Government Chapter 3

The Constitution

The Preamble: This is the introduction and explains why the

Constitution was written.

To form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty.

The Constitution can be broken down into 3 parts. The “preamble” is the introduction, the articles are the main “divisions” (they are further

divided into “sections.” The final part are the “amendments” or changes. There are 27 amendments, and the first 10 are called the “Bill of Rights” as they declare what individual freedoms that citizens

have.

Article 1

• This covers the creation of the Congress which is the legislative or lawmaking body of the U.S. Government

• The 2nd and 3rd sections of Article 1 deal with the creation of the House of Representatives and the Senate

Article 2

• This creates the Executive branch

• This branch carries out the laws created by the Congress

• It also creates the office of the President which has control of all the Executive branch

• It explains the powers & duties

Article 3

• This article sets up the Supreme Court which heads the Judicial branch

• It also allows for the creation of lower federal courts

Article 4

• Explains the relationship of states to one another.

• It says that states must treat citizens of other states with the same rights as its own citizens

Article 5

• This one spells out how the Constitution may be changes

• It has all of the rules for how to get amendments passed

Article 6

• This one is about the Supremacy clause

• This declares that the Constitution, laws passed by Congress, and treaties signed by the Government are the biggest laws in the land and that state laws cannot overrule them.

Article 7

• This explains how to get the Constitution ratified or approved. It needed 9 out of 13 states to approve it to become the official government of the U.S.A.

Major Principles of the Constitution

• 1-Popular sovereignty

• 2-Federalism

• 3-Separation of Powers

• 4-checks & Balances

• 5-Judicial Review

• 6-Limited Government