• The requirements for becoming a state Governor
• The roles and duties of a state Governor
• The roles of other key state executive officers
• The structure, jurisdiction, and responsibilities of the state courts

• The regulatory relationship between states and businesses
• The ways that states work to protect the environment
• The methods used by states to protect the public through law enforcement
• The ways that states provide for Education, Health and welfare

• The different types of local government that exist in the U.S.
• The various forms of local government that are used, pay close attention, these are different from the types

• What it means to belong to a political party, and the ways that parties are organized at the local, state, and national level
• The major functions of political parties: recruiting candidates, educating the public, operating the government, etc.

• The ways that parties use the primary system to select their candidates for upcoming elections
• The ways that parties use the national convention as a way to select their presidential candidates

• The major ways that suffrage has been expanded in the United States since 1789, and the major obstacles that have been overcome over the course of this process

Possible Essays (you will need to write a 2-3 paragraph essay on one from each group):

• Describe the ways that state governments are structured, their unique responsibilities (education, welfare, criminal justice, etc.), their various regulatory powers, & their impact on citizens.
• Discuss the various types and forms of local government and the types of issues they’re likely to face. Include a discussion of how citizens use local government to address concerns (be sure to include examples from your project).

• Describe the roles and organization of major political parties, historical development of parties in the United States, the impact of the two party system, and the methods you might use to select a successful candidate for state office.
• Discuss the changes in voting practices over the course of U.S. history & the likely influences on U.S. voters.  How might a candidate use these influences to develop their campaign strategy?