The Age of Globalization
Website: Mr. Burden's Website Under AP Project

AP THEMES

Economic Transformation
Globalization
War and Diplomacy
Culture
Politics and Citizenship


Politics and Citizenship
    Key ideas:  Significant political polarization
            Attempt to impeach the President
            Close election of 2000

    Questions:  How is a climate of polarization created?
            What are the reasons for the polarization?
            How does political polarization affect the health of a nation?

    Day 1 Activity  Red marble/black marble game

            Two students are each given a red and a black marble.
            Students choose one marble and then reveal them at  the same time
                    in rocks/scissors fashion.
            Students are not told the purpose, only the scoring method

            If both show red, one point is added to each score.
            If both show black, one point is subtracted from each score.
            If one shows red and one shows black, red loses one, black gains one.
 
            Without fail, students will initailly show the red marble in the opening rounds, however,    once it becomes clear the risk they are taking, both
            ides usually show the black marble each time regardless of the minus for each round.

        Discussion of the risk and rewards of pragmatism versus partisanship.
        Historical examples.

        Issues to discuss:  NAFTA
                    Health care proposal
                    Newt Gingrich and the contract with America
                    Monica Lewinsky scandal
                    Election of 2000

DAY 2
    Understanding the role of the electoral college:
          Activity:  Give students state-by state election results from the election of 1992.  Working in teams, ask students to change the results of the election, making George H. Bush the winner, by shifting the fewest number of popular votes possible.   Refer to cartoon #13 "GHW Bush hiding domestic problems through foreign affairs" on Regent's webpage for important 1992 issue.

Assess the degree of difficulty.  How close was the 2000 election by comparison?  How many votes would Al Gore need to shift?


1992 Election Map

All Election Maps

DAY 3  Using the election maps of 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 as a guide, have teams develop likely lists of states that would be easily won by respective parties in the 2008 general election.  Make a four column chart showing which states they carried.  Then, have students create a quartile map to show which states the candidates should concentrate on from 1) high piority (purple) to low priority (yellow).  Four colors: Purple, red, orange, yellow.  Students will be asked to justify their answers in an essay.
   

    Use the following political cartoons to discuss the issues of the 1990s
    Regents Questions and Cartoons
    #10 Compares business practices of 1890 and 1990
    #12 US booming economy and downsizing victims
    #13 GHW Bush hiding domestic problems through foreign affairs
    #17 Impeachment procedings hinder Clinton's presidency
    #19 Graph-% of women in US who work outside the home since 1950.

Day 4   Create a chart of the Clinton presidency in terms of economics, society
religion,  politics, and the military

Day 5  The War on Terror
       Is the War in Iraq another Vietnam?

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