American+Revolution

__American Revolution__ __Do Now:__ What are some modern day issues on which there are varying perspectives? Make a list in your Virtual Notebook (and label it!).

__Answer:__ Some modern day issues which there are varying perspectives are: - Relationships and Popularity - Gay/Same Sex Marriage - Taxation towards Citizens - Terrorists! - Economy/Government

__**The Sugar Act**__

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**__ Opening Activity __**
__Question:__ Describe what you think is the difference between a **__direct__** and **__indirect__** tax in 1-2 sentences. __Answer:__ I think the difference between a direct and indirect tax is that direct tax is a tax paid by the person or association to who it is given to and an indirect tax is a tax given to items and assistance rather than on people or associations.

__Question:__ Using a trustworthy search engine, look up both key terms and fix your answers based upon what you learn. Cite the websites from where you found your information. __Answer:__ A direct tax is a tax exacted directly from the persons who will bear the burden of it (without reimbursement to them at the expense of others), as a poll tax, a general property tax, or an income tax. On the other hand, an indirect tax is a tax levied indirectly, as one levied on commodities before they reach the consumer but ultimately paid by the consumer as part of the market price. **Website:** __ http://dictionary.reference.com __


 * __ Activity 1 __**

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__Question:__ Do you think the Stamp Act is a direct or indirect tax? Explain using supporting details and strong reasoning. __Answer:__ I think the Stamp Act is a indirect tax because as stated //A Summary of the 1765 Stamp Act//, it was "imposed on all American colonists and required them to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used." This suggests that the law only taxes actual items, rather than on the citizens. Furthermore, by saying the "Ship's papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers, other publications, and even playing cards were taxed," this supports indirect taxation because the list had nothing to do with the people themselves.

**__ Activity 2 __**




__Summary of Townshend Acts__ (Slide) The Townshend Acts were a series of laws that were passed by the government to tax the colonists on various items so that the government could become wealthier. The person that the Townshend Acts were named after was Charles Townshend. They were made in 1767.

__Question:__ Find 3 people who won elections today and write what their jobs are/will be. __Answer:__ 1.) Deval Patrick: Governor (Democrat) [Massachusetts] 2.) Rand Paul: Senator (Republican) [Kentucky] 3.) Jim DeMint: Senator (Republican) [South Carolina]

__Question:__ Make a list of **ways** the colonists protested the Townshend Acts. __Answer:__ - send letters to Parliament - smuggling - boycott/stop buying the goods - PROTEST - Writs of Assistance -> BAD
 * __Do Now__**

I believe it is Chris Misadicks's fault because he was the one who threw the gun down and it made a shotgun noise which alarmed the soldiers to fire at the colonists.


 * __Introduction__** - Compare and Contrast Images (Boston Massacre)

__Similarities__ - both images have soldiers in it (Red Coats) - all the soldiers/Red Coats in the images have guns with them, called bayonets - at least one person is dead in during the scene in the images - there is smoke surrounding the scene shown in the images - they both emphasize the violence during the Boston Massacre __Differences__ - the background is different in both of the images, meaning that the first one has buildings in it while the second one looks as if it is taken place behind a building - in the first image, the soldiers/Red Coats are firing at the colonists, but on the other hand, in the second image, they seem as though if they were struggling and they are not able to shoot their guns/bayonets - while the first image is in full color, the second one is a sepia color - it seems a if in the first image, the British were winning the battle and in the second image, the colonists were gaining the power - in the first image, there is a random, cute, little dog in the scenery while there isn't one in the second image. . .=D

__Answer:__ I think the colonists were the ones to blame for the Boston Massacre. The reason is because if the colonists weren't throwing snowballs at the soldiers/Red Coats in the first place, then the Red Coats wouldn't have opened fire at the colonists, causing the start of a huge riot that began the Boston Massacre. In addition, they started to tease and laugh at the soldiers, which enraged them even more, so they began to fire wildly. The colonists should have realized what would happen if they did this before it was too late. Therefore, I believe that the colonists were responsible for the start of the Boston Massacre.
 * __Homework:__** Who is the blame for the Boston Massacre? Why?



