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Unit 5 Participating in Government | Blooket

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View a Blooket question set to see the questions and their answers. Also, you can host, favorite, report, or duplicate a set here.

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View a Blooket question set to see the questions and their answers. Also, you can host, favorite, report, or duplicate a set here.

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Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like primary, uniform, advisory opinion and more.

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south dakota unified judicial system website to fill out an online questionnaire.

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Contact Us | Site Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | State of South Dakota Home Page Conference of Western Attorneys General | National Association of Attorneys General

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Vocab terms

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Elections & Voting: South Dakota Secretary of State

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View all newsletters sent by representatives in Congress from the early 2000s to today.

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Official e-newsletters from every member of Congress. In one place. In real time.

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Help the National Archives Transcribe Documents

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Help the National Archives Transcribe Documents

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Great opportunity for volunteering to put on a resume or CV.

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Register Citizen Archivists must register for a free user account in order to contribute to the National Archives Catalog, by clicking on the Log in / Sign Up button. This button is found in the top right corner of the Catalog. We encourage you to read our Citizen Contribution Policy. The National Archives Catalog uses Login.gov to allow you to securely register and sign in to your user account safely and securely. Learn more about Login.gov in the Help Center. Login Once you have a National Archives Catalog Account, you will need to login to your account to begin contributing.

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Main content

The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land in the United States. It creates a federal system of government in which power is shared between the federal government and the state governments. Due to federalism, both the federal government and each of the state governments have their own court systems. Discover the differences in structure, judicial selection, and cases heard in both systems.

The Federal Court System

The State Court System

Article III of the Constitution invests the judicial power of the United States in the federal court system. Article III, Section 1 specifically creates the U.S. Supreme Court and gives Congress the authority to create the lower federal courts.

The Constitution and laws of each state establish the state courts. A court of last resort, often known as a Supreme Court, is usually the highest court. Some states also have an intermediate Court of Appeals. Below these appeals courts are the state trial courts. Some are referred to as Circuit or District Courts.

Congress has used this power to establish the 13 U.S. Courts of Appeals, the 94 U.S. District Courts, the U.S. Court of Claims, and the U.S. Court of International Trade. U.S. Bankruptcy Courts handle bankruptcy cases. Magistrate Judges handle some District Court matters.

States also usually have courts that handle specific legal matters, e.g., probate court (wills and estates); juvenile court; family court; etc.

Parties dissatisfied with a decision of a U.S. District Court, the U.S. Court of Claims, and/or the U.S. Court of International Trade may appeal to a U.S. Court of Appeals.

Parties dissatisfied with the decision of the trial court may take their case to the intermediate Court of Appeals.

A party may ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals, but the Supreme Court usually is under no obligation to do so. The U.S. Supreme Court is the final arbiter of federal constitutional questions.

Parties have the option to ask the highest state court to hear the case.

Only certain cases are eligible for review by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Federal Court System

The State Court System

The Constitution states that federal judges are to be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

They hold office during good behavior, typically, for life. Through Congressional impeachment proceedings, federal judges may be removed from office for misbehavior.

State court judges are selected in a variety of ways, including

election,

appointment for a given number of years,

appointment for life, and

combinations of these methods, e.g., appointment followed by election.

The Federal Court System

The State Court System

Cases that deal with the constitutionality of a law;

Cases involving the laws and treaties of the U.S.;

Cases involving ambassadors and public ministers;

Disputes between two or more states;

Admiralty law;

Bankruptcy; and

Habeas corpus issues.

Most criminal cases, probate (involving wills and estates)

Most contract cases, tort cases (personal injuries), family law (marriages, divorces, adoptions), etc.

State courts are the final arbiters of state laws and constitutions. Their interpretation of federal law or the U.S. Constitution may be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court may choose to hear or not to hear such cases.

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Main content The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land in the United States. It creates a federal system of government in which power is shared between the federal government and the state governments.

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25 committees total for the Senate including joint committees

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Due to the high volume and complexity of its work, the Senate divides its tasks among 20 permanent committees, 4 joint committees, and occasionally temporary committees.
More…

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All Committees of the House of Representatives 

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All Committees of the House of Representatives 

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There are 23 in the House, 4 Joint, and 17 Senate.

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The House's committees consider bills and issues and oversee agencies, programs, and activities within their jurisdictions.

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Wanna see our shoutout from Carl Azuz? Skip to 8:16

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Wanna see our shoutout from Carl Azuz? Skip to 8:16

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10/02/2024: High Tensions in the Middle East

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ALA Girls State Forms – South Dakota American Legion Auxiliary

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Information and resources regarding American Legion Boys State of South Dakota.

