How does the U.S. Constitution allocate power among the state and national governments? What are some of the ways in which the national government regulates the power of the states? How can federal officials enforce national standards? What are some of the downsides of having the federal government set national standards?
The struggle for women’s rights has made some important strides and experienced a number of setbacks over the last 30 years. Discuss the “Equal Rights Amendment,” Title IX of the 1972 Education Act, the Supreme Court’s decisions in Franklin v. Gwinnett County Public Schools (1991) and Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. (2007).
Describe and analyze the conflicts and compromises that occurred during the drafting of the Constitution. What was the main source of conflict between large and small states, and how did the Great Compromise resolve it? What was the nature of the conflict regarding slavery during the Philadelphia Convention? How did the Three-Fifths Compromise address this conflict?
Explain the role that courts played in the African American struggle for civil rights. In particular, discuss the details of the Court’s decisions in the 1875 Civil Rights Act case, Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and Brown v. Board of Education (1954).
The American system of federalism experienced important transformations during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Describe these changes by discussing “New Federalism,” devolution, and the Supreme Court’s rulings on federalism. How did the developments of this period differ from the previous eras of American federalism?