__Answer:__ The First Continental Congress was a body of representatives appointed by the legislatures of twelve North American colonies of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1774. It was held in Philadelphia on September 5, 1774, with 55 members representing all American colonies except Georgia. There, the representatives gathered to discuss their response to the British "Intolerable Acts." They met to deliberate their relationship with Britain and how to defend their rights within the British government. They wanted to appear as united colonies in their reply to Britain. The purpose of the First Continental Congress was not to seek independence from Britain, but to come up with a statement of colonial rights, to determine the British parliament's negligence towards their rights, and to brainstorm a plan that would persuade Britain to re-pass these rights that were given to the colonists before the "Intolerable Acts" were created.
 * __Homework:__** Look up the First Continental Congress and summarize what happened there.

__Answer:__ The 5 issues that I see within my community are: 1.) __Crime:__ I can have an impact on this because I know that there are people who commit these crimes, and could be running loosely around the neighborhood where I am living in, which means that I could be living in a dangerous place. 2.) __Delinquents:__ I can have an impact on this because I know that there are juveniles in the school that I go to and they could effect my learning process in a way that I can't concentrate on the material that I have to understand and know. 3.) __Disagreements Between the Members of the Community:__ I can have an impact on this because I would feel really frustrated every time somebody is in an argument with somebody else in the community and they could very possibly cause some kind of chaos within the neighborhood. 4.) __Citizens Not Recycling:__ I can have an impact on this because there is a chance that if I see enough people in the community not recycling, I would probably drop the idea of it and stop too. . .(not that I would. . . =P ) 5.) __People Smoking:__ I can have an impact on this because I could very well be a victim of Second-hand Smoking, along with many others in the neighborhood. This could also lead to more citizens of the community to start smoking, which will continue so on and so forth.
 * __Homework:__** Make a list of 5 issues you see within your community. For each, explain how __you__ can have an __impact__.

__Re-do:__ 1.) __Crime:__ I can have an impact on this because even though I could be living in a dangerous community, I could help by leading the citizens to the solution to this problem by creating a club to stop criminals from committing their terrible deeds.

- __Who:__ Representatives appointed by the legislatures of twelve North American colonies of the Kingdom of Great Britain. - __What:__ The representatives gathered to discuss their response to the British "Intolerable Acts."; They met to deliberate their relationship with Britain and how to defend their rights within the British government. - __When:__ September 5, 1774 - __Where:__ Philadelphia - __Why:__ The purpose of the First Continental Congress was not to seek independence from Britain, but to come up with a statement of colonial rights, to determine the British parliament's negligence towards their rights, and to brainstorm a plan that would persuade Britain to re-pass these rights that were given to the colonists before the "Intolerable Acts" were created. - __How:__ The members agreed to boycott British goods; They also passed resolutions arguing against colonial rights.
 * __Concept/Event Map__** __(First Continental Congress)__