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The Senate Page Program limits page eligibility to students who are 16 years of age, juniors in high school, and who have at least a 3.0-grade point average. Students who are 18 years of age are not eligible; however, you may turn 18 during your tenure as a page.

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The United States Senate Youth Program, established in 1962 by U.S. Senate Resolution, is a unique educational experience for outstanding high school students interested in pursuing careers in public service.,

Two student leaders from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity will spend a week in Washington experiencing their national government in action. Students must be actively serving in high-level elected or appointed leadership positions to qualify to apply (see The 62nd annual United States Senate Youth Program Washington Week is being planned to be held in person in Washington, D.C. March 2-9, 2024. The national deadline for all states to submit their delegate selections is December 1, 2023. How to Apply).

Student delegates will hear major policy addresses by senators, cabinet members, officials from the Departments of State and Defense and directors of other federal agencies, as well as usually participate in meetings with the president and a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. All transportation, hotel and meal expenses will be provided by The Hearst Foundations. In addition, each delegate will also be awarded a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate studies, with encouragement to pursue coursework in history and political science. To apply, please contact your state selection contact.

Learn More About USSYP!

62nd Annual
UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM
2024 SENATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

HONORARY CO-CHAIRS

Vice President Kamala D. Harris

Senator Charles E. Schumer

Senator Mitch McConnell

Republican Leader

Majority Leader

SENATE CO-CHAIRS

Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)

John Barrasso, M.D. (R-WY)

SENATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

John Fetterman (D-PA)
Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
Edward J. Markey (D-MA)
Alex Padilla (D-CA)

John Boozman (R-AR)
Katie Britt (R-AL)
John Hoeven (R-ND)
Thom Tillis (R-NC)

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62nd Annual UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM 2024 SENATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Vice President Kamala D. Harris Senator Charles E. Schumer Senator Mitch McConnell Republican Leader Majority Leader Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) John Barrasso, M.D. (R-WY) John Fetterman (D-PA) Maggie Hassan (D-NH) Edward J.

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See if the state or a company owes you money.

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Claim Your Assets

Each year, millions of dollars is turned over to the state of South Dakota because the owner cannot be located. The state maintains custody of the property until the rightful owner or heirs come forward to claim it.

Take a minute and to check if South Dakota has unclaimed property that belongs to you or a family member.

bank accounts

unpaid wages

securities

life insurance

uncashed checks

stocks & bonds

safe deposit box proceeds

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Each year, millions of dollars is turned over to the state of South Dakota because the owner cannot be located. The state maintains custody of the property until the rightful owner or heirs come forward to claim it. Take a minute and to check if South Dakota has unclaimed property that belongs to you or a family member.

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Games, visualizations, interactives and other weird stuff.

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Register your number to prevent spam calls.

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The White House chief of staff (COS) first appeared under President Dwight Eisenhower.

This critical role has been a mainstay of US politics since 1946, except for a brief four-day period in 1973, and a two and a half year vacancy from 1977-79.

Cookies give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences. By clicking "Accept", you consent to the use of ALL cookies.

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The White House chief of staff (COS) first appeared under President Dwight Eisenhower. This critical role has been a mainstay of US politics since 1946, except for a brief four-day period in 1973, and a two and a half year vacancy from 1977-79. Cookies give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences.

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Elections - Fall River County, South Dakota

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2024 Election General Information Voter Identification Polling Places Election Results (opens in new window) Registration Deadline Voter Registration Deadline is May 20th, 2024 for the Primary Election. Voter Registration Deadline is October 21, 2024 for the General Election. Early Voting Early (Absentee) voting for the Primary Election begins April 19, 2024. Early (Absentee) voting is available […]

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You may print the Voter Registration Form in Adobe Acrobat, complete it, sign it and then send it to the county Auditor:

Auditor's Office
906 N. River St.
Hot Springs, SD 57747

The deadline for registration is 15 days before any election. Your card must be received by the auditor by this deadline if you are to vote in the next election.

Form: Voter Registration

You may register at the following locations:

County auditor's office

City finance office

Driver's license station

Public assistance agencies providing food stamps, TANF or WIC

Department of Human Services offices which provide assistance to the disabled

Military recruitment offices

Mail-in registration with cards from the county auditor's office or from one of the links above

To register to vote in South Dakota, you must:

Be a United States citizen

Reside in South Dakota

Be at least 18 years old on or before the next election

Not currently serving a sentence for a felony conviction which included imprisonment, served or suspended, in an adult penitentiary system

Not be judged mentally incompetent by a court of law

Back to Election Information

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Voter Registration - Fall River County, South Dakota

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Voter Registration You may print the Voter Registration Form in Adobe Acrobat, complete it, sign it and then send it to the county Auditor: Auditor's Office 906 N. River St. Hot Springs, SD 57747 The deadline for registration is 15 days before any election. Your card must be received by the auditor by this deadline [...]

