This week we will continue our introduction to the American Economic System with a discussion of how capitalism works in the United States. We will discuss the concepts of free enterprise & the free market & how our economic freedoms are linked to our personal freedoms that are outlined in the Constitution. We will also discuss the effects of globalization, as well as America's role in the global economy.
This week we will continue our investigation of WWII. As Hitler's armies began to take control of most of Europe, the Japanese would unleash a sneak attack against the United States at Pearl Harbor. As the United States entered the war, the tides would begin to turn in favor of the Allies, also due in part to Hitler's failed invasion of the Soviet Union; Operation Barbarossa. Towards the end of the week we will investigate & discuss how the Allies began to strike back against the Axis on all fronts, including the most famous invasion of all; Operation Overlord. D-Day would mark the beginning of the end for Axis controlled Europe. Finally, we will discuss the first use of an atomic bomb, and how it would end the war, and lay the groundwork for a new conflict; the Cold War.
This week we will continue our Business Projects and then we will start our study of personal finance. We will discuss budgeting for short-term & long-term financial goals. We will discuss taxes, & the effects on our financial well-being. We will also investigate other types of saving & investing, as well as the use of credit, through loans or credit cards. We will discuss the pros & cons of the use of credit as well.
This week we will conclude our investigation of citizenship and the internet. Then students will be introduced to some of the fundamental concepts in Economics. First, we will discuss why economics are such a huge part of our daily lives, and how government and economics are tied together. We will investigate the different types of economic systems, along with how we make economic decisions every day! We will discuss wants vs. needs & the concept of scarcity as well.
We will begin this week by examining the end of WWI and the problems created by the Treaty of Versailles, focusing on the impact it would have on Germany. We will examine the post-WWI uncertainty, as well as a worldwide depression that would have major ramifications across the globe. We will then shift our focus towards the rise of dictators after WWI, with an investigation of how Mussolini, Stalin, & Hitler obtained absolute power in their nations. Tow
ards the end of the week we will closely examine the rise of Hitler & the creation of Nazi Germany. We will look at how the Nazis would take over all aspects of German life. We will also discuss how Hitler's defiance of the Versailles treaty would create the conditions for the bloodiest conflict in human history; the Second World War! 
This week we will continue our investigation of the American Free Enterprise System of Economics. We will discuss the key concepts of this system, as well as how it grants all of us economic freedom. Students will also be working on their business & product proposal projects. We will be in the computer lab this week for research, price comparisons, & to develop a market strategy for the product.
This week we will begin our investigation of Citizenship & the Internet. We will discuss how the internet help people participate in civic life, as well as the drawbacks of internet use, such as misinformation and bias. We will also investigate how governments can regulate internet use for children and adults as well. Finally, we will talk about how our rights, such as speech and privacy are affected by the internet. 
This week we will begin our investigation of WWI. We will begin by discussing the long-term & short-term causes for the breakout of war. Why did the First World War break out only 6 weeks after one man's assassination? We will discuss the following MAIN points: MILITARISM, ALLIANCES, IMPERIALISM, & NATIONALISM. Towards the end of the week we will discuss how advances in technology would change warfare forever. We will also investigate what it was like to be involved in trench warfare.
This week we will begin to investigate the American Free Enterprise System. We will discuss how the capitalist system creates the most freedom for consumers and producers and gives them choices with little government intervention. We will break down the advantages and disadvantages of this system and talk about the force that encourages people to play a role in it; PROFIT MOTIVE! We will also discuss how our economic freedoms are aligned to our political freedoms in the United States as well.
This week we will continue our investigation of the US legal system by discussing the similarities and differences between the adult and juvenile courts. We will break down the process from arrest to sentencing. We will also investigate the importance of Jury Duty Service the role that everyday people play in our system of justice. Also, this week the class will get the chance to play jury as we watch some interactive court case films.
This week we will investigate the many changes of the 19th century after the fall of Napoleon. We will investigate the effects that these vast changes would have on the early part of the 20th century and the eventual break-out of the First World War. We will focus on the Industrial Revolution and the growth of progressive thought in Europe. We will examine the effects of Nationalism and Imperialism (Check out the British Imperialism Political Cartoon at left) as well. These factors played an important role in the growth of nation-states and the factors that led to WWI. Towards the end of the week we shall discuss and investigate the long-term and the immediate causes that led to World War I.
This week we will continue our discussion of major concepts within economics. We will discuss the issue of scarcity & unlimited wants. We will also investigate topics such as opportunity cost, the factors of production, and resources; including natural and human. We will discuss the concept of renewable & non-renewable resources as well. Towards the end of the week we will begin to focus on the American Free Enterprise System.
