Why is the study of
government
difficult?
Beard - 1931 - Questions and Problems in American Government - Syllabus by Erbe
Revised edition, October, 1031.
SET UP, ELECTROTYPED, AND PRINTED BY T. MOREY * SON
IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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? PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION
The publication of the Sixth Edition of American Government
and Politics has led to a corresponding revision of my book of
Questions and Problems in American Government based upon the
Fifth Edition of Professor Beard's book. In this revision it has
been the author's aim to further the objective of Professor Beard
in bringing forth the Sixth Edition of his work at this time.
That is, to raise only such questions and problems as "will carry
students along, challenge their powers, and awaken an interest
in the institutions, practices, mysteries, and significance of
politics. " Suggestions for improving the usability and effective-
ness of this book of questions and problems will be appreciated.
Carl H. Erbe
Cedar Falls, Iowa
September, 1931.
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION
Modern pedagogy recognizes the importance and value of
definite and exact assignments. The student should know what
is expected of him and when he has completed the work as-
signed. It is much more difficult for the teacher of American
Government to make a definite assignment than it is for the
teacher of Mathematics. Nevertheless, in order to stimulate
student activity outside of class and to cover a given amount
of work within a given period of time, the responsibility remains
for making complete and definite assignments. With this end
in view the questions and problems in this book have been
prepared.
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? vi
PREFACE
It has been the aim of the author not only to aid the instructor
in the making of a definite assignment but to save much of his
time and the time of the class which is frequently lost in the
making of assignments. In this way much more time may be
devoted to the discussion of questions and problems with which
the student of American Government should become familiar.
Two sets of questions and problems have been prepared on
each subject. The first set relates directly to the assignment of
specific chapters in Beard's American Government and Politics,
Fifth Edition, which is the basis upon which this book of ques-
tions and problems has been built. The second set contains
questions and problems which are not discussed to any great
extent by the author of the basic text, but which are closely
related to the subjects taken up for study. This set may serve
two purposes, one to fill in and supplement the work of the
text, and the other to make it possible to use the question and
problem book in classes not using Beard's American Government
and Politics as a basic text. The instructor may have the students
check those questions and problems which he prefers to em-
phasize, and he should feel free at all times to supplement the
work with questions and problems of his own.
The questions and problems for further study and discussion
have been drawn from many sources, several of which are re-
ferred to in the suggested list of references at the close of each
chapter. It is not intended that each student should read all of
the references following each assignment, but different references
may be assigned to different members or groups in the class.
The nature and amount of each assignment will necessarily vary
with the time allotted to the course and the purpose which the
student has in mind in taking the work in American Government.
It is sometimes desirable to have the students write out an-
swers to all or a part of the questions in the regular assignment
in a separate notebook. By following this course of procedure
the student is likely to secure a better understanding of the
fundamentals of American Government and will transform his
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? PREFACE
vii
Question and Problem book into a ready source of information
that will prove to be indispensable for review purposes and for
future reference.
A list of political terms has been included in the appendix
with which every student of American Government should be-
come familiar. Some of these terms will appear from time to
time in the regular assignments and when the course has been
completed the student should have come in contact with nearly
all, if not all, of the words in the list. This list has been compiled
largely for the purpose of facilitating review and testing the
student's knowledge of governmental terms that one encounters
daily in political discussions, in current literature, and in the
press.
It is the hope of the author that this book of questions and
problems will serve as a guide and an aid to the student of Amer-
ican Government, and that his knowledge of the subject will be
enlarged and enriched because of its use.
Cael H. Erbe
Cedar Falls, Iowa
April, 1929.
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? TABLE OF CONTEXTS
PART I
THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER PAGE
L
The Role of Government in Modern Civilization
i
n.
The Constitution of the United States .
4
in.
General Principles of the Federal System
r
IV.
Political Parties and the Process of Govern-
v.
13
VL
The Organization of Congress . . . .
16
VII.
19
VIII.
The Nomination and Election of the President
DC
*5
X
Administrative Organization and Civil Service
27
XI.
31
xn.
Communications and Transportation .
