Gerrymandering: Shaping Districts, Shaping Power
An 8th-grade social studies worksheet exploring the concept of gerrymandering, its historical context, and its impact on democratic representation.
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Gerrymandering: Shaping Districts, Shaping Power
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Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. Some questions may require critical thinking and analysis.
1. What is the primary goal of gerrymandering?
To create fair and balanced electoral districts.
To give one political party an unfair advantage over another.
To ensure all districts have an equal number of voters.
To promote independent candidates.
2. The term "gerrymander" originated from a political cartoon depicting oddly shaped districts in which U.S. state?
New York
Virginia
Massachusetts
California
3. Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing electoral district boundaries to unfairly favor one or group.
4. The process of redrawing electoral districts is called and occurs every ten years after the U.S. Census.
5. Explain the difference between 'packing' and 'cracking' in the context of gerrymandering.
6. Why is gerrymandering considered a threat to fair democratic representation?
Examine the image below showing a gerrymandered congressional district.
7. Gerrymandering only benefits the political party in power.
True
False
8. Independent commissions are sometimes used to draw district lines to prevent gerrymandering.
True
False