The Constitution of the United The Constitution of the United States of AmericaStates of America

• Magna CartaMagna Carta

• ParliamentParliament

• Mayflower Mayflower CompactCompact

• English Bill of English Bill of RightsRights

• Albany Plan of the Albany Plan of the UnionUnion

• First Continental First Continental CongressCongress

• Second Continental Second Continental CongressCongress

• Articles of Articles of ConfederationConfederation

• ConstitutionConstitution

• Bill of RightsBill of Rights

The Constitution of the United The Constitution of the United States of AmericaStates of America

• Things to KnowThings to Know

Oldest Working Constitution:Oldest Working Constitution:– Made 1787Made 1787– Adopted 1788Adopted 1788 9/13 States9/13 States– All 13 by 1790All 13 by 1790

The ConstitutionThe Constitution

• Bill of Rights:Bill of Rights:– 1st 10 amendments:1st 10 amendments:

• Adopted 1791Adopted 1791

• Balanced the power of the Government with the Balanced the power of the Government with the rights of the peoplerights of the people

• Helped satisfy the fears and demands of Anti-Helped satisfy the fears and demands of Anti-FederalistsFederalists

– Amendments 11-27 (17 other amendments)Amendments 11-27 (17 other amendments)• 1798 – 19931798 – 1993

• Represent needed changes through historical eventsRepresent needed changes through historical events

The Three Branches of The Three Branches of GovernmentGovernment

• In five days it was agreed to separate the powers of In five days it was agreed to separate the powers of the national government. It was agreed that there the national government. It was agreed that there would be three major parts to the would be three major parts to the New Strong New Strong Central Government Central Government and that they would include:and that they would include:

• The Three BRANCHES The Three BRANCHES •Legislative Legislative

•ExecutiveExecutive•JudicialJudicial

The PreambleThe Preamble

• WW e the people of the United States, e the people of the United States,• II n order to form a more perfect union, n order to form a more perfect union,• EE stablish Justice, stablish Justice,• II nsure domestic tranquility, nsure domestic tranquility,• PP rovide for the common defense, rovide for the common defense,• PP romote the general welfare, romote the general welfare,• AA nd secure the blessings of liberty to nd secure the blessings of liberty to

ourselves and our posterity,ourselves and our posterity,• D D o ordain and establish this Constitution o ordain and establish this Constitution

for the United States of America.for the United States of America.

Article I: The Legislative Article I: The Legislative BranchBranch

• Legislative – Great Compromise Legislative – Great Compromise

• aka aka Connecticut Compromise:Connecticut Compromise:– Establishes Two House CongressEstablishes Two House Congress

• -MAKES LAWS--MAKES LAWS-

The United States Capitol The United States Capitol BuildingBuilding

The United States Capitol The United States Capitol BuildingBuilding

SENATESENATE

• SENATE: SENATE: Equal representationEqual representation for each for each state: 1913 elected by people – state: 1913 elected by people – 17th 17th

AmendmentAmendment (was State Legislature) New (was State Legislature) New Jersey PlanJersey Plan

• 30 years old30 years old

• American citizen for nine yearsAmerican citizen for nine years

• Resident of stateResident of state

• Serves a six-year term.Serves a six-year term.

• 100 members TOTAL100 members TOTAL

House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives

• HOUSE:HOUSE: Representation based on Representation based on populationpopulation.. Virginia Plan Virginia Plan

• 25 years old25 years old

• Resident of stateResident of state

• Serves two-year termServes two-year term

• Elected by peopleElected by people

• American citizen for seven yearsAmerican citizen for seven years

• 435 members TOTAL435 members TOTAL

PowersPowers::

• Make Bills which become Make Bills which become laws (Money Bills must laws (Money Bills must

come from House)come from House)

• 67% vote from Congress 67% vote from Congress can override a can override a

Presidential VetoPresidential Veto

• Make LawsMake Laws• Taxation, BankruptcyTaxation, Bankruptcy• Inventions: Copyrights Inventions: Copyrights

& Patents& Patents• Declares WarDeclares War• Borrowing MoneyBorrowing Money• LendingLending• RoadsRoads• ImmigrationImmigration• Post OfficesPost Offices• Armed ForcesArmed Forces

POWERS FORBIDDEN TO POWERS FORBIDDEN TO CONGRESS:CONGRESS:

• Can’t discuss Slave Trade until 1808Can’t discuss Slave Trade until 1808– Congress ended the slave Congress ended the slave tradetrade in in

