Bell Ringer
• What event helped Americans realize that the
Articles of Confederation were too weak?
Key Constitutional Concepts
• As you watch the video, keep track of the conflicts
and compromises that occurred at the
Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, PA.
Use pages 187 – 191 to
complete the graphic
organizer on
Constitutional
Compromise.
Bell Ringer
• What were the two main compromises made at the
Constitution Convention?
Virginia Plan
• Presented by Edmund Randolph of Virginia on the
4th day of the Convention
• Written by James Madison
• Divided the government into 3 branches
• Bicameral (two-house) legislature
• Representation would be determined by a state’s
population
Congress = Legislative Branch
President = Executive Branch
Checks and Balances – a system by which each branch of gov’t
limits power of other branches
Supreme Court = Judicial Branch
New Jersey Plan
• Presented by William Paterson of New Jersey
• Keep the Congress as unicameral (one house)
• Each state would be given the same number of votes
• “equal voice” for each state in the national government
• All acts of Congress “shall be the supreme law of the
respective states.”
• Central Gov’t power to tax citizens in all states
• Central Gov’t power to regulate commerce (trade)
Great Compromise
• How should the states be represented?
• Bicameral legislature
• Upper House – Senate
• States equal number of representatives (2 per state)
• Lower House – House of Representatives
• Number of representatives per state based on population
Use pages 187 – 191 to
complete the graphic
organizer on
Constitutional
Compromise.
Federalism
The sharing of power between a central government
and the states that make up a country
Local
State
Government
Federal
Government
Government
Debate over Slavery
• Southern states wanted slaves to be counted as part of
their population for representation but did not want to
increase their tax base
• Northern states did not want slaves to be counted as part
of southern states’ population
“The admission of slaves into the Representation … comes to this: that
the inhabitant of [a state] who goes to the coast of Africa and … tears
away his fellow creatures from their dearest connections and damns
them to the most cruel bondage [slavery], shall have more votes in a
Government [established] for protection of the rights of mankind.”
- Gouverneur Morris
Three-Fifths Compromise
• A slave would count as 3/5th a person when
determining a state’s population
• Northern states would wait at least 20 years before
ending the slave trade
Use pages 187 – 191 to
complete the graphic
organizer on
Constitutional
Compromise.
Bill of Rights?
• Should the U.S. Constitution include a Bill of Rights?
• List of rights and freedoms of citizens protected by the
government
• Most states had a Bill of Rights in their
Constitutions
• The Constitution clearly defined the powers of the
Federal government
Ratification of the Constitution
• p. 220 in your book
• Article VII (p. 231)
• The Ratification of the
Conventions of nine
States, shall be so
sufficient for the
Establishment of this
Constitution between
the States so ratifying
the Same.
Bell Ringer
• What were the two major compromises made
during the Constitution Convention?
The Ratification Debate
• The Constitution was signed on September 17th,
1787
• From there it was sent to the States for ratification, or
approval.
The Ratification Debate
Federalists
Antifederalists
• Supporters of the new
Constitution
• Opposed the new
Constitution
•
•
•
•
•
George Washington
Benjamin Franklin
James Madison
Alexander Hamilton
John Jay
•
•
•
•
George Mason
Richard Henry Lee
Samuel Adams
Patrick Henry
The Ratification Debate
Mercy Otis Warren
“Our situation is truly delicate &
critical. On the one hand we are in
need of a strong federal
government founded on
principles that will support the
prosperity & union of the
colonies. On the other we have
struggled for liberty & made lofty
sacrifices at her shrine: and there
are still many among us who
revere her name too much to
relinquish (beyond a certain
medium) the rights of man for the
Dignity of Government.”
James Wilson
“I am satisfied that anything
nearer to perfection could not
have been accomplished. If there
are errors, it should be
remembered, that the seeds of
reformation are sown in the work
itself, and the concurrence of twothirds of the congress may at any
time introduce alterations and
amendments …. I am bold to
assert, that it is the BEST FORM
OF GOVERNMENT WHICH HAS
EVER BEEN OFFERED TO THE
WORLD.”
