Bell Work
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Bell Work
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“These principles form the bright constellation
which has gone before us and guided our
steps through an age of revolution and
reformation.”
Who do you think wrote this?
 What do you think they are talking about in each
phrase? Break it down and have thoughts ready!
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Chapter 3 Outline
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Tues. Bell Work
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Get Book: Have Jobs and policies out and
ready for checking
Chapter 3: The Constitution
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Six basic principles (1day)
Formal Amendment (1day)
Constitutional Change by other means (1day)
Section 1
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What are the important elements of the
constitution?
What are the six basic principles of the
constitution
Outline of the constitution
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The constitution sets out the basic
principles upon which government in the
U.S. was built
The Constitution is a fairly brief document
Organized into eight sections
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The Preamble and seven articles
Original document followed by 27
amendments
Articles of the Constitution (760-75)
Section
Subject
Preamble
Purpose of Const.
Article I
Leg. Branch
Article II
Executive Branch
Article III Judicial Branch
Article IV
Article V
Article VI
Article VII Ratifying the Const.
Summary/Facts
Summary/Facts for Articles
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Article #1-3 (Branch powers)
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Establishes the power granted to the 3
branches
Article 4 (State Relations)
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Relationships among the states and w/the
national government: states will accept others
laws and citizens will treat each other equally
across state lines
Summary/Facts for Articles
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Article 5 (Amending)
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Article 6 (Supreme law)
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Outlines the method for changing or amending the
constitution
Talks about assuming all prior debts (old). It sets the
Constitution and all laws and treaties of the U.S. to be
the supreme law of the country. Requires all officers
of the U.S. and of the states to swear an oath of
allegiance
Article 7 (Ratification)
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Outlines the method for ratifying the Constitution
Basic Principles
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The Constitution is
built on Six basic
principles
These principles have
been an enduring and
flexible guide for
governing our nation
for over 200 years
Basic Principles
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Popular Sovereignty
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“We the people”
Asserts the “people” are the source of any and all government
power.
Idea that government can exist only with the consent of the
governed
Limited Government
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Government has only as much authority as the people give it.
Government is restricted in what it can do
Constitution is made up of specific limitations on government
power
Each individual has rights the government cannot take away
Basic Principles
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Separation of Powers
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Three branches of government are independent and
coequal
Intended to prevent misuse of power by one branch
Checks and Balances
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Allows branches to check or restrain the actions of
one another
Each branch has built in authority over another.
Prevents tyranny (misuse) by one branch
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Know and understand concept on pg.68
Basic Principles
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Judicial Review
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Court has power to determine constitutionality of
governments actions
Holds government responsible to the constitution
Federalism
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Powers divided b.t. central government and smaller
local governments.
Ensures Central government is powerful enough to be
effective, but not enough to overpower the
states/citizens.
Lesson Closing
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Due tomorrow at beginning of class
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This will either be HW or Class-work
Make either a cartoon/sketch, or web diagram
showing one of the basic principles of the
constitution
Game outline
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Class divided into 6 teams (3 for per.4)
Each team gets one of the 6 basic principles
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Your team needs to Write/Draw three clues for that principle. (Written
clues have 2 word max)
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3 Clues will be assigned 1, 2, or 3 pts for difficulty.
Hand in completed index cards.
Game:
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These clues are either in “password” or “charades” form. I.E. 1 word clues:
dog…..sound…=bark
Each player from a team will come up and draw from the pile of clues
If that player cannot place the clue under the correct Principle, then they
may ask a teammate to come up and help for ½ the points
If a player yells or attempts to contact another player for help during any
part of the game, that attempt is done and the card will be placed back in
the stack.
Team w/ most points at end wins automatic 100% grade and treat on
Monday
This is a project grade in the grade-book and your participation, behavior, or
lack of participation will all be taken into account!
Bell Work.
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L-J #1
Bell Work
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Read Face the Issues on pg. 71
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Answer ?s: TPS
Schedule
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What are the different ways to formally
amend the constitution
How many times has it been changed?
What is the bill of rights
Face the Issues
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Why do supporters of gun rights point to early
English law to support their arguments?