__**Homework:**__ Make a list of 8-10 key terms for the Road to Revolution and define them. __Answer:__ List of defined key terms for the Road to Revolution: 1.) __Sugar Act:__ a law passed by the British Parliament in 1764 raising duties on foreign refined sugar imported by the colonies so as to give British sugar growers in the West Indies a monopoly on the colonial market. 2.) __Stamp Act:__ a direct tax, placed on Americans by Parliament in 1765. This was a tax which became very personal for many colonists as it quickly drove up their cost of living. 3.) __Townshend Acts:__ indirect taxes that placed new duties on imported goods at the custom house before they entered colonial markets; imposed taxes on imported materials such as glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. 4.) __Boston Massacre:__ a riot in Boston,on March 5, 1770, arising from the resentment of Boston colonists toward British troops quartered in the city, in which the troops fired into the mob and killed 5 colonists. 5.) __Boston Tea Party:__ happened when the British raised taxes for the colonists; men from Boston dressed up like Indians; they went on the ships and threw chests of tea into Boston Harbor 6.) __Direct Tax:__ a tax exacted directly from the persons who will bear the burden of it (without reimbursement to them at the expense of others). 7.) __Indirect Tax:__ a tax levied indirectly, as one levied on commodities before they reach the consumer but ultimately paid by the consumer as part of the market price. 8.) __Intolerable Acts:__ a series of laws passed by the British in 1774 in an attempt to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party. 9.) __John Adams:__ a lawyer who defended the British soldiers in trial after the Boston massacre took place; represented Massachusetts in the First and Second Continental Congresses. 10.) __Samuel Adams:__ a strong opponent of British taxation measures and organized resistance to the Stamp Act; he led opposition to the Intolerable Acts.

__Define these words:__
 * //Arms and ammunition//** //guns and bullets//
 * //Minutemen//** militiamen just before and during the Revolutionary War who held themselves in readiness for instant military service.
 * //Militia//** a body of citizens enrolled for military service, and called out periodically for drill but serving full time only in emergencies.
 * //British Regular//** Red Coat => British Army.
 * //Alarm Riders//** rides around to tell people something bad is happening.
 * //Paul Revere//** American silversmith and patriot, famous for his night horseback ride, April 18, 1775, to warn Massachusetts colonists of the coming of British troops.
 * //Joseph Warren//** American doctor, physician, statesman, and patriot.- Only unwanted Patriot leader => A Good Thing.

__CCQ:__ What the heck?!?! That is so not fair! Now I am sad. . .I still don't believe that it was a fair right that the women had less opportunities than the men did. >=(



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 * __"April Morning" Video__**

__I See/ I Hear:__ - I hear a drum beat in the background. - There is a large group of colonists debating about something. - I heard a gun fire from behind a large set of rocks. - I heard the drum beat change after the British arrived; they played a more suspenseful tune. . . __It Means:__ - It is a signal to call out the enemy to fight the Militia. - They are deciding whether to fight the Militia and they chose to take on the challenge and they are getting into formation to get ready to fight the Militia. - The man who was hiding behind the rocks had opened fire, which alarmed the British Red Coats to fire into the crowd of colonists. - This happened because it was a form of intimidation, to demonstrate how tough they were and to warn the colonists to not mess with them.


 * __Summary:__** The British arrived at Lexington Green and made an attempt to intimidate the colonists,but they stood up against them. Soon, a gunshot rang out from behind some rocks and it alarmed the British soldiers to fire into the crowd of colonists. Many of them died at the scene, although some of them did manage to escape and were able to flee from the shooting. Later on, the colonists who got to run away from Lexington Green, waited in the forest for the British to show up. Once they were within a kind of close range for a rifle bullet to hit them, the colonists fired at them and some of the soldiers died on the road. When the British realized that the colonists were hiding behind low walls of rocks and were secretly shooting at them, they quickly chased after the colonists. At the end, most of the colonists either got shot by the soldiers or were caught by the British.

__After watching the opening scenes of the American Revolution, had you been asked to take up arms against your own government? Under what circumstances would you agree to do so? Is it possible you might never do so? Explain why.__
 * __Homework:__** As you watch also contemplate the following and respond to it in your virtual notebooks (this will be your homework tonight):

__Answer:__ After watching the opening scenes of the American Revolution, no, I have not been asked to take up arms against my own government. I would agree to do so under the circumstances: if I would die either way that I choose or if my government is really ticking me off and I REALLY don't like what they are doing. Yes, it is possible that I might never do so. The reason is because if I am okay with what they are doing and I believe it is the right thing for them to do, then, I would not take up arms against my own government. In addition, if the government gets to a point where I just wouldn't care what the did, then, I also probably wouldn't go against my government either.

