Political Liberalism

"I have my rights!"  This is a phrase often heard in democratic societies - but what are your rights?  And who gave you those rights?  This unit will look at the evolution of democracy from the Enlightenment to our modern day.  We will summarize how democracy works in Canada and the United States. Then we will look at those societies that reject liberal democracies (dictatorships) and how they can justify their actions. You will need to evaluate as to whether that rejection of liberalism is justified.

Unit Overview
Case Studies

Case Study Worksheet

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Potential Assignments

• Athenian Direct Democracy paragraph response
• Women's Rights Group PowerPoint
• Churchill Quote Analysis
• New (perfect) government worksheet
• Senate debate articles
• ​Writing to Your Parliamentarian
• ​Social Credit Party Review
• Creating a New Country (goes with rejection of liberalism and imposition of liberalism units)

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Video Lessons

You may want to use these "fill in the blanks" sheets to help you as you watch the videos

Lesson One - Intro to Political Liberalism

​Video Link

Checking for Understanding 

Some other resources:

• ​RMR Student Vote!
• A discussion of how individualism and collectivism relates to government control (watch for the bias)
• YouTube video with John Ralston Saul discussing the influence of Aboriginal peoples on our democracy (there is also an article summarizing these ideas)

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Lesson Two - Democracy

Video Link

Checking for Understanding 

Some other resources:

• Article looking at how techniques of democracy cannot be established without liberal values
• Rick Mercer ranting on how Canadians are confused about democracy
• Chart demonstrating the average size of ridings by province in Canada    ​
  

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Lesson Three - Electoral Systems

Video Link

Checking for Understanding 

Some other resources

• The animal kingdom tries first-past-the-post (this series of videos has great information on various political issues)

• Video explaining first-past-the-post
• Video explaining the electoral college
• An article demonstrating how the electoral system makes things complicated!
• Interesting article looking at elections in Alberta   

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Lessons Four and Five - Democracy in Canada and the USA

Video Link Canada

Video Link USA

Key terms sheet to assist with video comprehension
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Checking for Understanding 

Some other resources

• Mr. Korczyk's video on separation of powers in Canada
• A great site to summarize differences between Canada and the US

• Rick Mercer video explaining Canada's democratic system (especially responsible government)
• Video explaining the difference between a minority and majority government
• Video explaining the responsibilities of the levels of government
• Article discussing Senate attendance records 
• Article on Partisanship

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Alternative Resources

Old Social Studies Reading: Freedom and Control, Political Participation
Mr. Korczyk's Class: How Does the Separation of Powers Work in Canadian Liberal Democracy?

Old Textbook Questions

"Top Ten" Notes

30-1

• Democracy

30-2

•              Chpt 4
•              Chpt 5
•              Chpt 11​

• Intro to Political Liberalism
• Intro to Democracy
• Electoral Systems
• Canada/US definitions

Other Notes 
- Political Liberalism
​- Democracy Basics
- Electoral Systems
​- Democracy in Canada/US
- Another teacher Canada's democracy

Ms. Gill's Great online lectures

• Intro to Democracy
• Electoral Systems
• Parliamentary vs Presidential Democracies ​
• Canadian Government

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Tentative schedule spring 2022 - Please see Daily Agenda in Google Classroom for what we actually did each day