35
XIII.
Business Enterprise and Agriculture
39
XIV.
43
XV.
Public Health, Safety, and Morals .
47
XVI.
51
XVII.
54
xvm.
57
XIX.
PART II
61
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
XX.
Position of the States in the Federal Union .
65
XXI.
The State and Its Constitution.
69
XXII.
Popular Control in State and Local Govern-
7a
iz
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? X
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
XXIII. State and Local Politics 75
XXIV. The State Legislature 79
XXV. The Office of Governor 83
XXVI. State Administration 87
XXVII. State Finances 91
XXVIII. The Courts and the Law 95
XXIX. Economic and Social Functions . . . . 99
XXX. Municipal Organization and Finance . . 104
XXXI. Municipal Functions 108
XXXII. Local Rural Government 112
APPENDIX
Political Terms and Expressions with Which the Student
Should Become Familiar 117
List of Suggested References 120
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? QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS IN
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
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? QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS IN
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
PART I
THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER I
(pp. 1-12)
THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN MODERN
CIVILIZATION
1. Of what importance is the study of modern government?
2. Are the functions of the government tending to increase
or decrease? Explain.
3. How many people are employed in government service
annually in the United States? What significance do you attach
to this?
4. What is the annual cost of maintaining the government
of the United States? The State governments? Why are these
figures significant?
5. Do people differ in their attitudes as to what constitute
the proper functions of the government? How do you account
for this?
6. Explain the doctrine of laissez faire. Do people today
believe strongly in this policy? Explain.
7. Why is it necessary for the government today to assume
so many functions?
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? :i; . PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
8. On what grounds may one justify the existence of modern
institutions of government?
9. Into what classes are the functions of government some-
times divided?
10. How do prohibitive functions differ from those which are
regulative in character? Illustrate each.
11. What is the principle known as the "police power"? Of
what importance is it?
12. What are some services performed on a large scale by the
federal, State, and local units of government?
13. Explain the ancient rule of "primogeniture. "
14. In what way has the government attempted to even up
the inequalities in the distribution of economic wealth?
15. Is the welfare of the people affected by the manner in
which the government discharges its domestic and foreign ob-
ligations? Explain.
16. Is it important that every citizen, regardless of his pro-
fession or interest, should be informed about the structure and
functions of the government under which he or she lives? Ex-
plain.
17.
Why is the study of government difficult?
Questions and Problems for Further Study and
Discussion
1. For what purposes did men organize and group them-
selves into states?
2. What are the essential elements of a state?
3. Distinguish between "state" and "nation"; "state" and
"State. "
4. Is the League of Nations a state? Is the Papacy a state?
Explain.
5. How did the state originate?
6. Explain the following theories concerning the origin of
the state.
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? GOVERNMENT IN MODERN CIVILIZATION 3
a. Divine origin d. Force
b. Social contract e. Evolution
c. Family
7. What are the different kinds of states and governments?
8. How do the following forms of government differ?
Monarchy f Presidential f Unitary
a. \ Aristocracy ^ c. ? , .
^ Parliamentary Federal
Democracy v v
9. Is government just what the people make it? Explain.
10. What is the attitude of the following concerning the
proper functions of the government?
a. The Anarchist d. The Socialist
6. The Individualist e. The Communist
c. The Collectivist
11. How and by whom is the cost of government borne?
12. Who objects most to the expanding functions of govern-
ment and the mounting costs of public service, people of small
incomes or those who possess large fortunes?
13. Who owns and operates the railroads of Alaska? Are
they operated successfully?
14. Do you think that the National Government should own
and operate the railroads of the United States? Other commer-
cial enterprises such as: power plants, coal mines, oil wells,
banks, and the like?
15. Should cities and towns own and operate gas plants?
Light plants? Water systems? Explain.
References
Ogg and Ray's Introduction to American Government, Fourth Edition,
Chaps. I-II.
Haines and Haines' Principles and Problems of Government (1926),
pp. 1-75; 625-655.
Gettell's Introduction to Political Science (1010), Chaps. I-VII; XI-
XII; XXIV-XXV.
