Do Now
• Record in Agenda: Govt Terms Quiz next class! Study!
• Have your 14 flash cards out at your workspace.
• Title the next page in your notebook: Types of
Government Reflection.
• Respond to the following prompts in paragraph form
(4-6 sentences for each prompt):
1. In what type of government would you most like to be
a citizen? Explain using at least TWO reasons.
2. In what type of government would you most like to be
a leader? Explain using at least TWO reasons.
Government Pre-Test
• Give it your best effort. This does NOT count
for a grade– just helps me to know where we
stand as we begin our study of American
Government.
• Try to put an answer to every question– even
if it is a TOTAL guess! 
Pre-Test Answers– check your work!
1. Congress (Legislative
Branch)
2. Congress (Legislative
Branch)
3. President
4. 6 years
5. 2 years
6. 4 years
7. 35 years old
8. 9 justices
9. Lifetime
10. Supreme Court
11. House of Representatives
12. Senate
13. President
14. 27 Amendments
15. 535 (435 in House, 100 in
Senate)
16. U.S. Constitution
17. President
18. 25 years old
19. ¾ (three fourths)
20. Three (Legislative,
Executive, Judicial)
What is a vanity license plate?
Do Now Friday, Aug 24th
• Record in your agenda:
No HW for SS class 
Turn to your next page in your notebook.
Heads of tables: please get glue sticks.
Glue in Purposes of Govt according to Preamble sheet.
We will take your Government Terms quiz AFTER we take
a short set of notes on the Preamble.
Mike Wilkins, Preamble (1987). Painted metal on vinyl and wood. On display in the Smithsonian
Institution's National Museum of American Art, Washington, D.C.
We the People of the United States
• Popular Sovereigntythe people rule
(ultimately, the power is
held by the The People)
…In order to form a more perfect
union…
• Building a strong country where all of the
states can work together as one nation: the
United States.
Purpose #1: Establish Justice
• Rule of law: Fairness for all people; no one is
above the law.
• Examples:
– Supreme Court
– Local courts
– Juries
– Laws
Purpose #2: Insure domestic
tranquility
• Peace and order in the states and throughout
the country
• Examples:
– Police
– Fire departments
– FBI
– CIA
– National Guard
Purpose #3: provide for the common
defense
• The national government has a responsibility
to protect Americans from foreign threats.
• Examples:
– Military
– Army
– Navy
– Marines
– Air Force
– Coast guard
Purpose #4: promote the general
welfare
• Taxes must be collected
and used for the common
good.
• Examples:
– Education
– Roads
– Health care
(Medicare/Medicaid)
– Scientific research
– Social Security
– Food stamps
– Labor laws
Purpose #5: secure the blessings of liberty
to ourselves and our posterity
• Guarantee freedom and rights of the people
now and in the future
• Examples:
– Bill of Rights
– Elections/ voting
…do
ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United
States of America.
School House Rock!
•
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIKhRERqPS4
Preamble Assignment
• Write Preamble Visualization at the top of the
next clean page in your notebook.
• Number your page 1-5, skipping 5 lines in
between each number.
• Write the Preamble’s purposes of government
by the numbers. (use the actual words of the
Preamble)
• For each purpose, draw a visualization of that
goal with at least 5 details.
James Madison wrote, “If men were angels, no
government would be necessary.”
James Madison
“Father of the Constitution”
Write the quote above and
respond on the next clean
page in your notebook in
the following ways:
1. What do you think was
Madison’s view of human
nature (What human are
like)?
2. Why do you think Madison
thought governments were
necessary?
3. Do you agree or disagree
with him? Explain why.
The United States Constitution:
Supreme Law of the United States
Organization of the Constitution:
Preamble: States the goals of our government
Article I. Legislative Branch
Article II. Executive Branch
Article III. Judicial Branch
Article IV. States
Article V. Amendment Process
Article VI. Supremacy Clause
Article VII. Ratification