Thesis statements in Government

1. Do you know how to make a thesis argument?

2. For a paper, you might have to create a researchable
question and answer it.
Examples of a researchable question:
Is lobbying bad for democracy?
Should the voting age be lowered to 16?
Should Congress abolish the draft?
Should Congress pass a new immigration law?
Should Citizens v. FEC (2010) be overturned by the Supreme Court?
Should Congress pass a law to reverse Citizens v. FEC (2010)?
Should Congress pass new gun control laws?

3. For a paper, you might have to create a researchable
question and answer it.
More examples of a researchable question:
Do U.S. presidents today have too much power or not enough?
Is the federal bureaucracy too large? Should it be reformed or not?
Should Congress cancel student debt?
Should LA County mandate COVID vaccines?
Should Roe v. Wade (1973) be overturned by the Supreme Court?
Should Congress legalize marijuana?
Should Congress abolish capital punishment?
Should cities defund police departments?
Should Congress raise the minimum wage? Should Congress pass a federal livable wage?
Do school authorities have too much power over school newspapers and student news programs?

4. For an essay test, you might be asked to respond to a prompt.
Examples of a government essay prompt:
The power of the executive branch in relation to the
legislative branch has varied over time. Develop an
argument that takes a position on the appropriate balance
of power between the president and Congress.
Use at least one piece of evidence from one of the
foundational documents:
• Declaration of Independence
• The Federalist 51
• The Federalist 70

5. For an essay test, you might be asked to respond to a prompt.
Examples of a government essay prompt:
The U.S. Constitution establishes a federal system of government.
Under federalism, policy making is shared between national and state
governments. Over time, the powers of the national government have
increased relative to those of the state governments.
Develop an argument about whether the expanded powers of the
national government benefits or hinders policy making.
Use at least one piece of evidence from one of the foundational
documents:
• The Articles of Confederation
• Brutus I
• The Federalist 10

6. Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to
the prompt and establishes a line of reasoning.
articulate: express (an idea or feeling) fluently and coherently. (Oxford
Dictionary)
defensible: capable of being defended with an argument. (Dictionary.com)
claim/thesis: state or assert that something is the case, typically without
providing evidence or proof. (Oxford Dictionary)
line of reasoning: a set of reasons used in order to reach a conclusion.
(merriam-webster.com)

7. Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to
the prompt and establishes a line of reasoning.
Topic: “Should Congress pass new gun control laws?”:
Now you try!
Write your own thesis about one of the other questions from the previous slides.
Congress should not pass new gun control legislation because the laws will
not stop violent crimes, including mass shootings, with guns from occurring,
but rather make it tedious for law abiding citizens to protect themselves.
Congress should pass new control legislation because having more gun
control means having stricter laws and more security with gun transactions
to prevent potentially dangerous individuals from purchasing weapons. It also
means limiting the types of firearms citizens can buy.

8. Now let’s try writing a thesis with a prompt.
Topic: Federalism
The U.S. Constitution establishes a federal system of government. Under
federalism, policy making is shared between national and state governments.
Over time, the powers of the national government have increased relative to
those of the state governments.
Develop an argument about whether the expanded powers of the national
government benefits or hinders policy making.
Use at least one piece of evidence from one of the foundational documents:
• The Articles of Confederation
• Brutus I
• The Federalist 10

9. Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and
establishes a line of reasoning.
Topic: Federalism
Responses that DO NOT earn this point:
● Only restate the prompt.
● Do not make a claim that responds to the prompt.
Examples that DO NOT earn this point:
Restate the prompt
● “There is a debate about whether the national or state governments
should take the lead in environmental policy.”
● “There are times when states do things that help their citizens out
better than the national government.”

10. Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and
establishes a line of reasoning.
Topic: Federalism
Responses that DO earn this point:
● Respond to the prompt rather than restating or rephrasing the prompt and
establish a line of reasoning.
● Provide a defensible claim or thesis that establishes a line of reasoning about
whether the federal government should be primarily responsible for managing
environmental policy or if it should be the responsibility of the states.

11. Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and
establishes a line of reasoning.
Topic: Federalism
Examples that DO earn this point:
● “State governments are better at making environmental policy because they are
closer to the people.”
● “State governments can customize policy better because they act as laboratories
of democracy.”
● “The federal government is better at making environmental policy because
environment issues in one state can impact other states.”
● “The federal government is better at making environmental policy because policy
needs to be the same nationwide.”
● “The federal government is better at making environmental policy because the
federal government has more resources (financial or institution).”

