the u.s. constitution test on thursday, october 25, 2007

The U.S. Constitution

Test on Thursday, October 25, 2007

What is a constitution?

• A plan of government that describes the different parts of the government and their duties and powers.

U.S. Constitution

• Written in 1787

• Became the law in 1788

The Articles of Confederationthe first attempt to write a constitution for the U.S.

Look at the timeline on page 53 in “We the People”

• drafted or written in __________

• ratified or approved in _________

The Articles of Confederationthe first attempt to write a constitution for the U.S.

List the two problems that made it difficult to write and accept the Articles of Confederation and the two solutions.

Look at pages 55-58 in “We the People”

Articles of Confederationpages 55-58 in “We the People”

Problem 1:

Solution:

Problem 2:

Solution:

Articles of Confederationpages 55-58

Problem 1: Fear of a strong national government.

Solution: Create a weak national government.

Problem 2: Fear that some states would dominate others in the national government.

Solution: Give each state one vote.

Articles of Confederationpages 55-58

What were the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation?

Weaknesses:

1. .

2. .

3. .

4. .

5. .

Articles of Confederationpages 55-58 in “We the People”

Weaknesses:

1. No money and no power to get it.

2. No power over the state governments and their citizens.

3. Unenforceable trade agreements

4. Unfair competition among the states.

5. Threats to citizens’ right to property.

United States Constitutionpage 173 in textbook

Three Parts- Preamble, Articles, Amendments1. Preamble

a. states the purpose of the Constitutionb. begins with three words- ___ ____ ______ c. lists six goals of the Constitution

1.2.3.4.5.6.

United States Constitutionpage 173

Three Parts- Preamble, Articles, Amendments1. Preamble

a. states the purpose of the Constitutionb. begins with three words- We the People c. lists six goals of the Constitution

1. form a more perfect union2. establish justice3. insure domestic tranquility4. provide for the common defense5. promote the general welfare6. secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves

and our posterity

2. Articles

a. There are ____ articles in the Constitution.

b. describe the organization of the government

c. include what the three branches of government are and do, how they interact with each other and how the federal and state governments split their duties

3. Amendments (page 187)a. changes or additions to the Constitutionb. How many are there? _____c. How is an amendment added or ratified?

___ of the members of each house of Congress and

___ of the state legislatures

3. Amendments (page 187)a. changes or additions to the Constitutionb. How many are there? __27__c. How is an amendment added or ratified?

2/3 of the members of each house of Congress and

3/4 of the state legislaturesd. Bill of RightsThey are the first ____ amendments.They describe the rights of the people.They were added in the year 1791

Basic Facts of the Constitutional Conventionpages 150-151

1. How many people attended the convention?

2. Where did it take place?

3. When did it happen?

4. Why did they gather?

5. Who is considered “the father of the Constitution”?

PRIMARY AUTHOR OF THE CONSTITUTION IS JAMES MADISON

What did each plan recommend?pages 65-67

Virginia Plan

“big” states

New Jersey Plan

“little” states

What did each plan recommend?pages 65-67

Virginia Plan

A strong national gov’t that could make and enforce its laws; collect taxes

Federal system included national and state governments

Three branches

Two house legislature

Number of reps depends on size of population or money

New Jersey Plan

Keep the Articles

Congress would have only one house with the power to tax, trade, and have control over the states

Three branches

Equal representation of the states in Congress

The Legislative Branch, Congress, makes the laws. big states vs. little states

Pages 68-70

1. What were the disagreements about representation?

2. What was the Great Compromise?

3. What powers did the Constitution give to Congress?

4. How can Congress “check” the other two branches of government?

The Legislative Branch, Congress, makes the laws. big states vs. little states

1.1. What were the disagreements about representation?What were the disagreements about representation? The big states want to have more votes because they have more people; the small states want equal representation, so they are not overpowered by the big states.

2.2. What was the Great Compromise?What was the Great Compromise? A two-house CongressThe House of Representatives would be based on population and the

Senate would have equal representation (Two senators from each state.)