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You have the opportunity to be a page/intern at the South Dakota Legislature. You would take 1-2 weeks off of school and follow your representative around as they create the laws for our state. This is a great opportunity that not everyone has!

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Mike Rounds Senate Committee Assignments

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Mike Rounds Senate Committee Assignments

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Committee Assignments of the 118th Congress

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Committee Assignments of the 118th Congress

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U.S. Senate: Committee Assignments of the 118th Congress

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Committee Assignments of the 118th Congress

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Dusty Johnson House Committee Assignments

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Dusty Johnson House Committee Assignments

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Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives

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Dusty Johnson (South Dakota (SD)), 118th Congress Profile

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CONTACT: 1714 Longworth House Office Building, Washington DC 20515-4100, COMMITTEE: Committee on Agriculture,Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party

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Read CNN's Fast Facts on John Thune and learn about the Republican Senator and Senate majority whip from South Dakota.

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Welcome to IRS Free File, where you can electronically prepare and file your federal individual income tax return for free using tax preparation and filing software. Let IRS Free File do the hard work for you.

IRS Free File lets you prepare and file your federal income tax online using guided tax preparation, at an IRS partner site or Free File Fillable Forms. It's safe, easy and no cost to you for a federal return.

To receive a free federal tax return, you must select an IRS Free File provider from the Browse All Offers page or from your Online Lookup Tool results. Once you click your desired IRS Free File provider, you will leave the IRS.gov website and land on the IRS Free File provider's website. Then, you must create an account at the IRS Free File provider's website accessed via IRS.gov to prepare and file your return. Please note that an account created at the same provider's commercial tax preparation website does NOT work with IRS Free File: you MUST access the provider's Free File site as instructed above.

Choose from IRS Free File:

Guided Tax Preparation
(for AGI $73,000 or less)

Free federal return if you qualify

Answer simple questions

Guided preparation does all the math

Tax filing done on an IRS partner site

Some state tax preparation and filing are free

Choose an IRS Free File Offer

Fillable Forms

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Free electronic forms you fill out and file yourself

Be able to prepare a paper tax return using IRS forms, instructions and publications

No tax preparation guidance and limited calculations provided

What Is IRS Free File?

The IRS Free File Program is a public-private partnership between the IRS and many tax preparation and filing software industry companies who provide their online tax preparation and filing for free. It provides two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their federal income tax online for free:

Guided Tax Preparation provides free online tax preparation and filing at an IRS partner site. Our partners deliver this service at no cost to qualifying taxpayers. Taxpayers whose AGI is $73,000 or less qualify for a free federal tax return.

Free File Fillable Forms are electronic federal tax forms, equivalent to a paper 1040 form. You should know how to prepare your own tax return using form instructions and IRS publications if needed. It provides a free option to taxpayers whose income (AGI) is greater than $73,000.

Find what you need to get started, your protections and security, available forms and more about IRS Free File below.

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Free File: Do your Federal Taxes for Free | Internal Revenue Service

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IRS Free File lets you prepare and file your federal income tax online for free. File at an IRS partner site with the IRS Free File Program or use Free File Fillable Forms. It's safe, easy and no cost to you.

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These redistricting puzzles are kind of like Sudoku. They're also a lot like the political practice of gerrymandering. Have fun.
One of the basic underpinnings of U.S. democracy is that we use voting to determine who represents us at the city, state, and federal levels of government. The U.S. Congress-that collection of 100 senators and 435 voting representatives that gather in Washington, D.C. to create and vote on things like laws, taxes, wars, and budgets-is the primary institution that gives voters representation in the federal government.

While each state is represented by exactly two senators (50 x 2 = 100), the nation's 435 voting representative seats in congress are allocated to states according to the size of each state's population-more representatives go to states with larger populations, and a minimum of one representative goes to states with small populations, like South Dakota and Vermont. This process is called apportionment, and is carried out by congress every 10 years from data collected during each U.S. Census.

States with more than one representative are responsible for dividing the state into congressional districts, or regions of the state that vote for a single congressional representative. States use census data about the distribution, number, and kinds of voters in the state to determine voting district boundaries after each federal apportionment.

