THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

The Declaration only set up a series of aspirations, or goals Promised a system of government that promoted liberty,

equality, and individual rights, and that was based on the will of the people.

The Articles of Confederation First attempt at government Very weak central government

The Constitutional Convention Philadelphia 1787 Abandoned the articles and decided to write an entirely

new constitution.

A FAILED EXPERIMENT

Established the basic structure of our national government

Power rests with the people, who elect their own representatives

Intent was to create a national government strong enough to defend the nation’s interests and to promote its general welfare

Made federal law supreme over state lawCreated an elected President, a Congress with two

houses, and a Supreme Court To ensure the new national government was not too strong,

the new Constitution also adopted a number of important principles.

THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

Limited Government Federal powers limited to those specifically provided in the

Constitution.Republicanism

A democratic government of representatives elected by the people

Popular Sovereignty The people hold supreme power. Power of the government

comes from the consent of the governed.Federalism

Powers of the federal government were divided between the national government and the states.

IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

Checks and Balances To prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful, the

Constitution gave each branch ways to stop or “check” the other branches.

Supreme Court made sure the other branches respected the Constitution.

Separation of Powers Divided the federal powers among three separate branches

The Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court

Amendments Constitution could be amended to take into account

important changes Allowed the Constitution to adjust to changing times and

attitudes

IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

CHECKS AND BALANCES

A member of the Continental Congress who favored independence.

Helped negotiate the peace treaty with England, ending the Revolutionary War

Author of three essays in the Federalist Papers , which argued strongly in support of ratifi cation of the Constitution.

1789: George Washington appointed Jay as the fi rst Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Appointment resulted in the Jay Treaty

(1795) Elected Governor of New York

Introduced many changes, such as penal reform and the abolition of slavery

Undertook extensive road and canal projects

JOHN JAY

Ratification only occurred when its supporters promised to add a list of rights to protect individual liberties.

These fi rst 10 amendments to the Constitution are referred to as our Bill of Rights

THE BILL OF RIGHTS

Covers fi ve separate rights at the same time.

1. Freedom of Religion Guarantees freedom of worship Prohibits Congress from establishing an offi cial or “state” religion Separation of church and states

2. Freedom of Speech Americans cannot be put in jail for criticizing the government or for

expressing unpopular beliefs The government can limit speech when that speech creates a “clear and

present danger.”

3. Freedom of the Press Allows newspapers, radio, and television to write or announce what they

want without fear of punishment

4. The Right of Assembly Cannot deny individuals the right to “peacefully assemble”

5. The Right to Petit ion Cannot deny individuals the right to write to government offi cials to change

the law

THE FIRST AMENDMENT

“a well-regulated militia” is “necessary to the security of a free state”

People have the right to “bear arms”

Today, some Americans question whether this right is still necessary and whether it encourages violence.

THE SECOND AMENDMENT

vs.

Prohibits government from placing troops in people’s homes without their permission. This happened during the revolutionary war. The British

quartered soldiers in people’s private homes.

THE THIRD AMENDMENT

Protects individuals from “unreasonable” searches and seizures by government offi cials.

If there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, a judge must sign a “search warrant”, presented by a police offi cer, before the search can be conducted.

THE FOURTH AMENDMENT

A citizen cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without “due process of law.” Cannot be tried for a serious federal crime without an

indictment by a grand jury. No person can be subject to double jeopardy An accused person cannot be forced to says things that are

self-incriminating. (“I plead the fifth”) Eminent domain refers to the power of a government over

property in its territory. If the government must take your property, they must provide the owner with “just compensation.”

THE FIFTH AMENDMENT

Guarantees a fair and impartial trial to all persons accused of a crime Must be told of the charges against them Have the right to a trial by a jury Have the right to be represented by a lawyer

THE SIXTH AMENDMENT

Federal courts cannot require unusually high bail.Bans cruel and unusual punishment

THE EIGHTH AMENDMENT

Seventh Amendment Guarantees the right to a trial by a jury in many civil

disputesNinth Amendment

Even though the Constitution lists some specific rights, this does not mean that citizens do not also hold other rights.

Tenth Amendment Federal government has only those powers specifically

given to it in the constitution. All other powers are reserved to the states or the people.

THE OTHER AMENDMENTS

All citizens have certain basic rights, but they also have specific responsibilities. Every citizens is partly responsible for how society is

governed and for the actions the government takes on his or her behalf.

Duties: Actions required by law

Paying taxes, jury duty, attending school

Responsibilities: Not as clear-cut as duties, but they are just as important

Being well-informed, expressing your thoughts, know your rights and assert them when necessary, accept responsibility for your actions, support your family, respect the rights of others

Vote, Vote, Vote!!!

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The American Flag The stripes represent the original 13 colonies, the stars represent the

current 50 states Red is for strength and courage, white is for purity and innocence, and blue

is for perseverance, vigilance, and justice. E Pluribus Unum

“Out of Many, One” Originally referred to the creation of a nation from 13 separate colonies into

one united nation. Today it refers to a country of many peoples from many different cultures,

races, and backgrounds Star Spangled Banner

The national anthem of the U.S. Written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 after he watched the British attack on

Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 In God We Trust

The offi cial motto of the United States Used as a battle cry by some units in the Union army during the Civil War Made offi cial in 1956 during the Cold War Meant to assert the general American belief in God and to contrast it with

the communist belief in atheism.

SYMBOLS AND MOTTOS