Studies in Civics

Kinds and Uses.--If a man wishes to buy some commodity from another but has not the money to pay for it, he may secure what he wants by giving his written promise to pay at some...

The terms of all members of the house of representatives expire March 4 of the odd-numbered years, and, though many of the old members are re-elected, the house must be reorgani...

The legislative branch comes first and occupies most space in the constitution because its framers regarded the legislative as the most important branch. And laws must be _made_...

It seems to us a matter of course that after the laws are made there should be some person or persons whose duty it should be to carry them into execution. But it will be rememb...

_To lay and collect taxes[1], duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States;[2] but all duties, impos...

We have now considered the constitution about as it was presented to the states for ratification. Judging by our own affection for the noble instrument we would expect to learn...

Jurisdiction.--The principal business and characteristic work of probate courts is the settlement of the estates of deceased persons. Jurisdiction extends in most states over bo...

1. _To establish the lower organizations_. As we have seen, the organizations within the county are established by county officers. But, it may properly be asked, why not have t...

In the two articles so far considered, we have studied about the law-_making_ and the law-_enforcing_ branches of the government. We shall next examine the third great branch, t...

Definitions.--A _Civil Action_ is one having for its object the protection or enforcement of a private right or the securing of compensation for an infraction thereof. For insta...

Bicameral.--The legislature of every state consists of two chambers or houses. The _reason_ for this is that during colonial times most of the legislatures consisted of two hous...

Like the people on the island, they will need roads, bridges, and schools; and they will desire to preserve the local peace. Hence they, too, will need to organize as a politica...

Officers.--The chief executive office in every state is that of governor. There is in each a secretary of state and a state treasurer. Most states have also a lieutenant governo...

_Full faith and credit[1] shall be given in each state to the public acts,[2] records,[3] and judicial proceedings[4]of every other state. And the congress may by general laws p...

The local organizations are so related that it is advisable for all classes to consider each of them. Especial attention should, however, be given to the organization (town, vil...

Their purpose.--A constitution in the American sense of the term is a written instrument defining the powers of government and distributing those powers among the branches or de...

Need Of.--A village being one election district has only one polling place. The community may increase so in numbers as to make it necessary to have several voting places. For t...

The Revolutionary Period.--The nation was born July 4, 1776. From that time until the adoption of the articles of confederation in 1781 the people of the United States carried o...

Contracts are _express_ or _implied_. An express contract is one whose terms are definitely stated in words; an implied contract is one whose terms are understood from the circu...

When Columbus returned to Spain with his marvelous stories of the New World, expeditions were fitted out which soon filled the coffers of that country with wealth from Mexico, C...

"For several years efforts were made by some of our wisest and best patriots to procure an enlargement of the powers of the continental congress, but from the predominance of st...

Trial by Ordeal.--Boys settle some matters about which they cannot agree by "tossing up a penny," or by "drawing cuts." In a game of ball they determine "first innings" by "toss...

An elective monarchy is one in which the succession is by election; the term for life; example, the old German empire, in which the emperor was chosen by certain princes called...

Need of.--Owing to conditions, natural and artificial, favorable to business enterprises, people group together in certain places. Living in a limited area, the amount of land o...

Old England.--Not only our language but also very many of our political institutions we have inherited from England. But the country now called by that name is not the real _old...

Adjutant-General.--To aid the governor in the discharge of his duties as commander-in-chief, there is an officer called the adjutant-general. Through him all general orders to t...

But the individual responsibility involved in partnership, and the difficulty of transferring interest, render necessary some other mode of combining capital for carrying on ent...

We have seen that minor differences may be adjudicated in each town, village and city, by justices of the peace and municipal courts; and that courts having jurisdiction unlimit...

1. _Historical reason_. We have states now because we had such organizations at the time this government was established. The colonies, founded at different times, under differe...

Each Organization a Miniature Government.--Some things of general interest are matters for regulation by the state as a whole, through its legislature. But many things are prope...

_We, the people of the United States,[2] in order to form a more perfect union,[3] establish justice,[4] insure domestic tranquillity,[5] provide for the common defense,[6] prom...

What it is.--Partnership is the relation existing between persons who have agreed to combine their property or skill for the prosecution of a given enterprise, and to share the...

_The congress, whenever two-thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two-third...

Authority of Agent.--An agent's authority may be granted orally or in writing. When written it is called a "power of attorney." A general agent has all the authority implied in...

Nine states made two-thirds of the entire number. Eleven states ratified the constitution within nine months of the time of its submission to them. As soon as nine states had ra...

The debts were incurred and the engagements were entered into by the United States, and changing the _form of government_ would not release the country from its obligations. The...

Regulations and Laws.--When the school officers, acting for the people of the district, state formally what may and what may not be done by teachers and pupils, the formal expre...

At first sight this would seem unjust, since no one but a lawyer can be expected to have much legal knowledge. But as law is simply common sense applied, the exercise of ordinar...

XVII.--THE CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION, XVIII.--THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION, XIX.--THE ORIGIN OF THE CONSTITUTION, XX.--THE CONSTITUTION: PREAMBLE, XXI.--STRUCTURE OF THE LEGISLA...

CHAPTER. I.--THE TOWN: WHY AND HOW ORGANIZED, ETC., II.--PRIMITIVE MODES OF ADMINISTERING JUSTICE, III.--PROCEEDINGS IN A JUSTICE COURT, IV.--THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE, V.--THE C...

IX.--STATES: WHY AND HOW CREATED, X.--STATE CONSTITUTIONS, XI.--DEPARTMENTS OF GOVERNMENT, XII.--THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT, XIII.--THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, XIV.--OTHER STATE O...