U.S. Constitution
2011
Founding Fathers
What did they create?
The Articles of
Confederation was not
working.
The new Constitution was a
blue print for protection of
democratic freedoms.
It also strengthened the
federal/central government
over state governments.
Articles of Confederation- States
had the Power!
Checks & Balance = no “all
powerful” government.
The Constitution
strengthened the central
government of the U.S.; it
established a strong
central government.
Framers did fear an “all
powerful” central
government, thus
including “checks &
balances” in the central
government.
Three Parts to the Constitution
The Constitution is organized into three parts:
Preamble: Describes the purpose of the document and
government.
Articles: Establish how the government is structured
and how the Constitution can be changed. There are
seven articles.
Amendments: Changes to the Constitution; the first
ten are called the Bill of Rights.
Preamble of Constitution
“ We the People of the United States, in Order to
form a more perfect Union, establish Justice,
insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the
common defence, 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.”
What are the “Articles”?
The US Constitution contains 7 articles:
Article 1 deals with the Legislative branch;
Article 2 is the executive branch;
Article 3 is the Judicial branch;
Article 4 is federalism;
Article 5 is the Amendment process;
Article 6 is the supremacy clause.
Article 7 article is the ratification of the Constitution.
The Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first
ten amendments to the Constitution, which limit the
power of the U.S. federal government.
These limitations serve to protect the natural rights of
liberty and property including freedoms of religion,
speech, a free press, free assembly, and free association,
as well as the right to keep and bear arms.
Assignment for International
Relations
Click on Constitution on line from my website. Go do
to the following articles:
Article 2: Executive Branch
Section 1: The President- requirements to be president.
Section 2: Appointments, Cabinet and military power.
Students should take notes on the aspects of the
president’s responsibilities that relate to foreign policy.
Assignment for Global Studies
Click on the Time Magazine link on my website.
Click on the picture on the right for the Bill of Rights
Watch the videos on each and take a few notes.
Constitutional Originalists
Strict interpretation
Those that believe the document should be interpreted only
as the drafters understood it.
Tea Party- opening day of new republican Congress, started
with a reading of all 7,200 words of an amended
constitution.
This group believes the constitution was written explicitly
for one purpose- restrain the government. Less government,
less social programs etc.
In fact, the Constitution really strengthened the federal
government.