The Constitution
Includes the Bill of Rights
**Get out a sheet of paper to start our next unit**
Today we will do Assignment #2
Warm-up
Why do you think the Constitution of
the U.S. is so important?
 What are the main ideas it is based on?

The Constitution

The Constitution is broad, general, nonspecific and open to interpretation
– For Example: It says we have freedom of
speech, yet that there are limitations on
that freedom
– It does not outline exactly what we can and
cannot say. That needs to be determined
by who…???
Six Principles of the U.S.
Consitution
**The Constitution is based on Six Principles**
Popular Sovereignty
 Limited Government
 Judicial Review
 Separation of Powers
 Federalism
 Checks & Balances

Popular Sovereignty
The power of rule lies
within the hands of
the people
Limited Government
Government is not all
powerful; has limited
power
Judicial Review
The Judicial Branch (the courts) have the
right and the responsibility to check the
actions of the other two branches
(executive/president & legislative/congress)
to make sure they are constitutional
 Determined by court case Marbury v.
Madison in 1803 – the court ruled that what
the president did was unconsitutional
 (illegal)

Separation of Powers
(aka: The Three Branches)
Executive
commander
in chief
grants pardons
makes treaties
appoints executive officials,
federal judges, and
ambassadors
recommends legislation &
sees that all laws are
executed
supervises government
employees
establishes foreign policy
Legislative
lays
Judicial
and collects taxes
Interprets the Constitution
and the laws by hearing
borrows money
court cases
regulates foreign and
interstate commerce (trade
of goods & services)
coins money
sets up inferior courts
declares war
raises, supports,
maintains, disciplines &
organizes the army & navy
**See pg. 30 in your packet
STOP, DROP & DRAW!!
Draw one big circle map
and write “The Six
Principles of the
Constitution” as your
subject and using a
different color to
symbolize each
principle draw a symbol
for each principle we
have covered so far.
 Create a key/legend to
label which principle
each color represents

Federalism
(aka: Govt. power is divided into central and
state governments)
Some National/Federal
Powers
Regulate
Some Concurrent
(Shared) Powers
Some State Powers
commerce
Lay and collect taxes
Create school systems
Coin money
Set up courts
Enact marriage laws
Raise an army and navy Make and enforce laws
Establish local
governments
Establish a banking
Collect taxes Borrow
system
money
Protect public health
Acquire territory
Improve general
Regulate local business
welfare
Control immigration
Regulate trades and
Charter banks and
Professions
Wage war
another corporations
Create state
Make treaties
Take land for public use constitutions
Conduct elections
**See pg. 30 in your packet
STOP, DROP & DRAW!!
Now draw a symbol to
remember Federalism
in a different color
 Add this color to your a
key/legend and label
which principle it
represents

Checks & Balances
Branch
Responsible
Action
Branch that
checks
How action is
checked
Executive
Legislative
Sends Troops
Makes laws
Legislative
Executive
Judicial
Declares War
Executive
Vetoes laws
Legislative
Congress overrides
veto with 2/3 vote
Judicial
Interprets laws Executive
Grants pardons
Executive
Suggests annual
Must approve
Legislative
federal budget
Executive
Appoints executive
officials, federal
judges, and
ambassadors
**See pg. 31 in your packet
Recommends
&
Vetoes laws
Interprets laws
budget
Legislative
Senate must confirm
with majority vote
STOP, DROP & DRAW!!
Now draw a symbol to
remember Checks &
Balances in a different
color
 Add this color to your a
key/legend and label
which principle it
represents

Six Principles -- Review
Individually create a tree map with six
branches and first write the definition
of each principle.
 Then provide three examples and a
symbol for each – use your experience,
brain and notes on
pages 30-31!

Six Principles
of the
U.S.
Constitution
Checks &
Balances
3 Examples
(notes)
Judicial
Review
Popular
Soverignty
Court Case
(notes)
3 Examples
(brain, life
exp.)
Limited
Government
Separation of
Powers
Federalism
3 Examples
(brain, life
exp.)
3 Examples
(notes)
3 Examples
(notes)
Making a JUMBO
Tree Map
Each of the Six Principles is evident in
the writings of the Consitution
 After you complete your tree map, get
into groups of 4 and create one large
tree map on butcher paper that
highlights some specific examples of
the six principles in the Consitution.

Six Principles Debrief

Based on what you just learned about the
Six Principles of the U.S. Constitution, do
you agree or disagree with the Federalists
that the Bill of Rights was not needed in
the Constitution because it could not
abuse power?
The Constitution is the ‘Law of
the Land’
Who remembers how our highest legal
document is organized??
Outline of the U.S.
Constitution:









Preamble – Intro to Const. & states the
Purposes of Government
Article I – Legislative Branch
II. Article II – Executive Branch
III. Article III – J(g)udicial Branch
IV. Article IV – Relations Among States
Article V – Amendments (change)
VI. Article VI – Supremacy of National Law
VII. Article VII – Ratification (approve)
Bill of Rights & 17 Additional Amendments (27)
**LEGS Are Supremely Righteous
Bill of Rights
1st 10 Amendments
to the Constitution
 Outlines our
personal, individual
rights

Create your own Student Bill of
Rights

List 10 personal and
individual rights you
think should be each
students’ God-Given
rights
Amendment
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Bill of Rights
Explanation
Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, &
petition
Right to possess weapons
Citizens are not required to house soldiers
during peacetime or war
Protects people from unreasonable searches &
seizures
Protects the rights of the accused, includeing
required indictments, double jeopardy, selfincrimination, due process, and just
compensation of property
Bill of Rights – cont.
Amendment
Sixth
Seventh
Eighth
Ninth
Tenth
Explanation
Guarantees a speedy and public
trial, counsel, the confrontation by a
witness and the right to call one’s
own witness on their behalf
Right to a jury trial in civil cases
No excessive bail or cruel & unusual
punishment
Unenumerated Rights: Rights that are not
mentioned in the Constitution the people may
still have
Federalism/State’s Rights:Powers not given to
Additional Important Amendments
Amendment
Explanation
Thirteenth
Outlawed Slavery
Fourteenth
Equal rights of citizens (gave AA citizenship)
Equal Protection Clause
Due Process Clause
First attempt to give AA males the right to
vote
Fifteenth
Nineteenth
Gave women the right to vote
Twenty-Second
Presidential Tenure (2 terms)
Twenty-Fifth
Presidential Succession
The Bridge
Map
Vocabulary Development
STOP, DROP & DRAW!!
 Now
you try to
relate two
things

Do 3 Bridge maps
with your partner
***************


Ideas: Your mom, your
dog, food, clothes,
music, skateboarding,
sports, clubs…anything.
Just Think!!
Create a Constitution Book
Get 17 pieces of paper, fold them in half and
staple the book
 Include a cover page titled ‘The Consitution’
 Include one page for each of the following:

– Preamble
– 7 Articles
– 27 Amendments
What to include on each page of
your book…
Title
 Short Description
 Symbol
 Bridge Map
*For Amendments we did not cover, all
you need is the Title and the Symbol

Constitutional Amendment
2/3 vote in each
house of Congress
 ¾ of the total state
legislatures
State
National
Governor
President
State
Legislature
State
Senate
State
Assembly
U.S. Congress
Senate
House of
Representativ
es
State
Supreme
Court
U.S. Supreme
Court

Executive
– 3/4 out of 50 states Legislative
– State legislatures is
equivalent to the
state congress
Judicial
WATCH BILL!!!