Now how does one go about drawing those districts? And are district maps always fair to the voters they are meant to represent? In short, lots of different mapping tactics are used for redistricting, and no, the U.S. Supreme Court has found that many of the resulting maps are unconstitutional and discriminatory in nature.
[Want to connect with fellow STEM educators? Join in on the discussion in SciFri's Educator's Lounge!]
In 2017 alone, the U.S. Supreme Court heard cases against the states of Virginia , Alabama and North Carolina following redistricting informed by the 2010 census. Each of the states was accused of drawing "packed" districts based on the race of voters, thus diminishing the power of their votes. This practice of strategic redistricting is called gerrymandering, and can be generally defined as the practice of drawing district lines to ensure that a specific political party, racial minority, or other interest group is disadvantaged in local, state, or national elections

In all cases, the court ruled that using race to guide redistricting was unconstitutional. However, whether it is constitutional to draw districts so that one political party has an advantage over another remains to be determined. As of this writing, the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to rule on Gill v. Whitford , a case that will determine whether gerrymandering based on the political party is something that the U.S. Supreme Court can pass judgment on, and if so, whether it is permitted under the U.S. Constitution.

Now comes the fun part. Let's do some redistricting puzzles! In this activity, you'll be challenged with a series of district-drawing puzzles, each of which is designed to convey a redistricting rule or practice. Just like real redistricting, every one of these puzzles has more than one correct solution.

So grab a pencil, print out a Redistricting Challenges Sheet , and get scrolling. Here we go.

Redistricting 101

Every state does redistricting a little bit differently, but there are some general rules that most states use to guide the process. The rules are the same whether you're an elected member of the state legislature in Oregon, part of an appointed commission in Montana, or part of an independent nonpartisan redistricting commission in the state of California. If you are responsible for redistricting, you should adhere to three traditional principles: contiguity, compactness, and population equality.

For these challenges, you will be charged with adhering to one of the three traditional redistricting principles as you draw districts in simplified "states." Many state laws offer guidelines about how to "draw within the lines" to maintain pre-existing communities of interest, jive with natural topography like rivers and mountains, and stay within county or state lines. In that spirit, you may only draw districts by tracing along the gray lines in the following challenges.

Good luck!

Challenge 1: Contiguity

In many states, redistricting requires that all parts of a district have to be connected to one another, or "contiguous." Separation by water is allowed, so islands can glom onto the nearest mainland district. Experts generally agree that a district is NOT contiguous if parts of it are barely touching or connected to one another by thin lines. Contiguity is a simple step to fairness of representation by ensuring that voters in a district have at least one thing in common-they are relatively near to one another.

Divide each of the following states into the assigned number of contiguous districts, without dividing blocks of squares that are the same color. Make sure that all parts of a district are touching one another by segments at least two squares wide

Challenge 2: Compactness

An ideal district should be convex and compact, long and thin ("dispersed"), or have any projections or dents ("indentations") in it. In other words, an ideal district should be more like a circle, square, or polygon, and less like a hot dog, salamander, or star. This is another way of guaranteeing some amount of proximity between voters of the same district, while also guarding against too much "creativity" when redistricting to bias election outcomes. not

There are many mathematical ways to measure geometric compactness of districts that take the shape of formulas or equations, often named for their creators (e.g. Polsby-Popper, Boyce-Clark, Reock) or how they are measured (e.g. "convex hull," "length/width ratio").

Part 1: Draw compact districts with a length/width ratio greater than 0.5.
The length/width ratio is the simplest measure of compactness. Compact shapes (whether square or circle), have a length/width ratio close to or exactly one. The further the length-to width ratio is from one, the less compact. Your challenge is to divide each of the following states into the assigned number of districts so that no district is more than two times as long (or tall) as it is wide.

Part 2: Design districts that are convex.
Compact shapes are by definition convex, meaning that they do not contain any indentations or protuberances. Following the provided lines (analogies for populations of interest, geographic features, or other pre-existing boundaries), divide the following states into the assigned number of districts, so that all states are convex and contain no indentations or projections.

Part 3: Rank the following districts by compactness as measured by the Polsby-Popper ratio. The Polsby-Popper ratio is a measure of geometric compactness that measures the closeness of a district to the shape of a (maximally compact) circle. Districts with a Polsby-Popper ratio closer to one are more compact. The expression for the Polsby-Popper ratio requires that you know each district's perimeter and area, and looks like this:

Rank the following districts according to their Polsby-Popper ratio from most to least compact.

Challenge 3: Population Equality

In a fair state, every district should contain about the same number of voters. This ensures that no vote is more valuable than any other in determining the outcome of an election. Divide each of the following states into the assigned number of districts so that each district has an equal population size.

Part 1: Rural dispersed scenario
In this scenario voters live in equal, if low, density throughout the state.

