The Constitution Test

Dates: November 4
th
, 6
th
, and 10
th

Mr. Vanderporten
United States History
An Introduction
Following the Revolutionary War: state govt or central govt?

People favored a republic: a government in which citizens rule
through their elected representatives

States draft their own constitutions, differed from state to
state (A-A, white males, property owners, etc.)

Continental Congress (Govt at the time),
tries to draft a nationwide Constitution

Create the Articles of Confederation

Split power between state/national
government


Articles of Confederation
Articles need to be changed!!!!!

1. Congress could not collect taxes

2. No national unity!

3. Each state only has one vote in Congress

4. Cant pay off debts (Rev. war=$190 million)

5. Foreign relations problems (Britain/Spain)

WE NEED A STRONGER GOVERNMENT!!!!!
Basic Facts about the Constitution
Written by James Madison of Virginia

Constitution becomes official June 21
st
, 1788
Constitution/Preamble (pg. 154)
Broken into three parts: Preamble, Articles, and Amendments

1. Preamble
a. States the purpose of the Constitution
b. Begins with three words-_________ ________ _______
c. Lists six goals of the Constitution
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


Exit Slip/Things to think about.
1. Should states with larger populations have
more influence on how this country is run?

2. Should individual states be able to make up
their own laws? (example: death penalty,
abortion, guns, etc.)

3. In your opinion, who has the most power in
this country? Who really controls this country?

4. Do you think people have the ability to
change the United States? If so, how?

Articles..there are seven!!!!
Remember the Constitution is broken into three parts: Preamble,
Articles, and Amendments.

Articles: Describe the sections of the govt,
what rules they have to follow to make the govt
work

States how the three branches of government
will work with each other

Articles: 1. The Legislature, 2. The Executive,
3. The Judiciary, etc.
Amendments.there are 27!!!
An Amendment makes changes or
additions to the Constitution

How do you make an
Amendment?!?!?!

Look at Article 5 (pg. 164)
Important Amendments to
know:
1-10: Bill of Rights

13
th
: Slavery is abolished

14
th
: Civil Rights

15
th
: Right to Vote for
African-Americans

18
th
: Prohibition (no alcohol)

19
th
: Womens Suffrage (right to vote)
Articles 1, 2, and 3
Articles set up how the govt is run

1. The Legislature: Congress= House of Representatives
and Senate

2. The Executive: The President


3. The Judiciary: The Supreme Court and
U.S. Courts
The Legislature
Makes the laws

Includes the two houses of Congress

Senate (100): Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk

House of Representatives (435)

Each state is entitled to at least one representative

Congress must meet at least one time a year!
The Legislature
The House of Representatives:
Who is the Presiding Officer?

The Speaker (John Boehner of Ohio, Republican)



The Senate: Who is the Presiding Officer?

The Vice-President of the United States
(Joe Biden of Pennsylvania, Democrat)
Name of the Two
Houses
House of Representatives Senate
Total Number of
Members
435 100
Number of
Members for EACH
STATE
Depends on
Population
Two per state
Requirements to
Run for Office
25 years old, 7 year
citizen, live in the
state
30 years old, 9 year
citizen, live in the state
Length of Term
Two years Six years
Number of Times to
be possibly Elected
Unlimited Unlimited
Presiding Officer
Speaker of the House Vice-President
Portion Elected
every two years
All One-third
REVIEW QUESTIONS!!!!
1. The United States provides for this number
of government branches?
2. The number of representatives a state receives depends on:
3. The primary writer of the constitution was:
4. The Constitution became the law of the land in which year?
5. The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution are
known as:
6. The legislative branch of our government is called:
7. Every two years, what portion of the U.S. Senate faces re-
election?
8. The term of a U.S. Representative is how long?
Articles 2 and 3
Article 2: Executive Branch (ENFORCES THE
LAWS)

Includes the President, Vice President, and the
Cabinet


Article 3: Judicial Branch (INTERPRETS THE
LAWS)

