1. Who wrote the Constitution and who was left out?

The Constitution was written mostly by rich, property-owning men—like big landowners, merchants, and business elites. They had money, land, and education, so they got to make the rules. Ordinary people, like small farmers, workers, and poor people, didn’t get to participate. Women, enslaved people, and Native Americans were also completely left out. For example, Reading 6.1 says most of the delegates owned a lot of land or businesses, while small farmers and laborers had no voice in government.

2. Was the social class structure the same as today?

It was kind of the same, but also different. Back then, wealth and property gave you almost all the power. Most people couldn’t vote or run for office unless they owned land. Today, almost everyone can vote, but rich people still have more influence because of money, education, and connections. So the details are different, but class still matters.

3. Why were the people who wrote the Constitution afraid of democracy?

The wealthy delegates were scared that ordinary people—like farmers and workers—would pass laws that could take away their land or money. They worried about “mob rule” and wanted to protect their wealth. That’s why the Constitution has things like the Electoral College, the Senate, and checks and balances: to make it harder for the majority to change things too quickly and to keep power in the hands of rich people

1. Differences in Citizens’ Roles in Government

Federal System:

In a federal system, power is shared between the national government and state governments. Citizens vote for leaders at both levels, so they have a say in both state and national decisions.

Confederation:

A confederation is a group of independent states that give very little power to a central government. Citizens mostly deal with their own state government and have little direct influence on the central government.

Unitary System:

In a unitary system, the national government has most of the power. Local governments exist, but the central government can change or remove their powers. Citizens mainly vote at the national level.

Summary:

• Federal: citizens participate at multiple levels.
  
• Confederation: citizens mostly deal with states.
  
• Unitary: citizens mostly deal with the central government.
  

2)

The division of power is how authority is shared between different levels of government. In a federal system, national and state governments each have their own responsibilities, and neither can completely take over the other. This gives citizens several ways to participate in government. In unitary systems, power is mostly at the center, and in confederations, power stays mostly with the states.

 

3)

During the pandemic, the federal government helped New York in several ways:

• Money and resources: Programs like FEMA and the American Rescue Plan gave New York money for hospitals, testing, vaccinations, and emergency support.
  
• Guidance Agencies like the CDC gave advice on how to test, trace, and slow the spread of the virus.
  
• Support without taking over The federal government could not force New York to do specific things, but it helped by providing funds, equipment, and advice.
  

For example, New York made its own rules, like stay-at-home orders and mask mandates, but used federal funds and guidance to help hospitals and local governments respond to the crisis.

In short The federal government shaped what New York could do by giving money, advice, and support, while letting state and local leaders make most of the decisions

What’s new about the war on terror?

According to P. Williams, the war on terror is different from traditional wars because:

• The enemy is not a specific country—terrorist groups are often decentralized and can operate across borders.

• The battlefield is everywhere—attacks can happen anywhere, not just on defined battlefields.

• The methods are different it involves intelligence gathering, surveillance, and preemptive strikes rather than conventional armies clashing.

• The legal and moral rules are blurred there’s debate over how laws of war apply to non-state actors like terrorists.

2. Roving Wiretaps and the Bill of Rights

Roving wiretaps, allowed under the Patriot Act, let the government monitor any communication device a suspect might use, without specifying the device in advance. This can seem to violate:

• Fourth Amendment – protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. Roving wiretaps may allow surveillance without a specific warrant.

• First Amendment – because surveillance could chill free speech if people feel they are being constantly monitored.

The concern is that it gives government agencies broad authority to spy without the usual checks and balances.

3. “Sneak and Peek” Warrants

These warrants allow law enforcement to enter a person’s home or business without immediately notifying them. This can seem to violate:

• Fourth Amendment – because it delays the usual notification required for a search, reducing transparency and oversight.

• People worry this could be abused if authorities repeatedly enter homes without consent or knowledge.

IDEOLOGY

a)Ideology is basically the set of ideas and beliefs that a society teaches us about how things are supposed to work. It shapes how we think about ourselves, other people, and the world around us. These beliefs feel normal or natural, even though we learn them from the world we grow up in.

b)For example, the idea that “hard work always leads to success” is an ideology. A lot of people grow up believing this, so when someone becomes successful, it’s seen as proof they worked hard. But when someone struggles, people might judge them even if there are bigger problems they can’t control.

c )I understand ideology as something that quietly shapes how we see life, often without us realizing it. It shows up in the media we watch, the way we are raised, and what we are taught is “normal.” Because of ideology, we might accept certain things as just the way life is, even when those ideas actually come from society, not from nature.

Ideology also connects to power. Some ideas benefit certain groups while making things harder for others. When we start paying attention to ideology, we can see that our personal experiences are connected to bigger social patterns. It helps us understand that the way we think didn’t come from nowhere it came from the world around us.

2)How I understand the difference between conservative and liberal ideology in U.S. politics

To me, conservatives and liberals mainly disagree on how much power the government should have. Conservatives usually want the government to stay smaller and not get too involved in people’s lives. They prefer things to stay more traditional and believe people should handle most problems on their own. Liberals, on the other hand, think the government should step in more to help people and fix unfair situations. They believe change is necessary when society isn’t treating everyone equally.

The big dividing line

The biggest dividing line is really about the role of government. Conservatives want less government control, while liberals want the government to play a bigger role in making sure everyone has the same chances in life.

Example

A good example is how each side views healthcare. Conservatives feel people should choose their own doctors and insurance without a lot of government rules. Liberals feel healthcare should be something everyone can access, so they support government programs that help people afford it. This shows how each side thinks differently about what the government should or shouldn’t do.

3)Althusser says ideology is a set of beliefs we follow without realizing it because society teaches them to us as “normal.” These ideas shape how we act and how we see ourselves, and they are passed down through institutions like schools, religion, family, and media.

For example, school doesn’t just teach math or reading—it teaches us to follow rules, listen to authority, and show up on time. We think that’s just normal, but Althusser says this is ideology training us to behave a certain way in society.