Social Studies: The Constitution

About the Constitution's Preamble, Articles, Amendments, and contents

List six of the exact purposes of the Constitution stated in the Preamble

To form a more perfect union, to establish justice, to ensure domestic tranquility, to provide for the common defense, to promote the general welfare, and to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity

How many articles/sections does the Constitution have?

7

All legislative powers were given to whom?

Congress

The legislative consists of which two groups?

The Senate (upper house) and the House of Representative (lower house)

How old do you have to be to be a Representative

25 years old

How old do you have to be to be a Senator

30 years old

Who proposes bills that can become laws if approved

The House of Representatives proposes taxes; anything else requires both houses to propose

Who has power in the Executive branch of the government?

Chief executive/President

How many years can the president hold office

4 years per term (no more than 2 terms)

What are the qualifications to be president?

Must be a natural-born citizen

At least 35 years old

Must be a resident of the U.S. for 14 years

What does the president promise to defend?

The Constitution

What are four duties of the president?

The president shall serve as Commander in Chief

Shall make treaties, appoint ambassadors and Supreme Court judges.

How does the president approve laws?

After it passes both houses of Congress, the president may sign the bill.

Who has the judicial power in the US?

The Supreme Court and other federal courts

What is a criminal guaranteed to?

A trial by jury

The eleventh amendment was ratified in 1795. Its subject was suits against states. Does it allow a citizen of one state to sue the government of another state in federal court?

No

The twelfth amendment was ratified 1804. Its subject was about the election of President and Vice President. Were electors to cast one ballot for them?

No

The thirteenth amendment was ratified in 1865. Its subject was about slavery and involuntary servitude. Was slavery to exist in the United States?

No

The fourteenth amendment was ratified in 1868. Its topic was about the rights of citizens. Are states able to make laws that limit the rights of citizens?

No

The fifteenth amendment was ratified in 1870. Its topic was the right to vote regarding race, color, and servitude. Is the federal government or states to limit the right to vote based on race?

No

The sixteenth amendment was ratified in 1913. Its topic was about income tax. Can Congress tax people on their income?

Yes

The seventeenth amendment was ratified in 1913. Its topic was popular election by senators. Can state legislatures choose senators?

No

The Eighteenth amendment was ratified in 1919. Its topic was the prohibition of alcoholic beverages. Could people make, sell, or transport alcohol?

No

The nineteenth amendment, ratified in 1920, concerned women’s suffrage. Can women vote in state and federal elections.

Yes, bro

The twentieth amendment, ratified in 1933, concerned “Presidential Terms; Sessions of Congress; Death or Disqualification of President-Elect.” Is the Vice President-elect to become President if the President-elect dies before taking office?

Yes

The twenty-first amendment, ratified in 1933, concerned the “repeal of prohibition.” Is alcohol allowed to be made, sold, or transported?

Yes

The twenty-second amendment, ratified in 1951, concerned presidential tenure. Is a person allowed to serve as President for more than two terms?

No

The twenty-third amendment, ratified in 1961, concerned “Presidential Electors for the District of Columbia.” Could the people in the District of Columbia vote for President?

Yes

The twenty-fourth amendment, ratified in 1964, concerned the right to vote in federal elections regarding tax payment. Are U.S. citizens required to pay a tax before voting in federal elections?

No

The twenty-fifth amendment, ratified in 1967, concerned presidential succession, vice presidential vacancy, and presidential inability. Is the Vice President meant to take over the duties of President if he or she is unable to carry them out?

Yes

The twenty-sixth amendment was ratified in 1972 concerning the right to vote regarding age. Can citizens eighteen or older vote?

Yes

The twenty-seventh amendment was ratified in 1992 concerning congressional pay. Can members of Congress receive right away a pay increase they voted for themselves?

No

What are the six big ideas of the Constitution?

Limited government, republicanism, checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, and popular sovereignty.

Definition and reasoning for limited government

Political system in which legalized force is restricted by delegated and enumerated powers (powers given specifically to the government)

The government’s power comes from the people, and the people decide how much power to give it

Definition and reasoning for republicanism

form of government in which leaders are elected for a specific group of people and for a specific amount of time; laws are passed to benefit all, not a select few

Not everyone in the country will have the same beliefs as another person; by limiting terms, the government is more responsible to the wants of the people

Definition and reasoning for checks and balances

Each branch has the ability to restrain another branch by vetoing or amending the acts of other branches (only works if everyone does their jobs and agree to follow it)

less efficient, but prevents one branch from overpowering the others

Federalism definition and reasoning

Division of power between a federal government and smaller, local governments

central government is powerful enough to be effective, but state governments handle local issues

Definition and reasoning for separation of powers

power is divided into three branches of government: executive (president), legislative (most powerful line theory; traced back to Articles of Confederation; Congress), and judicial (Supreme Court and other lower and federal courts)

Didn’t want one branch to become too powerful

definition and reasoning of popular sovereignty

the government is created at the will of the people

What people give, they can also take away