Includes the Supreme Court and U.S. Courts
Succession of the President
If the President can no longer serve.
Vice President Speaker of the
House
President
Pro tempore
Secretary
of State
Executive Branch (Yes or No)
1. Is the length of the presidents term set by the Constitution?
2. Does the number of electors that each state has in the
Electoral College vary from state to state?
3. Must national elections be held in November?
4. Can a 30 year old, natural born citizen hold the office of
president?
5. Can an 80 year old person who became a U.S. citizen at the
age of 21 hold the office of president?
6. Does a presidents salary always remain the same while in
office?
7. Must someone elected to the presidency take an oath before
taking office?
8. Can the president pardon someone convicted of treason?
9. Must the president report to Congress about how the nation
is doing?
10. Can a president convicted of bribery remain in office?
Executive Branch (pgs. 160-162)
Who is the
Executive Branch
Headed By:
The President of the United States
Commander in Chief of U.S. Armed Forces
Length of Term
4 Years
Number of Times
Possibly Elected
Two times
Maximum number
of years possible in
Office
10 Years
Name for Advisors
The Cabinet
Requirements 35 years old, natural born citizen, 14 year resident
Date term Begins:
January 20th
Review Questions!!!!!
1. The maximum number of years a president may remain in
office is?
2. If neither the president nor the vice president can serve,
the position would be filled by whom?
3. How many Articles are in the U.S. Constitution?
4. The Commander-in-Chief of the United States Armed
Forces is the..?
5. The maximum number of terms a U.S. Senator can serve
is.?
6. The power to make our countrys laws is granted to?
7. The number of judges on the Supreme Court is?
8. How is the number of representatives from each state
determined?
9. The total membership in Congress is?
10. The presiding officer of the House of Representatives is?
Electoral College
Elects the President and
Vice President Team

Each state has a number of electors, need 270 to
win.

What is the equation? Number of Senators +
Representatives = Electoral Votes

If there is no majority of electoral votes, the House
of Representatives elects the President.
Senators (2) + H. of Rep. =
Electoral Voters
2012 Election Results

Article 3: Judicial Branch
Article 3: Judicial Branch
The only court mentioned in the Constitution is the
Supreme Court

Judicial Branch= The Supreme Court and U.S. courts

There are 9 Supreme Court Justices

Judges are appointed by the president and approved by
the Senate

Judicial Review: the power of the Supreme Court in
deciding the constitutionality of a law or treaty.

The Judicial Branch interprets the laws
The Supreme Court
How many justices
are in the Supreme
Court?
9
Requirements Good Behavior
Length of term LIFE
Who appoints
judges?
President
Who approves
judges?
The Senate
But what about the States?!?!?!
States!!!!
A state can collect taxes, build roads, and
establish schools. It cannot grant titles of
nobility (No Princes, Dukes, Queens, etc.)

Only Congress has the right to admit new
states!!!!!

The Chief Executive Officer of the state is
the Governor (Gov. Pat Quinn)

The number of President Electors a state gets is the same
as the number of its Senators and Representatives.

Extradition: a person accused of a crime in one state may not
escape justice by hiding out in another state.

Constitutional Vocabulary
Treason: The offense of acting to overthrow ones
government or to harm or kill its sovereign;
the betrayal of a trust or confidence. The only crime
mentioned and defined in the United States Constitution.

Impeachment: Removal from office for conviction of
treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors.

The House has impeached two presidents, neither had to
leave office. Has to be approved by the Senate.

Writ of Habeas Corpus: Person under arrest has the right
to be seen before a judge or into court.
First Amendment (1791)
Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the
press; or the right of the people
peaceably to assemble, and to
petition the government for a
redress of grievances.
Does Chase have the right to
wear the t-shirt?
Amendments
There are 27 total! The first 10 are called the Bill of
Rights

Remember: The broad purposes the Constitution is
intended to serve are stated in the Preamble

1
st
Amendment: Congress shall make no law
restricting free exercise of religion, free speech,
freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly

14
th
Amendment: Requires states to grant all of its
citizens due process of law and equal protection
under the law, regardless of their race.
Amendments
17
th
Amendment: Gives the people (voters) the
right to elect their Senators directly

18
th
Amendment (1919): Prohibition- gave
Congress the power to prohibit the making,
selling, or transporting of alcoholic beverages

Would be REPEALED by the 21
st
Amendment in
1933

19
th
Amendment (1920): Suffrage is granted to
women. THE RIGHT TO VOTE!
So what can the Legislative
Branch do?????
Legislative Branch
Congress can regulate banks, tax incomes, and
coin money

It cannot set up a religion

Congress can declare war
Checks and Balances
On the Judicial Branch: The President appoints
the federal judges and Congress approves them.
Congress can also impeach them.

On the Legislative Branch: The President can veto laws.

On the Executive Branch: Congress can impeach the
President.

On the Executive/Legislative Branches: Judicial Review

Supreme law of the land is federal law
Constitutional Vocabulary
Lame duck: A person who is still in office,
but has not been reelected to a new term .
Constitutional Vocabulary
Elastic Clause: Congress can expand
its powers.
Constitutional Vocabulary
Ex post facto law: A law that sets penalty for an
act that was legal when it took place. Banned in
the Constitution.