Garner's Political Science and Government (1928), Chaps. IV-VII;
XIII-XVII.
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? CHAPTER II
(pp. 13-32)
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES
1. Of what importance is the Constitution of the United
States? Should it play an important part in the life of every
American citizen? Explain.
2. When, where, and how was the Constitution of the United
States drafted? How was it ratified?
3. What conditions led to the drafting of the Federal Con-
stitution in 1787?
4. Is it easy or difficult to explain the various phrases and
clauses of the Federal Constitution?
5. What is the Constitution of the United States?
6. By whom are the various provisions of the Constitution
interpreted? Explain.
7. In what respect does Congress participate in the inter-
pretation of the Constitution?
8. Does the President interpret the provisions of the Con-
stitution also? Explain.
9. How have political parties influenced the interpretation
of the Constitution?
10. Is it easy to know what the intent of the framers of the
Constitution was in regard to its various provisions? Explain.
11. Of what value is a knowledge of psychology in under-
standing the methods that have been used in interpreting the
Constitution?
12. Explain the rational method of interpreting the Con-
stitution. The psychological method.
13. Comment on Judge Cooley's statement, "We may think
that we have the Constitution all before us; but for practical
purposes the Constitution is that which the Government in its
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? THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 5
several departments and the people in the performance of their
duties as citizens recognize and respect as such; and nothing
else is. "
14. How may the Constitution of the United States be altered
or amended?
15. What criticisms have been made of the federal amending
process? What is your own reaction to these criticisms?
Questions and Problems for Further Study and
Discussion
1. Are constitutions both written and unwritten? Explain.
2. Did the desire to restrain the exercise of power lead the
constitutional framers to draw up a written constitution?
3. Are one's rights better protected under a written than
an unwritten constitution?
4. Who was the President of the Constitutional Convention
of 1787?
5. Who were some of the most distinguished members of
the Convention of 1787?
6. What was the "Virginia Plan "of government? The "New
Jersey" plan?
7. What two great political parties grew out of the discus-
sions concerning the Constitution?
8. Point out the fundamental differences between the Con-
stitution and the Articles of Confederation.
9. Make a list of the names of all the delegates attending
the Convention of 1787 indicating the State from which each
came, his age, nationality, where educated, profession or business,
previous experience as a politician, date of taking seat, present or
absent at close, signer or non-signer, and subsequent prominence.
10. What was The Federalist? Of what importance was it?
11. When did the government under the Constitution go into
effect?
12. List the States in the order in which they ratified the
Constitution and give the date on which each ratified.
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? 6 PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
13. Point out the advantages and disadvantages that would
result if the states of the world should form a world state as
the forty-eight States now form the United States.
14. What principles should govern in the formation of a
constitution?
15. What is a "Bill of Rights"?
16. Why are the first ten amendments to the Constitution
referred to as a Bill of Rights?
17. Would the adoption of proposed amendments to the
Federal Constitution by referendum to the people be satis-
factory?
18. Compare the method of amending the Federal Constitu-
tion with that of amending your State Constitution. The
English Constitution. The French Constitution. The Swiss
Constitution. The German Constitution.
19. By means of a diagram show the four ways by which the
Constitution of the United States may be amended.
20. How could a change be secured in a constitution which
contained no provision for its revision or amendment?
21. Into how many parts is the main body of the Federal
Constitution divided and what is each about?
22. Do the people of the Philippine Islands enjoy the same
rights under the Constitution of the United States that we
enjoy?
References
Beard's Readings in American Government and Politics, New and
Revised Edition, Chaps. II-III.
Munro's The Government of the United States, Third Edition, Chaps.
II-IV.
Ogg and Ray's Introduction to American Government, Fourth Edition,
Chaps. IV-VI.
Haines and Haines' Principles and Problems of Government (1926),
pp. 189-246.
Mathews and Berdahl's Documents and Readings in American Govern-
ment (1928), Chaps. I--II.
Willoughby's Constitutional Law of the Uniied States (1929), Vol. I,
Chap. XXXVII.
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