Transcript Chapter 4 - The Constitution

Warm up Activity:
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On you laptop, log into www.quia.com
Make sure to click on the “Class Web Page”
Complete the first activity,
Quiz_Ch 4_Constitutional Convention.
You many only use your Vocabulary
Foldable from yesterday….
Chapter 4
Note Page 15
“The Constitution”
Preamble
-An Introduction
-Gives the purposes and goals of
government
-We, the people of the United
States, in Order to from 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.
The Preamble Cont’d.
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States six purposes of government:
–“To form a more perfect Union”
–“To establish Justice”
–“To insure domestic Tranquility”
–“To provide for the common defense”
–“To promote the general Welfare”
–“To secure the Blessings of Liberty to
ourselves and our Posterity”
Parts of the Constitution
 Objective:
I will be able to
explain the
structure of the
U.S. Constitution
Purpose of the Constitution
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Framework for government
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Highest law in the nation
Constitution as a Framework
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The powers of all branches come from the
Constitution.
3 main parts:
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Preamble
7 Articles (main sections)
27 Amendments (changes)
Article 1
-Describes the Congress and its
powers (Legislative Branch)
-Divides Congress into two Houses
-Sets qualification and terms of
members (age, and how long serve)
-Describes law making process
-Delegates certain powers to
Congress
Ex.: taxation, borrow money,
regulate commerce, coin money,
declare war, establish military, do
anything “necessary and proper”
Article 2
-Describes the Executive Branch
(President/Vice Pres.)
-Term and Qualifications
-Electoral method described (later
amended)
-commander in chief
-make treaties, appoint officials
upon approval
-Execute the laws of the United
States (Enforces Laws)
-Impeachment process
Article 3
-Describes the Judicial Branch
(Judges)
-Term and qualification of judges
-Jurisdiction of Federal Courts
(which cases they can hear)
-Right to Trial by Jury in Federal
Cases
-Crime of Treason is defined
Article 4
-Describes the relationship of
states to one another and the
central government
-Full Faith and Credit clause
describes the legal relationship
between states (all states must
respect another’s laws!!)
-Extradition process described
-One nation or state
surrenders a criminal to another
-Addition of new states and
territories
-Guarantee of Federal protection
from invaders
Our Three Branches of Gov’t
Checks and Balances:
Article 5
-Describes the amendment process
(making a change to Constituion)
-sets up the two methods of
proposing an amendment
1.Proposed by 2/3 of Congress
2. Proposed by Convention
-never used
-sets up the two methods of
ratifying a new amendment
1.3/4 State Convention (1x)
2. 3/4 State Legislature
Article 6
-Describes the supremacy of the
Constitution and the national
government
-Statement that the Constitution
is the Supreme Law of the nation
(Supremacy Clause)= Federal law
is higher than State law!
-requirement of an oath of office in
all State and Federal positions to
support the Constitution
Article 7
-Describes the process of
ratification of this
Constitution
-Set up the approval method
for the Constitution
-Needed 9 of 13 states to
approve it
Your Assignment:
Complete the “Anatomy of the Constitution
Worksheet” as a review.
 This is a grade, you must complete it on
your own.
 It is found under the CLASS WEB PAGE
on www.quia.com
Worksheet_Anatomy of the Constitution
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