UnitedStatesConstitution101Constitution 101:

AnIntroduction&OverviewtotheUSConstitution

ThisPPTcanbeusedaloneorinconjunctionwiththeConsortium’sGoal1&2lessons,availableintheDatabaseofCivicResourcesatwww.civics.org.

WhatistheUSConstitution?

• ThesupremelawoftheUnitedStates.

• ItisthefoundationandsourceofthelegalauthorityunderlyingtheexistenceoftheUnitedStatesofAmericaandtheFederalGovernment oftheUnitedStates.

• ItprovidestheframeworkfortheorganizationoftheUnitedStatesGovernment.

WhoWroteIt?

• JamesMadisonisconsidered“thefatheroftheConstitution.”

• Hisimportantcontributions:– TheVirginiaPlan– SeparationofPowers– BillofRights

Whywasitwritten?

• AftertheRevolutionaryWar,theArticlesofConfederation setupthestructureoftheUSGovernment.

• Thefederalgovernmentwasextremelyweakandthiscreatedmanyproblemssuchas:1. Noseparationofpowers– onlyunicameral

legislature.2. Weakcentralgovernment– stateshadmostpower.3. Congressdidnothavethepowertotax– thismeans

theycouldnotgettheirfinancesinorder.

Whywasitwritten?

• MoreproblemswiththeArticlesofConfederation:4. InordertochangetheArticles,allthirteenstateshadto

approveofthechanges.Thismadeitessentiallyimpossibletomakeanychanges.

5. Foranymajorlawstopasstheyhadtobeapprovedby9orthe13stateswhichwasdifficult.

6. Congressdidnothavethepowertoregulatecommercewhichcausedcompetitionbetweenstates.Italsocauseddiplomaticissueswhenstatesrefusedtopayforgoodstheirreceivedfromothernations.

Whywasitwritten?

• Shays’ Rebellion:– AnuprisingoffarmersinMassachusetts– ledbyDanielShays.

– Helpedconvinceleadersthatastrongcentralgovernmentwasneeded.

"AsceneatSpringfield,duringShay'sRebellion,whenthemobattemptedtopreventtheholdingoftheCourtsof

Justice."—E.BenjaminAndrews,1895

Whenwasitwritten?

• May25th toSeptember17th,1787• Philadelphia• IntentionwastoreviseArticlesofConfederation• EndedupreplacingtheArticles andcreatinganewgovernment

• Calledthe“ConstitutionalConvention.”

WhatweretheimportantoutcomesoftheConstitutionalConvention

• VirginiaPlan:– Separationofpowers– Bicamerallegislaturebasedonpopulation

– Federalgovernmenthadincreasedpowers

• NewJerseyPlan:– Unicamerallegislaturewhereeverystatereceivedequalrepresentation.

• GreatCompromise:– HybridofVAandNJPlans:• Bicamerallegislature:

– HouseofRepsbasedonpopulation

– Senatebaseduponequalrepresentation

– Three-Fifth’sCompromise:• Slavescountas3/5’sofapersonforrepresentationpurposes&taxes.

RatificationDebate

• Needed9of13statestoratifyorofficialapproveoftheConstitutionbeforeitwentintoeffect.

• Ahugedebateemergedbetweentwosides:– Federalists– Anti-Federalists

Federalistsv.Anti-Federalists• Federalists:– SupportedtheConstitutionandastrongcentralgovernment

– AlexanderHamilton,JamesMadison,JohnJay

– FederalistPapers–seriesofarticleswrittenindefenseoftheConstitution

• Anti-Federalists:– Supportedaweakercentralgovernment–felttoomuchpowerwastakenawayfromthestates

– OpposedtheConstitution

– WantedaBillofRightsincluded

– SamuelAdams,PatrickHenry

Ratification

• OfficiallyadoptedafterratifiedbyNewHampshire.

• Oncethenewgovernmentconvened,theyaddedaBillofRightstotheConstitution.

StructureoftheConstitution• Preamble:

– Statementofpurpose• Articles:

– I:LegislativeBranch– II:ExecutiveBranch– III:JudicialBranch– IV:RelationsAmongtheStates– V:AmendmentProcess– VI:FederalPower– VII:Ratification

• Amendments:– 27Total– 1st TenAmendmentsarecalled

theBillofRights

WhatarethebasicprincipalsoftheConstitution?

• PopularSovereignty– Governmentpowerresidesin

thepeople• Limitedgovernment

– Governmentisnotallpowerful,canonlydowhatthepeopleletit.

• SeparationofPowers– Helpspreventonebranchfrom

becomingtoopowerful• ChecksandBalances-

– Eachbranchofgovernmenthasthepowertocheck,orlimit,theactionsoftheothertwo.

WhatarethebasicprincipalsoftheConstitution?