__Answer:__ To contact the representatives, you are required to fill out a form. The form asks you for your street address, the city you are living in, the state that you are in, and the zip code of your city in the state that you are living in.
 * __Homework:__** Go to __markey.house.gov__ to find out how to contact the representatives.

My Glogster is on www.glogster.com, but I can't find it, even though I saved it. . . =..[

The title of my Glogster was: The Outbreak of the American Revolution was NOT Inevitable.

__Question:__ Your task in creating this Glog is to prove or disprove the following argument: The outbreak of the American Revolution was inevitable. If you agree with this, then prove at what point it was inevitable. If you disagree, explain why. You are expected to prove or disprove this argument using visuals, pictures, words, music, and any other media you choose however you MUST be explicit in your use of T E A - Topic, Evidence, Analysis. Though you are not writing an essay, you still need to express to begin with a thesis and make it clear, identify key pieces of evidence which you will use to support your idea, and integrate thorough, thoughtful analysis which proves (explains) why your evidence proves your thesis is correct. __Answer:__ In my perspective, I believe that the outbreak of the American Revolution was inevitable. The reason why I think this is because all of the aspects of the Road to Revolution, such as the Stamp Act, the Townshend Acts, the Boston Tea Party, and the Boston Massacre, all contributed to the anger that the colonists felt of unfairness. Therefore, the American Revolution was inevitable because the colonists felt the need to rebel against the unjustfulness. In addtion, the way that I am going to show my opinion is through pictures/images, words, and graphics. The setup of my Glog would be to first state the topic, which would be that the Outbreak of the American Revolution was Inevitable. Then, I would find all of the pieces of evidence that I am going to use to prove my point. After, I would include some text to show analysis that I understand what I am proving. Lastly, I am including all of the effects to make the Glog creative.

American Revolution Glog

[|American Revolution Glog #2]


 * __Revised Glog__**

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__Answer:__ After I read the grievances of the Declaration of Independence, I think the most important one is:
 * __Homework:__** Read the grievances in the Declaration of Independence and explain which you think is the most important.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies: For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

This is because it covers a lot of the people's rights and is very significant towards their right of speech in Congress.

__Answer:__ I think the Declaration of Independence influenced the Continental Army by making them stronger and more united as an army. By this, I mean that since the Declaration of Independence helped the Americans, sort of, gain back some of their their rights from Congress, so therefore, the Continental Army would fight harder for their freedom during war and actually try to beat their enemy in battle. In addition, since the Declaration of Independence enforced some of the American's rights, Congress doesn't have as much control over them anymore, so the Continental Army could fight more freely.
 * __Homework:__** How do you think the Declaration of Independence influence the Continental Army?

