1. Is our national government today a “democratic” system? Give specific examples to support your position.2. As Americans were like to rank everything from sports teams to movies to presidents. Yet many argue the nature of the presidency has changed so greatly over the years that to compare Jefferson with Clinton simply makes no sense. What are some of the most significant ways the presidency has changed throughout American political history? What initiated those changes?3. If the authors of the Constitution saw the government today, what aspects of it would they be the most surprised about? What aspects would still look familiar to them?4. What are some of the main forces which you feel shape political culture in America today? Are these factors similar or different from those of other nations? Are they similar or different from factors that shaped American political culture in the past?5. In what ways does the Constitution and the Bill of Rights set up checks and controls on the national government? Have these controls been successful?