Roe+v+Wade

Today, we'll delve into the incredibly controversial issue of abortion and Roe v. Wade, the US Supreme Court Case which legalized abortion across the US. The basis for most of today's lesson comes from Streetlaw.org's [|Landmark Cases of the Supreme Court] series.


 * //PART ONE: BASIC BACKGROUND//**
 * Read [|the Roe v. Wade case overview]. After reading, you should answer the following questions by copying/pasting the questions then answering the Qs in your notes:
 * When did the Supreme Court rule on this decision? (it is the year listed in parentheses at the top)
 * Who was "Jane Roe?" (note: Jane Roe was a pseudonym)
 * What was the Texas law at the time this lawsuit was filed?
 * Who was Wade?
 * On what grounds did Roe contest the Texas law?
 * Who did the Supreme Court rule in favor of and on what grounds?


 * //PART TWO: LARGER BACKGROUND//**
 * Read the [|Roe v. Wade Background Summary]. After reading, you should answer the following questions by copying/pasting the questions and then answering the Qs in your notes:
 * What advantage did wealthier women have over poor women if they wanted to get an abortion?
 * "Government interference in sexual matters was beginning to be called into question by a changing conception of _."
 * True or False: The U.S. Constitution explicitly guarantees the right to privacy.
 * True or False: The U.S. Supreme Court has long acknowledged //some// right to privacy.
 * (Important question) How did the Supreme Court expand its position on what constitutes the __right to privacy__ in the 2nd half of the 20th century?
 * Name and describe one court case (prior to Roe v. Wade) that shows this new view on right to privacy.
 * The main argument for protecting privacy is based on what?
 * Read the definition of [|'right to privacy'] from //Nolo's Plain-English Law Dictionary//. After reading, you should answer the following questions by copying/pasting the questions and then answering the Qs in your notes:
 * To which of the 2 definitions given does the Roe v. Wade case seem to most apply?
 * Supreme Court decisions have often found an implicit constitutional right to privacy in striking down laws that prohibit certain actions. What 3 examples are given where the Supreme Court has allowed formerly prohibited actions?
 * Define "implicit." (only if you don't know the meaning of the term
 * Look at the [|How the Case Moved Through the Court System]graphic. After doing so, answer the following question in your notes:
 * What was the split of Supreme Court justices who ruled on the case?
 * (Note: Most abortion-related cased in the last 25 years have been close 5-4 decisions for both sides. Want proof? Check out the [|Supreme Court's Evolving Rulings on Abortion] if you're curious!)
 * How did the Supreme Court distinguish between the 3 different trimesters of pregnancy? (What was legal/illegal in each part?)


 * //PART THREE: THE DEBATE CONTINUES//**
 * Be able to answer "Pro Life" or "Pro Choice" for the appropriate choice listed below (Note: The [|Roe v. Wade & Its Impact]article can help.) Copy/paste the description into your notes next to either "Pro Life" or "Pro Choice."
 * This group typically believes that life begins at conception. They feel that the unborn child deserves the same legal protections as an adult. Ending such a life is equivalent to murder to those who subscribe to this belief. They want Roe v. Wade to be reversed.
 * This group typically believes that life begins at birth. They feel that laws restricting abortion interfere with the right of a woman to decide what is in her own best interests. They want Roe v. Wade to continue to be upheld.
 * [|Should abortion be banned?] Use the link to see the main arguments __for__ and __against__ that proposition. (the basic arguments are listed at the top and brief explanations for each argument are listed further down the page.) At this moment, you do not have to copy the arguments into your notes. However, you __should consider__ (w/o having to write down) what YOU think the better set of arguments is.


 * //PART FOUR: ABORTION IN SOUTH KOREA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD (time permitting)//**
 * **//Note: If less than 15 minutes remain in class when you get to this section, you may move on directly to part five.//**
 * Read [|"South Korea Confronts Open Secret of Abortion"] from the //New York Times//. After reading, you should answer the following questions by copying/pasting the questions and then answering the Qs in your notes:
 * According to the article, South Korea has a law against allowing most types of abortions that is almost rarely enforced. Apply this to your understanding of the terms //de jure and de facto//.
 * The South Korean law that permits abortions is called the "Mother and Child Health Law." It permits abortions only when the mother’s health is in serious danger, or in cases of rape, incest or severe hereditary disorders and it is never legal after the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. Of the estimated 340,000 abortions performed in 2005, what % were technically illegal because it did not follow the law? (Read the question carefully.)
 * Compare and contrast the birthrate and government's encouragement (or lack thereof) of births in the 1970s and the 2000s.
 * In addition to government policy and the economics of health care, social factors have contributed to the abortion rate. List four of those.
 * What did the Korean Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists think the effect of enforcing the abortion laws in South Korea would be?
 * Discover how South Korea and other countries compare to the United States in terms of abortion laws by using the following links: (nothing required for notes
 * [|Abortion Law Intro & Map Showing Abortion Laws By Country] (note: color-coded map located on right side)
 * [|Abortion Law in East Asia] (note: shows what South Korea and other countries in the region allow with abortions)


 * //PART FIVE: THINK ABOUT IT (Required)//**
 * In your Google Docs journal, write a response to the following prompt: **//"In a thoughtful paragraph, respond to today's lesson on Roe v. Wade."//**


 * //OPTIONAL - ADDITIONAL ARTICLES ON THE ABORTION DEBATE//**
 * [|Americans Still Split Along Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Lines]
 * [|Pro-life, Pro-Choice, Mark the Anniversary of Roe v. Wade] (from 2012)
 * [|Supreme Court's Evolving Rulings on Abortion]