1. What does Warren suggest is more important than the “dignity of government”?
2. According to Wilson, how can the Constitution be changed?
3. How would you summarize the difference between Warren’s and Wilson’s views
on the risks involved with ratifying the Constitution?
The Ratification Debate
• Delaware became the 1st state to ratify the
Constitution on December 7, 1787
• Then came: 2. Pennsylvania, 3. New Jersey,
4. Georgia, 5. Connecticut, 6. Massachusetts,
7. Maryland, 8. South Carolina, and 9. New
Hampshire (June 21, 1788).
p. 199
The Ratification Debate
• Some states refused to sign the Constitution without a
Bill of Rights.
• “There is not a declaration of rights, and the laws of the
general government being paramount to the laws of the
constitution of the several States, the declaration of rights in
the separate States are no security.”
• George Mason
• Virginia ratified the Constitution on June 25th, 1788
after a Bill of Rights was promised.
• New York followed a month later on July 26th, 1788.
• The final states to ratify were North Carolina in
November 1789 and Rhode Island in May of 1790.
The Ratification Debate
• The Bill of Rights was voted on by the first Congress
in 1791.
Bell Ringer
• Why were New York and Virginia important in the
Ratification Debate?
Federalists and Antifederalists
• The new government convened, or met, on March
4th, 1789 in New York City
• James Madison proposed 19 amendments to the
Constitution.
• Amendment – is a change or addition made to the Constitution
• How does the Constitution get changed?
• Article V (p. 230)
Article V
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses
shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments
to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the
Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall
call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which,
in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and
Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified
by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several
States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as
the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be
proposed by the Congress …
The Bill of Rights
• Of Madison’s 19 original Amendments, Congress
approved 12.
• Those 12 were then sent onto the States on
September 25th, 1789.
The Bill of Rights
1 New Jersey Nov 20, 1789
2 Maryland Dec 19, 1789
3 North Carolina Dec 22, 1789
4 South Carolina Jan 19, 1790
5 New Hampshire Jan 25, 1790
6 Delaware Jan 28, 1790
7 New York Feb 24, 1790
8 Pennsylvania Mar 10, 1790
9 Rhode Island Jun 7, 1790
10 Vermont Nov 3, 1791 (became a state March 4, 1791)
11 Virginia Dec 15, 1791 *
The Bill of Rights
• Of Madison’s 19 original Amendments, Congress
approved 12.
• Those 12 were then sent onto the States on
September 25th, 1789.
• 10 of the amendments were ratified by enough
states to go into effect on December 15, 1791.
• They became known as the Bill of Rights
• P. 232 – 233 (Amendment I – X)
Bill of Rights
• What rights
are protected
under the Bill
of Rights?
Bill of Rights
• Using the lyrics of the song and your textbook (p.
232 – 233), you are going to illustrate the freedoms
and rights protected by the Bill of Rights.
• Due on Monday
Bell Ringer
• How does the Constitution get amended?
• The first 10 Amendments to the Constitution are
called the Bill of Rights
• p. 232
Biography in a Box
• Self-assess and turn in your Bio. Box to the shelf in
the back of the room.
• When you are finished, pick up a Constitution
Scavenger Hunt worksheet.
• This is EXTRA CREDIT that is due of FRIDAY, OCTOBER
24th.
• Change - #6 the Elastic Clause is found on page 224.
Bell Ringer
• Which amendment in the Bill of Rights do you think
is the most important? Why?
