1. In the USA women were given the right to vote in 1920.

2. All Americans can now vote when they are 21.

3. General elections in the USA are not held if the year is leap/bissextile.

4. The Republicans want people to work to help themselves, and so they think that taxes should be low.

5. The Democrats think that the government should help the poor and so it needs taxes.

6. The difference between the two major parties in the USA is not always clear and it is not always easy to say that one party is on the 'left' or on the 'right' of the other.

7. A woman cannot be a judge in the US Supreme Court.

8. A Member of the House of Representatives is referred to as Representative or Congressman/Congresswoman.

9. In addition to the 435 Representatives there is one Delegate for the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa(each elected for a two-year term); as well as a Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico(elected for a four-year term).

Exercise 3. Answer the following questions.

1. When was the US Constitution adopted?

2. How many amendments were there to the Constitution?

3. What is necessary in order to become a judge of the US Supreme Court?

4. What stages are the US Presidential Elections divided into?

5. What is the date for inauguration?

6. What are the symbols of major political parties?

7. Who can occupy the position of State Secretary?

Exercise 4. Surf the Internet and find numerous examples of funny legislature adopted in various states.

E.g. Men are not allowed to wear shoes made of patent leather. Local authorities of the state believe that when the shoes are well-polished it may be easy for the male sex to spy items of women’s underwear that reflect in the tops of the shoes like in the mirror. 

Exercise 5. Describe the US flag and Coat of Arms.

Describing the US flag speak about its earlier variations, including those with a snake, a pair of gloves, a fir tree and various number of stripes and stars. Don’t forget to give several popular names of the US flag.

Characterizing the Coat of arms, point out its main structural parts.

FIND a chief of azure, symbolizing the Congress under the powers of which 13 original colonies were united; the glory with the constellation of stars; symbolic representation of powers of war and peace; the scroll with the inscription.

Use the following vocabulary:

Blazon

Crest

Dexter

Sinister

Gules

Argent

Azure

Exercise 6. Project work. Make a report about the history of the US political parties or describe the life and political achievements of the US President you like.

Further Reading

1. Burgan M. The Electoral College /Michael Burgan.– Minneapolis: Compass Point Books, 2007. – 38 p.

2. Dubois M.L. The U.S. Senate (Our Government) / Muriel L. Dubois. – N.Y.: Capstone Press, 2000. – 24 p.

3. Patrick J.J. The Supreme Court of the United States: Astudentcompanion [3-d edition] /John J. Patrick.– New York: Oxford University Press. – 86 p.

4. Ritchie D. A. The Congress of the United States: Astudentcompanion [3-d edition] /Donald A. Ritchie.– New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. – 44 p.

5. Sobel S. How the U.S. Governmentworks /Syl Sobel –NY: Barron’s Educational Series, 1999. – 28 p.

*Constitutional republic is a form of government (Not to be confused with the form of territorial-political organization – federal republic – federation of states)

*^*Each state has its own constitution, laws, legislative, executive and judicial branches. In general, state laws and activities must not conflict with the US Constitution. The highest elected official of each state is the Governor. The institutions that are responsible for local government are typically town, city, or county boards. The highest elected official of a town or city is a mayor.

*The founders appropriated the concept of electors from the Holy Roman Empire (962-1806). An elector was one of a number of princes of the various German states within the Holy Roman Empire who had a right to participate in the election of the German king (who generally was crowned as emperor).

*^*TheU.S. Constitutioncontains very few provisions relating to the qualifications of electors. Article II, section 1, clause 2 provides that no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector. As a historical matter, the 14^thAmendment provides that State officials who have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States or given aid and comfort to its enemies are disqualified from serving as electors. This prohibition relates to the post-Civil War era.

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