Goal for the day: To explore the balance between liberty and security
Today is the first of two days focusing on how we balance civil liberties and national security. This is especially relevant given the new military push against the group ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Will renewed military action against a new enemy result in additional restrictions on our 1st Amendment freedoms? How do you feel about this?
We’ll start out exploring your own feelings on the issue with another Four Corners Exercise. Then I’ll give some background on how this tension stretches back to our founding with the Alien and Sedition Acts, restrictions during the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and through the Cold War.
You’ll then divide into two focus groups to go deeper into the Patriot Act. One group will argue for the Patriot Act, the other against. You’ll use primary sources to construct and argument as a group. At the end of class each group will have a chance to ask clarifying questions of the other.
Today’s class should prepare you for a dynamic Socratic seminar tomorrow on these issues.
Assignment for Tuesday, September 17th
Bring two written questions for the group arguing the opposite position. You will use these tomorrow in seminar.
Today is the first of two days focusing on how we balance civil liberties and national security. This is especially relevant given the new military push against the group ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Will renewed military action against a new enemy result in additional restrictions on our 1st Amendment freedoms? How do you feel about this?
We’ll start out exploring your own feelings on the issue with another Four Corners Exercise. Then I’ll give some background on how this tension stretches back to our founding with the Alien and Sedition Acts, restrictions during the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and through the Cold War.
You’ll then divide into two focus groups to go deeper into the Patriot Act. One group will argue for the Patriot Act, the other against. You’ll use primary sources to construct and argument as a group. At the end of class each group will have a chance to ask clarifying questions of the other.
Today’s class should prepare you for a dynamic Socratic seminar tomorrow on these issues.
Assignment for Tuesday, September 17th
Bring two written questions for the group arguing the opposite position. You will use these tomorrow in seminar.