First Assignment, Spring 2025

Choose one:

1. Find a recent (since January 2024) speech, article, or document (e.g., court decision) that quotes or discusses the Declaration of Independence.  With close attention to word choice, analyze the purpose of this piece of writing. Who is saying what to whom, and with what motive? Carefully explain the reference to the Declaration. Why is it there? Is it accurate?

2. Find a 2025 speech, article, or document claiming that a law, bill, or action is "unconstitutional."  What is the argument for this claim?  Does it make sense?  Explain the political motives of those who support and oppose the claim.

Here are some sites where you can find speeches and documents:

• Select Nexis Uni from the Honnold database page: https://library.claremont.edu/database-directory/.  Click on the link Advanced Search from the homepage.  The Click on News in the Select a Specific Content Type drop-down. Enter transcript in the Publication Type box.  Then add your remaining search terms in the search box.
• http://congressional.proquest.com/congressional/search/basic/basicsearch -- click"advanced search," then under "document types" deselect everything except Congressional Record Daily Edition.
• http://www.whitehouse.gov
• https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/administration/president-biden/
• https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents 
• https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/oral_arguments.aspx
• https://www.c-span.org/quickguide/

Instructions:

• Document your claims. Do not write from the top of your head.
• Essays should be double-spaced and no more than three pages long. I will not read past the third page.
• Essays should be in the form of Word documents.  Do not submit pdfs or Google docs.
• Cite your sources with endnotes in Chicago/Turabian style. Endnote pages do not count against the page limit.
• Do not use ChatGPT or any other generative AI. Misrepresenting AI-generated content as your own work is plagiarism.  It will result in a referral to the Academic Standards Committee.  
• Watch your spelling, grammar, diction, and punctuation. Errors will count against you.
• Turn in essays to the class Sakai dropbox by 11:59 PM,  Friday, February 14. (If you have trouble with Sakai, email it to me as an attached Word file.) I reserve the right to dock essays a gradepoint for one day’s lateness, a full letter grade after that.