__Answer:__ The Battle of Trenton began when I saw George Washington and another one of his generals spying at the Hessians across the Delaware River, which separated these groups of enemies from each other. The town of Trenton was ten miles down from the river. It is the end of December, almost Christmas time when, soon, a plan is created by George Washington to "surprise" attack the Hessians when they would be drunk from all the alcohol being drank on Christmas Eve. The date at this time is the night of December 25th. I see that most of the soldiers in the army is around 16 to 18 years old...Finally, it is Christmas Day: the day of the attack. George Washington decides that the attack is going to be at night, so that the Hessians won't easily spot them as they approach their campgrounds. Later, I notice a man from the army, suspiciously, putting some wax, from a candle, in his gun. He said that he didn't want his gun to run out of gunpowder during the war, so that was the reason why he was doing it. But anyways, as the day passed, George Washington appoints General Glover to be in charge of some of his soldiers, since he felt that is was the right thing to do and because of the fact that Glover was the only other person he could really trust, with his men, besides himself. Soon, George Washington realizes that his army is moving at a very slow pace of loading themselves into the boats to cross the Delaware River and is behind schedule, so therefore, George Washington declares that despite all the risks that they would have to take, they will have to attack in daylight. When the Americans eventually reach the other side of the river, George Washington summons Alex Hamilton to lead some of the soldiers to attack some Hessians in their headquarters. This moment was the most terrifying and most goriest thing that I have ever witnessed in my life. In addition, this small attack was the beginning of the Battle of Trenton. As the war progressed, I could tell the Hessians were gradually losing to the Americans. Then all of a sudden, the Commander of the Hessians got shot when he was just sitting on his horse. It was this moment when I realized that the person who shot the gunshot into the Commander, was the man who put the candle wax in his gun. Apparently, this technique actually works. When the Commander of the Hessians knew that he was going to die sooner or later, he told his general, who was alongside him on horseback, to declare that they will surrender to the Americans. At his command, the general signaled for the Hessian soldiers to stop firing. Later on, when the Hessian commander was lying down with the general trying to stop the bleeding from his gunshot wound, he summoned the general to tell one of George Washington's generals to tell him that he HAD to see him. Informed by the news, one of George Washington's generals told him the message, and at first, George Washington said that there was no point in going to see the Commander, but as I listened on, the general eventually managed to persuade him to see the Hessian commander. When George Washington arrived at the place where the commander was suffering from his severe injury, the Commander sort-of begged George Washington to let his men keep their money and lives, but he told him that he could have their weapons. After he made his request, the Hessian commander died and George Washington just left. Later, he confessed in disbelief to General Glover how he cold-bloodedly sent so many teenage boys to risk their lives to fight in the war and he wondered why they did what he did what he told them to do. General Glover replied that it was because they trusted him. In addition to the good news that General Glover provided, he told George Washington that there were NO killed or even injured soldier on the American side. I can definitely tell that George Washington is __very__ astonished...When it was time to leave Trenton and head back across the Delaware River, I saw George Washington looking proudly at his men as they walked past...
 * __Homework:__** Write an account of the Battle of Trenton. Remember that this should be written **//as if you were there!//** It can be from any logical point of view.

__Question:__ Text describes visuals - If you don't join the Continental Army, this is what will become of you. - You should have the bravery that George Washington had when he decided to cross the Delaware River and attack the Hessians! - Be inspired by how courageous George Washington was of facing the undefeated, fearless warriors of battle, known as the Hessians! __Question:__ Text uses accounts to show how they are important to the American Cause - YOU can contribute to the American Cause by joining the Continental Army and fighting for your liberty!
 * __Text for Recruiting Poster__**

__Answer:__
 * __Homework:__** Watch the news on TV or read it on the internet/over the vacation. (and have some kind of evidence that you did it!)
 * [|Storm brought unusual visitors to Cape (]**[|December 29, 2010 04:52 PM]**[|)]**

Snow wasn’t the only thing falling on Cape Cod during the Christmas weekend nor’easter. Overpowered by the blustery storm, a handful of small seafaring birds called dovekies were blown ashore all over the Cape, wildlife officials said. Concerned residents found the black and white animals exhausted, cold, and hungry, and brought them in to local animal care centers to recover.

“They’re so small, and the wind was so strong that it blew them off course,” said Theresa Barbo, director of the Cape Wildlife Center in Barnstable, which cared for several of the little auks, as they are also known. “It’s hard to imagine something that small can survive at sea, but they do.”

The birds brought into the center, a facility of the Humane Society of the United States, were released Tuesday into Nantucket Sound. Stranded dovekies are a fairly common storm-related phenomenon on the Cape, Barbo said. The birds, which resemble baby penguins and have a wingspan of about a foot, spend about 11 months of the year at sea, only coming on land to nest, she said. Dovekies are excellent swimmers, she said, but for all their grace in the water, they are fairly clumsy on land, making it difficult for the birds once blown inland.

“When people see them on land just sitting, they think they’re wounded or injured,” Barbo said. “Dovekies don’t hop around on the ground like a robin or a sparrow.”

