The+Constitution

toc =THE CONSTITUTION= The Framers were dissatisfied with the United States under the Articles of Confederation, but they felt that what they had was the best they could have, up to now. They were striving for something better... The new United States, under this new Constitution, would be more perfect. Not //perfect//, but more perfect.

The Constitution is the highest law in the United States. All other laws come from the Constitution. It says how the government works. It creates the Presidency. It creates the Congress. It creates the Supreme Court. Each state also has a constitution. The constitutions of the states are their highest law for that state — but the United States Constitution is higher. The Constitution can be changed. The Constitution is changed by an "amendment." Among the amendments is a list of the rights of the people. By listing these rights, they are made special. It is illegal for the government to violate those rights... Not all of them involve rights, but many do. The first ten amendments are special. They are called the Bill of Rights.
 * The Basics**

The Constitution was written by several committees over the summer of 1787, but the committee most responsible for the final form we know today is the "Committee of Stile and Arrangement". This Committee was tasked with getting all of the articles and clauses agreed to by the Convention and putting them into a logical order...The members were Alexander Hamilton, William Johnson, Rufus King, James Madison, and Gouverneur Morris. The actual text of the Preamble and of much of the rest of this final draft is usually attributed to Gouverneur Morris. //http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_pre.html//

=Preamble= //We the People of the United States, in Order 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 to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.//

=Resources= Text of the Constitution: History Alive Textbook pp. 474 - 481 Bill of Rights and later Amendments: History Alive Textbook pp. 482 - 488

Getting to know the Constitution - USE THIS AS YOUR STUDY GUIDE FOR THE QUIZ!!

Constitutional Vocabulary Handout = = Federalism Scenarios - Understanding the shared powers of government

=Legislative Branch= History Alive Textbook pp. 121 - 122 "Powers of Congress" packet //(in class handout)// How a Bill Becomes a Law handout

=Executive Branch= History Alive Textbook pp. 123 - 124 "Seven Roles for one President" //(in class handout)//

=Judicial Branch= History Alive Textbook pp. 124 - 125 How Cases Reach the Supreme Court //(in class handout)//

=The Bill of Rights=

=Previous Years Resources= = = "Meet the Cabinet" - empty template to open, fill out and save digitally...

"Meet the Cabinet" assignment page:

"Presidential Roles" Homework page

Who Votes? / Electoral College handout

Who Can be President? handout

=Simile Project= Simile Project on the Three Branches of Government with Rubric attached:

Ch 9 - The Constitution Study Guide

Ch 9 & 10 - The Constitution (Part 2) and the Bill of Rights Study Guide