Our Living Constitution, Part 1
By Phyllis Naegeli
Our Constitution is alive! That's right. It is called a "living document." That's
because it can be changed. Since it was written, it has been changed twenty-seven
times. It's a good thing the framers thought about that back in 1787.
1
The first ten amendments contain the people's rights. They are called the Bill of Rights.
They are important freedoms.
2
Amendment 11 says states can't be sued in federal court unless they agree. It all
happened when a man from South Carolina sued the state of Georgia. The Supreme
Court said it had to hear the case. It decided against Georgia. People were mad. They
said the Supreme Court shouldn't have taken the case. Congress agreed. They passed
the 11th Amendment to make sure suits against states are heard in the state's courts.
3
Amendment 12 changed the way electors choose our president. Article II of the
Constitution gives the procedure for electors to choose a president. They would meet in
their state capitals and cast one ballot. The winner would be president. The runner-up
would be vice-president. At first it worked. Then, in 1800, there was a tie. The House
had to choose the president. It took thirty-six tries. The 12th Amendment says electors
will vote twice. First electors cast a ballot for president. Then they vote for vicepresident. This plan works better.
4
The next three amendments came after the Civil War. They are called "Reconstruction
Amendments." They helped reunite our country.
5
Amendment 13 ended slavery. President Lincoln had freed the slaves. Then we
needed a strong law to keep them free. The 13th Amendment made sure slavery would
never happen in America again.
6
Amendment 14 defined the rights of citizens. It also worked out some problems after
the Civil War. It made sure the former slaves had rights. All people born in the United
States would be citizens. This amendment said all people would be counted and
represented in Congress. Men aged twenty-one and over could vote. Confederate
leaders could not hold office again. Confederate debts became void. No one could
make a claim of loss because of the slaves being free. Congress said the Confederate
states had to agree to the amendment to come back into the Union.
7
Amendment 15 said that states could not use race, color, or being a former slave to
keep someone from voting. It didn't give anyone the right to vote. States could use other
ways of deciding who could vote. It was a start towards all eligible citizens being able to
vote.
8
The nineteenth century was over. It was a long time before another amendment was
needed. But our Constitution continued to be changed.
9
Copyright © 2012 edHelper
Name _____________________________
Date ___________________
Our Living Constitution, Part 1
1. What do we call the first ten
amendments to the Constitution?
The Articles of Confederation
The Bill of Rights
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution
2. According to the 11th Amendment,
which courts hear cases of a lawsuit
against a state?
The Federal District Courts
The courts in Washington, D.C.
The state's courts
The Supreme Court
3. What is the title given to the people who 4. What is the name given to the three
choose our president?
amendments passed after the Civil War
that helped reunite our country?
Elements
Revival Amendments
Elephants
Reconstruction Amendments
Electrics
Residual Amendments
Electors
Civil War Amendments
5. Amendment 13 ended slavery in
America.
False
True
6. Which of the following rights was
clarified in the 14th Amendment?
Women could vote
Free speech
Freedom of the press
Men aged 21 and over could vote
7. Amendment 15 gave all citizens the right 8. Amendment 13 was needed because
to vote.
______.
False
The slaves in the North were not
free.
True
Female slaves were not free.
We needed a strong law to make
sure slaves were free.
All of the above
Our Living Constitution, Part 1
By Phyllis Naegeli
good
vice-president
void
reconstruction
claim
capitals
ballot
better
reunite
former
runner-up
framers
eligible
loss
nineteenth
procedure
Directions: Fill in each blank with the word that best completes the reading comprehension.
Our Constitution is alive! That's right. It is called a "living document." That's because it can
be changed. Since it was written, it has been changed twenty-seven times. It's a (1)
_______________________ thing the (2) _______________________ thought about that back
in 1787.
The first ten amendments contain the people's rights. They are called the Bill of Rights. They are
important freedoms.
Amendment 11 says states can't be sued in federal court unless they agree. It all happened when
a man from South Carolina sued the state of Georgia. The Supreme Court said it had to hear the
case. It decided against Georgia. People were mad. They said the Supreme Court shouldn't have
taken the case. Congress agreed. They passed the 11th Amendment to make sure suits against
states are heard in the state's courts.
Amendment 12 changed the way electors choose our president. Article II of the Constitution
gives the (3) _______________________ for electors to choose a president. They would meet in
their state (4) _______________________ and cast one ballot. The winner would be president.
The (5) _______________________ would be vice-president. At first it worked. Then, in 1800,
there was a tie. The House had to choose the president. It took thirty-six tries. The 12th
Amendment says electors will vote twice. First electors cast a (6) _______________________
for president. Then they vote for (7) _______________________ . This plan works (8)
_______________________ .
The next three amendments came after the Civil War. They are called "(9)
_______________________ Amendments." They helped (10) _______________________ our
country.
Amendment 13 ended slavery. President Lincoln had freed the slaves. Then we needed a strong
law to keep them free. The 13th Amendment made sure slavery would never happen in America
again.
