Unit 2: Constitution Scavenger Hunt
Name:
Hour:
DIRECTIONS: Using your copy of the Constitution on pg. 68-86, answer the following questions.
Article I- ____________________________ Branch
1.
How often are representatives elected?
EVERY 2 YEARS
2.
How old must a Representative be to be elected?
25 YEARS OLD
3.
How long is the term for a Senator?
6 YEARS
4.
How were Senators originally chosen? Which amendment changed that?
BY STATE LEGISLATURES – 17th AMENDMENT (NOW ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE)
5.
How old does someone have to be to be a senator?
30 YEARS OLD
6.
Who is the president of the Senate and when may that person vote?
VICE PRESIDENT – WHEN THERE IS A TIE
7.
Which legislative body has the power of impeachment and which body has the power to try an impeached official?
IMPEACH?
HOUSE OF REPS. HAS THE POWER TO IMPEACH
SENATE TRIES AN IMPEACHED OFFICIAL
8.
Who shall officiate when the President is tried for impeachment?
THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
9.
What is the required vote that is necessary to convict someone who has been impeached?
2/3rd VOTE IS NECESSARY TO CONVICT (66 OUT OF 100)
10. What is the only penalty that can be imposed on someone who is impeached?
REMOVED FROM OFFICE AND PREVENTED FROM HOLDING ANOTHER FEDERAL POSITION
11. Who decides the times, places, and manner for holding elections for Congress?
EACH STATE LEGISLATURE DECIDES ITS OWN RULES (CONGRESS CAN OVERRULE STATE ELECTION LAWS)
12. In what federal body do all bills concerning taxes/revenue originate?
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
13. What fraction of both houses must vote to override a veto?
VETO?
2/3rd VOTE BY BOTH HOUSES TO OVERRIDE A PRESIDENT’S VETO
14. What happens when a president does not return a bill in 10 days and what is the exception to that rule?
THE BILL AUTOMATICALLY BECOMES A LAW
*EXCEPTION: IF CONGRESS HAS ADJOURNED, THE BILL DIES (“POCKET VETO”)
15. In Section 8, the Constitution lists or enumerates the powers of Congress. List 6 of them.
1.
POWER TO TAX
2.
POWER TO BORROW (BONDS)
3.
REGULATE FOREIGN AND INTERSTATE COMMERCe
4.
ESTABLISH NATURALIZATION LAWS
5.
COIN MONEY AND REGULATION OVER THIS (FEDERAL RESERVE- regulates the economy)
6.
PUNISH COUNTERFEITING
7.
CREATE AND REGULATE A POST OFFICE
8.
PASS COPYRIGHT AND PATENT LAWS
9.
ESTABLISH FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM
10. PROTECT PEOPLE ON THE HIGH SEAS (Coast Guard)
11. POWER TO DECLARE WAR
12. CREATE AND MAINTAIN A STANDING ARMY
13. MAINTAIN A NAVY
14. MAKE RULES FOR THE ARMED FORCES
15. CREATE MILITIA (NATIONAL GUARD)
16. PASS RULES GOVERNING THE NATIONAL GUARD
17. MAKE LAWS FOR WASHINGTON, D.C.
18. MAKE ALL LAWS NECESSARY AND PROPER FOR CARRYING INTO EXECUTION THE ABOVE POWERS
16. In Section 8, which clause gives Congress the most general, non-specific powers?
CLAUSE 18- The Elastic Clause- “Necessary and Proper” Clause
17. In Section 9, there are three limitations on the power of Congress to deny the people rights. What are those three
limitations?
1. Writ of Habeaus Corpus- government can’t hold someone without reasonable evidence cause
2. Bills of Attainder- government cannot pass a laws which denies a jury trial
3. Ex Post Facto- government can’t make an act a crime after it has been committed Ex. Walking backwards Downtown
18. When may the writ of habeas corpus be suspended?
During times of war Ex. Prez. Lincoln
19. Name three limits on the powers of the states.
1.
Cannot conduct foreign affairs
2.
Carryon on a war
3.
Control interstate and foreign commerce
4.
Pass laws the federal government is prohibited from passing
5.
Levying duties(taxes) on imports and exports
6.
Maintain an army or nazy or go to war
7.
Collect fees from foreign vessels
8.
Cannot make treaties with other countries
Article II- EXECUTIVE Branch
20. How old does someone have to be to be elected President?
35 YEARS OLD (SERVES 4 YEAR TERMS- LIMITED TO 2 TERMS)
21. How is it determined how many electors each state has?
TOTAL AMOUNT OF SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH STATE
22. Name 3 Powers of the President.
l. Be commander in chief of the Army and Navy when called into service.
2. Require the opinion of the principal officer in each executive department.
3. Have power to grand reprieves and pardons.
4. Make treaties.
5. Nominate and appoint ambassadors, judges of the Supreme Court and all other officers of the
United States.
6. Fill up all vacancies during the recess of the Senate.
7. Give to Congress information of the state of the union.
8. Recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.
9. On extraordinary occasions convene both Houses, or either of them.
10. Receive ambassadors and other public ministers.
11. Take care that the laws be faithfully executed.
12. Commission all the officers of the United States.
23. Name the body of Congress that must approve a treaty that the President has negotiated and the fraction of the vote they
must approve it by.
