Part B

First Amendment:
"Freedom of religion,speech..."
The first amendment explains the right the people have to talk about and practice the religion they believe in. The people can express how they feel and their view on the religion and they can gather together publicly and openly talk about it. I honestly don't agree with how the people have the right to talk about and do what they want or say what they want. I feel as if every year there is another issue or topic that can not be discussed in certain places. For example talking about religion is fine but where as in the workplace of schools it is not acceptable. People can not discuss openly about there religion or their practices as the amendment says. Freedom of speech has its limits and the people are allowed to say certain things but when authority is in charge nothing can be said. Is this really what freedom is?

Twenty-Sixth Amendment:
"Right to vote"
This amendment talks about the right to vote and lowering the age to vote. The people of the United States if 18 years of age should be allowed to vote. Depending on the state, the state is allowed to if they wanted, to change the age of voting and lower it below 18 years old. I agree with this amendment and wished that the age to vote was lower because it would give teenagers such as myself the right to vote and be apart of history. If the age was to be lowered i think that young people under the age of 18 will feel like they have a say in their future.

Full Faith & Credit”. What does that mean for gay marriage?
According to article four it says that states cannot discriminate against the people from other states. This to me implies that no matter what everyone should be treated the same. As for gay marriage people should not be held against what they believe or feel. If article four explains that there should be no discrimination why is gay marriage banned in places such as California?I personally don't feel the Constitution is equal or balanced i feel as if there are many issues that are being contradicted.

Part A

Preamble:
"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,provide for the common defense,promote the general welfare,and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity,do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Paraphrase:
The preamble explains and makes clear that all laws should be followed and that justice is served in America. The purpose being that everyone stays safe and everything is under control.

Legislative Branch:
-consist of the congress, the senate and house of representatives
-could change election very two years
-certain qualifications for the representative
-senate may propose bills
-has control of taxes

Executive Branch:
-in order to become president there are qualifications such as being American born
-the president has say on which laws can be created
- make sure all laws are being followed

Judicial Branch:
- supreme court
-looking over laws
-deals with problems within states

Questions:
-Who had say in the Constitution?
-Where did they get all of the laws?
-Who thought of making different branches within?
-What are each branch not allowed to do?
-do they ever think about how many laws are not followed?

Feelings:
When doing this i was tired and it got boring toward the end. Some of it interest me such as what each branch can do and how everything is broken down into sections. It amazes me how much is followed but at the same time how much is not. There are many things that can be changed with the Constitution to better it but as of now it gives the people and outline such as boundaries.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday

During class, we starts talking about what thanksgiving means and what goes on and what family members think. But when the Pilgrims and the Indians were brought up i have to be honest and say i didn't remember all the key factors on what happened. Talking about it refreshed my mind and kind of gave me a whole new idea of thanksgiving. I thought about the whole concept of celebrating thanksgiving when many people died. Now in my family we celebrate it and say what we are thankful for but never has the conversation about what happened in the past has been brought up. I can say that I didn't have the guts to bring it up because I thought that it would create a big ruckus and I didn't want to play a part in it. So you can say I chickened out. But as the family gathered all I could think about was what if it happened to us? I left it alone and enjoyed the meal that had been prepared for the family.

But not only did i not bring up the Indians and the pilgrims but I didn't want to bring up the concept of black Friday. My family is known to buy as much as they can in so little time. But this year was different. In past years my parents would wait in line for hours just to get deals that are supposed to be "unbelievable" and slowly year after year they began to say it got out of hand. But that didn't stop them. This year they didn't go to the stores but rather shopped online as if they were in the store. Still playing a role in black Friday even though they didn't go out. Honestly my family and I are victim's of black Friday and what society calls it to be the biggest "money maker" of the season. But this year because of all the economic issues everyone thought that sales would decrease on that day. But in Wal-mart many customers who waited online for hours rushed in the store "knocking the door of the hinges" stomped all over a temporary worker and killed him. But still that didn't stop shoppers. People were upset that Wal-mart was going to close for a few hours because of that incident. It is amazing how people have no sense to even think about what happen but rather moved on to what was "more important" getting deals.

