To Review or Not to Review?

Purpose: The primary goal of this weekly summative assignment is to explore and analyze some of the major politically influenced processes and activities of the U.S. government.

Prepare: Review Chapters 8 to 10 in the course text

Reflect: One of the most important balancing elements and separation of powers characteristics of the U.S. government is the ability of the judicial branch to conduct reviews of laws, policies, and legislation at the local, state, and national levels. Judicial reviews have had an enormous impact on the political, social, and economic history of this nation and on many other nations that allow this process to occur unimpeded. The impact of Marbury v. Madison (1803), the first judicial review conducted by the U.S. Supreme Court, still resonates throughout America and the world. Understanding how judicial review can affect a country is essential to understanding a core political feature of not just the U.S., but also many other foreign governments.

Write: In your essay of at least 600 words, research one landmark judicial review case (Utilize this website discussing Supreme Court landmarks and this website from PBS). First, discuss the major political issues surrounding the case. Next, explain why the issue ended up being reviewed for its constitutionality. Last, assess whether judicial review should be used more often and the reasons behind your rationale.

The Week 3 Assignment:

• Must be at least 600 words (not including title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Introduction to APA.
• Must include a separate title page with the following:
  • Title of paper
  • Student’s name
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted
• Must use at least three appropriate sources:
  • These should include this website discussing Supreme Court landmarks and this website from PBS, the course text, and any of the required or recommended resources for this week.
  • You can also include additional resources found on the Ashford University Library website. The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types.
• Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in Citing Within Your Paper.
• Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.
• Must include a conclusion that summarizes the main points and restates the thesis.
• Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in Formatting Your References List.