3.3. What powers did the Constitution give to Congress?What powers did the Constitution give to Congress?to lay and collect taxes, to pay debts and provide for the

common defense and general welfare, to regulate commerce with other nations and among states, to declare war, to raise an army and navy, to coin money and to impeach officials

4. 4. How can Congress “check” the other two branches of government?How can Congress “check” the other two branches of government? Impeachment- executive and judicial branches

Powerspages 70-71

1. What is the “necessary and proper” clause?Congress has the power to make all other laws that are

“necessary and proper”; also called the elastic clause.

2. What powers did the national government have? Federal law is supreme. Congress can organize and use state militias for national

service. Congress can create new states, guarantee each state is a

republican form of government and protect the states from invasion or domestic violence.

Limitspage 71

What limits were on the national government? Cannot ban the slave trade before 1808 Cannot suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus

except in emergencies Cannot pass any ex post facto laws Cannot pass any bills of attainder Cannot tax anything exported from a state Cannot take money from the treasury without a law Cannot grant titles of nobility Cannot punish descendants of people convicted of treason Cannot require public officials to hold any particular

religious beliefs; cannot make laws to set up a religion

Three Branches of Government1. Legislative branch- makes the laws (page 69)includes the two houses of Congress

a. the House of Representativesb. the Senate

2. Executive Branch- enforces the lawsincludes the President, Vice-President and the Cabinet

(page 93)3. Judicial Branch- interprets the laws includes the Supreme Court and U. S. courts

(page 94)

Legislative BranchName of the two houses House of

RepresentativesSenate

Total number of members

Number of members from each state

Requirements

Length of term

Number of times possible to be elected

Presiding officer

Portion elected every two years



Total number of members(page 291)

Number of members from each state (page 292)

Requirements (page 91)

Length of term (page 292)

Number of times possible to be elected (page 292)

Presiding officer (page 297)





435










435 100










435 100



Length of term (page 292) 2 yearsNumber of times possible to be elected (page 292)






435 100



Length of term (page 292) 2 years 6 yearsNumber of times possible to be elected (page 292)






435 100




unlimited unlimited






435 100


depends on the population

2



unlimited unlimited






435 100



2



unlimited unlimited

Presiding officer (page 297) Speaker of the House


Legislative BranchName of the two houses

House of Representatives

Senate


435 100



2


Length of term 2 years 6 years


unlimited unlimited

Presiding officer Speaker of the House

Vice-president, Pres pro tempore




Senate


435 100



2

Requirements (page 91) 25, 7 year citizen,

live in the state

30, 9 year citizen,

live in the state



unlimited unlimited






Senate


435 100



2

Requirements 25, 7 year citizen, live in the state

30, 9 year citizen, live in the state



unlimited unlimited




all 1/3

Senators from Illinois

Barack Obama (D)Elected in 2006

Richard Durbin (D)Elected in 1996 and 2002

Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

Congress shall meet at least once a year.

Judicial Branchpage 329

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

What is the length of a term?

What are the requirements?

Who nominates the justices?

Who approves the justices?



9

What is the length of a term? (page 335)

What are the requirements? (page 335)

Who nominates the justices? (page 339)

Who approves the justices? (page 339)



9


life






9


life


“good behavior”





9


life


“good behavior”


the president


Judicial BranchHow many justices are on the Supreme Court?

9

What is the length of a term?

life

What are the requirements?

“good behavior”

Who appoints the justices?

the president

Who approves the justices?

the Senate

Judicial Branch

• What is judicial review?

the power of the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of a law or treaty

U.S. Supreme Court

Executive Branchpage 262

Who is the executive branch headed by?