Part 2: Urban, rural, suburban states
This scenario is more realistic; voters live in different population densities throughout the state.

Challenge 4: Fairness

Ideally, the outcomes of district elections would mirror the political and social interests of the state population as a whole. Most states don't have explicit laws about this ideal, but many recent and historical cases have been brought to the Supreme Court on the grounds that the U.S. Constitution protects this premise.

In the imaginary state to the right, there are 36 voters that must be divided into three districts with 12 voters in each district. This state, like all states, contains voters who tend to vote a certain way on key issues or political party candidates. In this imaginary state, 12 of the voters are open circle voters (1/3 of the population), and the other 24 are filled-circle voters (2/3 of the population). In order to win a district, voters of one type must make up the majority (7 or more) of the voters in a district.

With fair redistricting, the outcome of an election in this state should reflect the ratio of open to filled-circle voters. open-circle voters should win one of the three districts, and filled-circle voters should win the other two.

Your challenge is to draw fair districts for each of the following imaginary states, where each dot represents a block of 10,000 voters. For each state, the number of districts and the ideal voting outcome is indicated. open-circle voters are in the minority in each state. As you draw your districts, make sure that you follow the principles of population equality, compactness, and contiguity.

Gerrymandering Puzzles

In the first series of puzzles, you practiced redistricting for fairness and tradition. For these puzzles, you must try to draw your districts to increase the influence of one group of voters over the other, helping them win more districts in future elections. This process of manipulating district boundaries to give an advantage to a specific party or group is called gerrymandering.

For an example of gerrymandering, let's go back to our small example state where one third of voters are open-circle voters and the other two thirds of voters are filled-circle voters. It's possible to draw districts so that open-circle voters could never achieve a majority, thus ensuring that open-circle voters are not represented in the outcome of district voting. Here's what that could look like:

The following puzzles challenge you to redefine district boundaries using one of three common gerrymandering approaches: cracking, packing, or stacking. Here are the new rules:

1. Like most (but not all) elections, these puzzles assume a winner-take-all election, meaning that in any given district, the party or candidate with the most votes wins the entire district.

2. You must still preserve population equality between districts.

3. As a "gerrymanderer," you should feel free to ignore compactness.

4. Districts in gerrymandering states are contiguous even if parts of a district are only connected by a single square or are touching at the corners. In other words, districts don't really have to be contiguous.

You'll use the same three states you used in the fairness challenges above, with the same requirements for district number. But this time, your goal is to gerrymander the new district lines to alter voting outcomes in the state to favor one of the two voter types.
Cracking Puzzle
Split the clusters of voters into different districts so that the filled-circle voters have a majority in every district.
Cracking Analysis: Packing Puzzle
Try to pack the groups of open-circle voters into one or two districts, so that filled-circle voters win more districts than they should under a fair redistricting plan.
Packing Analysis:

Was it easier or harder to draw unfair districts compared to fair districts? Why?

How do the shapes of your gerrymandered districts vary compared to the ones you drew fairly? Are they compact? Are they contiguous by at least two squares?

Stacking Puzzle
You must "stack the deck" in favor of the minority open-circle voters. Create districts so that open-circle voters, who are in the minority, win more districts than they would if the lines were drawn fairly.
Stacking Analysis:

Were you able to use packing to effectively create unfair voting outcomes for all of these districts?

Which imaginary states were easy to gerrymander using packing, and which ones were more difficult?

Based on your gerrymandering, are there distributions of voter populations in some states that make them more vulnerable to unfair gerrymandering practices?

Was it easier or harder to draw unfair districts with packing or cracking? Was that true for all states?

How do the shapes of your packed districts differ from the ones you drew fairly? What about compared to the ones you gerrymandered using cracking?

Were you able to use stacking to give open-circle voters an unfair representation in voting outcomes? Were there any states where this was difficult or impossible?

Were some states easier to stack than others? What about the distribution of voters made a state easier to stack?

Do you think the voting outcomes from your stacked maps are as unfair as the ones you drew by packing and cracking? More so? Why?

How do the shapes of your gerrymandered districts using stacking vary compared to the ones you drew fairly? What about the ones you gerrymandered using cracking and packing?

Do you think it would be possible to use district shapes to help you determine whether a state had gerrymandered its districts by stacking, packing, or cracking? How? What would you look for?

Final Gerrymandering Challenge: Real Districts

As you discovered in your gerrymandering puzzles, because they are often neither compact nor contiguous. Take a look at the following series of 8 districts taken from real states from the gerrymandered districts tend to look weird 115th congressional district map. Experts in the fields of political science, statistics, and sociology have deemed four of these districts as some of "the most gerrymandered" districts in the United States, in part because they are the least compact. Can you guess which ones may have been gerrymandered?

