Part 2: Free-Response Questions
How to prepare an answer to a free response question
My expectation is that you will thoroughly answer all parts of the question as they are asked in
approximately three to four paragraphs. You are not expected to write an essay. You can and
should directly answer the questions in a concise, but thorough fashion. You should use
specific and substantive examples when appropriate. You should double check your work
efore submitting it by asking yourself:
￮ Did I answer all parts of the question? (You may want to
eak the question down into its
constituent parts to make sure you do this)
￮ Did I answer each part thoroughly? Have I included all relevant information, including
necessary details and examples?
￮ Did I do what the prompt asked me to do?
That last question is important because the prompt informs you of my expectations. If you are
asked to define something, you can probably do so in a sentence. If you are asked to explain
something, a sentence is insufficient. You will need to write several sentences--a paragraph or
two--to write a thorough explanation. So make sure to pay close attention to the prompt.
Four Free Response Questions:
1. Social contract theory emerged during the Enlightenment and reshaped the world.
Summarize the central tenets of both Ho
esian and Lockean social contract theory.
Do you think one social contract theory is more compelling than the other? Why or why
not? Does the American Founding exemplify the concept of a social contract? Why or
why not?
2. The United States is the first federal system. Discuss the powers of the federal and
state governments in the federal system the Constitution creates. Explain the evolution
of American federalism over time. Why is it that American federalism continues to
change over time while the Constitution does not? Use a contemporary conflict to
explain.
3. Civil liberties are protected by the original Constitution and its Amendments. Define
civil liberties. Explain the role of civil liberties in a liberal democracy like the United
States. Make sure to define liberal democracy as you do. Explain the role of the Bill of
Rights in protecting civil liberties. Provide an example of a Supreme Court case to
illustrate.
4. The Civil Rights Movement is responsible for the passage of national legislation that
prohibits discrimination by private parties and states. Discuss the Voting Rights Act of
1965 in this vein. How did it end part of the old Jim Crow? What is its cu
ent status?
Make sure to explain the Supreme Court's ruling and reasoning in Shelby County v.
Holder in your answer as well as the consequences of their ruling.
Sample Free Response Question
I wanted to provide you with an example of a student's response that earned full credit on one
of the free response questions. Notice that this students does each one of the tasks that I
mentioned in the study guide:
● He answers all part of the question .
● He is thorough in his answer to each part of the question.
● He does what he is asked to do based on the prompt.
FRQ: Slavery is the United States’ original sin. Why did the delegates at the
Constitutional Convention allow slavery to continue? Identify the slavery compromises
in the Constitution, and discuss the way in which these are written. What does
Thurgood Marshall think about the original Constitution and cele
ating XXXXXXXXXXas its
irthdate?
The delegates at the Constitutional Convention allowed slavery to continue. Southern
delegates (from South Carolina) told them that they would leave the convention if slavery was
to be abolished in a new government. Northern delegates did not push the issue because
they wanted a union more than they wanted to abolish slavery. The delegates had the
opportunity to abolish slavery, but it would have cost them a united country. They knew that