A Look at the Constitution - Lesson 1

A Look at the Constitution -

Lessons 1 & 2

A review of the reading -
American Government pages 45-50

The Preamble

• Gives the goals of the constitution

• Pre means before

• Preamble video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKPmobWNJaU

Article I - The Legislative Branch

• 2 part legislature (Senate and House of Representatives)

• Powers include - make laws, declare war, collect taxes/borrow money, regulate trade, rules for citizenship, set up courts

• Also called Congress

Article II - The Executive Branch

• President leads executive branch

• Powers include - carrying out laws, making treaties, appointing officials, commander-in-chief (head of military)

• 
  

Article III - The Judicial Branch

• The Court system

• Only the Supreme Court was created by the Constitution, the other levels of the federal courts were set up later

• Powers include - deciding whether laws follow the Constitution, deciding appeals from lower courts

Article IV (4) - The States and the Federal Government

• States must recognize rights granted by other states

• The rights a citizen has in one state must be respected in other states

• All states must have a republican form of government

• Amendments or changes can be added to the Constitution

• 2/3 of both parts of Congress or a special convention must approve an amendment then it 3/4 of the states must approve it (there are 2 ways for states to approve amendments)

• 27 Amendments have been added

Article V (5): Amending the Constitution

"If in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in the way which the Constitution designates."

George Washington

On the 15th amendment:
"In addition to the justice of the measure, it was soon commended by events, as a political necessity."

Frederick Douglass

"That useful alterations will be suggested by experience, could not but be foreseen. It was requisite therefore that a mode for introducing them should be provided. The mode preferred by the Convention seems to be stamped with every mark of propriety. It guards equally against that extreme facility which would render the Constitution too mutable; and that extreme difficulty which might perpetuate its discovered faults."

James Madison

Why was Article V so important?

• The Constitution is the supreme, or highest law

• All state and national officials must swear an oath to support the Constitution

Article VI (6): Law of the Land

• Ratification means approval

• Once 9/13 states approved the Constitution it became the new national government

Article VII (7): Ratification

Multiple Choice

Decide which of the first four articles of the Constitution it matches - A Congress is set up.

• I

• II

• III

• IV

Multiple Choice

Decide which of the first four articles of the Constitution it matches - A citizen's rights are respected in all states

• I

• II

• III

• IV

Multiple Choice

Decide which of the first four articles of the Constitution it matches - Each state has a republican form of government.

• I

• II

• III

• IV

Multiple Choice

Decide which of the first four articles of the Constitution it matches - A president's term of office is four years

• I

• II

• III

• IV

Multiple Choice

Decide which of the first four articles of the Constitution it matches - The highest judicial power in the US shall be the Supreme Court

• I

• II

• III

• IV

Open Ended

Why are the first 3 articles of the Constitution so important?

Open Ended

Without Article IV, what are some problems the states might have?

Open Ended

Article II gives the president to appoint ambassadors to foreign countries. Why do you think the government need ambassadors?

Multiple Choice

How many states were needed to ratify the Constitution?

• 7/13

• 9/13

• 11/13

• 13/13

Open Ended

Why is Article V so important?

Dropdown

A new amendment must be introduced

Select answer

​​ ​ and approved by 3/4 of the ​

Select answer

.

Poll

Which branch of government do you think is most important?

• The Legislative Branch

• The Executive Branch

• The Judicial Branch