Not only is this guide to government "almost painless" as billed, it was even able to--in the words of noted political pundits Chicago--make me smile. Voiceover narrated by scripter Harlan Hogan and Marie Burke, the episode I watched--The Judicial Branch--traced the evolution of the Supreme Court, or judicial branch of government. The Supreme Court is not only the highest court in the land, but also serves as an integral part of the system of checks and balances the framers of the Constitution set up to protect "we the people." Although the narrators trade puns, and the footage includes a few sports analogies, the focus is on presenting a solid introduction, and to that end, viewers will learn about the Supreme Court's composition (9 members), authority (can even invalidate a law signed by Congress), history (including notable cases such as the Dred Scott decision, Marbury v. Madison and Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas), and even peek inside the chambers (Marie: "Can you imagine dusting all that wood in the Court's chambers?" Harlan: "I can't imagine dusting anything.") Together with the other two titles in the series--The Executive Branch and The Legislative Branch (you already knew those I hope)--The Almost Painless Guide to the Branches of Government is a fun, informative introduction to our Federal government. Highly recommended. Aud: I, J. (R. Pitman)
The Almost Painless Guide to the Branches of Government
(1998) 3 videocassettes, approx. 20 minutes each. $89.95 each; series price: $229 (teacher's guides included). AGC/United Learning. PPR. Vol. 14, Issue 4
The Almost Painless Guide to the Branches of Government
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