• Federalism– Divisionofpoweramong

nationalandstategovernments

• Republicanism-– Citizensoptforarepresentative

formofdemocracywheretheyelectrepresentativestocarryouttheirwill

• IndividualRights-– TheConstitutionprotect

individualrightsguaranteedtoallcitizensundertheBillofRights

ThePreamble

• ToFormaMorePerfectUnion

• Toestablishjustice• Toensuredomestictranquility

• Toprovideforthecommondefense

• Topromotethegeneralwelfare

• Tosecuretheblessingsoflibertytoourselvesandourposterity

ArticleI:LegislativeBranch

• Bicameral:(2Houses)– Senate (UpperHouse)

• 2Senatorsforeachstate• Mustbeatleast30yearsold

• Servefor6yearterms• 100votingmembers

– HouseofRepresentatives• Basedonpopulation• Mustbeatleast25yearsold

• Servefor2yearterms• 435votingmembers

• ImportantPowers:– Makelaws– Settaxes– Declarewar– OverrideVetoes– Borrowmoney– Regulateinternationalandnationaltrade

– Printmoney– ApprovesPresidentialappointments

CaliforniaSenators2017

DianneFeinstein KamalaD.Harris

CaliforniaRepresentativeforthe28thDistrict

AdamSchiff

ArticleII:ExecutiveBranch

• PresidentandVicePresidentareelectedto4yearterms,2Termsmaximum

• Qualifications:– Atleast35yearsold– 14yearresidentoftheUS

– Naturalborncitizen

• ElectedbytheElectoralCollege

• Importantpowers:– Commander-in-ChiefofU.S.Militaryforces

– Grantpardons– Maketreaties– Appointsfederalofficers(Including:cabinetmembers,Ambassadors,andSupremeCourtJustices)

– Ensurelawsareexecuted– Signsbillsintolaws– Poweroftheveto(rejectalaw)

ArticleIII:JudicialBranch

• SupremeCourtjudgesserve“forlife… orduringgoodbehavior”

• JudicialpowerrestswithUSSupremeCourtandothercourtscreatedbyCongress

• ImportantPowers:– DecidescasesofConstitutionallawandfederallaw

– CasesinvolvingambassadorsgostraighttoSupremeCourt

– JudicialReviewcomeslater(1803–Marburyv.Madison)

SupremeCourtChiefJustice2017

• ChiefJusticeoftheU.S.SupremeCourtJohnRoberts

CabinetPositions

WhataretheChecksandBalances?

OtherImportantArticles:

• ArticleV:Amendments– Amendmentsareproposed

when2/3ofHouseandSenatedeemitnecessary

– Amendmentsareproposedwhen2/3ofstatesdeemitnecessary

– Amendmentsmustberatifiedby¾ofstatelegislaturesorbyconventionsin¾ofstates

• ArticleVI:FederalPower– SupremacyClause:Federallawissupremetostatelaw

– Noreligioustestsforpublicoffice

ImportantAmendments:BillofRights

1. Freedomofreligion,ofspeech,ofthepress,toassemble,andtopetition

2. Righttobeararms3. Noquarteringofsoldiers4. Nounreasonablesearchand

seizure5. Indictments;Dueprocess;

Self-incrimination;Doublejeopardy,andrulesforEminentDomain.

6. Righttoafairandspeedypublictrial,Noticeofaccusations,Confrontingone'saccuser,Subpoenas,Righttocounsel

7. Righttotrialbyjuryincivilcases

8. Noexcessivebail&finesorcruel&unusualpunishment

9. ThereareotherrightsnotwrittenintheConstitution

10. AllrightsnotgiventoFederalGovernmentbelongtostatesandpeople.

OtherImportantAmendments:ReconstructionAmendments

• 13th Amendment– abolishedslavery

• 14th Amendment– Dueprocessandequalprotectionunderthelaw– AllpersonsborninUSarecitizens

• 15th Amendment– Righttovoteregardlessofrace,color,orpreviousservitude

OtherImportantAmendments:• 18thAmendment

– Prohibitionofalcohol• 19th Amendment:

– Women’ssuffrage• 21st Amendment:

– Repealsprohibition• 22nd Amendment:

– Presidentialtermlimits• 24th Amendment:

– Prohibitspolltaxesforvoting• 26th Amendment:

– lowersvotingageto18

BecominganAmericanCitizen• YouwerebornintheUnited

StatesorhaveatleastoneparentwhoisacitizenoftheUnitedStates.

• Youwerenaturalized.Naturalizationistheofficiallegalprocessforbecomingacitizen.

• Youwere18yearsolf oryoungerwhenyouparentswerenaturalized.

• Vist:

• https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship

• FORMOREINFORMATION

RightsofCitizens

• Toworshipasyouplease• Toexpressyouropinion• Toconsultalawyerifyouarearrested• 9th Amendment- “CitizensrightsarenotlimitedtothoselistedintheConstitutionEXAMPLE:“righttoaneducation”

• https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learners/citizenship-rights-and-responsibilities

ResponsibilitiesofCitizens

• Obeyfederal,state,andlocallaws;• Paytheirfairshareoftaxes;• Serveonjuriesifcalled;• Defendthenationifcalled.• https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learners/citizenship-rights-and-responsibilities

Citizensshould…

• Voteinfederal,state,andlocalelections;• Stayinformedonimportantissues;• Servethecommunity;• Helptocreateajustsociety.• https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learners/citizenship-rights-and-responsibilities