Constitution5

Constitution5 - Transcript

The Constitution
Chapter 2 Lesson 2
Here we go

Vocabulary
Constitution A written plan of government for the United States

Levels of Government
National State Local

Federal
A system in which states share power with a national government

Amendment
A change to the Constitution

Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments to the Constitution
1 2 3 4 5 Basic Freedoms Weapons Housing Soldiers Search and Seizure Rights of the Accused 6 Rights to a Fair Trial 7 Jury Trial 8 Bail and Punishment 9 People Power 10 State Power

Did You Know
Builders make a plan before they build a house The founders of the United States made the Constitution as a plan for the nation s government So the Constitution is the plan we use to run our country

Main Idea
The Constitution describes how the United States works

What is a Democracy

A Democracy is
When the people have the power to make political decisions These decisions include Making laws Electing leaders In America we help to make these decisions by exercising our right to vote

Did You Know
In the Preamble beginning of our Constitution the authors listed their goals for the United States They wanted citizens to Be safe Live in peace Have a good life

Branches of Government
The Constitution divides the national government into 3 parts or branches Legislative Congress Senate and House of Representatives Executive Lead by the President Judicial

Legislative Branch Congress
Makes laws Approves judges chosen by the President Raise money through taxes or by borrowing to pay for goods and services such as An army Roads National Parks

Who makes up the Legislative Branch Congress
Senate House of Representatives Senate House of Reps Legislative Branch Congress

Executive Branch
Lead by the President who is also commander of our military Suggests laws but only the Legislative Branch Congress can MAKE laws

Judicial Branch Made up of many courts across our nation
Decides the meaning of laws Decides if laws are being followed Hint The Judicial Branches judges

Question
What is known as the highest court in our land

Answer
The Supreme Court

Let s Review
What are the jobs of each branch of the national government

Legislative Congress
Makes laws Raises money through taxes or by borrowing

Executive Lead by the President
Suggests and carries out laws

Judicial
Decides the meaning of laws Decides whether laws are constitutional

What is another name for the Legislative Branch

Congress
Remember the Legislative branch is made up of both the Senate and the House of Representatives These two together are called CONGRESS So
Congress Legislative branch Senate House of Representatives Congress which Legislative branch Senate House of Representatives Congress Legislative branch are all the same Pretty cool huh

Congress is made up of 2 parts what are they
Hint Together they re called the Legislative Branch

Senate House of Representatives Remember Senate House of Reps Congress

What role do citizens play in a democracy

Citizens take part in making laws and choosing leaders

Why would the writers of the Preamble to the Constitution think it was important to live in peace

Americans had just fought the American Revolution and wanted to there to be peace in their new country

Why did early leaders write the Constitution

The nation needed a better plan of government than it had

Enough with the review already Let s move on
Limits on Government Ma in id e a T h e C o ns titutio n p uts lim its o n th e g o ve rnm e nt b ut wh y

T h e a uth o rs o f th e C o ns titutio n c re a te d a g o ve rnm e nt with 3 b ra nc h e s b e c a us e
T h e y wa nte d to m a ke s ure th e g o ve rnm e nt s p o we rs we re lim ite d No s ing le p e rs o n o r b ra nc h h a s th e p o we r to run th e Unite d S ta te s a lo ne

W h a t wo uld h a p p e n if o ne b ra nc h b e c a m e s tro ng e r th a n a no th e r

It wo n t b ut wh y
Hmmm

C h e c ks a nd Ba la nc e s
T h is ke e p s a ll 3 b ra nc h e s o f g o ve rnm e nt fro m g a ining p o we r o ve r e a c h o th e r

O p e n y o ur b o o k to P 4 4
Notice the diagram showing some of the ways each branch of our national government can check the power of the other 2 branches Pretty cool huh

T h e Fe d e ra l S y s te m
The U S has 3 branches of government We also have 3 levels of government National State Local

Let s talk about the national government s Federal responsibilities
The U S President is in charge Defending our country Printing money Running the Post Office Regulating trade between states National government has power over issues that affect the whole country

State Government s Responsibilities
The state s Governor is in charge Sets up schools Organizes local government Runs elections Regulates trade within the state State government has power over issues that affect its individual state

Responsibilities shared by both national and state governments
Collect taxes Pass laws Set up courts Borrow money

When a federal law and a state law do not agree the federal law must be obeyed

Local Government s Responsibilities
The City s Mayor is in charge
Provide police and fire protection Run public schools and libraries with help from state Provide public transportation Collect sales and property taxes

Le t s R e vie w
Wh y d id th e a uth o rs o f th e c o ns titutio n c re a te c h e c ks a nd b a la nc e s a nd a fe d e ra l s y s te m

T h e a ns we r is
T o lim it th e p o we r o f th e g o ve rnm e nt a nd th e b ra nc h e s o f g o ve rnm e nt

W h y d id th e C o ns titutio n s e t up a fe d e ra l s y s te m

T h e a ns we r is
S o th a t b o th th e na tio na l g o ve rnm e nt a nd th e s ta te g o ve rnm e nts h a ve p o we rs

W h a t la w h a s m o re a uth o rity wh e n th e re is a d is a g re e m e nt b e twe e n fe d e ra l a nd s ta te la w Wh y

T h e a ns we r is
T h e fe d e ra l la w Wh y T h e C o ns titutio n m a ke s fe d e ra l la ws s tro ng e r th a n s ta te la ws

C h a ng ing th e C o ns titutio n
C a n it b e d o ne Y e s Hm m m b ut h o w

To make an amendment to the Constitution
First Two thirds of the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate must agree with the amendment Then Three fourths of the states must ratify or officially accept the amendment

Good stuff to know
The authors of the Constitution knew the U S would grow and change So they included a way to add amendments changes to the Constitution People wanted the U S Constitution to list the rights of its citizens Thomas Jefferson wanted a bill of rights to guard people against the federal government

James Madison wrote the bill of rights
In 1791 the 10 amendments known as the Bill of Rights were ratified accepted

Who wrote the Bill of Rights
Hint His initials are J M

Answer James Madison
Can you identify the following amendments within the bill of rights First Amendment Fifth Amendment Tenth Amendment

First Amendment
Freedom of speech The right to assembly peacefully Freedom of religion

Fifth Amendment
No person shall be forced to be a witness against himself I plead the 5th

Tenth Amendment
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution nor prohibited by it to the states are reserved to the states respectively or to the people Now that s what I m talkin bout

What s up with that
In 1790 the Constitution did not protect the rights of ALL Americans Thousand of African Americans remained in slavery Some states allowed only WHITE MEN to vote The rights of women African Americans American Indians and poor people were NOT recognized

Changes made since then
Ideas about democracy have changed and the Constitution has changed with them And aren t we glad Different groups have fought for their rights and WON Can you name some of the changes

Let s Review
The federal government is divided into
Legislative branch Executive branch Judicial branch

Checks and Balances
Checks and balances keep any one branch from becoming too powerful

There are three levels of government
Federal President State Governor Local Mayor

Power
The Constitution divides power between the federal government and the states

Amendments
The Constitution can be changed by amendments

Question
Why does the Constitution include a way to make amendments

Answer
The Constitution includes a way to make amendments so changes can be made as the country grows and changes

Chapter 2 Lesson 2
The End See how much smarter you are