Constitution Review
Test will be on_____________________________
Define or explain the following terms as related to the constitution.
Great Compromise: The plan accepted at the Philadelphia Convention that called for Congress to
have two houses: Senate (2) and House of Representatives (Based on Population). This resolved
the problem of representation.
The Constitutional Convention: Delegates from 12 states came to Philadelphia to frame the new
constitution.
Preamble: The introduction to the Constitution. The Framers stated the people established the
government and the listed the purposes of the government.
Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the Constitution. It contains the basic rights of
citizens.
*Federalism: The division of power between the state and federal government. The federal
government’s powers to make laws are listed in the Constitution and remaining powers are
reserved for the states.
Amendments: A change in or addition to a document.
Separation of Powers: Division of governmental power among several institutions that must
cooperate in decision making.
Checks and Balances: Constitutional mechanisms that authorize each branch of government to
share powers with the other branches and thereby check their activities.
The Three Fifths Clause: The part of the Constitution that counted each slave as 3/5ths of a
person to determine how many representatives a state would have in Congress.
Constitution: A set of rules and laws that tells how a government is organized and run.
Virginia Plan: The written plan for the new government James Madison presented at the
Constitutional Convention. It called for a strong government.
Common Welfare: Benefit or interest of a politically organized society as a whole.
Articles of Confederation: Our country’s first laws the joined our original 13 states.
Describe the three branches of government. Please describe who is in each branch, what
they do any restrictions on their position.
Legislative: This branch is the Congress which is made of 2 houses: Senate and House of
Representatives. Makes our nation’s laws. Congress members writes bills, then votes on whether
the bills should become new laws. It is sent to the President to review and he can veto a law. If
2/3rds of all Congress votes for a bill, this can override a President’s decision.
Executive: The President, Vice President and Cabinet members are part of this branch. They are
responsible for carrying out the laws. The President much either sign or veto all bills passed by
congress.
Judicial: This branch handles disagreements about the law. The Supreme Court is the highest in
the judicial branch. The Supreme Court can declare laws unconstitutional if justices decided
they do not agree with our Constitution.
At the Constitutional Convention, there were several key compromises. Describe compromises
made and how they affected the government.
One of the most important compromises was the Great Compromise which solved the problem
of representation. Congress would now have two parts: a Senate and House of Representatives.
The Senate protected the interests of the small states, while the House of Representatives
protected the interests of the larger states. Another compromise made at the convention was the
issue of slavery. Compromises made regarding slavery were: slavery was allowed to continue,
escaped slaves had to return to their owners, and counting slaves as 3/5ths a person to help the
Southern states send more representatives to Congress. The Southern delegates agreed to support
the Constitution because of theses compromises to slavery.
In the Constitution, several groups of people were left out. Describe how the Amendments to the
Constitution increased the rights of some of these groups. Be specific with Amendments and
their effect.
The Civil War Amendments gave the newly freed slaves the rights of citizens. The 24th
Amendment protected the black people’s right to vote, doing away with the poll tax, literacy
tests, and Grandfather clause. The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. Women had to
wait over a hundred years to vote. They were finally treated equally under the constitution. The
26th Amendment gave the young Americans to right to vote if they were 18 and older. Men who
were fighting in wars at 18 could now vote and did not have to wait until they were 21.
What responsibilities do you have to be a good citizen? Give at least five examples of citizen
responsibilities, common welfare or civic virtue.
An example of citizen responsibilities are educate yourself about the government, express your
thoughts about a problem or law you feel strongly about, participate in government or classroom
government by voting to protect your rights and common welfare. Ways of promoting common
welfare are volunteering your time in your neighborhood, become a leader that promotes
common welfare by doing your job well.
Pick one Amendment or group of Amendments and tell why they are important.
The Civil War Amendments are important because they gave the newly freed slaves the rights of
citizens. The 13th abolished slavery, The 14th made newly freed slaves citizens of the United
States, and the 15th said states could not deny the right to vote to anyone because of race, color,
or being a former slave. Although these amendments were made it did not stop states from
making laws about voting such as Poll Tax, Grandfather Clause and Literacy Tests.
What did you learn by doing the Constitution Play?
Personal to you.
The Preamble states:
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice,
insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, 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.
Select two italicized sections and explain what those sections mean to the citizens of the U.S.
In the preamble establish justice means we have a judicial system that will help make fair
decisions and handle problems among citizens. Insure domestic tranquility means to keep
happiness in the family and home a priority without the government interfering.
Think about LA
What Habits of Mind do you think our Founding fathers used? Give at least three
examples and be specific on how they used them.
*Persisting
*Metacognition
*Question and Problem Posing
*Applying Past knowledge to new situations