12. Here’s another prompt.
Topic: Democracy
Develop an argument that explains which of the three models of representative democracy –-
participatory, pluralist, or elite – best achieves the founder’s intent for American democracy
in terms of ensuring a stable government run by the people.
In your essay, you must:
● Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and establishes a
line of reasoning.
● Support your claim with at least TWO pieces of accurate and relevant information:
♦ At least ONE piece of evidence must be from one of the following foundational
documents:
- Brutus 1
- Federalist No. 10
- U.S. Constitution
♦ Use a second piece of evidence from another foundational document from the list
or from your study of the electoral process.
● Use reasoning to explain why your evidence supports your claim/thesis.
● Respond to an opposing or alternative perspective using refutation, concession, or rebuttal.

13. Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and establishes a
line of reasoning.
Examples that DO NOT earn this point:
● Someone might state that the Declaration of Independence best fits the founders
intent of democracy, but it does not contain all of the facts. For example, the
Constitution provides a sturdy, well thought layout of the government, while the
Declaration of Independence critiques the “unpleasant” government of Great Britain
with no plan of government in response. The Declaration of Independence was very
important, but it does not fit what the founders intended for the democracy we have
today

14. Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and establishes a
line of reasoning.
Examples that DO earn this point:
● The founders originally wanted the most power for the people as well as protection from the
tyranny of a federal government. Therefore, the founders would have most wanted a
participatory representative democracy. In this scenario, the people need to participate in
order to make the government and the decisions for the government are made by the people
who mobilized and advocate for themselves.
● The founders wanted the people to play a main role in the government and that is why the
participatory model of representative democracy best describes the American political system.
The US Constitution exemplifies American government and participatory democracy because it
gives citizens’ freedoms and a place in politics.
● The model that achieves the founders’ intent for American democracy today is the pluralist
theory. The pluralist theory is shown today with all the interest groups and other rallies
occurring..
● The founders of the United States Constitution wanted to form an elite model of democracy.
They wanted the power of the government to be held by a select few, and this is seen in the
Constitution. The Constitution shows this because the founders required Senators be elected by
state legislatures and not the people.

15. Here’s another prompt.
Topic: Interaction of the Branches of Government
The power of the executive branch in relation to the legislative branch has varied over time.
Develop an argument that takes a position on the appropriate balance of power between the
president and Congress.
Use at least one piece of evidence from one of the foundational documents:
● Declaration of Independence
● The Federalist 51
● The Federalist 70
♦ Use a second piece of evidence from another foundational document from the list
or from your study of the interactions of the branches of government.
● Use reasoning to explain why your evidence supports your claim/thesis.
● Respond to an opposing or alternative perspective using refutation, concession, or rebuttal.

16. Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and
establishes a line of reasoning.
Topic: Interaction of the Branches of Government
Responses that DO NOT earn this point:
● Only restate the prompt.
● Do not make a claim that responds to the prompt.
Examples that DO NOT earn this point:
● Only restate the prompt.
● Do not make a claim that responds to the prompt.
Restate the prompt
●“The power of the executive and legislative branches of government are important because
there is a balance of power.”
Do not respond to the prompt
● “The executive branch is the most effective branch of government because the president
has many constitutional powers.”

17. Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and
establishes a line of reasoning.
Topic: Interaction of the Branches of Government
Responses that DO earn this point:
● Respond to the prompt rather than restating or rephrasing the prompt and
establish a line of reasoning.
● Provide a defensible claim or thesis that establishes a line of reasoning about
the appropriate balance of power between the president and Congress.

18. Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and
establishes a line of reasoning.
Topic: Interaction of the Branches of Government
Examples that earn this point:
● “The power of the executive should be strengthened relative to
Congress because Congress is slow to react and sometimes ends up in
gridlock.”
●“The power of Congress should be strengthened relative to the president
because Congress is the representative of the will of the people.”
● “The power of the executive and legislative branches should be equal
because no one branch should become too powerful/limited government.”