Oftentimes, the birds need a running start on water in order to generate enough lift to fly away, said Lela Larned, director emeritus for Wild Care Inc. in Eastham, which cared for another 10 to 15 dovekies. People who find dovekies should bring them into wildlife centers, regardless of their cute appearance, Larned said. Many of these birds have made crash landings, and could be suffering broken bones, bruising, and swelling, she said.

“Even though they’re fluffy and puffy, that can hide a severely emaciated body underneath all that feather,” Larned said. “Unfortunately, there’s a misconception that people should just release them into the ocean.”

__**Homework:**__ Look up the "Articles of Confederation" and make a list of strengths and weaknesses of this form of government. __Answer:__ **The "Articles of Confederation":** The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the United States and specified how the Federal government was to operate, including adoption of an official name for the new nation, United States of America. The Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to draft the Articles in June 1776 and sent the draft to the states for ratification in November 1777. In practice, the Articles were in use beginning in 1777. The ratification process was completed in March 1781. Under the Articles, the states retained sovereignty over all governmental functions not specifically relinquished to the national government. On June 12, 1776, a day after appointing a committee to prepare a draft of the Declaration of Independence, the Second Continental Congress resolved to appoint a committee of thirteen to prepare a draft of a constitution for a confederate type of union. The last draft of the Articles was written in the summer of 1777 and the Second Continental Congress approved them for ratification by the States on November 15, 1777, after a year of debate. In practice, the final draft of the Articles served as the de facto system of government used by the Congress ("the United States in Congress assembled") until it became de jure by final ratification on March 1, 1781; at which point Congress became the Congress of the Confederation. The Articles set the rules for operations of the United States government. It was capable of making war, negotiating diplomatic agreements, and resolving issues regarding the western territories. Article XIII stipulated that "their provisions shall be inviolably observed by every state" and "the Union shall be perpetual". The Articles were created by the representatives of the states in the Second Continental Congress out of a perceived need to have "a plan of confederacy for securing the freedom, sovereignty, and independence of the United States." Nationalists felt that the Articles lacked the necessary requirements for an effective government. There was no tax base, no executive agencies or judiciary. The absence of tax base meant that there was no way to pay off state and national debts from the war years. In 1788, with the approval of Congress, the Articles were replaced by the United States Constitution and the new government began operations in 1789.

__Strengths of This Form of Government__ - the Confederation Congress could declare war - the Congress could also raise armies - the Articles held the country together during the American Revolution and continued to do so for six years thereafter - the Confederation Congress was able to negotiate and make treaties with other countries - the Articles gave the state a lot of power and privileges

__Weaknesses of This Form of Government__ - the Confederation Congress had no way to tax the states - each state had only one vote (regardless of size) - nine out of the thirteen states had to approve each law - the Congress had no way to enforce laws that were passed - the Confederation Congress had no power to regulate foreign or interstate trade - amending the Articles required a unanimous vote of the states - there was no judiciary or executive branch

__Answer:__ EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, left, and Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi, right, talk to each other during a press conference at the Parliament building in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. Ashton welcomed Iran's offer to visit its nuclear sites, but said, the task is for the IAEA. Hungary took over the six months rotating EU Presidency on Jan. 1.
 * __Homework:__** Find an example of checks and balances in the news and explain why it is an example.
 * __Hungary seeks to defuse tension over media law (January 7, 2011)__**

Hungary's prime minister said Friday he wants to defuse political tensions generated by the country's contentious new media law, as a group of prominent activists accused him of trying to dismantle the country's young democracy. Viktor Orban said that because of the international outcry over what many say is a too-restrictive law he was expecting a "stormy meeting" in the EU parliament on Jan. 19, when Hungary presents the program of its new six-month term as head of the Council of the European Union.

"We want to diminish the political weight of this conflict," Orban said during a meeting of his government with the EU's executive Commission headed by Jose Manuel Barroso. "We don't want it to hold back the success of ... Hungary's EU presidency."

