The
Constitution
Date is was Signed
 September
17, 1787
Structure/ Outline
 Preamble7
purpose of Government
Articles
 27 Amendments
 On back- Treasure Map
7 Articles
 1.
Legislative Branch
 2. Executive Branch
 3. Judicial Branch
 4. State’s Powers
 5. Amending Constitution
 6. Federal Powers
 7. Ratification Process
Bill of Rights

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
First 10 Amendments (1791)
Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly and right to
petition
Weapon for protection
Soldiers can not enter house
Cannot be arrested/ search without probable cause
Government must follow due process
Right to fair and speedy trial
Right to jury
Government cannot demand excessive bail or cruel and
unusual punishment
Does not all of the rights of the people and the states
Any powers not listed in Constitution are powers of states
Concepts of Democracy
 Worth
of the Individual
 Equality of all Persons
 Majority Rule, Minority Rights
 Necessity of Comprise
 Individual Freedom
6 basic principles of the U.S
constitution
 Popular
Sovereignty
 1. “We the people “
 a. What do you think this means?
 b. the people are the only source of
Governmental power. The Government
can govern only with the consent of the
governed
6 Principles Continued
 Limited
Government
 1. Rule of Law
a. What do you think this means?
b. the government is not all powerful
that it may do only those things that the
people have given it the power to do
6 Principles Continued
 Separation
of Powers
 1. Three Branches of Government
a. What comes to mind when you hear this
phrase?
b. Power is distributed between 3 equal
branches of the Government
6 Principles Continued
 Checks
and Balances
 What does this mean?
a.
Each Branch is subject to a number
of restraints by the other branches
6 principles continued
 Judicial
Review
 a. Is it important the courts have the
power to find laws unconstitutional?
 b. Determines if the Government’s
actions are Constitutional
6 principles continued
 Federalism
 a.
Is it good for the Federal Government
to hold all the power?
 b. The Central power shares power with
state and local governments
 c. Think of Examples
Scenario



You are visiting California and having a great vacation.
You are on the beach when one of largest earthquakes in
recorded history occurs. California breaks off from the
mainland of America. 6 million people are left floating on a
newly formed island. The survivors, about million people,
decide to create an entirely new nation. You are on a
select committee that is charged with task of creating most
ideal form of government.
Today- You need to create a group, an new name for your
country, a pick a form of government.
Think of the political philosophers we discussed, natural
rights, different forms of government, principles of
democracy, principles of the constitution.
In your Island Groups



Write your own Pre-amble
Your pre-amble will need to state your purpose of
government
In addition to your preamble you will need to include
a rationale that answers the following questions:




What is the purpose of government?
Which Philosophers does your group agree with? Why?
Which Philosophers does your group not agree with?
Why not?
Which form of Government does your preamble reflect?
Why this form of Government? What are the strengths of
this system? What are the weakness? Why does this form
of government seem stronger than other forms of
government?
Read 1st article of constitution
 Answer
the following questions
 What are the powers and responsibilities
of the legislative branch?
 Who can be a legislature?
 How is a bill passed?
 What are the strengths?
 What are the weakness
In your Island Groups
 Create





your own 1st article
How are you going to pass laws on your
island?
Who going to pass laws on you island
How is your system an improvement on the
existing system in the U.S
What are the possible weaknesses in your
system?
How are you going to overcome those
weakness?
Read article 2 of constitution
 Answer
the following questions
 What are the powers and responsibilities
of the executive branch?
 Who can be a president, vice president?
 What are the limits places on the
executive?
 What are the strengths?
 What are the weakness?
In your Island Groups





Create your own 2nd article
Who is going to have authority in your system?
What limits are you going to place on this
person?
What are going to be the main duties and
responsibilities of this person?
What institutions/mechanisms are you going
to put in place to regulate this person
Read article 3
 The
judicial branch is composed of which
type of courts
 The supreme court has jurisdiction over
which type of cases?
 How is a person convicted of treason?
In your island groups
 Create
your on Judicial branch
 How will justice be achieved on your
island?
 How many courts will you have? What will
your system look like?
 What powers will the courts have?
 Who will be judges? How will these judges
be chosen? What powers will these
judges have
Article 5: In your Island groups
 Discuss
Article 5 PowerPoint
 How will your constitution be changed in
the future? What does that process look
like?
Bill of Rights
 Read
Bill of Rights
 What are the basic rights your citizens will
have on your Island