Warm-up for 1/22 and 1/23
 Imagine that you have just declared independence
from Great Britain, if you were in charge of helping to
create our new government, what are 5 laws would
you create?
 Write down your homework. Raise your hand when
done.
 After the American Revolution, the Articles of the
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Confederation were enacted
The Articles gave no power to the central government
All the power resided in the states
People were afraid of a strong central government
In 1787, the Constitutional Convention was called in
Philadelphia for the purpose of improving the Articles
of the Confederation
 What came out was a new document
 A struggle began between the small and large states
regarding representation
 The Virginia Plan proposed representation based on
population
 The New Jersey Plan proposed equal representation
from each state regardless of size
 The Great Compromise called for a bicameral (two
house legislature), one based on population, one with
equal representation
 With the Great Compromise, the ratification of the
Constitution only had one more hurdle
 Many wanted to ensure the Federal Government would
not become too powerful
 The Constitution was ratified in 1787 with the
understanding it would be amended to include a list of
citizens rights
 The Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments, were
ratified in 1791
 The US Constitution consists of seven
articles and 27 amendments
 The original seven articles took effect
in 1789
 The first 10 amendments are called the
Bill of Rights
 The Constitution consists of three parts: the Preamble,
the Articles, and the Amendments
 The Preamble is the purpose
 The Articles establish the government
 The Amendments protect the rights of the citizens
The Preamble
 The Preamble is the purpose for the document
 Form a more perfect Union
 Establish Justice
 Insure domestic tranquility
 Provide for common defense
 Promote general welfare
 Secure the Blessings of Liberty
The Articles
 Article 1- Legislative Branch
 Congress shall make the laws
 Two parts, called “Houses”
 The House of Representatives
 The Senate
 Article 2- Executive Branch
 The President, Vice-President, Cabinet, and
Departments
 Enforce the laws
 Article 3- The Judicial Branch
 The Supreme Court
 Rule on the laws
 Article 4- States powers
 States can make their own laws
 States must respect other states laws
 Article 5- Amendments
 Constitution can be changed
 Article 6- Federal Powers
 State laws cannot violate federal laws or the
Constitution
 Article 7- Ratification
 Presented on September 17, 1787
 12 out of the 13 states signed the Constitution
The Amendments
 The first ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights
 The 13, 14, and 15th amendments ended slavery,
established citizenship and gave Blacks the right to
vote (1870)
 The 18th amendment was the only amendment
repealed, prohibition against the sale of alcohol (1919)
 The 19th amendment gave women the right to vote
(1919)
 The 22nd amendment limited the President to two
terms (1951)
 The 26th amendment gave 18 year olds the right to vote
(1971)
 The 27th amendment Congress shall not have a raise
until after the next election of the House of
Representatives (1992)
The Bill of Rights
 Revolutionary in their nature
 Two groups grew out of the ratification process for the
US Constitution
 Federalists
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did not believe in the need for the Bill of Rights
Wanted strong Federal Government
Members include:
Alexander Hamilton and James Madison
 Anti-Federalist
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Distrusted a strong Federal Government
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Proposed the Bill of Rights
Members include: Thomas Jefferson
 Guaranteed the rights of the citizens and could not be
infringed by the Federal Government
 Freedoms include
 Speech
 Religion
 Bear arms
 Speedy trial
 States rights