The Weimar Republic:              

Article 43:
The term of office of the Reich President lasts seven years. Reelection is permitted. The Reich President can be deposed by plebiscite, which has to be suggested by the Reichstag. This Reichstag decision requires a majority of two thirds of the voted. Such a decision bars the Reich President from continued exercise of his office. A rejection of the deposition is regarded as a reelection and results in the dissolution of the Reichstag. The Reich President can not be persecuted in a penal matter without the approval of Reichstag.

This articles lays out the term of the President and the process of his impeachment. In the United States the Senate and House must vote for two thirds majority to impeach the president. So in this aspect the German and American system is similar. However, I feel that the term of seven years is too long. Most governments across the world have a term of five years. The article also mentions that the president has the power to reject the deposition of the Reichstag regarding his removal. This move invariable dissolves the house and mid term elections have to be held. I think such powers make the president misuse his power. 

Article 109:
All Germans are equal in front of the law. In principle, men and women have the same rights and obligations. Legal privileges or disadvantages based on birth or social standing are to be abolished. Noble titles form part of the name only; noble titles may not be granted any more. Titles may only be granted if they indicate an office or occupation; academic degrees are not affected by this regulation. The state may no more bestow orders and medals. No German may accept titles or orders from a foreign government.
The article explains the basic equality right of every German. However, what baffles me is that in reality this ideal situation seemed far fetched. Inequality was rampant and many Germans did not enjoy the rights specified by the constitution. This situation can be compared to the United States today; we still have racism, although the Civil Rights Act outlawed racial segregation. We as a nation have been successful in curbing this curse, but it still leaves a lot to be desired.

1. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of proportional representation.
Some of the advantages of proportional representation are that it allows more parties to have seats in the parliament. The people can also be assured that their representative’s vote will have an equal value as all other representatives.
Some of the disadvantages are that it may not always provide a party with a clear majority. In this case coalitions are likely to be formed between different parties. Also this can make the functioning of the government difficult  because smaller parties with vested interests within the government can take the government hostage over certain issues. This can also be seen as one of the ways Hitler's party became a voice in the government despite garnering only a few seats.

2. What were the leading causes of the decline of the Weimar Republic.
There were number of events leading to the decline of the Weimar Republic. Notably among them was the inflation after the war, followed by the shocks of the Great Depression of the United States. Germany's economy was closely tied to the United States' economy and so it was natural for its economy to be affected by the fall in the American economy. This is similar to the crash of the American economy in 2004 following the housing and mortgage crisis. This fall had repercussions across Europe, because the European Union’s economic health is closely tied with America.

3. What is hyperinflation?
Hyperinflation is a condition when we have a surplus of paper money in the market. This can occur when a nation experiences very high and uncontrolled inflation where the Federal Government prints money to meet the needs of the country, rather than collecting raising money by raising taxes. Too much money circulating in the market leads to a devaluation of the currency resulting in rising prices and a battered economy.

4. How would you judge the Weimar constitution as compared to the American constitution?
The Weimar constitution and the American constitution had a lot of similarities. However, under the Weimar constitution the President enjoys extensive powers unlike the American president. Too much power lay in the hands of one person and therefore it defeated the purpose of a democracy where people's voice spoke and government was accountable to the people.