Amendment 14 defined the rights of citizens. It also worked out some problems after the Civil
War. It made sure the former slaves had rights. All people born in the United States would be
citizens. This amendment said all people would be counted and represented in Congress. Men
aged twenty-one and over could vote. Confederate leaders could not hold office again.
Confederate debts became (11) _______________________ . No one could make a (12)
_______________________ of (13) _______________________ because of the slaves being
free. Congress said the Confederate states had to agree to the amendment to come back into the
Union.
Amendment 15 said that states could not use race, color, or being a (14)
_______________________ slave to keep someone from voting. It didn't give anyone the right
to vote. States could use other ways of deciding who could vote. It was a start towards all (15)
_______________________ citizens being able to vote.
The (16) _______________________ century was over. It was a long time before another
amendment was needed. But our Constitution continued to be changed.
Copyright © 2012 edHelper
Name _____________________________
Date ___________________
Our Living Constitution, Part 1
1. What do we call the first ten
amendments to the Constitution?
The Articles of Confederation
The Bill of Rights
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution
2. According to the 11th Amendment,
which courts hear cases of a lawsuit
against a state?
The Federal District Courts
The Supreme Court
The courts in Washington, D.C.
The state's courts
3. What is the title given to the people who 4. What is the name given to the three
choose our president?
amendments passed after the Civil War
that helped reunite our country?
Electors
Reconstruction Amendments
Elephants
Residual Amendments
Elements
Revival Amendments
Electrics
Civil War Amendments
5. Amendment 13 ended slavery in
America.
False
True
6. Which of the following rights was
clarified in the 14th Amendment?
Freedom of the press
Men aged 21 and over could vote
Women could vote
Free speech
7. Amendment 15 gave all citizens the right 8. Amendment 13 was needed because
to vote.
______.
False
The slaves in the North were not
free.
True
Female slaves were not free.
We needed a strong law to make
sure slaves were free.
All of the above
Name _____________________________
Number
of Syllables
1.
ballot
2.
former
3.
better
4.
claim
Date ___________________
(Key 1 - Answer ID # 0423777)
Divide
into Syllables
5.
eligible
6.
procedure
7.
reunite
8.
reconstruction
9.
void
10. loss
Our Living Constitution, Part 1 Answer Key
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
The Bill of Rights
The state's courts
Electors
Reconstruction Amendments
True
Men aged 21 and over could vote
False
We needed a strong law to make sure slaves were free.
Our Living Constitution, Part 1
By Phyllis Naegeli
Answer Key
Our Constitution is alive! That's right. It is called a "living document." That's because it can be
changed. Since it was written, it has been changed twenty-seven times. It's a (1) good thing the
(2) framers thought about that back in 1787.
The first ten amendments contain the people's rights. They are called the Bill of Rights. They are
important freedoms.
Amendment 11 says states can't be sued in federal court unless they agree. It all happened when
a man from South Carolina sued the state of Georgia. The Supreme Court said it had to hear the
case. It decided against Georgia. People were mad. They said the Supreme Court shouldn't have
taken the case. Congress agreed. They passed the 11th Amendment to make sure suits against
states are heard in the state's courts.
Amendment 12 changed the way electors choose our president. Article II of the Constitution
gives the (3) procedure for electors to choose a president. They would meet in their state (4)
capitals and cast one ballot. The winner would be president. The (5) runner-up would be vicepresident. At first it worked. Then, in 1800, there was a tie. The House had to choose the
president. It took thirty-six tries. The 12th Amendment says electors will vote twice. First
electors cast a (6) ballot for president. Then they vote for (7) vice-president . This plan works
(8) better .
The next three amendments came after the Civil War. They are called "(9) Reconstruction
Amendments." They helped (10) reunite our country.
Amendment 13 ended slavery. President Lincoln had freed the slaves. Then we needed a strong
law to keep them free. The 13th Amendment made sure slavery would never happen in America
again.
Amendment 14 defined the rights of citizens. It also worked out some problems after the Civil
War. It made sure the former slaves had rights. All people born in the United States would be
citizens. This amendment said all people would be counted and represented in Congress. Men
aged twenty-one and over could vote. Confederate leaders could not hold office again.
Confederate debts became (11) void . No one could make a (12) claim of (13) loss because of
the slaves being free. Congress said the Confederate states had to agree to the amendment to
come back into the Union.
Amendment 15 said that states could not use race, color, or being a (14) former slave to keep
someone from voting. It didn't give anyone the right to vote. States could use other ways of
deciding who could vote. It was a start towards all (15) eligible citizens being able to vote.
The (16) nineteenth century was over. It was a long time before another amendment was
needed. But our Constitution continued to be changed.
Answers to Reading Comprehension Questions
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
The Bill of Rights
The state's courts
Electors
Reconstruction Amendments
True
Men aged 21 and over could vote
False
We needed a strong law to make sure slaves were free.
Answer Key
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
ballot
former
better
claim
eligible
procedure
reunite
reconstruction
void
loss
2
2
2
1
4
3
2
4
1
1
bal-lot
for-mer
bet-ter
claim
el-i-gi-ble
pro-ce-dure
re-unite
re-con-struc-tion
void
loss