1. Do you notice any similarities in the way social class is discussed in readings 4.1 and 4.2? Do you notice any differences in the way these two readings DIFFERENTIATE between social classes?

Yes, both readings 4.1 and 4.2 talk about how social class is connected to things like money, education, and job type. They both show that people can be grouped by how much they earn or what kind of work they do. But there is a small difference. Reading 4.1 focuses more on how people see themselves in a certain class, even if they don’t really match that class. Reading 4.2 is more about facts and data, like where different classes live and how neighborhoods are divided by income. So 4.1 is more about personal identity, and 4.2 is more about real-world statistics.

1. Describe how you understand the “Establishment Clause” and the related “Lemon Test”.

The Establishment Clause means the government can’t make an official religion or support one religion over others. The “Lemon Test” is a way to check if a law or action breaks this rule. It asks three things:

    •    Does the law have a clear, non-religious purpose?

    •    Does it avoid helping or hurting religion?

    •    Does it avoid too much connection between government and religion?

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2. Is burning the US flag protected by the First Amendment? Explain by referring to the relevant court case discussed in the reading.

Yes, burning the flag is protected as free speech. In the case Texas v. Johnson, the Supreme Court said that even if the act is offensive to some people, it’s still a form of symbolic speech under the First Amendment.

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3. What does it mean when someone says “I’m taking the Fifth”?

It means the person is using their right under the Fifth Amendment to stay silent. They don’t want to answer questions because it might make them look guilty or be used against them in court.