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How to make Project CivicsWorks

You and up to one other student partner are invited to create a slide presentation that fulfills the following:

A. Present a claim and an institutional reform that you can research
- Describe a reality in American government and politics that falls short of a U.S. founding principle and connect this with an institutional reform of federal, state or local government that could restore this democratic ideal.

Ideas for Founding Principles include:
• Popular sovereignty
• Rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Representative government
• Pluralism
• Separation of powers
• Checks on abuses of government
• Equality of Opportunity
• Federalism
• Limited government
• Minority rights
• Private property rights
• Criminal justice rights
• Protection of civil society groups

Potential Institutional Reforms include, but are not limited to:
• Gerrymandering reform
• Party nomination process reform
• Term limits
• Pres. nomination process reform
• Campaign finance reform
• Electoral system reform
• Strengthened bicameralism
• Electoral college reform
• Voting rights reform
• Strengthened checks and balances
• Enhancement of private property rights
• Criminal justice reform

B. Describe the reform and its intended outcome
-  Support the argument using relevant evidence. Be sure to include a reference to at least one US founding document (Declaration of Independence; Articles of Confederation; Brutus I; U.S. Constitution; Federalist 10; Federalist 51; Federalist70; Federalist 78; and MLK's Letter from a Birmingham Jail.) 
- Collect survey information and/or speak with leaders who would be affected by reforms or who could help implement reforms.
- Use academic research and/or connect with professors who have studied similar reforms.

C. Describe the process of implementing the institutional reform
- Include potential obstacles to implementing this reform.
- Include a description of the opposition's argument and your response to this opposition.

D. Describe an opposing argument and a response that refutes this argument.

​E. Summarize your argument with a concluding statement. 

• Cite all sources and include an annotated bibliography
• If your project is chosen by your school sponsor, the Project CivicsWorks Showcase presentation should be submitted by Sun, April 18, 2021 for the e-Showcase event on Wed, April 21, 2021. 
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SEE RULES PAGE FOR SPECIFIC PROJECT RULES.

Timeline

• First semester student event (individual schools) by January, 2021.
• Second semester student submission deadline by Sun, April 18, 2021.
• Project CivicsWorks e-Showcase event on April 21, 2021.

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