The Constitution - Part 2

The Constitution - Part 2

The Federal System

• Reminder: Federal system is where the central gov and state gov have certain powers.

• Federal has more power than under the Articles.

• Federal has power over things that has to do with the whole country - defending, printing money, Post Office, trade between states.

• States have power over local issues - education

• Shared powers - both collect taxes and have court systems

• So who technically has more power?

• Federal! (or central, or main, or national)

• If a state law and federal law clash, or don't agree, the federal law must be obeyed.

• So how are federal laws made?

• Look on pg. 315

• Bill - Congress votes - President approves = a law!

• What if president vetoes?

Changing the Constitution

• Wait, can we really change the Constitution? Would the founding fathers want that?

• Yes! They knew America would grow and change so they made it possible to add things through amendments = change to the Constitution

• How? - 2/3 of Congress propose it - 3/4 of states must ratify - then it's official

• Remember how people wanted a Bill of Rights? They wanted guaranteed rights where the gov couldn't take away!

• States had it, so the country should! Right?

• Thomas Jefferson want it "to guard the people against the federal government"

• James Madison agreed! So in 1791 he wrote 10 amendments = Bill of Rights

• Anyone know any of the 10?

• First Amendment = freedom of speech and religion

• Tenth Amendment = federal gov. only has the powers given to it by the Constitution, all other powers below to the people! (states)

• Look on pg. 316 for more amendments

The Growth of Democracy

• Guys, remember... it's 1790

• There was still slavery - not everyone had rights

• Some states only allowed white men who owned land or were rich to vote.

• Women, African Americans, Native Americans, and poor people didn't have equal rights.

• Today, thanks to amendments, different groups have more rights.

• Rights have been added. Good thing the founding fathers saw this and allowed changes to be made to the Constitution!

• But wait... when and how did George Washington become President? Stay tuned...