US+History+AP


 * __AP U.S. History Summer Assignment__**

What do I have to do for this assignment? I need to become knowledgeable on the subjects of capitalism and democracy. Specifically, I have to answer the following ten questions on capitalism and democracy. I also have to watch Michael Moore's 2009 Documentary entitled "Capitalism: A Love Story". Lastly, I need to remember to cite all my sources. How does this assignment connect to what we will be learning this year in AP U.S. History?
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 * Questions?:**

Our summer assignment is titled “Capitalism & Democracy”. You will deal with America’s economic system: capitalism and its political system: democracy. The goals of the assignment are for you to become deeply knowledgeable about these two systems and the ways they are practiced in America, and to do some critical thinking about how they work.
 * Assignment:**

1. What is capitalism? Capitalism is an economic system where the "capital" (money used by business) is not owned by the government, instead it is privately owned by individuals. In simpler terms, the buying, selling, and the creating of goods are all privately owned for profit. [|www.vocabulary.com] definition: An economic system based on private ownership of capital

2. What form of capitalism does the United States practice? What are the details of this form of capitalism? The United States practices a mixed economy. In a mixed economy, there are aspects of capitalism as well as socialism. Socialism is when all property is owned by the government or community. Socialism denies property rights. In the United States, some property is allowed property rights (capitalism) and some property is owned by the government (socialism). For example, individuals possess the right to buy and sell goods, but libraries schools and hospitals are owned and payed for by the government.

3. Why does the U.S. practice capitalism – why is it the system that the founders of the United States established? The United States practices capitalism because it goes along with the concept of freedom. One of the most important aspects of this country is the freedom of the people. Founders of the United States of America wanted to make sure that this was a free country. We have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and if capitalism was to be the economic system, we would have freedom of the capital too. Another reason that the United States practices capitalism is that it brings us wealth. Those in the work world are constantly competing to sell a product. The more competition for a product, the more money the product will bring in. Competition leads to innovation. People in the business world are constantly thinking of ways to improve and things to invent. With these new innovations, even more money is made.Leaving the buying and selling of goods to the people (capitalism), helps make our country wealthier.

4. What are the positives and negatives of having this economic system? Positives of Capitalism: - People are free to buy and sell goods as they choose. - More money is made because capitalism allows competition to happen. Negatives of Capitalism: - Wealth is distributed unevenly because everyone is recieving a different income. - When everyone is getting a different income it can lead to unemployment. Some might think that this is unfair but this unfairness comes with the freedom to choose your job. - Uneven distribution of wealth can also lead to revolts.

5. What is democracy? Democracy is a form of government that is elected by the people. In a democracy, elections are held so that citizens can vote. All citizens have to abide by the same laws and procedures. [|www.vocabulary.com] definition: The political orientation of those who favor government by the people or by their elected representatives

6. What form of democracy does the United States practice? What are the details of this form of democracy? The United States practices a representative democracy. Unlike a direct democracy, which would give the people too much power, a representative democracy is when elections are held so that citizens can vote on people to represent them in government. These representatives are then able to pass laws with the opinions and ideas of their supportives in mind.

7. Why does the U.S. practice democracy – why is it the system that the founders established? The United States practices democracy because it was a form of government that fit what the founders of this country where looking for. In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson states that in this new country "all men are created equal" and they have "the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Therefore, it was interpreted that the founders wanted a government that supported these ideas. Since a democracy is run by the people, it gives the people these rights. Early on in American history, there came problems with taxation. Colonists were upset about "taxation without representation" and demanded to be represented in government. The most direct form of democracy is when everything is voted on by the people. The colonists didn't want this much power going to the people but still some power, so they decided on the representative democracy. Later evolving into the presidential democracy.

