The Constitution
Packet 3
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution
The Constitution
(has 3 main parts)
Part 1
The Preamble:
Describes the purpose of
the document and government
The most important part of our
government?
The people
Part 2
The 7 articles
Establish how the government is
structured and how the
Constitution can be changed.
There are seven articles
These 7 articles:
1. The powers and duties of Congress (the Legislative
Branch) and how they carry out their powers.
2. The powers and duties of the president and his staff
(the Executive Branch) of the United States.
3. The powers and duties of the country’s court system
(the Judicial Branch).
4. Explains how states should work together for the good
of the country.
5. How the Constitution can be changed (amended).
6. The nation as a whole is more important than each
state.
7. Everyone was OK with all this and it was going to be
approved
Part 3
The Amendments
Changes to the Constitution
the first ten are called
the Bill of Rights
The National Archives
(in Washington D.C.)
The National Archives is the U.S. Government’s collection of documents that
records important events in American history. The National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) is the Government agency that preserves and maintains
these materials and makes them available for research.
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Some of the more interesting documents
at the National Archives
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Declaration of Independence
Articles of Confederation
The Constitution
Bill of Rights
Louisiana Purchase
List of Lewis's Purchases
District of Columbia
Emancipation
• Emancipation Proclamation
• Abolition of Slavery
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Check for Alaska
Edison's Light Bulb Patent
Zimmermann Telegram
Women's Right to Vote
Social Security Act
FDR's "Day of Infamy"
Speech
Brown v. Board of Education
A Letter from Jackie
Robinson
Voting Rights Act
Apollo 11 Flight Plan
Elvis’s Letter to President
Nixon
Declaration of Independence
• Q. Is anything written on the back of the
Declaration of Independence?
• A. Yes, there is writing on the back of the
original, signed Declaration of Independence.
But it is not invisible, nor does it include a map,
as the Disney feature film, National Treasure,
suggests. The writing on the back reads
"Original Declaration of Independence, dated 4th
July 1776," and it appears on the bottom of the
document, upside down.
Declaration of Independence
• Q. Is the original Declaration of
Independence written on paper?
• A. No, the original was engrossed on parchment
which is an animal skin specially treated with
lime and stretched to create a strong, longlasting writing support. The printed version is on
paper and was read aloud from town squares
throughout the colonies, so that those who could
not read would receive the news about intended
separation from England.
Declaration of Independence
• Q. Do other copies of the Declaration of
Independence exist?
• A. Yes, there are 25 copies known to exist of what is
commonly referred to as "the Dunlap broadside," 20
owned by American institutions, 2 by British institutions,
and 3 by private owners.
• The Dunlap Broadside copies were printed on paper on
the night of July 4,— and thus are contemporary with the
original Declaration that is engrossed on parchment.
National Treasure