Structure of the Constitution
Chapter 3 Section 3
Vocabulary:
• Preamble – opening section of a document
• Amendment – any change to the Constitution
• Bill of Rights – 1st 10 Amendments to the
Constitution
• Income Tax – a tax on people’s earnings
Vocabulary (continued):
• Implied Powers – powers not specifically
written in the Constitution
• Expressed Powers – powers that are
specifically written in the Constitution
1. What is the main purpose of the
Constitution?
• To provide a framework for the United States
Government
– It states how the government should be set up
and ran
2. What are the 3 parts of the
Constitution?
• Preamble
• Articles
• Amendments
3. Where does the government’s power
come from according to the Preamble of
the Constitution?
• The citizens of the United States
• This is the idea of Popular Sovereignty – the
government gains its power from the will of
the people
4. How many articles are there in the
Constitution?
7 Articles
5. What branch of government did the
Framers intend to have the leading role in
government?
The
Legislative
Branch
6. What are the two houses in the
legislative branch? What do they have
the authority to do according to the
Constitution?
• The Senate and The House of Representatives
• They have the power to make all laws
7. Who is in charge of the executive
branch? What is their job according to the
Constitution?
• The President and Vice-President of the
United States
• To enforce the laws
8. What does Article III call for in the
judicial branch? What is their job
according to the Constitution?
• A Supreme Court
• To interpret the laws, to determine if the laws
are fair and Constitutional
9. What must the states do according to
Article IV?
• All states must respect the laws of the other
states
• This article also promises the states protection
by the United States Military
10. Article V sets rules for what?
• Amending or changing the Constitution
11. What is the Constitution according to
Article VI?
• The Supreme Law of the land
• Also Known as the “Supremacy Clause”
12. How many times has the Constitution
been amended?
27 times
13. What are the first 10 amendments
called?
The Bill of
Rights
14. What is the 16th amendment? Why is it
important?
• It allows the federal government to collect
taxes on the income of its citizens (Income
Tax)
• This is where the government makes most of
its money to operate
15. What are the 2 steps to amending the
Constitution?
• An amendment needs to be presented for
proposal to congress
• Then the states need to ratify the amendment
16. What are the 2 methods for proposing
an amendment?
• By congressional action – 2/3 of congress
approve of the amendment
• By national convention – this needs to be
requested by 2/3 of congress
17. What are the 2 methods states can use
to ratify an amendment?
• They can vote on it in their state legislature
• They can call a special state convention
18. How many states must ratify an
amendment before it becomes a law?
• 3/4 of the states must ratify the amendment
in order for it to become law
19. What is the Necessary and Proper
Clause?
• It allows congress to have powers that are not
specifically written in the Constitution
• These powers are called implied powers
20. What is a loose interpretation of the
Constitution?
• When people believe Congress should have the
power to act an needed even if the powers are
only implied in the Constitution
• Strong belief in “Necessary and Proper”
• Loose Interpretation = Liberal
• Usually Democrats
21. What is a strict interpretation of the
Constitution?
• When people believe that the only powers that
congress should have are written in the
Constitution.
• Written powers are called expressed powers
• Strict Interpretation = Conservative
• Usually Republicans
22. What part of government has the final
authority on interpreting the Constitution?
The Supreme
Court