Election 2008

Before Barack Obama was elected, I can honestly say I have never put so much effort or attention into previous elections. This year I found myself at the age where I wanted to know more about elections and how everything is run. I found this election to be interesting because either way the election would be historical. There would have been an African American president or a woman vice president. This attracted me because I wanted to see the result. I found myself reading and listening to the news more and trying to find out more about the two presidential candidates. While doing so, I felt there was a "hype" about this election and how things were going to change if Barack Obama was president. I didn't hear as much about John McCain as much as I did about Obama but on November 4Th 2008, Barack Obama was announced the new president of the United States.



There are many issues that Obama is trying to change such as heath care, taxes, and education. Obama wants to have a universal health care plan, cut taxes for the middle class and invest in education. Many people who voted for Obama believe that he is the one to "bring everyone together". Many people have hope and believe that Obama is going to change America for the better. My fear is that since many people think highly of Obama that he might let them down or not follow through to change the issues. Hopefully, Barack Obama can change America for the better and follow through by changing these issues to prove that he is a man of his word.

Capitalism

There are many aspects in which capitalism can be defined. One definition that capitalism can be is the economic system in which goods and services are produced, distributed, and consumed, through the mechanism of free market based on private property and profit motive. The three major components of capitalism are land, labor and capital. Land is the natural world in which the product is made. Labor is the work that was put into making and selling that product and lastly capital is the resources that are used to re-shape or enhance the product so that it can be at its final form. Furthermore into capitalism supply, demand and profit play a role in having a business. Supply is the total amount of resources and or products for sale at all prices. Sometimes their can be scarcity which is the limit of resources.


There are many labels in which capitalism is made up of but one of the most is the profit motive. Many businesses will try and get the best price from you for the product. Many will team up and join forces which is called "price fixings". This is when business join together to try and better their profits instead of competing. For example, as a class some pretended to sell lemonade and some people were the customers and the object was to find the best price you can get the lemonade for. Eventually at the end two merchants joined together and fixed the price. In conclusion, capitalism is an economic system in which products are produced, distributed and consumed through profit motive and a free market. Land, labor and capital are one of the many elements that help make up capitalism.

Final Draft:
What is the American Way of Life?

When the topic of the American Way of Life is brought up into conversations many debate as to what the American Way of Life is. While interviewing some of my family members on the topic my dad’s response was “freedom to be and do what you want, nothing against the law”. This meaning that there are boundaries as to what freedom really is. Going against the law can cost you your freedom.


To get more ideas as to what the American Way of Life is outside of my life I interviewed people who lived or worked around School of the Future. I interviewed a middle class man of a Hispanic background and asked him the same question, what is the American way of life? He began to say freedom as many others but changed his answer to “taking care of my son and paying the bills, being the rock of the family”. He worries and does what is needed for the family to get them the necessities they need in life.


I also interviewed a man who works at the deli near school and is an immigrant. He said "I love this country, i came here have a better life." Many immigrants come to America because there are many opportunities here. A lot of immigrants come to live what they call "the dream" but to people who were born here don't see America as that. I spoke with an American who was born and raised here and he said the America way of life was to get an education, make money, and be successful. Different people have different views of what the typical American way of life is and that what makes each and everyone of us unique.

Draft #1:
What is the American Way of Life?

When the topic of the American Way of Life is brought up into conversations many debate as to what the American Way of Life is. While interviewing some of my family members on the topic my dad’s response was “freedom to be and do what you want, nothing against the law”. This meaning that there are boundaries as to what freedom really is. Going against the law can cost you your freedom.

To get more ideas as to what the American Way of Life is outside of my life I interviewed people who lived or worked around School of the Future. I interviewed a middle class man of a Hispanic background and asked him the same question, what is the American way of life? He began to say freedom as many others but changed his answer to “taking care of my son and paying the bills, being the rock of the family”. He worries and does what is needed for the family to get them the necessities they need in life.