In your research paper, you will describe how this law/policy developed and how it involved several or all of the following: interest groups, voters, the legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch. Although you should summarize the law/policy’s provisions, I want your focus to be more on its history rather than on its content. Relate the law/policy to what you have learned in this course about our system of government. And here’s a hint: you may want to check parts of the textbook that we have not covered yet (especially Chapter 15) in the early stages of your work on the paper.
A note on Internet research (as you may have heard before): Wikipedia (and some other sites like it) cannot be sources for an academic paper. Now, I say this, even though I love Wikipedia! However, you might use Wikipedia as a starting point and as a tool to find other sources, then evaluate those sources and cite them accordingly. If you are unsure about the quality of your sources, just ask me. But Wikipedia will never be a reliable source, not because it doesn’t contain some good information (it does) but because it changes every second of every day and is often changed by people who have no credibility or expertise.
Full Answer Section
Voters: Voters also played a role in the passage of the Voting Rights Act. In the 1964 presidential election, President Lyndon B. Johnson won a landslide victory in the South. This victory showed that many white southerners were willing to support civil rights legislation.
Legislative branch: The legislative branch was the first branch of government to act on the issue of voting rights. In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination in public accommodations and employment. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed the following year.
Executive branch: The executive branch played a role in the enforcement of the Voting Rights Act. President Johnson appointed federal registrars to ensure that African Americans were registered to vote. The Department of Justice also sued states that were discriminating against African Americans at the polls.
Judicial branch: The judicial branch also played a role in the Voting Rights Act. In 1966, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law in the case of South Carolina v. Katzenbach. The Court ruled that the law was necessary to protect the voting rights of African Americans.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 has been amended several times since it was passed. In 1970, the law was amended to include language that protected the voting rights of language minorities. In 1982, the law was amended to extend its coverage for another 7 years. In 2006, the law was amended to make it easier for states to get out of the preclearance provisions of the law.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of legislation that has had a profound impact on American democracy. The law has helped to increase voter turnout among African Americans and other minority groups. It has also helped to reduce discrimination at the polls. The law remains controversial, but it is an essential part of the American system of government.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is related to what I have learned in this course about our system of government in a number of ways. First, the law shows how the three branches of government can work together to protect the rights of citizens. Second, the law shows how interest groups can play a role in shaping public policy. Third, the law shows how the judicial branch can play a role in interpreting and enforcing the law.
Sample Answer
The law/policy I will be discussing is the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This law was passed in response to
the Civil Rights Movement, and it was designed to protect the voting rights of African Americans. The law has been amended several times since it was passed, and it continues to be a controversial issue.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 involved several of the following: interest groups, voters, the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch.
Interest groups: Interest groups played a major role in the passage of the Voting Rights Act. The NAACP, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and other civil rights groups lobbied Congress for the passage of the law. They also organized protests and demonstrations to raise awareness of the issue.