We have included the questions that appear below the artworks that open each chapter, the journal prompts from the text's color insert, the “In Your Own Words,” and the “Art of Writing” exercises so that you can submit your answers to your instructor via e-mail, should he or she direct you to do so.

From the textbook: Responding to Art, View and Reflect, In Your Own Words, The Art of Writing

Response to Art (page 370)

The painting Trial by Jury (1964) by Thomas Hart Benton introduces the chapter on argument.

1			Which figure in the painting is making an argument? Do you think this person is the prosecutor or the defense attorney?
2			How many jurors appear in the painting? What is the composition of the jury in terms of sex and ethnicity?
3			Who do you think the defendant is?
4			Does this scene accurately depict how a courtroom looks? In what ways does it differ? Have you ever served on a jury?

View and Reflect (color insert page 12)

"A jury consists of twelve persons chosen to decide who has the better lawyer." —Robert Frost

5			In your journal, analyze this quotation from Robert Frost and consider whether Benton's painting, Trial by Jury (1964), supports or undermines Frost's contention.

View and Reflect (color insert page 13)

"To be truly free, it takes more determination, courage, introspection, and restraint than to be in shackles." —Pietro Belluschi

6			Reflect in your journal on how this quotation can be applied to the signers of the Declaration of Independence and how it applies to us today.

In Your Own Words (page 387)

7			The pursuit of happiness is one of the "unalienable rights" written into the Declaration of Independence. What do you think Jefferson meant by "the pursuit of happiness"? What do you think most Americans today require for a "happy life"?
8			Oscar Wilde once said, "In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." What do you think he meant? Do you agree or disagree with him.

The Art of Writing (page 387)

In a brief essay, respond to the item below:

9			Rabbi Harold Kushner says that an individual doesn't become happy by pursuing happiness. Instead he says that "happiness is like a butterfly--the more you chase it, the more it flies away from you and hides. But stop chasing it, put away your net and busy yourself with other, more productive things than the pursuit of personal happiness, and it will sneak up on you from behind and perch on your shoulder." Explain Kushner's concept using examples from your own life.

In Your Own Words (page 392)

10			In paragraph 2 of "Ben Franklin—Declaring Independence" (page 389 of the text), Franklin is quoted as saying, "I have made it a rule, whenever in my power, to avoid becoming the draughtsman of papers to be reviewed by a public body." How does this statement explain the anecdote he told Jefferson about the hatter (quoted in "Jefferson, Adams, and the Declaration of Independence," pages 383-385)?
11			How did people feel about "borrowing words" in Jefferson's time? Did it earn the "borrower" respect or condemnation? Do we have a different attitude about "borrowing words" today?

The Art of Writing (page 392)

In a brief essay, respond to one of the items below:

12			How does Benjamin Franklin's account of the writing of the Declaration of Independence (in "Ben Franklin—Declaring Independence" (pages 389-391) compare to Jefferson's and Adams's accounts as described in "Jefferson, Adams, and the Declaration of Independence" (pages 383-385)? State specific differences and similarities.
13			Review "Ben Franklin—Declaring Independence" (pages 389-391) and then describe the differences between synthetic and analytic truths; give examples of each.

The Art of Writing (page 389)

In a brief essay, respond to the items below:

14			The phrase "that all men are created equal" has caused considerable controversy. What do you think Jefferson meant by it? What is your interpretation of the phrase?
15			Do you think that the sort of rebellion advocated by Jefferson in the Declaration could ever be justified in today's world? In what circumstances?

The Art of Writing (page 403)

In a brief essay, respond to the item below:

16			Discuss some of the ways the Bill of Rights protects people who are wrongfully accused of a crime.

In Your Own Words

17			Why do you think the rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights (pages 404-405) were considered important by the framers of the Constitution? If you were to write a contemporary Bill, what other rights would you include?
18			Phrases such as "due process of law" and "cruel and unusual punishment" are always open to interpretation. What are the advantages of such abstract language? Would more specific language have been better? Why?

The Art of Writing (page 406)

In a brief essay, respond to one of the items below:

19			Rewrite the ten amendments (see the Bill of Rights on pages 404-405 of the text) in modern colloquial English, and illustrate each with a relevant example.
20			The second amendment in the Bill of Rights (page 404) is complicated and open to multiple interpretations. Do you think this amendment grants today's citizens the right to own guns? Or does it only grant them the right to carry guns in militias?

OLC Extra! Reflections on Reading and Study Skills

These Reflections on Reading and Study Skills exercises provide an opportunity for you to think about the skills you learned in the textbook. To complete these exercises and e-mail them to your instructor, type your response in the blank provided here or type your response in a word-processing program and copy and paste it here. Next, edit and proofread your answer carefully. Then insert your instructor's e-mail address in the "to" line and hit "send."

21			To evaluate an argument, you need to analyze it. When you analyze an argument, you break it down into its parts and examine them by themselves and in relation to the other parts of the argument. How can analyzing and evaluating arguments help you formulate your own effective arguments?
22			Do you have any experience with logical fallacies, either having made them, or having heard them from others? How does knowledge of logical fallacies improve your critical thinking skills?
23			This chapter shows you how to identify key words that often appear in essay questions. How can this knowledge help you improve your essay writing?