Post on 21-Dec-2015
transcript
#141 Eminent Domain
BELL RINGER
Federalism: Redistricting & Gerrymandering
Objectives
1. Slides/notes2. “Packing & Cracking”
video3. Simulation4. Closure
HW: enjoy Super Bowl Sunday
Agenda
TODAY WE WILL …
• Explain how state legislatures apportion seats in the US House of Representatives & state legislatures
• Define: gerrymandering, census and apportionment
How is power divided between our national and state governments? (use the vocabulary words: Federalism, Expressed, Implied, Reserved, Concurrent)
LET’S REVIEW
Enacting lawsLevying taxesCreating budgets
What is the Virginia state legislature called?
STATE LEGISLATURES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR …
APPORTIONMENT, REDISTRICTING &
GERRYMANDERING
The Constitution requires that districts be reapportioned following each census.There are 435 seats (fixed number) in the House.
How should these seats be allocated based on changing populations?
Done every 10 years based on census data.
APPORTIONMENT
APPORTIONMENT
Redistricting is the redrawing of boundaries of legislative districts.
THEN STATES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REDISTRICTING
Each seat in the US House of Representatives represents one congressional district
WHAT IS A DISTRICT?
Explain redistricting in your own words.Why would political parties care about how
many seats they will have in the House of Representatives?
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
Gerrymandering = the drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party or group.
GERRYMANDERING
Two forms of gerrymandering1. To concentrate the opposition voters in
few districts2. To spread the opposition as thinly as
possible among several districtsGoal is to create as many “safe” districts as
possible
TWO STRATEGIES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh4qAJDUOcc
1. When you get your map, write your name and party at the top.
2. Review the map key with your partner.3. You are part of the redistricting committee. Divide
your state into 10 equal districts with 100,000 people in each.
You need 10 circles in each district.4. In pencil, draw the district lines in such a way so that
your political party has a good chance to win a majority of seats in the next election. Hint – you need at least 6 circles for a majority. Try to put the other party’s voters together in as few as districts as
possible to “waste” those votes.
5. Number each district 1-10 and circle the number of districts that favor your party.
GERRYMANDERING ACTIVITY
Meet with all the other legislators for your state.6.Find another small group of your same party and state. Compare how you redistricted.
Answer all the questions on your worksheet and turn it in at the end of the block.
SHARE
TICKET OUT THE DOOR
#60 Representation in the House of Representatives
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ucm9ehYe4NM