The Constitution
• Seven Basic Principles of the U.S. Constitution:
• Popular Sovereignty – the belief that gov’t is subject to the
will of the people
• Republicanism – the people rule through an elected gov’t
• Limited Government – gov’t with limited powers strictly
defined by law
• Federalism – sharing power between the federal and state
gov’ts
• Separation of Powers – powers are divided among the
different branches of gov’t
• Checks and Balances – each branch of gov’t can limit the
powers of the other branches
• Individual Rights – rights of citizens that are protected
Powers of the Federal
Government
• Delegated Powers – powers specifically given to
federal government in the Constitution
• Reserved Powers – powers belonging only to the
states’ governments
• Concurrent Powers – powers shared by the states
and federal government
Amendment X – The powers not delegated to the United
States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States,
are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Powers of the Federal
Government
• 1st Categorize (N, S, or N/S) based on your best
guesses
• 2nd use the Constitution (p. 219) to categorize the
governmental powers into:
• Delegated Powers – Powers of the National Government
• Concurrent Powers – Powers shared by the State and
National Government
• Reserved Powers – Powers of the State Governments
• You will mainly use Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution
Federalism Classification Activity
Powers of the National
Government
Powers Shared by the State and
National Governments
Powers of the State
Governments
1. declare war
8. punish lawbreakers
2. conduct elections
3. print and coin money
9. collect taxes
4. decide marriage laws
5. maintain an army
10. protect the rights of citizens
7. regulate intrastate commerce
6. regulate interstate and foreign
trade
11. set traffic standards
15. establish and maintain
schools
13. provide for public safety
12. admit new states
18. determine who can vote
14. borrow money
16. negotiate treaties
17. protect public health
19. set up a post office
20. set rules for immigration
21.maintain the state militia (also
known as the National Guard)
Bell Ringer
• What are Delegated Powers, Reserved Powers, and
Concurrent Power?
• Tenth Amendment
• “The powers not delegated to the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are
reserved to the States, respectively, or to the people.”
Structure of the Federal
Government
Writes the laws
Enforces the laws
Interprets the laws
US Congress – Writes the laws
US House of Representatives
US Senate
435 voting members
Minnesota has 8 Representatives
Serve 2 year terms
Must be:
• 25 years old
• US Citizen 7 years
• Live in state where elected
100 voting members
Minnesota has 2 Senators
Serve 6 year terms
Must be:
• 30 years old
• US Citizen 9 years
• Live in state where elected
US President
Enforces the Laws
Elected through the
Electoral College
Serves 4-year terms
22nd Amendment - no
more than 2 terms (or 10
years)
Must Be:
• 35 years old
• Natural-born citizen
• Live in the US 14 years
Barack
Obama
US Supreme Court – Interprets the Laws
9 Justices
Appointed by the President, approved by the Senate
Serve for Life
Checks and Balances
• A system established by the Constitution that
prevents any branch of government from becoming
too powerful.
• Use p. 212-214 to list the powers of each branch of
the National Government
• Use p. 208-209 to show the ways they can “check
and balance” one another.
Bell Ringer
• What is one power of Congress, President,
Supreme Court?
Checks and Balances
Powers of the Legislative Branch
(Congress)
Powers of the Executive Branch
(President)
Powers of the Judicial Branch
(Supreme Court)
Ways to become a citizen
1. Natural-Born Citizen – anyone who is born in the
US or a US territory
2. Natural-Born Citizen - anyone who is born to U.S.
citizens
• Naturalized Citizen – Someone of foreign birth who
becomes a citizen
3. You must move to the US and after living here for 5
years you may apply for citizenship
• Must be older than 18
• Prove that they are law-abiding and of good moral character
Responsibilities and Duties of
Citizens
As you watch and
listen, keep track of
the different
responsibilities and
duties of American
Citizens.
When finished, use
the packet and your
partner to complete
the graphic
organizer.
• Video Link http://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/lea
rners/study-test/study-materialscivics-test/promise-freedomintroduction-us-history-and-civicsimmigrants
Bell Ringer
• What is one Duty or Responsibility of US Citizens?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Vote
Serve on Juries
Defend the Constitution and Country
Be informed
Obey the laws
Respect others opinions, rights, and beliefs
Pay taxes