The new media law greatly expands the state's power to monitor and penalize private news outlets, including on the Internet, and publications deemed to be unbalanced or offensive in their coverage may face large fines. It went into effect on Jan. 1, the same day Hungary took over the rotating EU presidency. Since winning a two-thirds parliamentary majority in April elections, Orban's party has modified the Constitution several times to fit its political aims and taken numerous disputed measures -- including limiting the powers of the country's top court and naming party loyalists to key watchdog positions for extraordinarily long terms. On Friday, several Hungarian and foreign former anti-communist dissidents expressed their dismay at the concentration of power implemented by Orban's government, appealing to the EU to take action.

"Just 20 years after communism collapsed, Hungary's government, though elected democratically, is misusing its legislative majority to methodically dismantle democracy's checks and balances, to remove constitutional constraints, and to subordinate to the will of the ruling party all branches of power, independent institutions, and the media," they said an open letter addressed to the leading EU institutions, and the bloc's governments and political parties.

The letter was issued by, among others, former Hungarian president Arpad Goncz, former Czech president Vaclav Havel and Polish newspaper editor Adam Michnik. Officials from Germany, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic, among others, have expressed dismay about the future of press freedom in Hungary. On Thursday, Orban went on the offensive, insisting that Hungary would change its laws only if its critics did the same. But he seemed to be softening his stance, telling reporters Friday that the country would take into account the political repercussions of the law.

"We are monitoring its practical application and if any of the political concerns are verified ... we are ready to remedy them," Orban said during a news conference with Barroso. He added that Hungary was awaiting the Commission's position on the media law's compliance with EU rules.

Barroso said Orban had assured him that "adjustments would be made" if the Commission found any aspects of Hungary's media law out of sync with EU values.

"I really welcome the fact that the prime minister is ready to consider changing the law in case ... its implementation shows that some concerns could be justified," Barroso said, stressing the importance of "political perceptions."

While making mention of Hungary's efforts to rid itself of past totalitarian regimes, Barroso acknowledged that the dispute about the media law had blemished Hungary's image.

"I am myself fully confident in Hungary's democracy and rule of law," Barroso said. "It's important also that (Orban) take all the necessary steps for this to be clear in Hungary and outside Hungary."

Austria, supported by Orban's first government as it faced diplomatic sanctions from the EU in 2000 because the far-right Freedom Party was part of the governing coalition, raised a conciliatory tone.

"Hungary does not need a schoolmaster with a raised finger" to tell it what to do, Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger told the Austria Press Agency. "But I expect Hungary to meet all concerns of the (European) Commission."

The Socialist Party, Hungary's biggest opposition group, said Thursday that it would ask the Constitutional Court to strike down the whole media law because the legislation is so flawed that it could not be amended.

__(Definition of Checks and Balances):__ limits imposed on all branches of a government by vesting in each branch the right to amend or void those acts of another that fall within its purview.


 * __Checks and Balances__**



Judicial review is represented by the case of Marbury vs. Madison because the decision that was made by the Supreme Court demonstrated that it had the power to declare the Judiciary Act of 1789 and the Judiciary Act of 1801 unconstitutional.    Judicial review is represented by the case of Marbury vs. Madison because the decision that was made by the Supreme Court demonstrated that it had the power to declare the Judiciary Act of 1789 and the Judiciary Act of 1801 unconstitutional. Marbury had sued the government and he appeals the ruling when the court rules with Madison. According to the Judiciary Acts of 1789 and 1801, the Judicial Branch has power to appoint and hire judges. Marybury then, asks the Supreme Court to force Madison to deliver the commissions. However, the Judiciary Acts of 1789 and 1801 are unconstituitional. In addition, John Marshall was the deliverer of the commissions and was Secretary of State. Chief Justice officially declared the law was unconstitutional and this demonstrates an effect of loose construction. There are still laws in the US which are declared unconstitutional because the laws have to satisfy the people of the United States 

The Congress and the President do not have to listen to the Supreme Court.