• This Day in History 1/4/13
Friday
January 4, 2013
Which headline best
illustrates the system of
checks and balances?
A. "Senate Rejects Supreme Court Nominee"
B. "State Legislature Fails To Adopt
Budget on Time"
C. "Congress Votes To Reduce Income Taxes"
D. "United States Peacekeeping Troops Sent
to Bosnia"
•
Essential Question:
–What powers are granted to the
national government in the
Constitution?
Article I of the Constitution created the
Legislative Branch (Congress)
Congress has “expressed
powers” to make laws,
levy taxes, coin money,
regulate trade, declare war,
admit new states to the Union
The “Elastic Clause”
allows Congress to
create laws that are
“necessary and proper”
Congress is made up of the
House of Representatives and the Senate
The House of
Representatives is based
on state population size
Representatives serve
two year terms and
must be 25 years old
All revenue bills
must originate in the
House of Representatives
Congress is made up of the
House of Representatives and the Senate
Each state has two Senators
Senators serve six year
terms and must be
at least 30 years old
The Senate has the power
to approve treaties and
presidential appointments
Article II of the Constitution created the
Executive Branch which is made up of the
President, Vice-President, and bureaucracy
The role of the President is to enforce the law,
conduct foreign policy, serve as commander-in-chief
of the military, appoint judges and ambassadors,
provide leadership for the nation
The President is aided by numerous federal agencies
and 15 executive departments each with a
secretary who serves on the President’s cabinet
The President is elected to
a four year term and must
be a native-born American
at least 35 years old
The President is not
elected directly by the
people, but by an
Electoral College
Article III of the Constitution created the
Judicial Branch which is made up of
Supreme Court and other federal courts
There are no specific
The role of the judicial
branch is to interpret the qualifications to be a federal
judge; Judges serve for life
law and promote justice
The Supreme Court has
the power to declare
laws unconstitutional
(called judicial review)
The Supremacy Clause of Article V states that the
Constitution is the “the supreme law of the land”
From May to September 1787, the delegates
at the Constitutional Convention worked out a
framework for a new federal system of government
But, this plan for government had to
be ratified by 9 states if it was to
replace the Articles of Confederation
Many Americans were concerned about the possibility
of tyranny because the Constitution gave more power
to the national government over the states
Those who opposed
the Constitution,
feared a stronger
national gov’t , and
wanted states to
remain power were
called Anti-Federalists
The Anti-Federalists
were led by
Patrick Henry and
Samuel Adams
“Show me that age and
country where the rights
and liberties of the people
were placed on the sole
chance of their rulers being
good men, without a
consequent loss of liberty?”
Patrick Henry, speech in
opposition to the
Constitution, 1788
Those who supported
the new Constitution
and a stronger
national gov’t were
called the Federalists
Federalist leaders
James Madison,
Alexander Hamilton,
and John Jay wrote a
series of essays called
the Federalist Papers
to counter the
arguments of the
Anti-Federalists
“[If the] federal gov’t
is entrusted with the
care of the common
defense…that gov’t
ought to be clothed
with all the powers
requisite to complete
execution of its trust.”
(Federalist #23)
“Nothing is more certain
than the indispensable
necessity of government…
People must cede some of
their natural rights in order to
vest it with requisite powers.”
(Federalist #2)
“…the smaller the number
of individuals composing a
majority, the more easily will
they execute their plans of
oppression. Extend the sphere,
and you take in a greater variety
of parties and interests; you
make it less probable that a
majority of the whole will invade
the rights of other citizens.”
(Federalist #10)
Some states ratified the Constitution quickly, but
states with large majorities of Anti-Federalists
refused without a Bill of Rights to protect their liberty
New Hampshire was the 9th state to ratify the
In 1789, thewhich
Bill ofwent
Rights
was
introduced
Constitution
into
effect
in 1789,and
butthe
the
last twowanted
states ratified
the Constitution
1790
Federalists
all 13 states
to ratify theby
new
gov’t
The Bill of Rights was
approved in 1791
Today, the Constitution is the oldest existing written
gov’t in the world and is a model for other nations
Closure Activity: Create a symbol
or cartoon that describes the
main idea of each amendment
The first amendment of the
Constitution deals primarily with
A. states’ rights
B. property rights
C. rights of the accused
D. rights of self-expression