POS 2041 assignment of a creative essay:
“Founding a New Nation”
INTRODUCTION:
This is an assignment of a 500-word creative essay. In this assignment, you will create the government of a new nation.
The essay will reflect your knowledge and understanding of government. Your
inspiration may come from the American federal example — or perhaps the example of a
state or another country, or your own innovative thinking. Relevant ideas have been
accessible through the study guides posted in Canvas, your reading of the U.S.
Constitution and textbook chapters, and virtual class meetings. Put the material of this
course to work for you.
Since the midterm exam, we have explored Congress, the presidency and the
judiciary — the major institutions of American government — and we are now turning to
policymaking, both domestic and foreign. Earlier, we studied the founding and
Constitution, federalism, civil liberties, civil rights, and political parties and elections.
THE ASSIGNMENT:
Write an essay of at least 500 words, typewritten, double-spaced, 12-point type,
standard margins. You may write more than 500 words if that will make it a better
essay. No cover page. Submit it as a Word attachment in college email to
No cover page. At the top, type only one line, at the left margin:
Your Name, Nation Essay, 2245. Skip one line. Then type double-spaced. Use
multiple paragraphs to improve readability. Indent the first line of each paragraph.
THE PREMISE:
An undersea earthquake has created a new island in the Atlantic Ocean, about
200 miles east of Miami. It’s about the size of Key Biscayne, and its mild climate
supports an abundance of tropical trees, thick forests, naturally growing fruit and sand
beaches, as well as plentiful fish in the surrounding waters.
You are among 10,000 people chosen to sail to this new island to make a new life
and establish a new nation, independent of the United States. (Many more wanted to
go, but you and your family were among the relatively few selected.)
On the way, before your ship reaches the island, all of you must agree on the
structure and functions of a new nation. Otherwise, the arrival could be chaotic – “every
man for himself,” with the strongest ones prevailing. You might also name your nation.
THE PROJECT:
All of you agree that you will create a democracy. What kind of democracy,
though, is up to the settlers. What do you propose? Since the group must draft a
constitution for the new nation, what do you recommend for the constitution? (Don’t
write the text of it. Just explain the broad outlines of the structure and powers of the
government, according to your constitution.)
Also, what functions must your government perform, and what bureaucracy
should be created to perform them? How should your government be structured to
carry out those functions? What about politics? How will you choose leaders?
You may refer to the U.S. Constitution for guidance – it’s in the back of your
textbook — but consider that a constitution written in 1787 for a new nation of 13 states
and several million people might not be exactly appropriate in 2024 for a tiny island
nation of only 10,000 people. Maybe you want a state constitution as your model — or
the constitution of another country. (An existing country with a similar size and
population is the Republic of Nauru, near Australia.)
(Remember: You have limited human resources in a population of only 10,000,
which includes children. Your new nation will grow slowly over time. Whatever
government structure you create will obviously have to begin very small.)
CAUTION:
Resist the temptation to propose grandiose plans such as skyscrapers, jet
airport, seaport, railroad, huge government buildings, factories, big army, navy, air
force, et cetera. This is a tiny island. It has only the land area and population to match
Key Biscayne – and it lacks the financial and economic resources that Key Biscayne has.
Also, do not invent fictional discussions among the settlers or predict what
kind of life you will all have. Limit yourself to creating a system of governance that
makes policies and implements them, as well as a system of politics that determines
who will control that government.
Do not write the text of a new constitution. Just explain what you would include
in a new constitution.
Do not quote the text of an existing constitution or law. If you adopt any part of
an existing document, just summarize in your own words what it would do in the system
you are creating.
Do not propose “amendments.” Amendments are changes to an existing
document, but you are creating an original constitution that doesn’t exist yet, so there
can’t be amendments. Everything you include is in your original constitution.
Essays found to have been plagiarized, entirely or partially, or generated by
Artificial Intelligence (AI) will receive a grade of F.
IN SUMMARY:
You and your companions at sea are organizing a new society. What do you
need to do to ensure that the society functions well, under law? The knowledge you
have gained about the structure, functions, issues and policies of American
government should enable you to do some creative thinking about this