Length of term


Maximum number of years possible in office

Requirements

Name for advisors

Date term begins-Inauguration Day



the president




Requirements

Name for advisors




the president

Length of term (page 91) 4 years




Name for advisors(page 268)




the president

Length of term (page 91) 4 years



Requirements (page 262) 35 years old, natural born citizen, resident for 14 years

Name for advisors(page 268)


Executive Branch


the president

Length of term 4 years



Requirements 35 years old, natural born citizen, resident for 14 years

Name for advisors the Cabinet

Date term begins- (page 247) Inauguration Day

Executive Branch


the president



Maximum number of years possible in office (page 249)




January 20

Executive Branch


the president



2 times





January 20

Executive Branch


the president



2 times


10 years



Date term begins- Inauguration Day

January 20

Executive BranchWho is the executive branch headed by?

the president



2 times


10 years




January 20

Executive Branch questions1. What is a lame duck? (page 109)

2. In case of an emergency, who would be the new president? (page 250)

3. What is impeachment? (page 251)

4. Who has the power to impeach?

5. Who holds the trial?

6. Which two presidents have been impeached?

7. Which presidents have been removed from office after impeachment?

8. What is the head of each state called?

Executive Branch questions1. What is a lame duck?A person who is still in office, but has not

been re-elected.2. In case of an emergency, who would be

the new president? (page 250)1. President2.3.4.5.

Executive Branch questions1. What is a lame duck?A person who is still in office, but has not

been re-elected.2. In case of an emergency, who would be

the new president? (page 250)1. President2. Vice-President3. Speaker of the House4. President pro tempore5. Secretary of State

Executive Branch questions3. What is impeachment? (page 251)




to formally charge an official with a crime for which they can be removed from office




to formally charge an official with a crime for which they can be removed from office


The House of Representatives


The Senate

Executive Branch questions6. Which two presidents have been

impeached?

Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson

7. Which presidents have been removed from office after impeachment?

None

8. What is the head of each state called?

governor

Electionspage 234

The Electoral College elects the president and vice-president.

Each state has a number of electors.

The number of electors = the number of senators + the number of representatives.

ALL electoral votes from each state goes to one candidate.

If there is no majority of electoral votes, the House of Representatives elects the president.

Powers and Duties of the Presidentpage 258

• Power to enforce or execute laws• Is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces• Appoints many officials (e.g. ambassadors)• Power to make treaties• Power to inform Congress about the State of the

Union• Is the legislative leader of the majority party (e.g.

power to sign or veto laws)• Grants pardons and reprieves• Power to nominate federal judges• Prepares the budget of the nation

The White House

Checks and Balancespage 86

• The system that balances the three branches of government, so no one person or group is able to dominate the others.

Examples of checks:1. on the judicial branch- the president appoints

the federal judges and Congress approves them. Congress can also impeach them.

2. on the legislative branch- the president can veto laws.

3. on the executive branch- Congress can impeach the president.

4. on the executive and legislative branches- judicial review

Checks and Balances

NATIONAL

GOVERNMENT

STATE

GOVERNMENTSBOTH

CONCURRENTPOWERS

RESERVED POWERS

- PROVIDE SCHOOLS

- CONDUCT ELECTIONS

DELEGATED POWERS

- DECLARE WAR

- PRINT MONEY

- REGULATE BANKS

- COLLECT TAXES

- BUILD ROADS

Amendmentspage 13

Which one is the only one to be repealed?

18th- prohibition of alcohol

What did the 17th amendment do?

allowed U.S. senators to be elected by the people

Which one ensured women’s suffrage?

19th

U.S. flagpage 41

What is the proper way to dispose of a flag?

burn it

Good luck!

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

PROBLEMS

1. STRONG STATESVS.

STRONG CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

2. LARGE STATES VS.

SMALL STATES

3. NORTHVS SOUTH

COMPROMISES

1. GREAT COMPROMISE

2. 3/5 COMPROMISE

GOVERNMENT

1. FEDERAL SYSTEM

2. SEPARATION OF POWERS

3. CHECKS AND BALANCES

the u.s. constitution test on thursday, october 25, 2007

Documents

articles of confederationthe

plan of government

state governments

branches of government

united states constitutionpage

strong national government

weak national government

state legislaturesd