This week we continue our investigation of the American legal system. We will examine some of our legal rights & responsibilities. We will examine the rights we are entitled to if we are arrested, as well as the rights we are entitled to during a trial. We will also examine the history of how the American legal system & our laws developed over time. We will also discuss the steps in the trial process & the similarities & differences between civil & criminal law.
This week we will begin our investigation of the French Revolution and the Age of Napoleon. We will discuss the causes and effects that the revolution would have in France and throughout Europe. As the revolution raged on, Napoleon emerged through swift military victories and his popularity increased significantly. While the people of France were dealing with "The Terror," Napoleon actually offered stability to a nation in turmoil. We will discuss how Napoleon was able to assume absolute power and forge an empire across Europe.
This week we will continue looking at the role of the United States in the world. We will continue to discuss the organizations that influence the politics of the United States and the rest of the world. We will begin to focus more on how economics plays a role in the political process. We will begin to investigate the basic fundamentals of economics as well. We will also discuss the different types of economic systems that are found throughout the world.
This week we will continue our investigation of the Judicial Branch. We will discuss the duties of the court system in our country, as well as how they are organized from the Supreme Court all the way down to local courts. We will also discuss the impact that Supreme Court decisions have had on Americans through Constitutional changes that have happened due to the Court's rulings. Once again, we will also focus on checks and balances and the role it plays between the 3 branches of government.
This week we will begin our investigation of the Absolute (like Louis XIV of France at left) Monarchs. We will also discuss the impact of the Enlightenment & Scientific Revolution in Europe. Then we will move on to the problems brewing in Europe and specifically France that would lead to a revolution. We will discuss the many causes of the French Revolution, as well as the strange events that would follow. Towards the end of the week we will discuss the effects of the French Revolution, not just in France, but across the globe, as it led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte 
This week students will present their Supreme Court Research Projects to the class. We will begin the presentations on Monday, hopefully finishing on Tuesday. ALL RESEARCH PAPERS ARE DUE MONDAY! After the presentations, we will spend the rest of the week watching a documentary and the film Gideon's Trumpet, based on the real story of Clarence E. Gideon. This simple, poor man took a case all the way to the Supreme Court and changed the meaning of the Constitution for all Americans. 
This week we will continue our investigation of the Executive branch of government. We will discuss the duties & powers of the president & vice president, as well as what other member of the Executive branch do on a daily basis to help make government run smoothly. We will also cover checks & balances & the role they play for the president. We will also discuss why the Constitution does not grant as many specific powers to the president as it does to the Congress. Why did the framers do this? We will examine how presidential power has grown over the course of our nation's history from Washington to Obama. Later in the week we will begin our study of the Judicial Branch of our Federal government. 
This week we will conclude the Reformation era & begin our investigation of the Age of Exploration. We will focus our efforts on the effects it had for peoples in the Old & New Worlds. We will look closely at Columbus, Pizarro, & Cortes. We will discuss the issues of the Columbian Exchange, including the transfer of culture, religion, & disease. We will investigate the interactions between conquerors & the conquered. Towards the end of the week we will shift our focus back to the Old World by discussing the Age of Absolute Rulers in Europe, along with the lasting impact some of these rulers would have for future generations.
This week we continue our investigation of the American legal system. We will also examine some of our legal rights & responsibilities. We will examine the rights we are entitled to if we are arrested, as well as the rights we are entitled to during a trial. We will also examine the history of how the American legal system & our laws developed over time. We will also continue to discuss the steps in the trial process & the similarities & differences between civil & criminal law.
This week we will conclude our investigation of the Legislative branch & begin the Executive branch. We will discuss the qualifications for becoming President, the many roles & duties of the Preseident, as well as the Executive branch departments. We will also look closely at how exactly the President is elected; through a complicated system called the Electoral College. We will also investigate the role that checks & balances through Presidential vetoes and judicial appointments.
This week we will discuss the Renaissance & Reformation, which led to many changes throughout Europe & the globe. What led to these major events? We will discuss the causes & effects of each this week! The Renaissance was a rebirth for culture & learning after the Dark Ages in Europe. We will focus on the many advancements in art, science, & technology. The Reformation began with challenges to the superiority of the Catholic Church, which held massive amounts of power in the medieval world. Emphasis will be on the roles of Martin Luter (Left) & King Henry VIII of England (Right), as these two men would play a vital role in the transformation of religion during the Reformation.
This week we will begin our investigation of the Judicial branch of government. We will take a close look at the role of the courts in the United States, as well as a look at the checks & balances that are involved in the Judicial branch. We will discuss the role of the Supreme Court, as well as lower courts in the U.S. legal system. We will also investigate the differences between Criminal & Civil Law, as long with a review of our individual rights that we are entitled to if arrested, or in a court of law.