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To show that the 2nd amendment has roots in the
1600s, and that the right to bear arms to defend
oneself was part of English law the constitution was
based on.
Is public safety a sound reason for limiting
constitutional rights? Why/why not?
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Public safety could be sound reasoning to limit the 2nd
amendment b/c provides the greatest good for the
greatest number of people.
Amending the Constitution
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The constitution provides for its own
amendment; a changing in its written
words.
Article V: Read Article V on pg. 770
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Sets out two methods for the proposal of an
amendment and two methods for the
ratification of amendments
Creating four possible methods of formal
amendment to the constitution
Amendment Process
1.
2.
Proposed by 2/3 vote in each house of
congress and ratified (formally approved)
by ¾ of state legislatures (26/27
amendments)
Proposed by 2/3 vote in congress and
ratified by ¾ of state legislatures in a
convention called for that purpose
1.
21st amendment
Amendment Process
3.
4.
Amendment proposed by national
convention called by congress at request
of 2/3 of state legislatures, then ratified
by ¾ of state legislatures (never done)
Proposed by national convention at
request of 2/3 of state legislatures, then
ratified by conventions in ¾ of states
1.
Method in which Constitution was adopted
Amendment Process
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Look at Diagram on pg. 75 and answer
question
How does the formal amendment process
illustrate federalism?
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Both the national and state governments are
involved in the process.
Bill of Rights
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1st ten amendments to the constitution
Set out constitutional guarantees of
various freedoms
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Belief and expression
Freedom and security of the person
Fair and equal treatment before the law
Read The later amendments and outline
some of the major amendments.
Lesson Closing
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L-J#2
Work on Worksheets
Bell Work
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Bell Work: Look up and be able to answer these
questions with your table partner (s)
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What are the three broad freedoms protected by the bill
of rights?
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How many amendments to the constitution? What are
1st 10?
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Belief and expression
Freedom and security of the person
Fair and equal treatment before the law
27: first ten are bill of rights
Describe 2 of 4 methods of formal amendment
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Proposed 2/3 house, ratified by ¾ of states
Proposed 2/3 of house, ratified by conventions in ¾ states
Proposed @ nat’l convention 2/3, ratified by ¾ states
Proposed @ nat’l convention 2/3, ratified by conventions in ¾
states
3.3 Key Idea
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The 27 formal amendments have not been
as important a part in shaping, and
keeping up to date, the constitution as
many think. Realistically informal changes
that have taken place as a result of the
day-day and year-year activities of the
government are most important!!
3.3 Lecture Activity
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Becoming Experts!!
You will separate into
assigned groups. Each
group will have a
recorder, leader, and
presenter (or 2) that
need to be identified
early in the group.
Once you have your
sheet completed come
record it on the board
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Group One
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Group Two
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Basic Legislation
Executive and Judicial
Actions
Group Three
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Party Practices and
Customs
Legislation
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Important in two ways
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Has passed a number of laws that helped
spell out several of the constitutions brief
provisions
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Examples include est. lower courts, est. the many
executive offices, and est. succession of
presidency is the v.p. died as well
Has added to the constitution by passing
many laws over areas the constitution granted
it power.
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Especially foreign/interstate commerce.
Executive and Judicial
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Executive offices effect
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Use of implied powers or by “scooting” by with
outside powers granted them.
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Power to declare war only to congress in Constitution; but
president is Commander in Chief and he can then use the
armed forces w/out declaration by congress
Use of executive agreements: used instead of treaties to
avoid needing senate approval
Judicial
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Have the ability to interpret and apply the constitution
to laws. Can declare laws unconstitutional
Established Supreme court as superior authority
Party Practices/Customs
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Practices
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Everything in government is ran through some sort of
party lines
National conventions (never outlined in constitution)
are now the ways presidents are nominated
Electoral college is now the final approval for the
president; far from what it was initially intended.
Customs
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Introduction of the cabinet is the biggest example of
how they have changed the constitution
Senatorial Courtesy is another example
Lesson Closing
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Start on study guide
L-J #3