8. What are the positives and negatives of having this system? Positives of a Democracy: - The citizens of the United States have a say in the government. - No one person or one branch has all the power. Negatives of a Democracy: - Specifically in a representative democracy, a representative could be voted upon because he shares the same opinions as those who voted for him but then change his mind later and make decisions that go against these decisions. - Representatives also might make choices with the interests of their communities over the interests of the nation.

9. Please watch Michael Moore’s 2009 documentary “Capitalism: A Love Story” and summarize 4 or 5 of his main points. Also, please critique his arguments – what does he leave out, what problems do you find with his approach, etc. Make sure you relate the film to your earlier research on capitalism and democracy. //(So please do these steps in order, so this film should be viewed after you’ve done the work for #1-8)// In Michael Moore's 2009 documentary "Capitalism: A Love Story", Michael Moore has a very biased opinion on the United States' economic system. By showing us the stories of those affected by capitalism, Moore is leading his viewers to believe that capitalism is evil, unjust, immoral, and has failed the country. He defines capitalism as "a system of taking and giving, mostly taking." This definition connects to Moore's first argument, that capitalism is about taking advantage of others' misfortunes. In Pennsylvania, PA Child Care is paid more when its cells are filled. 6500 kids were unjustly put into PA Child Care's juvenile detention center so that PA Child Care could make more money. The problem with Moore's approach is that he is getting this information from the kids that were put into the juvenile detention center. The kids he interviewed said that the crimes they committed weren't severe enough to be sent to PA Child Care for so long, but they could be bending the truth. Moore is using an unreliable source. His next argument also has to do with taking advantage; it is that unregulated capitalism allows companies to get away with unethical practices. One example he gave was that of companies making a profit from someone's death. A woman's husband died and where he worked (Walmart) took the insurance benefits. They had tricked him into signing over his life insurance money. The company should not have gotten away with this, but on the other hand, the man should have been more careful with his insurance money. Moore did not mention this in his argument. Next, Michael Moore argues that there is no mention of capitalism in the constitution. When he looks it over, all he sees is "we the people." Moore does not realize that even though capitalism is not directly stated in the constitution, the ideas of capitalism are. The constitution talks about the freedoms that the United States citizens have. Capitalism is an economic system that gives us freedom in the business world. A point that Moore makes frequently throughout his documentary is that capitalism is evil. At the end of the documentary, Moore states that this evil, capitalism, should be replaced by democracy. When the founders of this country chose to make the government a democracy, they chose a representative democracy instead of a direct democracy because they didn't want to give the people too much power. If both the government and the work world is run by democracy it might give the people too much power. Michael Moore makes a big point of how capitalism has corrupted our political system. As an example, Moore talks about how successful businesses will financially support a president's campaign and in return the president will give someone from that business a place in office. He argues that the banks are getting too politically powerful. Most people would agree with this argument but what Moore fails to do is to provide a detailed alternative to capitalism. This brings us back to Moore's statement that capitalism should be replaced by democracy. Democracy is a political system, and capitalism is an economic system. Therefore democracy can't replace capitalism as the economic system. Michael Moore depicts a very biased, but very well supported opinion of capitalism. Although not every would agree with him, Moore makes valid points throughout his documentary "Capitalism: A Love Story." 10. What is the relationship between capitalism and democracy? How do they work together, how do their principles coincide and how do they oppose each other? Capitalism and democracy coincide to create the nation's political and economic system. One unusual thing about the United States is that people can supposedly move up and down in society if they work towards it. This has to do with capitalism and democracy. A democracy is about equality and oppurtunity. It gives people the ability to rise up in society politically. Capitalism gives people the ability to rise up in society financially. Sometimes it is easier to rise up politically if you are ahead financially and vice versa. Therefore, capitalism and democracy have to work together. Capitalism and democracy can oppose each other as well. Capitalism can harm a democracy when driven by greed. For example, when businesses financially support the campaigns of presidents so that the president will in return make them politically powerful. Capitalism does need the support of a democracy though, a capitalist society is more successful when paired with a democracy.

Sources: [|www.vocabulary.com] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []