Bell Ringer
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What did you like about the
Constitutional Convention?

What would you change?

How would you constructively change it?
Bell Ringer
Prioritize your rights!
 Using the list below, choose the 7 rights that are most
important to you and prioritize them. Write them, in
order of importance, on your paper.
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-Freedom of religion
-Freedom of the press
-Freedom of assembly
-Freedom of petition
-Freedom of speech
-Right to bear arms
-Right to not forcibly house soldiers
-Freedom from unreasonable search/seizure
-Right to due process
-Freedom from self-incrimination
-Can’t be tried twice for the same crime
-Right to a speedy trial
-Right to trial by jury
-Freedom from cruel and unusual punishment
The
Supreme
Law of the
Land
OUTLINE OF THE
CONSTITUTION
1. Preamble- short intro,
describes the six
purposes of government
OUTLINE OF THE
CONSTITUTION
2. Body broken into 7 sections called articles:
Article 2:
Executive
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
Power to:
make laws and frame
public policy
$$$$: purse, tax, budget
Responsibility to
provide for the common
defense & promote the
general welfare
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Power to
execute, enforce, and
administer law
Sign laws, treaties,
executive orders, and
pardons
Preserve, protect,
and defend
Constitution
JUDICIAL BRANCH
Power to
interpret the laws,
determine meaning and
settle disputes
Judicial review
Interpret laws and
decides whether
Constitutional
OUTLINE OF THE
CONSTITUTION
Preamble- short intro,
describes the six
purposes of government
Body is broken into 7
sections called articles.
 Article 1: Legislative
 Article 2: Executive
 Article 3: Judicial
Article 4: States – Nat. Gov’t –
States
Article 5: Formal Amendments
Article 6: Constitution Supreme Law
Article 7: Ratify that Constitution
*Followed by 27 amendments
6 PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION
1. Popular Sovereignty:
2. Limited Government:
 Authority for the
government flows from the
people
 Government has only the
authority that the people
have given to it;
government must obey the
law
6 PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION
3. Separation of Powers:
 Each branch of government
has its own responsibilities
and limitations
4. Checks and Balances:
 Each of the three branches of
government exercises some
control over the others
6 PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION
5. Judicial Review:
6. Federalism:
 Power of the courts to
determine whether what
government does is in
agreement with what the
Constitution provides
 Division of power among a
central government and
several regional governments
RATIFICATION AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS
THE FIGHT FOR
RATIFICATION
•Ratification definition?
•Formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a
constitution, amendment or treaty.
•Ratification did not come easy
•Once the Constitution was drafted it was:
•Printed, circulated, and debated heavily
•Federalists favored the ratification
•Anti-federalists were opposed to the Constitution
FEDERALISTS
FAVORED RATIFICATION
Wrote Federalist Papers (New York)
J. Madison/ A. Hamilton/ John Jay
1. Government needed more power
2. Divided power between 3 branches
3. Single person executive
4. Solved specific problems of Articles
**Supported by most newspapers
ANTI-FEDERALISTS
OPPOSED RATIFICATION
Henry/ Mason/ Adams
1. No guarantee of personal rights
2. States didn’t have enough power
3. President may become king
4. Liberties gained would be lost
OUTCOME OF THE
FIGHT… Bill of Rights!
•Constitution did NOT provide for basic liberties
•Added 3 years after
•Proposed in 1st session of Congress
•Ratified in 1791 by the states
•AKA: the first 10 amendments
The Bill of Rights
THE FIRST 10 AMENDMENTS
st
1
o
Amendment
Five basic liberties (RAPPS):
o
Freedom of/from Religion
o
Freedom of Assembly
o
Freedom of the Press
o
Freedom of Petition
o
Freedom of Speech
2nd Amendment
 Right
to bear arms
 States
may keep a militia (National
Guard)
3rd Amendment

Prevented quartering (housing) of
soldiers
th
4

Amendment
Unlawful Searches and Seizures
 Police
order)
must obtain warrants (court
 Evidence
gained illegally cannot be
used in court.
th
5
Amendment

Cannot be forced to be a witness against
yourself

Due Process
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Government cannot deprive individuals of life,
liberty, or property without proper notice
th
6
Amendment
 Right
to a speedy and public trial
 Right
to an attorney
th
7
Amendment
 Right
to a jury in
any civil case
involving more than
$20 (today this is
obsolete)
th
8
Amendment
 No
cruel or unusual punishment
 No
excessive bails or fines
th
9
Amendment

Unenumerated (unwritten) rights

There are rights not listed in the Constitution
that people have

Gay rights, Abortion
th
10
Amendment

Powers not given to the National government
are given to the States.

“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.”
Unit One Packet YAY
Items
Study Guide
1. Flipbook
Section One
2. Political Philosophers & Beliefs
Section One
3. What Would Philosopher Say?
Section One
4. Forms of Government Notes
Section Two
5. Historical Documents Notes
Section Three
6. Declaration of Independence
Section Three
7. Origins of Am Gov
Section Three
8. Basic Concepts o’ Democracy
Section Three
9. Principles of Gov Drawings
Section Three
10. STUDY GUIDE!!!
All of it