TAKES A 2/3rds VOTE BY THE SENATE TO APPROVE A TREATY
24. Which body of Congress approves nominations by the president?
TAKES A 2/3rds VOTE BY THE SENATE TO APPROVE A NOMINATION
25. When can the President appoint people without approval by anyone else?
HE CAN TERMPORARILY APPOINT OFFICIALS TO FILL VACANCIES WHEN CONGREE IS NOT IN SESSION
26. What can a President or other officers be impeached for?
CONVICTION OF TREASON, BRIBERY, HIGH CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS
Article III – Judicial Branch
*Interpret the laws (power to declare a law constitution or unconstitutional)
*Lower courts settle disputes
27. What is the term of office for Supreme Court justices? When can they be removed?
THEY SERVE FOR LIFE BUT CAN BE REMOVED FOR BAD BEHAVIOR (TREASON)
28. Who gets to decide how many federal courts we have?
 CONGRESS ESTABLISHES LOWER FEDERAL COURTS
29. In which cases does the Supreme Court have original jurisdiction?
Original Jurisdication= authority to hear a case for the first time
US SUPREME COURT HEARS CASES INVOLVING AMBASSADORS & OTHER HIGH OFFICIALS
30. What must be necessary to convict someone of treason?
TWO WITNESSES TO TESTIFY THAT TREASON HAS BEEN COMMITTED
Article IV
31. What is the topic of Article IV?
RELATIONS AMONG THE STATES
32. What does the Constitution say about how one state must regard the laws of another state?
STATES MUST RECOGNIZE THE LAWS AND COURT DECISIONS OF OTHER STATES
33. Explain Privileges and Immunities.
EACH STATE’S CITIZENS RECEIVE EQUAL TREATMENT IN ALL STATES
Ex. Same-Sex Marriage???????????
34. What limitation is put on admitting new states to the Union?
CONGRESS HAS POWER TO ADMITT NEW STATES
Article V- Changing the Constitution
35. What fraction of the houses of Congress is necessary to approve a proposed Amendment?
It takes a 3/4th vote to approve a proposed amendment
36. What fraction of states must approve a proposed amendment for it to be ratified?
It takes a 3/4th vote by state ratifying committees
37. What fraction of the states can ask for a convention to propose new amendments?
It take 2/3rd of the the states in support of a propose an amendment to call a Convention to
discuss a possible change to the Constitution
38. What is the only limitation in the Constitution as to what can be the basis of an amendment?
An amendment that would ban the slave trade could not be added before 1808
Article VI
39. What does the Constitution say about which law shall predominate if there is any conflict between laws?
The Constitution is the “supreme law of the land” meaning that no law can conflict
40. What qualification for holding any public office is forbidden?
No religious test
Article VII
41. How many states had to ratify the Constitution for it to become law?
9 states had to ratify (*remember RI left the Constitutional Convention so total of only 12 states)
27 total Amendments
First 10 Amendment Bill of Rights, added in 1791
42. Name the five basic civil liberties guaranteed in the First Amendment.
1. Speech
2.
Religion
3.
Press (news)
4.
Assembly (right to get together)
5.
Petition (ask the government for change- signatures/message)
43. 26th Amendment (1971) Which amdndment extended the vote to 18 year olds?
44. 8th Amendment (1791) Which amendment outlaws “cruel and unusal punishments?”
45. 13th Amendment (Civil War Amendments 13, 14, 15- 1865) Which amendment ended slavery?
46. Put the NINTH Amendment in your own words.
People’s rights are not limited to those mentioned in the Constitution.
47. Put the TENTH Amendment in your own words.
The states or the people retain all powers except those denied them or those specifically granted to the federal
government.
48.
Which Amendment prevents a citizen of North Carolina suing the state of Georgia?
th
49. 15 Amendment Which amendment said that states could not prevent people from voting based on their race?
50. 5th Amendment (Double Jeopardy) Which amendment said that a person could not be tried twice for the same crime?
51. When can the government take private property and what must government give the owners? Which Amendment
established this?
5th Amendment- Property can be taken for public use so long as people are compensated
52. What phrase is repeated both in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments?
Right to “due processs”- private property cannot be take without a fair trial (due process)
53. 14th Amendment (Civil War) Which amendment defined citizenship?
54. List the rights that the accused has when suspected of a crime.
Grand jury determines if enough evidence to take a case to trial (Amendment 5)
Right to a fair and speedy trial (Amendment 6)
55. 18th Amendment (prohibited) 21st Amendment (repealed or ended the 18th ) Which amendment prohibited alcohol? Which
amendment repealed its prohibition?
56. 19th Amendment (1920) Which amendment gave women the right to vote and in what year was it passed?
57. 22nd Amendment (1951) Which amendment decided that a person could only be president for 2 terms?
58. On what day does the Constitution state that a new president shall be inaugurated? Which amendment established this?
When must the new Congress meet?
20th Amendment “Lame-Duck Amendment” – Inauguration of President happens on January 20 th – New Congress must
meet on January 3rd or soon thereafter
59. Which amendment prevents the president and vice president from being inhabitants of the same state? In that same
amendment, who should choose the president if no one gets a majority in the Electoral College? And the vice president?
12th Amendment – House Chooses the President if no one get a majority – Senate chooses VP
60. 4th Amendment Which amendment requires a warrant to search someone’s property?
61. 16th Amendment Which amendment gave government the power to impose an income tax?
62. 25th Amendment Which Amendment establishes what to do if the president is incapacitated and can’t perform his duties?
63. (NOT IN CONSTITUTION) – DEFINE:
a.
Pluralitygreat number or part of something: a great number or part of something, particularly when this quantity
represents more than half the whole
b.
Majority
The greater number (2/3rds)
c.
Supermajority
a number that is much more than half of a total, esp. in a vote (3/4 of states must approve)
Extra Credit:
1. Who is known as "father of the Constitution"?
2. The essays urging ratification during the New York ratification debates were known as what?
3. Name two Federalists and two Anti-Federalists.
4. How many states were required to ratify the Constitution before it could go into effect?
5. Which were the last two states to ratify (after the new government had already begun to function)?