This week students will present their Volunteerism projects to the rest of class and then we will continue our look at the Legislative branch of the Federal government. Our focus for this week will be on the work that Congressmen and women actually do, most importantly, creating laws. We will place much focus on the process of how a bill becomes a law, and how the committee system works in Congress.
This week students will present their Middle Ages projects to the class and we will continue our investigation of the time period. This week our focus will be on the effects of the Black Death and the Hundred Years' War on the continent of Europe. Towards the end of the week we will begin our investigation of the Renaissance and Reformation period in Europe, which ended the "Dark Ages" of Europe.
Welcome back from Fall Break! This week we will continue our investigation of the Executive branch. We will continue to discuss the different roles of the President, along with some of the legislative and judicial powers that the president holds well. We will also investigate the different offices that are a part of the Executive branch andthe role of the president's cabinet in making government policy. We will look closely at the president's role in foreign policy and economic policy as well.
This week we will begin our investigation of the European Middle Ages. The beginning of the Middle Ages is known as the "Dark Ages," due to a sharp cultural decline after the fall of the Roman Empire. We will discuss the growing power of the Catholic Church during this time period as well as the role of Charlemagne (below). Charlemagne was able to unite several small germanic kingdoms into a vast empire, known as the "Holy Roman Empire" that would lead to the development of Western Europe. We will also discuss medieval society & how the system of feudalis
m impacted people. Towards the end of the week we will focus on the Black Death- The Plague- which wiped out over 30% of the population of Europe. We will also investigate the causes & effects of the Hundred Years' War- which would set the stage for conflict between England & France for years to come.
This week we will continue our investigation of the Legislative Branch with an in-class Congressional Simulation in the beginning of the week. Students will be divided up into either House or Senate committees with the responsibility of writing up bills, debating them, and attempting to pass them into law. This simulation is a project grade based on participation, so all students must make a point of being involved in the process. Towards the end of the week we will shift our focus to the Executive Branch of our national government.
This week we will finish up our investigation of the Bill of Rights & begin our discussion of citizenship & the role that citizens play in the political process. We will investigate the rights & responsibilities of people as well as the importance of citizens being actively involved in our democratic process. We will focus on many of the major rights & responsibilities, but our main focus will be the right to vote and to be an active participant in our government.
This week we will begin looking at the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution. These amendments give Americans some of their most basic freedoms and we will spend some time looking at each one in detail. We will discuss each of them and how they affect our lives on a daily basis. We fill focus on the importance of the First Amendment, as it ensures many of out personal freedoms that we hold dear to our hearts. We will also investigate how the Bill of Rights did not originally apply to everyone; including women, African American, and Native Americans. We will also investigate how people struggled to earn their civil rights, and how the Constitution has been amended to include them over the years.
This week we will continue our investigation of the empires of the East, in India and China. We will examine the development of them and the influence they had on the culture, religion, and government of their peoples. We will focus on how trade played such a vital part in the transmission of religion and culture. Towards the end of the week will also examine the civilizations of Africa, especially the Aksum Empire, before shifting our focus to the Middle East and the beginnings of the religion of Islam and its impact on the Middle East & the globe.
This week we will begin our study of American Federalism. We will investigate how our national government works with the state governments spread across the country. We will study the types of powers and laws that are granted to the federal and state governments, as well as those powers that are shared.. We will discuss the evolving relationship between the state and national governments, and the conflicts that can arise. We will discuss the issues of the tenth amendment, which focuses on state rights. We will also look at some landmark Supreme Court cases like McCulloch v. Maryland, that have set the precedent that actions of individual states may not impede valid constitutional exercises of power by the Federal government.
This week we will continue our investigation of the principles underlying the US Constitution. We will discuss the concepts of checks & balances, as well as the separation of powers between the different branches of government. Students will take the Ch. 3 Test late this week as well. After testing, we will begin our discussion of the Bill of Rights, which are the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. The Bill of Rights are the basic individual freedoms that most of us take for granted, & they were not part of the original Constitution. The anti-federalists argued to get these amendments put into the Constitution. Emphasis for this week will be on the 1st amendment!
This week we will continue our investigation of Ancient Rome. We will emphasize on the transition from republic to empire & our focus will be on the leadership of Julius Caesar. We will discuss how Caesar gained popularity & power in Rome through his military conquests. As the week progresses we will look at the formation of the Roman Empire & the role of Augustus (Octavian) after Caesar's murder, at the hands of members of the Roman senate on the Ides (15th) of March! We will also discuss the lasting impact the Romans left for future generations. We will also examine the emergence of Christianity in the Roman Empire & inv
estigate the impact that Christianity had in the empire. Towards the end of the week we will examine how the Roman empire began to decay, & eventually fall at the hands of European tribes.
