How to Outline a Regents Essay Using the Case Study Approach

Essay (June 1996 Regents):

The United States democratic system includes certain features that are intended to protect against the abuse of power by government and public officals.

Protective Features

Judicial review

Impeachment process

Freedom of expression

Protection against unreasonable searches

Equal Protection under the law

Rights of the Accused

Choose three issues listed and for each one chosen:

• Explain how the feature is intended to protect against abuse of governmental power
• Discuss a specific situation in United States history in which the feature was used to protect against an abuse of governmental power (Use a different historical situation for each feature discussed.)
• Discuss the extent to which the feature was successful in protecting against abuse of governmental power in that situation. (5, 5,5)

  Issue	Impeachment Process	Unreasonable Search	Equal Protection
  How it protects against abuse of power	Define by using constitutional provision "high crimes and misdeameanors"	Define by using constitutional provison from 4th amendment dealing with unreasonable search and seizure	Define by using constitutional provision from the 14th amendment
  Specific Historical Situation	Watergate	Bill of Rights history as it applies to student rights	Trace separate but equal status of African Americans in 1954
  How successful in protecting against abuse	Use Nixon v United States as case study	Use NJ v TLO case study	Use Brown v Board of Education case study