19. Here’s another prompt.
Topic: Congress
Construct an argument that explains which of the three models of representation—trustee,
delegate, or politico—best reflects the founders’ intentions with regard to the relationship
between legislators and their constituents.
In your essay, you must:
● Formulate a defensible thesis that establishes a chain of reasoning.
● Provide evidence for your thesis with at least two pieces of relevant, accurate information.
♦ Take at least ONE of your pieces of evidence from the following list of foundational
documents.
● Federalist 10
● Brutus 1
● U.S. Constitution
♦ Take your other piece of evidence from a different foundational document from the list
above
OR from your own study.
● Logically explain why your evidence supports your thesis.
● Present and reply to an alternative viewpoint using refutation, concession, or rebuttal.

20. Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and
establishes a line of reasoning.
Topic: Congress
Examples that DO NOT earn this point:
● The delegate, trustee, and politico model are all the best reflection of the founders’
intentions in setting up American democracy because they all deal with the
legislator/constituent relationship.
● “The trustee/delegate/politico model of representation most closely reflects the founder’s
intent in that ______________________.” You can use this sentence starter. The blank indicates that
you should provide an answer to the question, “Why?” Why is this model the closest reflector?
DO NOT FENCE SIT!!

21. Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and
establishes a line of reasoning.
Topic: Congress
Examples that DO earn this point:
● The trustee model of legislative representation is the best reflection of the founders’
intentions in setting up American democracy because it offers the best hope for what the
Preamble to the Constitution calls “a more perfect union,” one that will bring together war-
ring factions and increase harmony.
● The delegate model of legislative representation is the best reflection of the founders’
intentions in setting up American democracy because this was their intent when they
created both the Articles of Confederation and Constitution, small democracies which govern
closest to the people so they can truly represent the interests of their constituents.
● The politico model of legislative representation is the best reflection of the founders’
intentions in setting up American democracy because the Founders recognized that there
might be issues, i.e. foreign policy, in which the American people may not have enough
knowledge, expertise, or sound judgment, and hence they must rely on the best judgment of
their elected representatives.

22. Here’s another prompt.
Topic: The Constitution & Formal institutions of government
The Constitutional Preamble asserts that one of the key purposes of our government is to
“establish justice.” Choose a policymaking institution of the federal government and present an
argument for why your choice is most responsible for ensuring that purpose to the American
people.
In your essay, you must:
● Formulate a defensible thesis that establishes a chain of reasoning.
● Provide evidence for your thesis with at least two pieces of relevant, accurate information.
♦ Take at least ONE of your pieces of evidence from the following list of foundational
documents.
● The U.S. Constitution
● Gideon v. Wainwright
● Federalist 70
♦ Take your other piece of evidence from a different foundational document from the list above
OR from your own study.
● Logically explain why your evidence supports your thesis.
● Present and reply to an alternative viewpoint using refutation, concession, or rebuttal.

23. Here’s another prompt.
Topic: The Judiciary / aka the Judicial Branch /aka the Supreme Court and Federal Courts
In Federalist 78, Alexander Hamilton asserted that, “The judiciary may be said to have neither
FORCE nor WILL, but merely judgment…the judiciary is beyond comparison the weakest of the three
departments of power.” Assert either a supporting or refuting position and present an argument
for your choice.
In your essay, you must:
● Formulate a defensible thesis that establishes a chain of reasoning.
● Provide evidence for your thesis with at least two pieces of relevant, accurate information.
♦ Take at least ONE of your pieces of evidence from the following list of foundational
documents.
● Marbury v. Madison
● The U.S. Constitution
● Federalist 70
♦ Take your other piece of evidence from a different foundational document from the list above
OR from your own study.
● Logically explain why your evidence supports your thesis.
● Present and reply to an alternative viewpoint using refutation, concession, or rebuttal.

24. Here’s another prompt.
Topic: The Constitution & Formal institutions of government
The Constitutional Preamble asserts that one of the key purposes of our government is to
“promote the general welfare.” Choose a policymaking institution of the federal government and
present an argument for why your choice is most responsible for ensuring that purpose to the
American people.
In your essay, you must:
● Formulate a defensible thesis that establishes a chain of reasoning.
● Provide evidence for your thesis with at least two pieces of relevant, accurate information.
♦ Take at least ONE of your pieces of evidence from the following list of foundational
documents.
● The U.S. Constitution
● McCulloch v. Maryland
● Marbury v. Madison
♦ Take your other piece of evidence from a different foundational document from the list above
OR from your own study.
● Logically explain why your evidence supports your thesis.
● Present and reply to an alternative viewpoint using refutation, concession, or rebuttal.

25. How well did you understand this lesson?