Districts like the ones above present new puzzles for state and federal courts who must decide whether a state's redistricting plan is fair or unconstitutional. Is there a way to tell whether districts were drawn to intentionally disadvantage voters of a certain race, political party, or religion? Is it possible to make a rule or law that can be applied consistently to districts to determine if districts have been unfairly gerrymandered? Oliver Roeder, senior writer at FiveThirtyEight, and Moon Duchin, associate professor of mathematics at Tufts University joined Science Friday to describe one potential measure of fairness called the "efficiency gap," and the challenges and opportunities for getting justices to use math to judge district fairness.

Related Segment

Does Math Have A Place In The Courtroom?

In Reality, Gerrymandering Is Like This, But Harder.

Gerrymandering is quite old. The term "gerrymander" was coined to describe a peculiar salamander-shaped district created by Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry (pronounced with a hard "g," like Gary) who pioneered the practice back in 1812.

Since then, gerrymandering has grown both increasingly common and complex with higher quality voter data, advanced mapping software, and machine learning. Consequently, detecting where gerrymandering has occurred, determining whether it is discriminatory in nature, and figuring out how it has influenced elections have all become increasingly difficult.
Additional Information:

Credits

Teachers who field tested this resource had the following advice for teachers adopting this resource:
Michelle from Ohio says: If this is a new topic for the learners, it would be beneficial to review new vocabulary beforehand.

Resource and illustration by Ariel Zych

Editing: Xochitl Garcia, Ariel Zych, and Johanna Mayer

Digital Production: Johanna Mayer

If you have questions about this resource or would like to share your experience using it with students, please e-mail us at educate@sciencefriday.com or tweet to @scifri.

Educator's Toolbox

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It's just simple math, on a map, and on steroids.

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The Congressional Record is a substantially verbatim account of the remarks made by senators and representatives while they are on the floor of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It also includes all bills, resolutions, and motions proposed, as well as remarks and roll call votes.

Search the Congressional Record on Congress.gov:

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The Congressional Record is a substantially verbatim account of the remarks made by senators and representatives while they are on the floor of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It also includes all bills, resolutions, and motions proposed, as well as remarks and roll call votes.

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Your dashboard for legislative activity. Watch the U.S. House of Representatives live and follow all the action on any device.

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Vote Smart provides free, unbiased, in-depth information about current officials, candidates, issues, legislation, and voting. Non-partisan and nonprofit since 1988.

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Government Resources for becoming an adult

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Government Resources for becoming an adult

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Turning 18? Get ready for adulting. Learn to register to vote, get financial aid, register for selective service, find a job, get a passport, and pay taxes.

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The campus consists of the U.S. Capitol building and visitor center, principal congressional office buildings, Library of Congress buildings, Supreme Court buildings, U.S. Botanic Garden and 570 acres of grounds.

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Tracking legislation and votes in the United States Congress.

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Enter your contact info below to get the latest updates from Senator Rounds.

OFFICE LOCATIONS

PIERRE

111 W Capitol Ave., Suite 210
P.O.Box 309
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: (605) 224-1450
Fax: (605) 224-1379
DIRECTIONS

RAPID CITY

1313 W Main St.
Rapid City, SD 57701
Phone: (605) 343-5035
Fax: (605) 343-5348
DIRECTIONS

SIOUX FALLS

320 N Main Ave., Suite A
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Phone: (605) 336-0486
Fax: (605) 336-6624
DIRECTIONS

ABERDEEN

514 S Main St., Suite 100
Aberdeen, SD 57401
Phone: (605) 225-0366
DIRECTIONS

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Hart Senate Office Bldg., Suite 502
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5842
Toll Free: (844) 875-5268
Fax: (202) 224-7482
DIRECTIONS

Pursuant to Senate Policy, petitions, opinion polls and unsolicited mass electronic communications cannot be initiated by this office for the 60-day period immediately before the date of a primary or general election. Subscribers currently receiving electronic communications from this office who wish to unsubscribe may do so here. On March 19, 2020, The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration has waived Rule 6.3 of the U.S. Senate Internet Services and Technology Resources Usage Rules in order to allow Senate offices to communicate with constituents about COVID-19.

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Home | U.S. Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota

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Skip to primary navigation Skip to content Enter your contact info below to get the latest updates from Senator Rounds. OFFICE LOCATIONS PIERRE 111 W Capitol Ave., Suite 210 P.O.Box 309 Pierre, SD 57501 Phone: (605) 224-1450 Fax: (605) 224-1379 DIRECTIONS RAPID CITY 1313 W Main St.

