dec of independence

What are the six goals listed in the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution?

1. Form a more perfect union (uniting states)
2. Establish justice (fair laws and courts)
3. Insure domestic tranquility (internal peace)
4. Provide for the common defense (protection from foreign threats)
5. Promote the general welfare (improving quality of life)
6. Secure the blessings of liberty (protecting rights for all generations)

How is the U.S. Constitution structured?

The Constitution is divided into the Preamble, 7 articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights.

Details of the Legislative Branch (Article One)

• Senate: 100 members, serve 6-year terms, minimum age of 30.
• House of Representatives: 435 members, serve 2-year terms, minimum age of 25.

Details of the Executive Branch (Article Two)

• Leader: The President
• Term: 4 years
• Requirements: At least 35 years old and born in the USA
• Roles: Enforces laws, Commander in Chief, signs or vetoes legislation.

Details of the Judicial Branch (Article Three)

• Head: Supreme Court with 9 justices
• Terms: Life terms
• Appointment: Appointed by the President with Senate approval
• Roles: Interprets laws and declares them unconstitutional.

Summarize Articles Four, Six, and Seven

• Article Four: Relations among the states
• Article Six: National supremacy (the Constitution is the supreme law)
• Article Seven: Ratification process

What is the process for amending the Constitution (Article Five)?

1. Propose: A \frac{2}{3} vote in each house of Congress OR a national convention requested by \frac{2}{3} of state legislatures.
2. Ratify: Approved by \frac{3}{4} of state legislatures OR \frac{3}{4} of state conventions.

Why did the framers make the Constitution difficult to change?

They wanted a stable and lasting framework for government, though they acknowledged it must change over time as Thomas Jefferson noted that "the earth belongs to the living and not to the dead."

Define the principles: Popular Sovereignty and Limited Government

• Popular Sovereignty: Government power comes from the people who rule through voting.
• Limited Government: Government power is restricted; everyone, including leaders, must follow the law.

Define the principles: Federalism and Separation of Powers

• Federalism: Power is divided between national and state governments.
• Separation of Powers: Government is divided into three branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial) to prevent any group from having too much power.

Define the principles: Checks and Balances and Republicanism

• Checks and Balances: Each branch can limit the power of the others to prevent abuse.
• Republicanism: Citizens elect representatives to govern and make laws on their behalf.

Examples of Checks and Balances

• Legislative: Can impeach the President or federal judges; can override vetoes with a \frac{2}{3} vote.
• Executive: President can veto bills from Congress.
• Judicial: Supreme Court can declare laws or executive actions unconstitutional.

What is the "Necessary and Proper Clause" (Elastic Clause)?

Found in Article One, it gives Congress the power to pass all laws necessary for carrying out its enumerated powers, allowing the government to adapt over time.

Define Enumerated Powers

The specifically listed powers of Congress found in Article One, Section 8, such as the power to:

• Coin money
• Declare war
• Regulate interstate commerce

Define Reserved Powers

Powers not granted to the federal government by the Constitution are kept by the states or the people, as established by the 10th Amendment.

What is the Supremacy Clause?

Article Six, Clause 2, which states that the Constitution and federal laws are the "supreme Law of the Land," overriding state laws when there is a conflict.

Explain the Impeachment Power

1. House of Representatives: Has the sole power to impeach (bring formal charges against) an official.
2. Senate: Has the power to try the impeachment, requiring a \frac{2}{3} vote for conviction.

Define Judicial Review

The power of the courts to determine the constitutionality of laws or executive actions, a principle established by the Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison.

What is the Electoral College?

The formal body which elects the President and Vice President of the United States, where each state is assigned a number of electors equal to its total congressional representation.

What is the President's Cabinet?

An advisory body made up of the heads of the 15 executive departments, such as the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury.

Define the Full Faith and Credit Clause

Article Four, Section 1, which requires states to respect the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state.

Summarize the freedoms of the First Amendment

It protects five basic freedoms:

1. Religion
2. Speech
3. Press
4. Assembly
5. Petition

What is the Second Amendment?

Protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms for a well-regulated militia.

What is the Fourth Amendment?

Protects citizens against "unreasonable searches and seizures" and requires a warrant to be supported by probable cause.

Define the Fifth Amendment rights

• Due process of law
• Protection against self-incrimination (right to remain silent)
• Protection against double jeopardy
• Right to eminent domain (just compensation for private property)

Define the Sixth Amendment rights

Guarantees the rights of criminal defendants, including:

• A speedy and public trial
• An impartial jury
• The right to an attorney
• The right to confront witnesses

What is the Eighth Amendment?

Prohibits the government from imposing excessive bail, excessive fines, or cruel and unusual punishments.

What is the Thirteenth Amendment?

Passed after the Civil War, it formally abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States.

What is the Fourteenth Amendment?

Grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. and guarantees equal protection and due process under the law.

What is the Fifteenth Amendment?

Prohibits the government from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

What is the Nineteenth Amendment?

Ratified in 1920, it guaranteed women the right to vote (women's suffrage).

What is the Twenty-Sixth Amendment?

Lowered the legal voting age from 21 to 18 years old, ratified in 1971 during the Vietnam War.