1. Gilmore is saying that racism isn’t just about individual hate , it’s built into systems that give white people advantages, even if they don’t ask for them. When she says capitalism will stop being racial capitalism only when white people disappear from the story, she means the whole system is set up in a way that centers and protects whiteness. So, racism sticks around because “whiteness” is used to divide people, justify inequality, and keep certain groups in power. As long as that system stays, racism does too.
2. Gilmore says that people aren’t born “criminals” — they’re labeled that way by a system that targets certain communities (especially poor and nonwhite ones). The system keeps locking people up, even for small things, and once you’re in the system, it’s hard to get out. Having a record makes it harder to find a job or housing, so people are pushed into situations where they might get arrested again. The system creates a cycle. I agree with her, a lot of people end up in prison not because they’re dangerous, but because they were set up to fail. And once you’re labeled a criminal, it follows you everywhere.
3. When Gilmore talks about “liberation struggle,” I think she means fighting for freedom in a deeper way — not just freedom from jail, but freedom from systems that trap people in poverty, racism, and violence. It’s about changing the whole setup so that people have what they need to live such as housing , education, healthcare, and safety — without being punished for just trying to survive. Liberation means building a world where people don’t need prisons at all.
   
   

In the Wal-Mart case, the Supreme Court decided that the group of women suing the company couldn’t move forward as a class-action lawsuit. The Court said the main reason was because there wasn’t enough “commonality” among all their claims. In other words, the women had different experiences and reasons for why they believed they were treated unfairly, so their situations weren’t similar enough to be handled all together in one big case. The Court explained that for a class-action lawsuit to work, everyone’s claim needs to share a common issue that ties them closely together—kind of like how all members of a team have to be playing the same game, not just wearing the same jersey.

1. The court system is better at protecting individual rights because judges don’t have to worry about getting re-elected or making voters happy. They’re supposed to focus on what the Constitution says and what’s fair, not what’s popular. That makes them more likely to stand up for people’s rights—even when it’s not the easy or popular thing to do. For example, in Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruled that segregated schools were unfair and unconstitutional. A lot of people at the time still supported segregation, especially in the South, so elected leaders weren’t going to touch that issue. But the Court stepped in and made a decision that protected the rights of Black students, even though it wasn’t the popular choice.

2. Yeah, in a way, the Supreme Court is kind of anti-democratic because the justices aren’t elected by the people and they get to keep their jobs for life. But that’s actually on purpose. The founders of the country didn’t want every part of the government to be controlled by majority rule, because sometimes the majority can make decisions that hurt smaller groups or individuals. That’s why federal judges are appointed—not voted in—so they can focus on what’s right and not worry about public opinion or politics. They’re supposed to be more neutral and make decisions based on the law, not on what voters want. It also shows how the system was built with the upper class in mind—people who were seen as educated and “above” the influence of the crowd were the ones trusted to make these big decisions.

1. The Establishment Clause is part of the First Amendment and says the government can’t establish or support a religion. Basically, it means the government must stay neutral in religious matters. The Lemon Test comes from a court case (Lemon v. Kurtzman) and is used to decide if a law or government action goes against this rule. For something to pass the test, it must have a clear, non-religious purpose, not promote or hurt any religion, and not result in too much involvement between government and religion.

2.Yes, burning the US flag is protected under the First Amendment as a form of free speech. The key court case for this is Texas v. Johnson (1989), where the Supreme Court decided that even though flag burning is offensive to many, it’s still a form of symbolic speech. The government can’t punish people just because others don’t like the message they’re expressing.

3.When someone says “I’m taking the Fifth,” they’re using their Fifth Amendment right to not answer questions that could make them look guilty of a crime. It’s a way to protect yourself from self-incrimination. You often hear it in legal settings, like court or during police questioning.

1. Differences in the Role of Citizens in Government

• Federal System: In a federal system, citizens have a say in government at multiple levels such as national, state, and local. Each level has its own powers, and citizens can vote for leaders at all these levels.

• Confederation System: In a confederation, the central government has little power, and the states or regions hold most of the control. Citizens are more involved in local or state governments, and the central government has limited influence over them.

• Unitary System: In a unitary system, the central government holds most of the power, and local governments have very limited authority. Citizens usually participate in local elections, but the national government has the final say.

2. The division of power is how the authority is shared between different levels of government, like national and state governments. In a federal system, powers are clearly divided—some are for the national government, and others are for the states. In a unitary system, most of the power is held by the national government, while in a confederation, the states have most of the power, and the central government has very little authority.

3. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government affected New York State and its local governments in many ways. For example:

Financial Help: The federal government gave money to New York through programs like the CARES Act to help with healthcare costs, unemployment, and supporting businesses.

Health Guidelines: The CDC gave advice on things like social distancing and mask-wearing, which influenced how New York handled the pandemic, including when to reopen businesses or schools.

Mandates: The federal government also helped with vaccine distribution and sent the National Guard to help, which guided how New York carried out its own plans for vaccinations and public health efforts.

So, while New York had control over local decisions, the federal government provided resources and guidance that shaped how things were done in the state and local areas.

1. The Constitution was written by the wealthy elite, such as landowners, merchants, and influential professionals. These individuals were focused on protecting their power and interests. They were educated and financially stable, with people like George Washington. On the other hand, poor people, women, and enslaved individuals were excluded from the process. They didn’t have political rights or representation. These groups were intentionally left out, as the wealthy elite wanted to keep power in their hands. For example, women couldn’t vote, and enslaved people were not considered citizens.

2.The social class system in early America was different from today. Back then, the class system had more of a clear divide between the wealthy elite and everyone else. Most people, especially the poor, had little chance to improve their social status. Racial inequalities also played a huge role, as enslaved Africans and Indigenous people had no political or economic rights.Today, the social class system is more flexible. There are more opportunities for education and career growth, although there are still significant wealth gaps and unequal opportunities. So, while class differences still exist, they are not as fixed as they were in the 18th century.

3. The people who wrote the Constitution were afraid of democracy because they didn’t want the common people to have too much influence. They were worried that the lower classes might make decisions that could destabilize the country or harm their own wealth and property. For example, they feared that groups like farmers or debtors might push for policies that would disrupt the existing economic system.Since the framers were part of the wealthy elite, they believed that only educated and property-owning individuals should have real political power.

The wealthiest 1% own over 40% of the nation’s wealth. This really stood out because it shows just how much of the country’s wealth is controlled by such a small group of people. It’s crazy to think that just 1% of Americans have control over more than 40% of all wealth. It shows how unfairly wealth is distributed and how difficult it can be for the average person to have the same opportunities or access to resources.

Living in a society that has huge wealth inequities creates a bigger gap between the rich and the poor, which leads to more tension and resentment. It makes it harder for lower-income people to get ahead.In cities, the wealthy are often able to live in nicer areas while the poor are forced to live in less desirable places, which affects their access to better schools, jobs, and healthcare.