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The Senate Page Program limits page eligibility to students who are 16 years of age, juniors in high school, and who have at least a 3.0-grade point average. Students who are 18 years of age are not eligible; however, you may turn 18 during your tenure as a page.

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/*-->*/ /*-->*/ /*-->*/ Ever tried to win a disagreement? In Argument Wars, you will try out your persuasive abilities by arguing a real Supreme Court case. The other lawyer is your competition. Whoever uses the strongest arguments wins! Cases include:

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Step inside the White House Situation Room, as you take on the role of president of the United States and make foreign policy decisions with the support of your National Security Council.

In Convene the Council, you will:

Address international crises through strategic action

Engage with members of your National Security Council

Weigh the pros and cons of various policy options

Delegate action to appropriate government agencies and departments

Work to improve core metrics of U.S. prosperity, values, security, and world health

For English and Multilingual Learners: Use the support tool, Spanish translation, voiceover and glossary.

Are you an educator? Check out the Extension Pack with activities and teaching tools to reinforce key game concepts.

This game was made in partnership with the Council on Foreign Relations, with support from The Peter G. Peterson Fund - New York Community Trust.

For more global civics resources from the Council on Foreign Relations, explore:

World101, a growing library of free educational resources that makes complex international relations and foreign policy issues accessible to all learners using videos, interactive maps, infographics, quizzes, and online teaching materials.

Model Diplomacy, a free classroom simulation program that invites students to step into the shoes of decision makers on the National Security Council or United Nations Security Council to debate the world's most pressing issues.

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Step inside the White House Situation Room, as you take on the role of president of the United States and make foreign policy decisions with the support of your National Security Council.

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Do you want to try your hand at running your own county government? In Counties Work, you can! You will need to stay on top of resident requests as you develop the local community, make important budgeting decisions, and solve crises that pop-up along the way.

In Counties Work, you will:

Work to keep citizens happy and evaluate requests

See what county departments have solutions

Maintain a balanced budget by lowering or raising taxes

Work to keep your citizens safe when crisis strikes

For English and Multilingual Learners: Use the support tool, Spanish translation, voiceover and glossary.

Are you an educator? Check out the Extension Pack with activities and teaching tools to reinforce key game concepts.
This game was made with support from the National Association of Counties. The Spanish translation and support for English and Multilingual Learners was made with support from the Jane Nelson Institute for Women's Leadership at Texas Woman's University.

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Do you want to try your hand at running your own county government? In Counties Work, you can! You will need to stay on top of resident requests as you develop the local community, make important budgeting decisions, and solve crises that pop-up along the way.

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Grab the keys and get behind the wheel! It's your turn to drive the Justice Express in our new version of Court Quest. Explore state and federal courts as you help passengers navigate their path through the American judicial system.

In Court Quest you:

Pick up passengers with legal cases

Drop off passengers at the best court for their needs

Use a decision support tool for guidance in making choices

For English and Multilingual Learners: Use the support tool, Spanish translation, voiceover and glossary.

Are you an educator? Check out the Extension Pack with activities and teaching tools to reinforce key game concepts.

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Grab the keys and get behind the wheel! It's your turn to drive the Justice Express in our new version of Court Quest. Explore state and federal courts as you help passengers navigate their path through the American judicial system.

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In Do I Have a Right? you can run your own firm of lawyers who specialize in constitutional law. Decide if potential clients have a right, match them with the best lawyer, and win their case. The more clients you serve and the more cases you win, the faster your law firm grows!

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Ever wanted to be President for a day? In Executive Command, you can be President for four years!

Try to accomplish what you set as your agenda while facing the challenges and responsibilities that crop up along the way. Being commander-in-chief and chief executive is no easy job! See how you do!

Are you an educator? Check out the Extension Pack with activities and teaching tools to reinforce key game concepts.

For English and Multilingual Learners: Use the support tool, Spanish translation, voiceover and glossary.

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Ever wanted to be President for a day? In Executive Command, you can be President for four years! Try to accomplish what you set as your agenda while facing the challenges and responsibilities that crop up along the way. Being commander-in-chief and chief executive is no easy job! See how you do!

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Welcome to Newsably, a fictional social media site focused on news and information. Your mission? Maintain the site, grow traffic, and watch out! You’ll also need to spot fake posts that try to sneak in through hidden ads, viral deception, and false reporting. For the best play experience, click “Play Fullscreen” in the upper right area of the screen.

