List of Mini Projects

Note: All written projects must be type-written, double spaced, with top, bottom,
left, and right margins of one inch. Written projects should be no more than three
pages long unless otherwise indicated. Posters and presentations will be graded on
creativity and accuracy. All students must clear their topics with the instructor in
advance. You will need to choose 1 mini project to complete per quarter. Do not
wait until the last minute before starting on these projects; remember, they are
worth 50 points each, which is a significant portion of your grade.

1. Prepare a series of posters to illustrate the basic concepts of democracy

listed in the text.
2. In writing, argue both sides of one of the following debate topics. Be sure to
include in your report which side you agree with and why. A) Resolved, that
the United States is a republic, not a democracy. B) Resolved, that
government should strive to promote equality of opportunity for all, but not
equality of condition.
3. Write a short biographical sketch of one of these historic figures: George
Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, James
Madison, Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, Thomas Paine, Richard Henry Lee,
Governor Morris, or Alexander Hamilton.
4. Prepare a wall chart showing the major weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation and how those matters were treated in the Constitution.
5. Prepare a chart or poster to show: A) The principles of separation of powers
and checks and balances. B) The formal amendment process and the
informal process.
6. Write a report identifying the reasons and events that led to the adoption of
one of the 26 amendments to the Constitution.
7. Compare the provisions of Article V in the Federal Constitution with the
Amendment processes set out in Iowa’s constitution. Compare, too, the
content of the amendments that have been added to both of these
documents. What conclusions can you draw from these comparisons?
8. In writing, argue both sides of one of the following debate topics: A)
Resolved, that the Constitution be amended to permit the people to propose
constitutional amendments by popular petition and to adopt or reject such
amendments by popular petition and to adopt or reject such amendments by
popular vote. B) Resolved, that the President be denied the power to veto
acts of Congress. C) Resolved, that the Supreme Court be deprived of its
power of judicial review.
9. Select one of the following significant Supreme Court cases, study the matter
and then present your findings in a written report along with your opinion on
whether or not the Supreme Court decided correctly.
a. Marbury v. Madison (1803)
 b. Fletcher v. Peck (1810)
c. Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
d. Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)
e. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
f. Schenck v. United States (1919)
g. Brown v. Topeka Board of Education (1954)
h. Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
i. In re Gault (1967)
j. United States v. Nixon (1974)
k. Regents of the University of California v. Allan Bakke (1978)

10.Prepare an illustrated report on the history of Iowa’s admission to the union.

11.Talk with the mayor, city clerk, chief of police, deputy sheriff, or other local
officials to discover what measures they take to regulate various kinds of
public assemblies in the streets, parks, and other public places in your
community. Give a short oral presentation about your findings.
12.Talk to several members of the local clergy to discover their attitudes about
tax exemptions for churches and church-related property in your community.
Present your findings in a written report.
13.In a written report, argue both sides of the following question: Resolved, that
those who advocate the destruction of this country’s free institutions are not
entitled to the protections set out in the Constitution.
14.Interview some local police officers or sheriff’s deputies asking them to
comment on the Miranda Ryle, and report your findings in a written report.
15.In a written report, argue both sides of one of the following debate topics: A)
Resolved, that the death penalty be made legal in the state of Iowa. B)
Resolved, that the laws of this state be amended to forbid the live televising
of criminal trials.
16.Investigate the structure and functions of party organizations in your locale.
Interview local party leaders and elected officeholders. How do they describe
political parties? What functions do they see parties performing? What
changes in party structure would they like to see? Present your findings in a
written report.
17.In a written report, argue both sides of the following debate topic: Resolved,
that the two-party system be restructured to produce two new parties, one
distinctly conservative and the other distinctly liberal.
18.Based on presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial election results over
the past 40 years, how would you classify Iowa: as one party or two party?
Which party has held the advantage in Iowa?
19.Write an editorial based on this point: Our word for idiot is derived from the
Greek word idiotes – a term the ancient Greeks applied to those citizens who
did not take an active part in public affairs.
20.In a written report, argue both sides of one of the following debate topics: A)
Resolved, that the voting age in all states should be raised to 21. B)
 Resolved, that Iowa’s registration law be repealed. C) Resolved, that Iowa
enact a compulsory voting law.
21.Prepare a series of posters to display sample ballots and other materials
such as voter pamphlets from recent elections in Iowa. On a note card
explain the various components of the ballots – for example, candidates for
various offices and initiative questions.
22.Interview a recent candidate, either successful or unsuccessful, about his or
her campaign experiences. Write a detailed report about your interview.
23.Prepare a bulletin board display of the meaning, scope, and importance of
one of the expressed powers of Congress.
24.Find out how the Democrats and the Republicans in Iowa nominate their
Presidential Elector candidates. When you have gathered this information,
draw a flow chart to illustrate the process.
25.Prepare a report on one of the following topics:
a. The Stolen Election of 1876
b. The resignation of President Richard Nixon
c. The role of the Vice-President in the current administration
d. The 1996 Presidential campaign in Iowa
e. The “youth vote” in 1992 or 1996
26.Using cartoons from newspapers and newsmagazines, prepare a poster on
the “Cartoonists Views on the President”. Write a one-paragraph summary on
the issues highlighted by each cartoon. What was the cartoonist trying to
say?