Webquest

By Teak Bassett

May 2003

National Security vs. Civil Liberties

In times of a national crisis (such as the September 11 attacks) the government suspends the rights of the people to protect the country from violence. These rights are protected by the Amendments of the Constitution. These Amendments are in place to make sure the government cannot over extend their power.

Does the government have the power to suspend our civil liberties granted to the people in the Constitution in times of a national crisis?

What rights are granted to the people in the Constitution? How do the amendments of the Constitution give rights to the people? Write a paragraph carefully explaining ten rights granted to the people.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.overview.html

How does the Supreme Court protect the rights of the people? How does the Supreme Court protect the people from the other two branches of government?

http://www.jmu.edu/madison/marbury/background.htm

Does the Supreme Court always protect the people from the other branches of the government?

Historical Context: What has major event in US History in 1917?

http://www.rockingham.k12.va.us/EMS/WWI/WWI.html

What did Scheck encourage people to do at that time?

http://faculty-web.at.nwu.edu/commstud/freespeech/cont/cases/schenck/pamphlet.html

What would happen to Schenck? Which of his rights did he argue were being violated? How did the court rule?

http://faculty-web.at.nwu.edu/commstud/freespeech/cont/cases/schenck/pamphlet.html

Historical Context: What was the United States relationship with Japan in 1930s and 1940s?

http://worldwariihistory.info/WWII/Japan.html

What did the government make the Japanese Americans do during the 1940s?

http://www.usa-people-search.com/content-stories-and-images-of-japaneseamerican-internment.aspx

What was the decision in the Supreme Court Case Korematsu v. US? Did the Supreme Court protect the rights of the people or uphold the power of the government?

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/scales/korematsu.html

Task: Two page paper.

· Does the government have the right to limit the rights of the people in times of a national crisis? (war, riots, terrorism, etc)

· Explain two examples in history when the government restricted the rights of the people due to a national crisis. Do you think the government was justified in limiting the rights of the people at that time?

ELA Standards:

1. E1 Reading: Students will read and comprehend informational material

2. E2 Writing: Students will produce a persuasive essay.

Social Studies Standards:

Standard Five Civics, Citizenship, and Government: Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the U.S. and other nations; the U.S. Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.