2011, the U.S. military found out where terror leader Osama bin Laden (who was responsible for the attacks on the U.S. on 9-11) was hiding and the attack his hiding spot. Bin Laden was killed. Enhanced interrogation (which was set up under President George W. Bush) is how the U.S. found out where bin Laden was. Therefore, it worked in this case. President Bush supported using enhanced interrogation. President Obama opposed it.

Did you opinion change or stay the same? Explain.


 * 9.** The Supreme Court ruled that the Westboro Church was allowed to protest and protected their freedom of speech.

Do you think certain types of protest should be illegal? Explain.


 * 10.** Burning the flag in protest is legal. However, there are many in the U.S. who want to amend the Constitution to make it illegal.

Would you support an amendment to the Constitution to make burning the flag in protest illegal? Explain why.

Go to the next part of the web quest by going back to the main page and moving to the next section. Return to Bill of Rights Web Quest main page.