18081808

• No titles (examples: Duke of No titles (examples: Duke of California, King, Baroness of Poway, California, King, Baroness of Poway, etc) can be grantedetc) can be granted

POWERS FORBIDDEN TO POWERS FORBIDDEN TO STATES:STATES:

• No individual money making for No individual money making for statesstates

• No import / export taxes can be No import / export taxes can be mademade

• No treaties allowed for statesNo treaties allowed for states

• No foreign relations or war powersNo foreign relations or war powers

ARTICLE IIARTICLE II: Executive Branch : Executive Branch Enforces the Laws Enforces the Laws

• 35 years old35 years old

• Natural born citizen of USNatural born citizen of US

• 14 year resident14 year resident

• Maximum of two terms (22nd Maximum of two terms (22nd Amendment 1951)Amendment 1951)

• Franklin Delano RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt

The Executive Mansion: The Executive Mansion: aka The White Houseaka The White House

Executive = The PresidentExecutive = The President

• Elected head of government – Elected head of government – Chief Chief ExecutiveExecutive – President – President

• As a civilian, he/she is As a civilian, he/she is in charge of militaryin charge of military (remember, Congress declares war)(remember, Congress declares war)

• Salary - $350,000.00 a yearSalary - $350,000.00 a year• Has a Has a Cabinet of AdvisorsCabinet of Advisors that meet weekly that meet weekly

– 15– 15• Makes treatiesMakes treaties which take effect if the which take effect if the

senate agrees – approvessenate agrees – approves• Appoints AmbassadorsAppoints Ambassadors – Senate approves – Senate approves

ARTICLE IIIARTICLE III::Judicial Branch: Interprets LawsJudicial Branch: Interprets Laws

• Supreme Court - actual cases onlySupreme Court - actual cases only

• Guarantees Trial By Jury if requested – Guarantees Trial By Jury if requested – – 5th Amendment also (paranoid and in two places)5th Amendment also (paranoid and in two places)

• Federal and State Courts will existFederal and State Courts will exist

• Appeals may reach the Supreme CourtAppeals may reach the Supreme Court

• How many Judges? Nine – Chief Justice at headHow many Judges? Nine – Chief Justice at head

• Appointed for Appointed for lifelife with good behavior with good behavior

• By the President and approved by SenateBy the President and approved by Senate

The Supreme Court of the The Supreme Court of the U.S.U.S.

Article IVArticle IV: Concerning the : Concerning the StatesStates

• Cannot leave a state to avoid trialCannot leave a state to avoid trial

• MarriagesMarriages will be recognized will be recognized throughout but throughout but divorcedivorce may not be may not be

• All states are guaranteed a All states are guaranteed a republicanrepublican form of government form of government =(A representative form of =(A representative form of

government.)government.)

Article VArticle V: Amending the : Amending the ConstitutionConstitution• To Propose AmendmentsTo Propose Amendments

– 2/3 of both houses deem it necessary2/3 of both houses deem it necessary OROR

– 2/3 of state legislatives 2/3 of state legislatives – (34/50)(34/50)

• To RatifyTo Ratify(approve)(approve) amendments amendments == if if ¾¾ states (legislature) ratify states (legislature) ratify38/5038/50

Article VIArticle VI: Supreme Law of : Supreme Law of LandLand

• All public officials take an oath to All public officials take an oath to support the Constitutionsupport the Constitution

• The Constitution is “The Supreme The Constitution is “The Supreme Law of the Land”Law of the Land”

Article VIIArticle VII: :

• To ratify the Constitution 9/13 state To ratify the Constitution 9/13 state conventions in country must approveconventions in country must approve

• 1787-Delaware, New Jersey, 1787-Delaware, New Jersey, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania

• 1788 – 8 more and ratification done1788 – 8 more and ratification done

• 1789- North Carolina1789- North Carolina

• 1790- Rhode Island1790- Rhode Island

Key VocabularyKey Vocabulary

• Ex Post Facto LawEx Post Facto Law: cannot be guilty : cannot be guilty of a crime if the law was made after of a crime if the law was made after the crime was committed.the crime was committed.

• Writ of Habeus CorpusWrit of Habeus Corpus: Guarantees a : Guarantees a court appearance that proves your court appearance that proves your arrest was lawfularrest was lawful

AmendmentsAmendments

• Bill of Rights 1791Bill of Rights 1791

• 1111• 1212• 1313• 1414• 1515• 1616• 1717• 1818

• 1919• 2020• 2121• 2222• 2323• 2424• 2525• 2626• 2727