Additional Skill #5: US Constitution v Florida Constitution

Written plan of government

• Authority

• Preamble

• Bill

• Constitution

Part of FL Constitution that lists basics rights that are guaranteed to all

citizens who live the state

• State of the State

• Bill of Rights

• FL Declaration of Rights

• Preamble

What is a similarity between the Florida Constitution and the U.S. Constitution?

• both include an amendment process

• both include a nine member Supreme Court

• neither protects individual rights

• neither has an amendment process

What is another similarity between the Florida Constitution and the U.S. Constitution?

• Both include 7 articles

• Both require the chief executives (President and Governor) to have been born in this country

• Both include a Preamble

• Neither contains rights for people

Which answer below is a true statement about a difference between the two Constitutions?

• The FL Constitution only contains 4,400 words where the US Constitution has over 10,000 words.

• The US Constitution is very specific with detailed explanations.

• The U.S. Constitution has been amended more than 100 times, where the FL Constitution has only been amended 27 times.

• FL is on it's 6th Constitution where the US is only on it's 2nd.

Which Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land?

• Florida Constitution

• US Constitution

• Neither

• They are equal in supremacy

Taylor took notes during his civics class comparing the U.S. Constitution with the state of Florida’s Constitution. However, he forgot to write down which set of features applied to which constitution. How can he tell the difference between them?

• He remembers that the Florida Constitution does not contain rights for its citizens, but the U.S. Constitution does.

• He remembers that the Florida Constitution does not have an Executive Branch but the U.S. Constitution does

• He remembers that there are more ways to amend the Florida Constitution than the U.S. Constitution.

• He remembers that the Florida Constitution gives the Judicial Branch power over military forces, while the U.S. Constitution does not.

What part of the U.S. Constitution outlines rights for the people?

• Article V

• 19th Amendment

• Bill of Rights

• Declaration of Human Rights

Why are both Constitutions considered "living documents"?

• Because they really take on a life of their own!

• So they can change as times and needs change and evolve

• That is what the founders called the first Constitution and it just stuck.

Written in 1789.

• US Constitution

• Florida Constitution