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People's Pie is a balancing act! You must fund important programs without setting tax rates too high or borrowing too much money. To succeed, you must keep your residents happy and avoid a burdensome national debt. Are you ready for a piece of People's Pie?

In People's Pie, you will:

Set taxes and retirement age over a three-year period

Weigh a variety of policies and funding needs across the federal government

Assess policy pitches to determine funding commitments

Review your proposed annual budget and make hard decisions to reach a balance or surplus

Manage public approval, as each decision you make will have an impact

For English and Multilingual Learners: Use the support tool, Spanish translation, voiceover and glossary.
Check out our Extension Pack for People's Pie here!

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People's Pie is a balancing act! You must fund important programs without setting tax rates too high or borrowing too much money. To succeed, you must keep your residents happy and avoid a burdensome national debt. Are you ready for a piece of People's Pie? In People's Pie, you will:

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Are you an expert on U.S. citizenship? Put your knowledge to the test with Sortify: U.S. Citizenship, an original BrainPOP game made by BrainPOP with iCivics.

Share Sortify: U.S. Citizenship with your friends using the "Share" button above. You must be logged in to access. This new feature allows teachers to assign Sortify outside of iCivics using learning management systems like Google Classroom, Edmodo, and more.

Are you an educator? Check out the Extension Pack with activities and teaching tools to reinforce key game concepts.

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Are you an expert on U.S. citizenship? Put your knowledge to the test with Sortify: U.S. Citizenship, an original BrainPOP game made by BrainPOP with iCivics. Share Sortify: U.S. Citizenship with your friends using the "Share" button above. You must be logged in to access.

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Do you want to be the next President of the United States? This refreshed version of Win the White House challenges you to build your campaign and allows you to simulate a presidential election:

Building arguments to support timely issues that are relevant to you

Strategically raise funds to support your campaign

Keeping campaign momentum through targeted media campaigns and personal appearances

Polling local voters to see what issues resonate

You'll also meet our new campaign manager, named Ana, who will guide you through the process.

For English and Multilingual Learners: Use the support tool, Spanish translation, voiceover and glossary.

Are you an educator? Check out the Extension Pack with activities and teaching tools to reinforce key game concepts.

Explore all of our free election curriculum and teaching resources at our Election Headquarters .

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Win the White House - President Election Game

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Do you want to be the next President of the United States? This refreshed version of Win the White House challenges you to build your campaign and allows you to simulate a presidential election:

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Are you ready to learn how laws are made? In LawCraft, select a district to represent in the House of Representatives. You’ll then review letters from constituents, dig into survey data, and select an issue that’s important to you and the people that live in your district. You’ll then take that issu…

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Constitutional Compromise challenges you to find a way forward for a young nation as disagreements mount. Engage in the ideas discussed at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and discover how compromises you build today compare to those made by the 55 delegates.

In this game, you will hear from delegates as they cast their vision for the future of the United States and weigh the options. Balance the interests of a diverse set of states, navigate the interests of delegates who envision vastly different roles of the new government, and process the difficult decisions addressing the institution of slavery in the states.

Not all compromises are (or were) the ideal outcomes. While based on real debates and historical arguments, this game should not be considered a historical reenactment. In the end, you can discover what really happened in Philadelphia.

For English and Multilingual Learners: Use the support tool, Spanish translation, voiceover, and glossary.

Teachers, check out the Extension Pack with activities and teaching tools to reinforce key game concepts.
This game was made in partnership with George Washington's Mount Vernon, with support from Kenneth C. Griffin.

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Constitutional Compromise challenges you to find a way forward for a young nation as disagreements mount. Engage in the ideas discussed at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and discover how compromises you build today compare to those made by the 55 delegates.

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Do you like running things? Do something that no one else can: control all three branches of the U.S. government. Our new Branches of Power gives you the ability to introduce presidential agendas, write legislation, sign or veto bills, and even judge passed laws.

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The Youth Leadership Initiative's E-Congress is an interactive on-line simulation that helps students understand the complexities of the legislative process, as an innovative resource for classroom teachers. Participation in YLI E‑Congress is open and free to middle and high school civics teachers. Throughout the simulation, students play the part of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. To be successful, they must research contemporary issues, draft original legislation, debate its merits during committee sessions, and work to move their bill to the House floor. In contrast to traditional mock congresses, students use innovative technology throughout the simulation to interact with their legislators and to connect with their peers around the country.

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The Youth Leadership Initiative's E-Congress is an interactive on-line simulation that helps students understand the complexities of the legislative process, as an innovative resource for classroom teachers. Participation in YLI E‑Congress is open and free to middle and high school civics teachers. Throughout the simulation, students play the part of a member of the U.S.