Inventing the American presidency

When the founders of the United States gathered to create the foundations of the country, they decided on three branches of government, with a president central to the executive branch. Kenneth C. Davis explains why this decision was not necessarily inevitable and what variables were up for debate.

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Where and when was the Constitution written?

The Electoral College was created in 1787 to avoid direct election of the President by the voters. Is that system still a good idea, or should it be changed? How?

Should the President have any new powers? Should any presidential powers be taken away?

Under the Constitution, the president is now limited to two terms. Should we go back to the original plan of unlimited terms?

How do executive orders work?

On January 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln legally changed the status of over 3 million people from “slave” to “free.” But his emancipation proclamation wasn’t a law — it was an executive order. The framers of the American Constitution made this power available to the executive branch. But what exactly is this tool, how does it work, and what’s the extent of its power? Christina Greer explains.

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In 1863, Abraham Lincoln decided to issue an executive order to legally change the status of over 3 million enslaved Blacks, across ten states, from “slave” to “free”. Why do you think President Lincoln decided to issue the Emancipation Proclamation as opposed to working with Congress to make a law? Do you think he was overreaching his power as president? Which process, executive order or working with Congress, do you think could be most effective for a president? Are there certain moments in time or certain issues that would change our opinion?

How does impeachment work?

For most jobs, it’s understood that you can be fired – whether for crime, incompetence, or just poor performance. But what if your job happens to be the most powerful position in the country – or the world? That's where impeachment comes in. But how does it work? Alex Gendler details the process of impeachment.

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How many votes are required for conviction of a president or vice president?
Where did impeachment originate, and how does it differ in the United States?

Ugly history: Japanese American incarceration camps

On December 7, 1941, 16 year-old Aki Kurose shared in the horror of millions of Americans when Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor. Unbeknownst to her, this shared experience would soon leave her family and over 120,000 Japanese Americans alienated from their country, both socially and physically. Densho explores the racism and paranoia that led to the unjust internment of Japanese Americans.

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When did the US government officially acknowledge that the wartime incarceration was the result of racism, hysteria, and failed political leadership and issue a formal apology to Japanese Americans?

During World War II, nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans, two-thirds of whom were American citizens, were incarcerated by the US government without due process. Can you think of any other times in American history when constitutional rights have been denied to citizens because of their race or religion?

The day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Aki Kurose went to school and her teacher accusingly said, "You people bombed Pearl Harbor." Aki was an American citizen, and had never been to Japan, but she suddenly realized that because of her ancestry, many assumed that she was the enemy. What can you do when you see someone making a false accusation? How can you avoid making a false accusation?

The theme fot the fourth meeting is "The State. How is power divided in the United States government"

The state has an important part to play in making and enforcing law. But what is a state? 

It is a political unit with a territory that the international community treats as independent, for example the United Kingdom, the USA or Japan. 

Law settles how the state is to be governed (its constitution), what duties it owes its citizens, and what duties they owe to one another and to it. The law of the state consists, of a system of government, together with a framework for making the life of citizens more secure and for enabling them to flourish.

Articles I-III of the United States Constitution allow for three separate branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial), along with a system of checks and balances should any branch get too powerful. 

But how is power divided in the United States government? Belinda Stutzman breaks down each branch and its constitutionally-entitled powers.

1. In the late 1700's, who did the Founding Fathers not want ruling the United States?
2. When was the new constitution adopted?
3. Which branch of government is described in Article I of the Constitution?
4. Which branch of the government commands the US military?
5. Who determines if federal laws are constitutional?
6. Besides voting, in what ways can a citizen participate in his/her government?

Protests in France

Demonstrations started in France last weekend, continued through the week and this weekend. Two people died and hundreds were injured.

The protests are over rising taxes on fossil fuels. The French President Emmanuel Macron says that the taxes are needed to reduce the country’s dependency on fossil fuels. Some protesters are also anti-government and they want Macron to step down.

Around 3,000 police officers were ready for the protesters in Paris this weekend. The protests turned violent, and police used tear gas and a water cannon against the protesters.

Difficult words: fossil fuel (a material like gas, coal and oil which people burn to get or make energy), dependency (being dependent – needing something too much), violent (violent people destroy things and attack other people).

You can watch the original video www.newsinlevels.com

What is your opinion? Is it a basic human right to protest? Please comment below.

The theme of the second meeting is "Human rights"

The basic idea of human rights is that each one of us, no matter who we are or where we are born, is entitled to the same basic rights and freedoms. That may sound straightforward enough, but it gets incredibly complicated as soon as anyone tries to put the idea into practice. What exactly are the basic human rights? Who gets to pick them? Who enforces them and how? What are the universal human rights? Benedetta Berti explores the subtleties of human rights.

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1. Human rights are universal and apply to everybody no matter where they live.
2. The basis of contemporary international human rights law is the _____.
3. All these are considered universal human rights except:
4. Within the international system, the main body tasked with protecting human rights is:
5. What are some of the limitations of the concept of human rights?
6. Some critics argue that the concept of human rights has become little more than a buzzword with no concrete impact. What are the main limitations of human rights today, and what do you think could and should be done to strengthen the international protection of basic rights and freedoms?