Constitutional Studies - The 2nd Amendment: The Right to Keep and Bear Arms – GOVT 348
CG • Section 8WK • 11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 02/01/2024
Course Description
This course introduces the student to the historical and constitutional foundation for the 2nd Amendment. Biblical principles such as inalienable rights, justice, and the right to self-defense are discussed. Finally, students will be educated in the full range of rights associated with the 2nd Amendment, and how those rights have been undermined in today’s political arena.
For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.
Rationale
The purpose of this course is to obtain familiarity with the 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution, its origins, and its purpose. The course will teach the student to analyze and discuss the concerns that led the Founding Fathers to recognize the God-given right to possess firearms and to self-defense. Ultimately, the course will guide the student to arrive at an increased understanding of the state of the 2nd Amendment in the Twenty-First Century, which will include a review of relevant course cases, threats to the exercise of this right, and civic engagement in 2nd Amendment issues.
Course Assignment
Textbook readings and lecture presentations
Course Requirements Checklist
After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.
Discussions (6)
Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each Discussion. Threads must be 250–300 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. Threads must include 2 references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ thread. Each reply must be at least 150 words and must include 1 reference in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible. All citations must align with current APA formatting.
Essay Assignments (2)
In the assigned Module: Week, the student will write a 3-page (including references, but not the title page) research-based paper in current APA format that focuses on the Second Amendment through a Christian worldview. The paper must include at least 3 references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible.
In the assigned Module: Week, the student will write a 3-page (including references, but not the title page) research-based paper in current APA format that focuses on Current Perspectives on the Second Amendment. The paper must include at least 3 references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible.
Research Paper: Thesis and Outline Assignment
The student will compose a thesis that states the subject matter of the project and explains the position that is taken on the subject. The student will also complete a well-developed outline in current APA format, including all paper headings and subheadings. It must be clear and concise to provide an established framework for the project.
Research Paper: Final Submission Assignment
The student will create a presentation or write a paper on a topic related to the Second Amendment that is to be approved by the instructor. For this project, the student will submit a topic, a thesis, an outline, and the final submission.
If the student chooses to submit a presentation, he or she will create either a narrated PowerPoint or a video. The narrated presentation must have 5–8 minutes of student-spoken audio and incorporate at least 4 scholarly references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible. If the student chooses to submit a paper, it must be 5–6 pages written in current APA format and must include at least 4 scholarly references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible.
Quiz: Research Paper: Topic Selection
For this Quiz, The student will choose a topic related to the Second Amendment and submit it along with a 100-word rationale for choosing the selected topic to the instructor for approval. A list of suggested topics can be found within the quiz.
Quizzes (6)
Each quiz will cover the Learn items for the Module: Week for which it is assigned. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 10 multiple-choice, 10 true/false, and 2 essay questions, and have a 1-hour time limit.
